Hammer Horror: The Warner Bros. Years is Coming to Blu-ray on Aug 26 (Diabolique Films)
The untold story of Hammer at Warner Bros, and the relationship that produced some of the British company’s finest films.
The classic Hammer films from Warner Bros have now received an in-depth exploration complete with special feature in this documentary. The fascinating story is finally told in this unprecedented 101-minute documentary feature, HAMMER HORROR: THE WARNER BROS YEARS, written and directed by Marcus Hearn, Hammer Films’ official historian. The documentary features exclusive interviews with some of the key players from that period, as well as authors and historians like Sir Christopher Frayling and Jonathan Rigby. Also included are rare production stills, previously unseen film footage, Hammer’s original shooting locations, and access to previously unpublished archive documents.
There are only a few hundred copies available. There will not be another print run, so once they’re gone, that will be it.
In the 1950s Hammer, England’s world-renowned production company, initiated a new style of horror filmmaking that transformed the genre. At the end of the 1960s, the world that Hammer had helped to create was changing fast – the once-reliable business model was unraveling and audiences wanted something new from their films. Amid this uncertainty, Hammer’s short-term survival was secured by an alliance with American distributor Warner Bros. The films the two companies made together are among the most renowned in Hammer’s history. Classics such as Dracula Has Risen From the Grave (1968), Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1970) and Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) were produced alongside the Oscar-nominated epic When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970), the disturbing thriller Crescendo (1970) and the bizarre sci-fi western Moon Zero Two (1969). The films became increasingly experimental in the 1970s, challenging the perception of traditional Gothic horror with Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972), The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973) and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974).
What the Critics Are Saying
“… for real Hammer Film aficionados, it provides a uniquely satisfying glimpse into a period of immense growth, both financially and artistically, for the iconic studio. Highly recommended.” ~ Blu-ray.com
“Chock full of interesting anecdotes, [the film] covers a slew of Hammer productions that have long gotten short shrift from the very company that owns them.” ~ Rock! Shock! Pop!
“The doc is an impressive and worthwhile addition to any horror lover’s collection, as well as an insightful retrospective of days gone by in horror that many still yearn for.” ~ Scream Magazine
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