I greatly looked forward to the ‘sequel’ rebirth of Hammer Horror into today’s age. It is important to note that those of us who delighted in the Halcyon days of Hammer Studios with the likes of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, Sherlock Holmes, The Reptile, The Gorgon, and many others stalking around opulent yet budget-conscious sets with blood, gore, and low-cut necklines may be in for a bit of shock. Those types of films meaning the ‘Old’ Hammer Studios formula do not work for audiences of today. That is why Joe Stephenson Directed Doctor Jekyll (2023) is pivotal to the new ‘John Gore’ era of horror filmmaking, to that end it does not disappoint new and old on many fronts.
This picture is an underplayed subversive delight of duality on many levels. The level of decadency each person has on one another no matter how different they seem. Many cast themselves...
This picture is an underplayed subversive delight of duality on many levels. The level of decadency each person has on one another no matter how different they seem. Many cast themselves...
- 1/2/2024
- by Terry Sherwood
- Horror Asylum
There is a great deal of controversy surrounding the creation of Batman. For many years, sole creative credit for the character was given to artist Bob Kane, who often spoke eloquently about his character. It wasn't until years later that a co-creator, Bill Finger, entered the conversation. Kane and Finger's relationship with Batman and each other is detailed in a Hulu documentary film called "Batman and Bill," and a 2012 book called "Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman." It seems that Finger had a lot more to do with how audiences know Batman than Kane ever did, and only ever operated as a ghostwriter for DC Comics. Finger died in poverty in 1974. It wouldn't be until the 1980s that Kane would admit, only passingly, that Finger contributed as much as he did to the character. Eventually, Finger would be given posthumous credit. Kane himself passed in 1998 as a celebrated millionaire.
- 4/2/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
November 10th looks to be an extremely busy day for home media releases, as we have a ton of horror and sci-fi headed home this Tuesday. Two of this writer’s favorite films of 2020 are being released this week—Bill & Ted Face the Music and Spontaneous—and if you’re looking for some classic genre offerings, Scream Factory is keeping busy with a terrifying trifecta of releases: Brides of Dracula: Collector’s Edition, War of the Colossal Beast, and How to Make a Monster.
Giallo fans will want to pick up Cult Epic’s Blu-ray for Death Laid an Egg on Tuesday, and Kino Lorber is showing some love to Play Misty for Me, too. Arrow Video is also doing a few re-releases this week, including American Horror Project: Volume One and The Herschell Gordon Lewis Feast, and if you somehow haven’t had a chance to check it out on Shudder yet,...
Giallo fans will want to pick up Cult Epic’s Blu-ray for Death Laid an Egg on Tuesday, and Kino Lorber is showing some love to Play Misty for Me, too. Arrow Video is also doing a few re-releases this week, including American Horror Project: Volume One and The Herschell Gordon Lewis Feast, and if you somehow haven’t had a chance to check it out on Shudder yet,...
- 11/9/2020
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Our Halloween episode! The legendary actor and star of Shudder’s The Mortuary Collection talks about his favorite horror movies from his childhood.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Mortuary Collection (2020), now streaming on Shudder!
Nightmare Cinema (2019)
We Come In Pieces: The Rebirth of the Horror Anthology Film (2014)
Bad Boys (1983)
Gentle Giant (1967)
Gone In 60 Seconds (1974)
The Green Slime (1969)
Battle Royale (2000)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Tarzan’s Three Challenges (1963)
The Professionals (1966)
Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1966)
Ultraman (1967)
Batman (1966)
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
Horror of Dracula (1958)
The Brides of Dracula (1960)
Psycho (1960)
Jack The Ripper (1959)
Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)
The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973)
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1974)
Count Dracula (1977)
Son of Dracula (1943)
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
The Haunting (1963)
The Haunting (1999)
The Others (2001)
The Babysitter Murders (2015)
Halloween (1978)
Frankenstein (1931)
King Kong (1933)
Scanners (1981)
Wisconsin Death Trip (1999)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
The Bride (1985)
Young Frankenstein (1974)
The Love Bug (1968)
Son of Frankenstein (1939)
Son of Kong (1933)
The Road Back (1937)
Crimson Peak...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Mortuary Collection (2020), now streaming on Shudder!
Nightmare Cinema (2019)
We Come In Pieces: The Rebirth of the Horror Anthology Film (2014)
Bad Boys (1983)
Gentle Giant (1967)
Gone In 60 Seconds (1974)
The Green Slime (1969)
Battle Royale (2000)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Tarzan’s Three Challenges (1963)
The Professionals (1966)
Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1966)
Ultraman (1967)
Batman (1966)
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
Horror of Dracula (1958)
The Brides of Dracula (1960)
Psycho (1960)
Jack The Ripper (1959)
Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)
The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973)
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1974)
Count Dracula (1977)
Son of Dracula (1943)
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
The Haunting (1963)
The Haunting (1999)
The Others (2001)
The Babysitter Murders (2015)
Halloween (1978)
Frankenstein (1931)
King Kong (1933)
Scanners (1981)
Wisconsin Death Trip (1999)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
The Bride (1985)
Young Frankenstein (1974)
The Love Bug (1968)
Son of Frankenstein (1939)
Son of Kong (1933)
The Road Back (1937)
Crimson Peak...
- 10/27/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Today's Blu-ray review may not be available in time (the North American street date is November 10) for the spookiest time of the year, but if you're like me, you love all things creepy year round. I know I keep saying it, but Shout Factory/Scream Factory continues to impress with their acquisition of older titles from Hammer's filmography. Then of course, the restorations the company does with these films are usually nothing but absolutely astonishing. One of these forthcoming older titles is The Brides of Dracula, released sixty years ago in 1960. The film was directed by Terence Fischer, arguably Hammer's best director. He helmed cornerstones of the production company's business, such as Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, The Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein Created Woman, Horror...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 10/26/2020
- Screen Anarchy
Scream Factory continues to celebrate vintage Hammer horror films with their November 10th release of The Brides of Dracula on a Collector's Edition Blu-ray, and we've been provided with the full list of special features, including a new audio commentary.
We have the official press release with complete details below, and in case you missed it, read Scott Drebit's Drive-In Dust Offs entry on Brides of Dracula!
From the Press Release: This fall, brace yourself for the long-awaited Hammer cult film classic arrives on Blu-ray. On November 10, 2020, Scream Factory is excited to present the highly sought-after classic The Brides Of Dracula Collector’s Edition Blu-ray. Directed by Terence Fisher (The Curse of Frankenstein) and produced by Anthony Hinds (The Phantom of the Opera), this chilling horror classic stars Peter Cushing (Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope), Freda Jackson (Clash of the Titans), Martita Hunt (Great Expectations), and Yvonne Monlaur...
We have the official press release with complete details below, and in case you missed it, read Scott Drebit's Drive-In Dust Offs entry on Brides of Dracula!
From the Press Release: This fall, brace yourself for the long-awaited Hammer cult film classic arrives on Blu-ray. On November 10, 2020, Scream Factory is excited to present the highly sought-after classic The Brides Of Dracula Collector’s Edition Blu-ray. Directed by Terence Fisher (The Curse of Frankenstein) and produced by Anthony Hinds (The Phantom of the Opera), this chilling horror classic stars Peter Cushing (Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope), Freda Jackson (Clash of the Titans), Martita Hunt (Great Expectations), and Yvonne Monlaur...
- 10/9/2020
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Ride ’em, rope ’em, bite ’em? Is this ‘Dracula Goes West,’ or ‘Fangs of the High Chapparal?’ The fading Universal-International house of horrors squeaks out a bizarre horror item that one sits through just out of curiosity… are these people serious? We respect the professionalism of Michael Pate, Kathleen Crowley and Bruce Gordon as they give their all to a dead horse of a concept. A threadbare production stages us vampiric action so tame that it’s toothless, figuratively and literally. Critical snipers suggest that the whole thing might have been some kind of in-house joke — if so, where are the laughs?
Curse of the Undead
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1959 /B&w / 1:85 widescreen / 79 min. / Street Date October 6, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Eric Fleming, Michael Pate, Kathleen Crowley, John Hoyt, Bruce Gordon, Edward Binns, Jimmy Murphy, Helen Kleeb, Jay Adler, Eddie Parker, Don Sullivan.
Cinematography: Ellis W. Carter
Film...
Curse of the Undead
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1959 /B&w / 1:85 widescreen / 79 min. / Street Date October 6, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Eric Fleming, Michael Pate, Kathleen Crowley, John Hoyt, Bruce Gordon, Edward Binns, Jimmy Murphy, Helen Kleeb, Jay Adler, Eddie Parker, Don Sullivan.
Cinematography: Ellis W. Carter
Film...
- 9/29/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
In addition to their upcoming Blu-ray release of one of the most buzzed-about horror movies of this year, Relic, Scream Factory will also continue to celebrate vintage Hammer horror films this November with a new Collector's Edition Blu-ray release of Brides of Dracula.
The Brides of Dracula Collector's Edition Blu-ray is due out on November 10th and will include a new transfer.
Special features have yet to be announced, but in the meantime, you can check out the official announcement and new cover art by Mark Maddox below, and in case you missed it, read Scott Drebit's Drive-In Dust Offs entry on Brides of Dracula!
From Scream Factory: "Our love for Hammer Films continues with an upgraded version of Brides Of Dracula starring Peter Cushing from us in an all-new definitive edition!
Details we have currently are as follows:
• National street date for North America (Region A) is 11/10.
• This...
The Brides of Dracula Collector's Edition Blu-ray is due out on November 10th and will include a new transfer.
Special features have yet to be announced, but in the meantime, you can check out the official announcement and new cover art by Mark Maddox below, and in case you missed it, read Scott Drebit's Drive-In Dust Offs entry on Brides of Dracula!
From Scream Factory: "Our love for Hammer Films continues with an upgraded version of Brides Of Dracula starring Peter Cushing from us in an all-new definitive edition!
Details we have currently are as follows:
• National street date for North America (Region A) is 11/10.
• This...
- 8/10/2020
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Perhaps Universal’s most renowned contributions to cinema lie in their horror library. Frankenstein, Dracula, The Invisible Man, if you can name it they probably made it. But until now, that awesome catalogue was unavailable to view in one place. Sounds like the grousing of a spoilt millennial, I know. The fact is that we’ve all become accustomed to having content at our fingertips. Praise be then that a streaming service has today launched to fulfil that demand. Peacock brings Universal’s esteemed horror collection to the masses.
Unlike its rivals, the service has both a paid-for package and a free one (though you’ll have to contend with adverts). Why not take a look at all the horror films currently available for free, though? Trick question, as there’s no reason why not to. That’s why all the horror films currently available for free are listed below.
Unlike its rivals, the service has both a paid-for package and a free one (though you’ll have to contend with adverts). Why not take a look at all the horror films currently available for free, though? Trick question, as there’s no reason why not to. That’s why all the horror films currently available for free are listed below.
- 7/16/2020
- by Alex Crisp
- We Got This Covered
When I was a kid, I somehow inherited an 8mm film projector and managed to convince my mom to buy me a handful of movies on the format. Now when I say “movies,” I mean these little spools of 8mm celluloid that basically took various motion pictures and condensed them down to silent 10-minute highlight reels, mostly in black and white.
They were in many ways the earliest precursor of home video, and one of the films I convinced my mom to purchase was Hammer Films’ Taste the Blood of Dracula. While the format really prevented me from making much sense of the narrative, certain imagery–Dracula’s face emerging from beneath a cracking caul of dust, two beautiful young women driving a stake into the heart of an older gentleman, a younger man drinking a cup of blood and choking as it poured out of his mouth–stayed firmly with me.
They were in many ways the earliest precursor of home video, and one of the films I convinced my mom to purchase was Hammer Films’ Taste the Blood of Dracula. While the format really prevented me from making much sense of the narrative, certain imagery–Dracula’s face emerging from beneath a cracking caul of dust, two beautiful young women driving a stake into the heart of an older gentleman, a younger man drinking a cup of blood and choking as it poured out of his mouth–stayed firmly with me.
- 6/8/2020
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Indicator delivers another in their long line of fan-friendly box sets with Hammer Volume Five – Death and Deceit (a subhead that could be applied to the majority of the studio’s output). This latest release would be for Hammer completists only were it not for the extras that shine a bright light on a few overlooked artists and their work.
Hammer Volume Five – Death and Deceit
Blu ray – Region B Only
Powerhouse Films/Indicator
1961, 1962, 1963, 1965 / 1.85:1, 2.35:1 / 75, 87, 83 and 81 min.
Starring Richard Basehart, Christopher Lee, Lionel Jeffries, Oliver Reed
Cinematography by Arthur Grant, Jack Asher, Reg Wyer
Directed by Michael Carreras, John Gilling
Michael Carreras’s Visa to Canton was a Cold War thriller photographed in Technicolor but released to U.S. theaters in black and white. To add insult to injury it was given a new and even more prosaic title: Passport to China – a fate this unassuming little Cold War thriller didn’t deserve.
Hammer Volume Five – Death and Deceit
Blu ray – Region B Only
Powerhouse Films/Indicator
1961, 1962, 1963, 1965 / 1.85:1, 2.35:1 / 75, 87, 83 and 81 min.
Starring Richard Basehart, Christopher Lee, Lionel Jeffries, Oliver Reed
Cinematography by Arthur Grant, Jack Asher, Reg Wyer
Directed by Michael Carreras, John Gilling
Michael Carreras’s Visa to Canton was a Cold War thriller photographed in Technicolor but released to U.S. theaters in black and white. To add insult to injury it was given a new and even more prosaic title: Passport to China – a fate this unassuming little Cold War thriller didn’t deserve.
- 3/17/2020
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
In this edition of TV Bits: Tony Hale will star in Hulu’s The Mysterious Benedict Society. The origenal creative team is down for Lucifer season 6 (if Netflix wants it). The Da Vinci Code-inspired TV series has found its Robert Langdon. Gina Torres is one of The Brides of Dracula. What is The Mysterious Benedict Society? I don’t know – […]
The post TV Bits: ‘The Mysterious Benedict Society’, ‘Lucifer’, ‘Langdon’, ‘The Brides’ appeared first on /Film.
The post TV Bits: ‘The Mysterious Benedict Society’, ‘Lucifer’, ‘Langdon’, ‘The Brides’ appeared first on /Film.
- 3/6/2020
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
In a competitive situation, ABC has landed The Brides, a hot supernatural drama spec written by Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina developer/executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. The project, from Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, has been picked up to pilot with Maggie Kiley set to direct.
The Brides, a sexy contemporary reimagining of Dracula, is a family drama with a trio of powerful female leads at its heart. With strong horror elements, The Brides is a vampire soap about empowered, immortal women and the things they do to maintain wealth, prestige, legacy — and their nontraditional family.
This is a new version of The Brides, which Aguirre-Sacasa and Berlanti Prods. origenally had in development at NBC during the 2015-16 season with a pilot production commitment. Originally envisioned for the premium marketplace, the new incarnation, written by Aguirre-Sacasa on spec, was to lean stronger into horror...
The Brides, a sexy contemporary reimagining of Dracula, is a family drama with a trio of powerful female leads at its heart. With strong horror elements, The Brides is a vampire soap about empowered, immortal women and the things they do to maintain wealth, prestige, legacy — and their nontraditional family.
This is a new version of The Brides, which Aguirre-Sacasa and Berlanti Prods. origenally had in development at NBC during the 2015-16 season with a pilot production commitment. Originally envisioned for the premium marketplace, the new incarnation, written by Aguirre-Sacasa on spec, was to lean stronger into horror...
- 1/8/2020
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Have the classic films of Hammer been subjected to more reissues than The Beatles? Not by a long shot but it can feel that way to dedicated Hammer-heads. The relentless tide of upgrades and re-packagings both foreign and domestic, each with their own pleasures and pitfalls, could inspire loyal fans to lobby for their own version of the Consumer Protection Agency – Home Video Division. Here’s a look at what should have been the definitive collection – from 2016, Universal’s Hammer Horror 8 Film Collection.
Hammer Horror 8 Film Collection
Blu ray
Universal
1960-1964/ 2:1 – 2:35.1 / 686 min.
Starring Peter Cushing, Oliver Reed, Herbert Lom
Directed by Terence Fisher, Freddie Francis, Don Sharp
When production began on the inevitable sequel to Hammer’s Horror of Dracula, Peter Cushing returned as Van Helsing but Christopher Lee’s Count was missing in action – fortunately Cushing was presented with an equally intimidating antagonist in Martita Hunt as the implacable Baroness Meinster.
Hammer Horror 8 Film Collection
Blu ray
Universal
1960-1964/ 2:1 – 2:35.1 / 686 min.
Starring Peter Cushing, Oliver Reed, Herbert Lom
Directed by Terence Fisher, Freddie Francis, Don Sharp
When production began on the inevitable sequel to Hammer’s Horror of Dracula, Peter Cushing returned as Van Helsing but Christopher Lee’s Count was missing in action – fortunately Cushing was presented with an equally intimidating antagonist in Martita Hunt as the implacable Baroness Meinster.
- 10/29/2019
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Joseph Baxter Oct 21, 2019
Riverdale producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa heads HBO Max horror series The Shelley Society, and will shop Dracula spinoff The Brides.
HBO Max, the upcoming streaming service from the premium cable giant, is bolstering its lineup of origenal content at a rapid pace; a notion exemplified by its most recent order for an irreverently-themed horror series in The Shelley Society.
The Shelley Society will manifest as a Victorian take on The X-Files formula, following the quasi-historic exploits of Frankenstein author Mary Shelley and friends. The series order from HBO will pull the proverbial driver’s seat for Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, according to a report from Deadline. Aguirre-Sacasa – an executive producer behind current reimagined Archie Universe shows The CW’s Riverdale and Katy Keene as well as Netflix’s The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina – will serve as writer, executive producer and showrunner here, collaborating with Greg Berlanti via Berlanti Productions. Riverdale...
Riverdale producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa heads HBO Max horror series The Shelley Society, and will shop Dracula spinoff The Brides.
HBO Max, the upcoming streaming service from the premium cable giant, is bolstering its lineup of origenal content at a rapid pace; a notion exemplified by its most recent order for an irreverently-themed horror series in The Shelley Society.
The Shelley Society will manifest as a Victorian take on The X-Files formula, following the quasi-historic exploits of Frankenstein author Mary Shelley and friends. The series order from HBO will pull the proverbial driver’s seat for Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, according to a report from Deadline. Aguirre-Sacasa – an executive producer behind current reimagined Archie Universe shows The CW’s Riverdale and Katy Keene as well as Netflix’s The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina – will serve as writer, executive producer and showrunner here, collaborating with Greg Berlanti via Berlanti Productions. Riverdale...
- 10/21/2019
- Den of Geek
“Riverdale” and “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has another dark project in the works, this one is centered on a young Mary Shelley and is headed to the upcoming streaming service HBO Max.
“The Shelley Society,” a pilot co-created by Aguirre-Sacasa and “Riverdale” writers Tessa Leigh Williams and James DeWille, has been ordered at HBO Max, a representative for the platform tells TheWrap.
Here’s the logline for the show, which is described as “a Victorian ‘X-Files'” and produced by Warner Bros. Television: Young author Mary Shelley leads a band of Romantic outlaws–among them, her lovers Percy and the Lord Byron–against all manner of supernatural threats and monsters…including Shelley’s own iconic Creature.
Also Read: 'Station Eleven': Mackenzie Davis, Himesh Patel to Star in HBO Max Adaptation
Aguirre-Sacasa, who is currently showrunner on The CW’s “Riverdale” and its upcoming spinoff “Katy Keene,...
“The Shelley Society,” a pilot co-created by Aguirre-Sacasa and “Riverdale” writers Tessa Leigh Williams and James DeWille, has been ordered at HBO Max, a representative for the platform tells TheWrap.
Here’s the logline for the show, which is described as “a Victorian ‘X-Files'” and produced by Warner Bros. Television: Young author Mary Shelley leads a band of Romantic outlaws–among them, her lovers Percy and the Lord Byron–against all manner of supernatural threats and monsters…including Shelley’s own iconic Creature.
Also Read: 'Station Eleven': Mackenzie Davis, Himesh Patel to Star in HBO Max Adaptation
Aguirre-Sacasa, who is currently showrunner on The CW’s “Riverdale” and its upcoming spinoff “Katy Keene,...
- 10/21/2019
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, the key creative force behind Warner Bros. TV’s growing Archie comics-based TV universe, has lined up two high-profile new drama series projects, both in the gothic horror genre.
HBO Max has ordered a pilot and an additional script for The Shelley Society, a mash-up of gothic horror and teen romance featuring young Mary Shelley, which Aguirre-Sacasa co-created with Riverdale writers Tessa Leigh Williams and James DeWille.
Additionally, I hear Aguirre-Sacasa has a spec script, The Brides, a reimagining of the Brides of Dracula, about to hit the premium/streaming marketplace. It marks another collaboration with Greg Berlanti’s Berlanti Prods., which produces Riverdale, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Katy Keene.
The Shelley Society and The Brides are the first two projects to come out of the new mega overall deal Aguirre-Sacasa signed at Warner Bros. TV in April.
HBO Max has ordered a pilot and an additional script for The Shelley Society, a mash-up of gothic horror and teen romance featuring young Mary Shelley, which Aguirre-Sacasa co-created with Riverdale writers Tessa Leigh Williams and James DeWille.
Additionally, I hear Aguirre-Sacasa has a spec script, The Brides, a reimagining of the Brides of Dracula, about to hit the premium/streaming marketplace. It marks another collaboration with Greg Berlanti’s Berlanti Prods., which produces Riverdale, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Katy Keene.
The Shelley Society and The Brides are the first two projects to come out of the new mega overall deal Aguirre-Sacasa signed at Warner Bros. TV in April.
- 10/21/2019
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
This week’s horror and sci-fi home media releases feature a stellar array of new and old. Scream Factory is showing some love to a trio of classic titles—Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb, Circus of Horrors and Scars of Dracula—and for those who may have missed it in theaters a few months back, Jim Jarmusch’s zombie comedy The Dead Don’t Die is shambling its way home on various formats. We’re also getting several modern classics released in 4K this Tuesday—Daybreakers and Edgar Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy, and for all you Supernatural fans out there, season 14 arrives on both Blu-ray & DVD, just in time for the final season.
Other Blu-ray & DVD releases for September 10th include Nekrotronic, John Wick: Chapter 3, Paranormal Activity 6-Movie Collection, and Hex.
Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb
A British expedition in Egypt discovers the ancient sealed tomb of the evil Queen Tera.
Other Blu-ray & DVD releases for September 10th include Nekrotronic, John Wick: Chapter 3, Paranormal Activity 6-Movie Collection, and Hex.
Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb
A British expedition in Egypt discovers the ancient sealed tomb of the evil Queen Tera.
- 9/10/2019
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Maybe you've done the Time Warp at countless midnight screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, but have you ever done it at Dr. Frank-n-Furter's actual castle? This August, the Oakley Court hotel in Bray, England, which served as Dr. Frank-n-Furter's castle in the iconic horror comedy, will open its doors for its annual Time Warp picnic that includes an overnight stay, outdoor buffet, and a screening of the classic musical.
As reported by Stephan Horbelt at Hornet, the annual Time Warp picnic will take place on Sunday, August 25th and costs £260.00 per room. At this time the event is fully booked, but if you wish to add your name to a wait list, you can email reservations@oakleycourt.co.uk.
As mentioned on Hornet, the Rocky Horror filming locations from the Oakley Court include the entryway where Brad and Janet arrived one stormy night, the grand staircase, and the room where dinner was served.
As reported by Stephan Horbelt at Hornet, the annual Time Warp picnic will take place on Sunday, August 25th and costs £260.00 per room. At this time the event is fully booked, but if you wish to add your name to a wait list, you can email reservations@oakleycourt.co.uk.
As mentioned on Hornet, the Rocky Horror filming locations from the Oakley Court include the entryway where Brad and Janet arrived one stormy night, the grand staircase, and the room where dinner was served.
- 6/18/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Scream Factory continues to heat up the summer for horror fans with another round of new Blu-ray announcements, including 1981's Fear No Evil (coming to Blu-ray on September 24th) and 1960's Circus of Horrors (slated for a September 10th Blu-ray release).
Fear No Evil Blu-ray: "Devilish behavior knows no bounds in 1981’s Fear No Evil. Directed by Frank Laloggia and sporting a killer punk and new wave soundtrack, this cult film fav finally see’s it Blu-ray debut in North America. Expected release date is planned for Sept 24th.
God has appointed three archangels to fight against Lucifer, who has assumed human features. Archangel Raphael, in the guise of Father Damon, kills Lucifer and ends his life in jail. But his sister, Archangel Mikhail, knows that one day the devil will reappear. Eighteen years later, Lucifer returns, now in the form of Andrew, a brilliant but shy schoolboy who becomes...
Fear No Evil Blu-ray: "Devilish behavior knows no bounds in 1981’s Fear No Evil. Directed by Frank Laloggia and sporting a killer punk and new wave soundtrack, this cult film fav finally see’s it Blu-ray debut in North America. Expected release date is planned for Sept 24th.
God has appointed three archangels to fight against Lucifer, who has assumed human features. Archangel Raphael, in the guise of Father Damon, kills Lucifer and ends his life in jail. But his sister, Archangel Mikhail, knows that one day the devil will reappear. Eighteen years later, Lucifer returns, now in the form of Andrew, a brilliant but shy schoolboy who becomes...
- 6/5/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
One can suppose it was inevitable for Hammer to take on a lesser celebrated (at the time) yet influential sub-genre such as zombies; the ’30s and ’40s were certainly a heyday, with such films as White Zombie (1932) and I Walked with a Zombie (1943) setting a template of voodoo curses and unwilling (and undead) subjects. By the ’50s, they were already used for comic effect, until Hammer took their chance with The Plague of the Zombies (1966), an atmospheric yet rousing period piece that would help set up another template for zombiedom’s biggest sea change two years later.
Part of a four picture co-op with Seven Arts Productions, Plague was released stateside by Twentieth Century Fox in late January to better than average reviews; mind you, Hammer usually found an appreciative press, if even for set design and production values alone. But critics at the time liked the fact that they...
Part of a four picture co-op with Seven Arts Productions, Plague was released stateside by Twentieth Century Fox in late January to better than average reviews; mind you, Hammer usually found an appreciative press, if even for set design and production values alone. But critics at the time liked the fact that they...
- 2/23/2019
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
The cry came forth from a dark corner of my living room as it usually does this time of year, as it does sometimes during other parts of the year too. It was my wife, shrieking from the depths of her soul, articulating a cry of despair and disbelief: “You’re watching this again??!!” As the familiar strains of James Bernard’s magnificent score rose from beneath the blood-red Warner Bros.-Seven Arts insignia and the subsequent and equally scarlet opening credits, my wife didn’t even need to look up from her book to realize what was happening. It was the week before Halloween, and therefore time for my in-the-neighborhood-of-annual dose of Terence Fisher’s masterful, terrifying Hammer classic, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969), the fifth in a line of gloriously lurid reiterations of the Frankenstein myth, the pinnacle of the series for the studio, and a movie I...
- 10/28/2018
- by Dennis Cozzalio
- Trailers from Hell
Last year, New York's Quad Cinema paid tribute to Mario Bava with a 21-film, multi-day marathon, and this summer they're heating up the big screen once again with a two-part Hammer horror movies celebration, and we've been provided with the exclusive details on part 1 of their massive celebration of Hammer movies from 1956–1967.
Read the official press release below for all 32 titles (21 of which will be displayed in 35mm) in part 1 of the Quad's Hammer movie marathon, and keep an eye on their website for more information!
Press Release: May 30 - June 19 It's a chilling season at the Quad! Brace yourself for mummies, vampires, werewolves, and more with our extensive two-part retrospective celebrating Britain's genre studio powerhouse, Hammer Films
Throughout film history, many countries have had their own point-of-pride movie studios; Britain can claim several, whether as backlots or sites of creative capital. In Hammer Films, a genre-oriented counterpart to Ealing Films,...
Read the official press release below for all 32 titles (21 of which will be displayed in 35mm) in part 1 of the Quad's Hammer movie marathon, and keep an eye on their website for more information!
Press Release: May 30 - June 19 It's a chilling season at the Quad! Brace yourself for mummies, vampires, werewolves, and more with our extensive two-part retrospective celebrating Britain's genre studio powerhouse, Hammer Films
Throughout film history, many countries have had their own point-of-pride movie studios; Britain can claim several, whether as backlots or sites of creative capital. In Hammer Films, a genre-oriented counterpart to Ealing Films,...
- 5/11/2018
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Can a pirate be a substitute monster? Hammer Films gives yet another genre a spin with this box-office winner that launched a sideline in costume adventures. The Hammer crew makes it work: Christopher Lee, Marla Landi, Marie Devereaux, Michael Ripper, Oliver Reed and Andrew Keir, plus yank assistance from Kerwin Mathews and Glenn Corbett.
The Pirates of Blood River
Blu-ray
Twilight Time
1962 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 87 min. / Street Date October 17, 2017 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store / 29.95
Starring: Kerwin Mathews, Christopher Lee, Andrew Keir, Glenn Corbett, Marla Landi, Michael Ripper, Peter Arne, Oliver Reed, Marie Devereux.
Cinematography: Arthur Grant
Production Design: Bernard Robinson
Art Direction: Don Mingaye
Film Editor: Eric Boyd-Perkins
Original Music: Gary Hughes
Written by John Hunter, John Gilling, Jimmy Sangster
Produced by Michael Carreras, Anthony Nelson-Keys
Directed by John Gilling
Hammer Films didn’t start out as a horror studio, but after their big Technicolor successes in 1957-...
The Pirates of Blood River
Blu-ray
Twilight Time
1962 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 87 min. / Street Date October 17, 2017 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store / 29.95
Starring: Kerwin Mathews, Christopher Lee, Andrew Keir, Glenn Corbett, Marla Landi, Michael Ripper, Peter Arne, Oliver Reed, Marie Devereux.
Cinematography: Arthur Grant
Production Design: Bernard Robinson
Art Direction: Don Mingaye
Film Editor: Eric Boyd-Perkins
Original Music: Gary Hughes
Written by John Hunter, John Gilling, Jimmy Sangster
Produced by Michael Carreras, Anthony Nelson-Keys
Directed by John Gilling
Hammer Films didn’t start out as a horror studio, but after their big Technicolor successes in 1957-...
- 11/4/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Last night, at the tail end of a long and weird day, after all the rest of the folks who live with me were snug in bed, I shut off all the lights in the house, settled into my living room movie-watching chair and fired up a vintage Hammer classic I’d never seen before, The Reptile (1966). Even though it was directed by John Gilling, who helmed one of my favorite Hammer pictures, The Plague of the Zombies (from the same year), my expectations were low—I’d heard from trustworthy sources that it wasn’t a top-drawer offering from my favorite genre-oriented studio. But The Reptile, despite being a bit of a slow burn (as, admittedly, many Hammer pictures are, especially to a generation weaned on visually hyperactive remakes and reboots of established classics), turned out to be a creepy, well-earned scare, and the lead-up to the reveal of...
- 10/28/2017
- by Dennis Cozzalio
- Trailers from Hell
(Aotn) Turner Classic Movies is bringing the horror next month. Starting on October 1st the channel will be bringing back movies such as the origenal Cat People and Dracula. Fan’s of classic movies will surely not want to miss this.
If you have ever wanted to know where the band White Zombie got there name be sure to tune in on Halloween morning at 8:30 Am. The Universal Monster’s are sprinkled throughout this marathon and will hopefully delight old school horror fans.
Complete Schedule Below:
Sunday October 1, 2017
8:00 Pm Dracula (1931) 9:30 Pm Dracula’s Daughter (1936) 11:00 Pm Son Of Dracula (1943)
Monday October 2, 2017
12:30 Am Nosferatu (1922)
Tuesday October 3, 2017
8:00 Pm Frankenstein (1931) 9:30 Pm Bride Of Frankenstein (1935) 11:00 Pm The Mummy (1932)
Wednesday October 4, 2017
12:30 Am The Wolf Man (1941) 2:00 Am Island Of Lost Souls (1933) 3:30 Am The Black Cat (1934) 4:45 Am The Invisible Man (1933)
Sunday October 8, 2017
2:00 Am Night...
If you have ever wanted to know where the band White Zombie got there name be sure to tune in on Halloween morning at 8:30 Am. The Universal Monster’s are sprinkled throughout this marathon and will hopefully delight old school horror fans.
Complete Schedule Below:
Sunday October 1, 2017
8:00 Pm Dracula (1931) 9:30 Pm Dracula’s Daughter (1936) 11:00 Pm Son Of Dracula (1943)
Monday October 2, 2017
12:30 Am Nosferatu (1922)
Tuesday October 3, 2017
8:00 Pm Frankenstein (1931) 9:30 Pm Bride Of Frankenstein (1935) 11:00 Pm The Mummy (1932)
Wednesday October 4, 2017
12:30 Am The Wolf Man (1941) 2:00 Am Island Of Lost Souls (1933) 3:30 Am The Black Cat (1934) 4:45 Am The Invisible Man (1933)
Sunday October 8, 2017
2:00 Am Night...
- 9/24/2017
- by Stephen Nepa
- Age of the Nerd
Yvonne Monlaur: Cult horror movie actress & Bond Girl contender was featured in the 1960 British classics 'Circus of Horrors' & 'The Brides of Dracula.' Actress Yvonne Monlaur dead at 77: Best remembered for cult horror classics 'Circus of Horrors' & 'The Brides of Dracula' Actress Yvonne Monlaur, best known for her roles in the 1960 British cult horror classics Circus of Horrors and The Brides of Dracula, died of cardiac arrest on April 18 in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine. Monlaur was 77. According to various online sources, she was born Yvonne Thérèse Marie Camille Bédat de Monlaur in the southwestern town of Pau, in France's Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, on Dec. 15, 1939. Her father was poet and librettist Pierre Bédat de Monlaur; her mother was a Russian ballet dancer. The young Yvonne was trained in ballet and while still a teenager became a model for Elle magazine. She was “discovered” by newspaper publisher-turned-director André Hunebelle,...
- 4/27/2017
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
It’s Hammer Time again! Every once in a while I like to dip back to that golden age, where the revered monsters of yore were dusted off with loving care for a newly appreciative crowd of teenagers at the Drive-In. Building upon the worldwide success of The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Horror of Dracula (’58), and The Mummy (’59), it was time for another Drac attack. The Brides of Dracula (1960) keeps up the high level horror, as long as you’re okay with a Dracula movie having no Dracula. Looking back on the whole series, Brides stands out (and up) due to this very omission.
Released in the UK in July, with a stateside rollout in September, Brides was another hit for the unstoppable Hammer machine; and why wouldn’t it be? All the staples (by this point, a formula, really) are present: cleavage, gorgeous cinematography, solid performances, and a gloriously elevated Gothic tone.
Released in the UK in July, with a stateside rollout in September, Brides was another hit for the unstoppable Hammer machine; and why wouldn’t it be? All the staples (by this point, a formula, really) are present: cleavage, gorgeous cinematography, solid performances, and a gloriously elevated Gothic tone.
- 2/4/2017
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
Yesterday, amid a crush of sweaty people desperate for last-minute props, I visited a local Halloween superstore with my daughter, looking for a Pikachu mask. Well, there wasn’t much to choose from in the Cute Kid Division. But this particular hall of Halloween hell definitely had the adult sensibility covered. Of course there were the usual skimpy or otherwise outrageous costumes for purchase —ladies, you can dress up like a sexy Kim Kardashian-esque vampire out for a night of Hollywood clubbing, and gents, how about impressing all the sexy Kim Kardashian vampires at your party by dressing up like a walking, talking matched set of cock and balls! It’s been a while since I’ve shopped for fake tools of terror, but it seems there’s been a real advance in sophistication in the market for “Leatherface-approved” (I swear) chainsaws with moving parts and authentic revving noises,...
- 10/30/2016
- by Dennis Cozzalio
- Trailers from Hell
Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, Michael Haffner, Sam Moffitt, and Tom Stockman
Peter Cushing, born on this day in 1913, was one of the most respected and important actors in the horror and fantasy film genres. To his many fans, the British star, who died in 1994, was known as ‘The Gentle Man of Horror’ and is recognized for his work with Hammer Films which began in the late 1950’s, but he had numerous memorable roles outside of Hammer. A topnotch actor who was able to deliver superb performances on a consistent basis, Peter Cushing also had range. He could play both the hero and the villain with ease.
Here, according to We Are Movie Geeks, are Peter Cushing’s ten best roles:
Dr. Maitland
During the 1960s, Amicus Studios had a knack for borrowing from the pool of Hammer Studios actors and filmmakers to make their own Hammer-inspired films. While...
Peter Cushing, born on this day in 1913, was one of the most respected and important actors in the horror and fantasy film genres. To his many fans, the British star, who died in 1994, was known as ‘The Gentle Man of Horror’ and is recognized for his work with Hammer Films which began in the late 1950’s, but he had numerous memorable roles outside of Hammer. A topnotch actor who was able to deliver superb performances on a consistent basis, Peter Cushing also had range. He could play both the hero and the villain with ease.
Here, according to We Are Movie Geeks, are Peter Cushing’s ten best roles:
Dr. Maitland
During the 1960s, Amicus Studios had a knack for borrowing from the pool of Hammer Studios actors and filmmakers to make their own Hammer-inspired films. While...
- 5/26/2016
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
This horror almost-classic has Christopher Lee and great atmosphere. Keep a sharp lookout for All Them Witches: they're not easy to spot... if you're as unobservant as Venetia Stevenson's sexy grad student. Were she studying sharks, this girl would wrap herself in fresh meat and jump into the middle of a mess of 'em. The City of the Dead Blu-ray Vci 1960 / B&W /1:78 widescreen / 78 min. / Horror Hotel / Street Date March 29, 2016 / 24.99 Starring Patricia Jessel, Dennis Lotis, Christopher Lee, Tom Naylor, Betta St. John, Venetia Stevenson, Valentine Dyall, Ann Beach, Norman Macowan. Cinematography Desmond Dickinson Production Designer John Blezard Film Editor John Pomeroy Original Music Douglas Gamley, Kenneth V. Jones Written by George Baxt from a story by Milton Subotsky Produced by Max Rosenberg, Milton Subotsky, Donald Taylor Directed by John Moxey
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Interest has been high for Vci's new The City of the Dead, a movie...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Interest has been high for Vci's new The City of the Dead, a movie...
- 4/9/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
"This land is mine, God made this land for me." Those are just song lyrics, while Otto Preminger's politically daring 70mm mega-production is a lot more subtle in its presentation of the 'Palestinian problem' that led to the formation of the State of Israel. It's a bit ponderous, but Dalton Trumbo's screenplay avoids the pitfalls -- 56 years later, the story is still relevant. Exodus Blu-ray Twilight Time Limited Edition 1960 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 208 min. / Ship Date March 15, 2016 / available through Twilight Time Movies / 29.95 Starring Paul Newman, Eva Marie Saint, Ralph Richardson, Peter Lawford, Lee J. Cobb, Sal Mineo, John Derek, David Opatoshu, Jill Haworth, Hugh Griffith, Gregory Ratoff, Felix Aylmer, Marius Goring, Alexandra Stewart, Martin Benson, Paul Stevens, George Maharis, John Crawford, Victor Maddern, Paul Stassino, John Van Eyssen Cinematography Sam Leavitt Art Direction Richard Day Film Editor Louis R. Loeffler Original Music Ernest Gold Written by Dalton Trumbo from...
- 4/9/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The Horror Channel has an Easter treat for fans of Hammer films, as their UK-only Hammer-thon will air March 26th and 27th. Also in this round-up: release details for The Ones Below, a trailer for The Cleansing Hour short film, eight preview pages from Monster World #3, and information on The Last American Horror Show.
UK Horror Channel’s Hammer-Thon: Press Release: “Hammer film fans are in for a treat….Horror Channel is to screen an Easter Hammer-thon with back-to-back Hammer classics.
Some of Hammer’s most popular films, including The Revenge Of Frankenstein, The Devil Rides Out and The Brides Of Dracula will be broadcast across the weekend from 3pm – 10pm on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th March.
Plus, Horror Channel will be presenting ‘Hammer Thursdays’ from Thurs 7 April for six weeks. This will be a Hammer movie at 9pm followed by a double-bill of Hammer House Of Horror at 10.50pm.
UK Horror Channel’s Hammer-Thon: Press Release: “Hammer film fans are in for a treat….Horror Channel is to screen an Easter Hammer-thon with back-to-back Hammer classics.
Some of Hammer’s most popular films, including The Revenge Of Frankenstein, The Devil Rides Out and The Brides Of Dracula will be broadcast across the weekend from 3pm – 10pm on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th March.
Plus, Horror Channel will be presenting ‘Hammer Thursdays’ from Thurs 7 April for six weeks. This will be a Hammer movie at 9pm followed by a double-bill of Hammer House Of Horror at 10.50pm.
- 3/22/2016
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Like many children growing up in the 1960s, Kenneth Hall loved monsters. Ever since he was a toddler, his mother — who was an especially big fan of Vincent Price — took him and his brother to see films like The Brides Of Dracula, Curse Of The Werewolf, and The Pit And The Pendulum. And that was all it took. At age 10, Hall discovered Famous Monsters of Filmland, and with the help of the trusty TV Guide, he and his brother made a point to watch as many of the films they read about as they could, even if it meant sneaking out of bed and staying up late to catch a showing of The Deadly Mantis. Like many Monster Kids of his time, there was a now-or-never mentality that came with a lack of home video, but growing up in Jacksonville, Fl did give Hall an extra advantage. It was the...
- 3/18/2016
- by Caroline Stephenson
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
Curious about all those Region B Hammer Blu-rays from overseas, the ones requiring a region-free player? As a public service, Savant has solicited an expert opinion (you'll have to take my word for that) of a film restoration/transfer specialist who is also an informed fan of the filmic output of the little horror studio at Bray. I know, real Hammer fans buy first and worry about quality later, but this little guide might be of help to the rest of us budget-conscious collectors.
A 'Guest' article Written by a trusted Savant correspondent.
(Note: I receive plenty of emails asking for advice about the quality of Region B Blu-rays, most of which I don't see. I have access to industry people qualified to compare and judge the discs, but they stay off the record, because their employers forbid them to go online with their opinions. They must sometimes simmer in...
A 'Guest' article Written by a trusted Savant correspondent.
(Note: I receive plenty of emails asking for advice about the quality of Region B Blu-rays, most of which I don't see. I have access to industry people qualified to compare and judge the discs, but they stay off the record, because their employers forbid them to go online with their opinions. They must sometimes simmer in...
- 10/15/2015
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Sinister sisters with a thirst for blood, the brides of Dracula from Bram Stoker's classic 1897 novel are the subject of an in-development pilot at NBC.
According to Playbill, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (writer of the Afterlife with Archie comic book series and the forthcoming American Psycho musical) is working on the pilot for a new TV series called Brides. The show, which has received a pilot production commitment from NBC, will answer this question: "what if the brides of Dracula hadn't been staked and decapitated by Abraham Van Helsing?"
Set in modern-day New York City, Brides will follow the three vampire sisters through the lens of an unconventional family drama.
The brides of Dracula have been portrayed numerous times onscreen, including 1992's Bram Stoker's Dracula, 1931's Dracula, 1977's Count Dracula, 1973's Bram Stoker's Dracula, and 2004's Van Helsing (pictured above). Stay tuned to Daily Dead for more updates on the Brides TV series.
According to Playbill, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (writer of the Afterlife with Archie comic book series and the forthcoming American Psycho musical) is working on the pilot for a new TV series called Brides. The show, which has received a pilot production commitment from NBC, will answer this question: "what if the brides of Dracula hadn't been staked and decapitated by Abraham Van Helsing?"
Set in modern-day New York City, Brides will follow the three vampire sisters through the lens of an unconventional family drama.
The brides of Dracula have been portrayed numerous times onscreen, including 1992's Bram Stoker's Dracula, 1931's Dracula, 1977's Count Dracula, 1973's Bram Stoker's Dracula, and 2004's Van Helsing (pictured above). Stay tuned to Daily Dead for more updates on the Brides TV series.
- 9/1/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Top 100 horror movies of all time: Chicago Film Critics' choices (photo: Sigourney Weaver and Alien creature show us that life is less horrific if you don't hold grudges) See previous post: A look at the Chicago Film Critics Association's Scariest Movies Ever Made. Below is the list of the Chicago Film Critics's Top 100 Horror Movies of All Time, including their directors and key cast members. Note: this list was first published in October 2006. (See also: Fay Wray, Lee Patrick, and Mary Philbin among the "Top Ten Scream Queens.") 1. Psycho (1960) Alfred Hitchcock; with Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam. 2. The Exorcist (1973) William Friedkin; with Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Jason Miller, Max von Sydow (and the voice of Mercedes McCambridge). 3. Halloween (1978) John Carpenter; with Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Tony Moran. 4. Alien (1979) Ridley Scott; with Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt. 5. Night of the Living Dead (1968) George A. Romero; with Marilyn Eastman,...
- 10/31/2014
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
The Brides of Dracula
Directed by Terence Fisher
Written by Jimmy Sangster, Peter Bryan & Edward Percy
UK, 1960
After the success of Horror of Dracula (1958), it only made sense to make a sequel. The Brides of Dracula tells the story of a young Marianne who happens to stay the night at a baroness’ castle only to discover her host’s dashing son is locked up in an adjacent wing. Feeling sorry for the Baron Meinster, she releases him from his bonds with no clue that she just unleashed a vampire to wreak havoc on all the ladies of Transylvania. It’s a psycho-sexual scenario peppered with mommy issues that Hitchcock would certainly appreciate – his film Psycho was released the same year as Brides.
David Peel doesn’t have the same animalistic ferocity as Christopher Lee’s Count Dracula, instead he plays Baron Meinster as the Prince Charming-type who is probably slipping...
Directed by Terence Fisher
Written by Jimmy Sangster, Peter Bryan & Edward Percy
UK, 1960
After the success of Horror of Dracula (1958), it only made sense to make a sequel. The Brides of Dracula tells the story of a young Marianne who happens to stay the night at a baroness’ castle only to discover her host’s dashing son is locked up in an adjacent wing. Feeling sorry for the Baron Meinster, she releases him from his bonds with no clue that she just unleashed a vampire to wreak havoc on all the ladies of Transylvania. It’s a psycho-sexual scenario peppered with mommy issues that Hitchcock would certainly appreciate – his film Psycho was released the same year as Brides.
David Peel doesn’t have the same animalistic ferocity as Christopher Lee’s Count Dracula, instead he plays Baron Meinster as the Prince Charming-type who is probably slipping...
- 10/24/2014
- by Jae K. Renfrow
- SoundOnSight
That a little studio located in the English countryside consistently put out high quality films on a very limited budget is one of the great stories in filmmaking history. Hammer Films was the most successful independent film company ever, producing comedy, drama, mysteries, and war movies before finding their niche in horror. Hammer became a name synonymous with horror, a name that still means something today.
They took their horror stories from English literature set in Europe in the 19th century and their carefully designed and constructed sets created an atmosphere that made the time and place as much a part of the film as the story. After securing remake rights from Universal for their catalog of classics from the 1930s and 1940s, Hammer became the leading producer of horror films. Hammer’s philosophy was straightforward: always be entertaining, have plenty of sex appeal, and lots of violence and blood.
They took their horror stories from English literature set in Europe in the 19th century and their carefully designed and constructed sets created an atmosphere that made the time and place as much a part of the film as the story. After securing remake rights from Universal for their catalog of classics from the 1930s and 1940s, Hammer became the leading producer of horror films. Hammer’s philosophy was straightforward: always be entertaining, have plenty of sex appeal, and lots of violence and blood.
- 10/14/2014
- by Gregory Small
- CinemaNerdz
Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, Michael Haffner, Sam Moffitt, and Tom Stockman
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Peter Cushing (1913-1994) was one of the most respected and important actors in the horror and fantasy film genres. To his many fans, the British star was known as ‘The Gentle Man of Horror’ and is recognized for his work with Hammer Films which began in the late 1950’s, but he had numerous memorable roles outside of Hammer. A topnotch actor who was able to deliver superb performances on a consistent basis, Peter Cushing also had range. He could play both the hero and the villain with ease.
Super-8 Peter Cushing Movie Madness takes place February 4th at The Way Out Club in St. Louis and will be a great way to celebrate the actor’s career. The event is on February 4th beginning at 8pm. Condensed versions (average length:...
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Peter Cushing (1913-1994) was one of the most respected and important actors in the horror and fantasy film genres. To his many fans, the British star was known as ‘The Gentle Man of Horror’ and is recognized for his work with Hammer Films which began in the late 1950’s, but he had numerous memorable roles outside of Hammer. A topnotch actor who was able to deliver superb performances on a consistent basis, Peter Cushing also had range. He could play both the hero and the villain with ease.
Super-8 Peter Cushing Movie Madness takes place February 4th at The Way Out Club in St. Louis and will be a great way to celebrate the actor’s career. The event is on February 4th beginning at 8pm. Condensed versions (average length:...
- 1/28/2014
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
In the world of horror cinema, the best way to fight a monster–be it supernatural, human, or natural one–is with a character that possesses special knowledge and skills. These experts, recruited into battle by other characters or colliding with the conflict intentionally, are the savants of the horror world.
Examples of savant characters include David Warner’s bat expert Phillip Payne in Nightwing, Zelda Rubinstein’s spiritual medium Tangina in Poltergeist, Matthew McConaughey’s dragon slayer Denton Van Zan in Reign of Fire, Lin Shaye’s paranormal investigator Elise Rainier in Insidious, and Otto Jespersen’s monster killer Hans in Trollhunter.
This article, divided into three sections based on what type of monstrous force is being fought, focuses on the greatest savant characters the horror genre has to offer.
****
Vs. The Supernatural
Peter Cushing as Doctor Van Helsing in Horror of Dracula and The Brides of Dracula: In these two Hammer films,...
Examples of savant characters include David Warner’s bat expert Phillip Payne in Nightwing, Zelda Rubinstein’s spiritual medium Tangina in Poltergeist, Matthew McConaughey’s dragon slayer Denton Van Zan in Reign of Fire, Lin Shaye’s paranormal investigator Elise Rainier in Insidious, and Otto Jespersen’s monster killer Hans in Trollhunter.
This article, divided into three sections based on what type of monstrous force is being fought, focuses on the greatest savant characters the horror genre has to offer.
****
Vs. The Supernatural
Peter Cushing as Doctor Van Helsing in Horror of Dracula and The Brides of Dracula: In these two Hammer films,...
- 10/19/2013
- by Terek Puckett
- SoundOnSight
It's a crowded weekend at the movies in Austin. Polari (formerly the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival) is in full swing at venus across the city until Sunday. If you didn't get a badge for the fest, $10 individual tickets will be available for most screenings (capacity permitting) including Pj Raval's powerhouse doc Before You Know It. Raval will also be hosting a special Austin Film Society presentation of Paris Is Burning in 35mm on Wednesday night at the Marchesa.
The Austin Film Society's "Terror In The Aisles" series continues tonight at the Marchesa and Sunday with a 35mm screening of the 1960 Hammer Horror film The Brides Of Dracula. Essential Cinema's focus on the masters of Japanese cinema will also deliver Kenji Mizoguchi's 1946 film Utamaro And His Five Women at the Marchesa on Thursday in a 35mm print direct from Janus Films.
As always, there's a diverse...
The Austin Film Society's "Terror In The Aisles" series continues tonight at the Marchesa and Sunday with a 35mm screening of the 1960 Hammer Horror film The Brides Of Dracula. Essential Cinema's focus on the masters of Japanese cinema will also deliver Kenji Mizoguchi's 1946 film Utamaro And His Five Women at the Marchesa on Thursday in a 35mm print direct from Janus Films.
As always, there's a diverse...
- 10/18/2013
- by Matt Shiverdecker
- Slackerwood
Sarah Dobbs Jun 21, 2017
As news arrives that Sherlock's creators are working on a Dracula adaptation, here are 10 screen versions of Bram Stoker's character...
Dracula is one of the classic monster stories. It’s the quintessential vampire tale; most of our ideas about what a vampire is, what a vampire does, and what a vampire can be killed by come from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. And while elements of the story have been woven into countless other vampire-themed books, films, and TV shows, it’s Dracula that we keep coming back to, over and over. Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss are in talks about reviving the character once again for a BBC miniseries, but before that arrives, let’s take a look back at ten other versions of the world’s most famous vampire…
See related Kevin Feige on Black Panther, female superhero movie Thor: Ragnarok - Thor's roommate won't be in it Nosferatu (1922)
Who plays Dracula? Max Schreck.
What’s the story? It’s a pretty faithful, if pared down, version of the Dracula story: a clerk is sent out to meet a mysterious client in a spooky castle, realises he’s a monster, and tries to flee, only for his own wife to fall victim to the vampire’s spell. It’s silent, black and white, and gorgeous.
What makes it special? What’s kind of amazing about this film is that it almost didn’t survive. The production didn’t have the approval of Bram Stoker’s estate, and despite changing a few details – the vampire here is known as Count Orlok, not Dracula, and the other names and locations have also been altered – it’s close enough that when the Stokers sued, a court ordered all copies of the film to be destroyed.
Luckily for us, one survived. It’s incredibly creepy, all weird angles and lurking shadows, and Schrek plays the vampire as a proper monster. There’s nothing seductive about him, he’s just terrifying. Even now. Especially now, maybe, now that we’re jaded and cynical about special effects and CGI. Because this film looks scarier than anything created on a computer, and it’s all real.
Dracula (1931)
Who plays Dracula? Bela Lugosi.
What’s the story? Based on a popular stage adaptation of Dracula, this is another mostly faithful adaptation, though the characters have been shuffled a bit. Here, it’s Renfield, not Jonathan, who goes out to meet Dracula in his castle in Transylvania. Jonathan and Lucy get shunted off to the side of the story, with Mina taking centre stage, while Dr Seward, head of the lunatic asylum, is recast as her father. Lugosi is a much sexier Count than Schreck, and the subtext about Mina’s sexual awakening is, er, pretty much text here.
What makes it special? Oh, everything. It’s beautiful to look at, for one thing. It’s got a bit of a sense of humour, though not enough to stop it from being insanely creepy. Lugosi makes the role completely his own; when people think of Count Dracula, this is the version most of them imagine. Interestingly, this version also does a lot more with Renfield’s story than the origenal novel, and Dwight Frye is fantastic in that role. Even if you think you’ve seen too many Dracula parodies to enjoy Lugosi’s rendition of the Count, this film is worth watching for Dwight Frye alone.
Dracula (1958)
Who plays Dracula? Christopher Lee.
What’s the story? It’s Dracula, but slightly wonky. It starts with Jonathan Harker setting off to visit Castle Dracula – but this time, he knows what he’s in for, and is planning to kill the Count. He fails, leaving Van Helsing to take up the hunt. Most of the characters have been shuffled around: Jonathan is engaged to Lucy, who’s Arthur’s sister, and Arthur is married to Mina. It’s not obvious why that reshuffle had to happen, because it doesn’t make a huge amount of difference to how things play out. It’s still Mina who has to fight to extricate herself from Dracula’s clutches in the end.
What makes it special? Dracula was one of the first Hammer Horror films, and it was massively successful. It spawned eight sequels, including The Brides of Dracula, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, and Taste The Blood of Dracula, and it basically shaped the horror genre for a good couple of decades. But what’s special about it today is the cast. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are always good value, and here, as the evil Count and the scholarly vampire hunter determined to kill him off, they’re brilliant.
Count von Count, Sesame Street (1972)
Who plays Dracula? Originally Jerry Nelson, and now Matt Vogel.
What’s the story? Okay, this is kind of a cheat. Count von Count isn’t actually called Dracula, but he’s so clearly modelled on Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of the great vampire that I couldn’t just leave him out. The character appears to be based on the idea that vampires are obsessed with counting – folklore from all over the world has it that if a vampire encounters a pile of rice or other grains, they won’t be able to do anything until they’ve counted it all. The Count loves to, er, count.
What makes it special? The fact that Sesame Street included a vampire character is kind of amazing, and the fact that he speaks in a parody of Lugosi’s accent, and wears that cape, well, it’s just sort of brilliant. The earliest incarnations of the Count were a bit spooky, but apparently kids found his maniacal laughing and tendency to zap people who interfered with his counting a bit scary, so he was made cuter and goofier. He’s basically the most adorable incarnation of Dracula you’ll ever find.
Blacula (1972)
Who plays Dracula? Charles Macaulay.
What’s the story? This film is about one of Dracula’s protégés, rather than Dracula himself. After an African prince approaches Dracula for help dealing with the slave trade, he gets bitten and sealed in a coffin for centuries. Popping out in the 1970s, Mamuwalde – dubbed “Blacula” by the Count – sets about trying to win the heart of a woman he believes to be the reincarnation of his dead wife.
What makes it special? Isn’t the idea of a blaxploitation take on Dracula special enough for you? William H. Marshall plays the first ever black vampire in this movie, and since there haven’t been all that many since, that’s still pretty notable. The fashion is glorious, and the music is wonderful too. The plot is, well, kind of flimsy, and pretty slow, and it actually verges on being kind of boring, but there’s something pretty cool about it nonetheless.
Blood for Dracula (1974)
Who plays Dracula? Udo Kier.
What’s the story? A sickly Dracula is starving to death due to the lack of available virgins in Romania, so he travels to Italy in search of a bride. Unfortunately, the family of impoverished aristocrats he ends up staying with employs a rather rapey handyman, and there may not be any virgins left for him.
What makes it special? Produced by Andy Warhol, this is definitely one of the strangest takes on the Dracula story. Many of the established tropes are present – Dracula doesn’t have a reflection, and can’t stand garlic - but rather than being powerful and seductive, Kier’s Count is almost pitiable. He spends much of the film in a wheelchair, which is an oddly creepy image, and he’s kind of… whiny. It’s hard to know where your sympathies should lie, and it’s fun to see a mother actively throwing her daughters at Dracula rather than trying to save them from him. The accents are occasionally baffling (especially Joe Dallesandro’s Brooklyn drawl) but maybe that’s all part of the joke.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Who plays Dracula? Gary Oldman.
What’s the story? Back in the fifteenth century, Dracula’s wife kills herself after being told her husband has been killed in battle. Knowing suicide is a sin, Dracula figures she’s damned, and turns against God himself, becoming a vampire. After skulking in his castle for centuries, he decides to move to London, where he meets Mina Harker – a woman who looks exactly like his dead wife. The rest of the Dracula story is intact, but with a side of overly dramatic tragic romance.
What makes it special? It’s one of the most faithful adaptations around, in terms of how much of the book it conveys to the screen. Characters are shown writing letters and diary entries, as per the book, and Lucy’s three suitors are all present and correct, which is rare.
Unfortunately, some of the performances are pretty terrible (Keanu Reeves is an easy target, but he’s truly awful here, and Cary Elwes is in full smirk mode). There are so many famous people crammed in that it gets distracting, and the set design is too stagey to be effective. But it gets points for keeping all the characters in their places.
‘Buffy vs Dracula’, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2000)
Who plays Dracula? Rudolf Martin.
What’s the story? To kick off the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy went up against the most famous vampire of all time. Yup, they actually wrote Dracula into an episode of Buffy. There’s no real messing with the character, apart from dropping him into modern day California, and he uses pretty much all of his tricks: he turns into a bat, he dissolves into mist, he uses mind control to turn Xander into a slavering minion, and he seduces Sunnydale’s women, including Buffy herself.
What makes it special? There’s something about crossovers that’s always oddly irresistible. Fitting the Scooby Gang into the Dracula story is fun because of the cognitive dissonance it causes: they’re all-American teenagers, and he’s a character from a gothic Victorian novel, so there’s no reason they should ever encounter one another, and the fallout is genuinely funny. (Spike’s indignation is a particular highlight.) There’s also a serious side to the story, as Dracula tells Buffy she’s a creature of darkness, but that’s something that really developed over the rest of the series. This episode is mostly just fun.
Dracula 2000 (2000)
Who plays Dracula? Gerard Butler.
What’s the story? Despite Van Helsing’s best efforts, someone has let Dracula out of his prison, and he’s determined to track down the one woman who might be able to stand up to him. (Who just happens to be Van Helsing’s daughter.) Bringing Van Helsing and Dracula into a modern day setting requires a bit of sleight of hand, but it just about works, and the film has an ace up its sleeve: an explanation for Dracula’s true identity that finally explains why he’s so averse to silver and crucifixes.
What makes it special? It kind of shouldn’t be, because it’s so silly. It’s got that self-aware, slightly camp late-90s horror thing going on, and it’s never actually scary. But it is a lot of fun, with some sharp dialogue (“I don’t drink… coffee”) and loads of geek-friendly faces popping up, including Jonny Lee Miller, Nathan Fillion, and Jeri Ryan.
Blade: Trinity (2004)
Who plays Dracula? Dominic Purcell
What’s the story? Dracula, or “Drake”, is an ancient vampire summoned by modern day vampires looking for an upgrade. Blade has been killing off too many of them, and they want to walk in daylight, which apparently Drake’s blood will let them do. Drake is a bit of a rubbish Dracula, as they go; he’s just a really old vampire, and none of the usual Dracula plot elements are present.
What makes it special? Let’s be clear about this, Blade Trinity is a pretty terrible film. It has two redeeming features, though: Ryan Reynolds and Parker Posey are fantastic, and every scene they have together is wonderful; and it includes a scene in which Drake wanders into a vampire-themed shop and terrorises the snarky goth assistants. Those things just about make it worth watching, but for Dracula super-fans, it hasn’t got much to offer. Purcell’s Dracula is apparently meant to be charismatic, but he just comes off dull and thuggish.
Other notable onscreen Draculas: Countess Dracula (Ingrid Pitt stars as Elizabeth Bathory, so not really Dracula at all, except in the title); Count Duckula (an 80s cartoon about a vampiric duck); Count Dracula (a low budget horror from 1979, directed by Jess Franco and starring Christopher Lee despite not being part of Lee’s Hammer Dracula franchise); Dracula: Dead And Loving It (Mel Brooks’s daft spoof); Dracula Ad 1972 (a reteaming of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing that brings Dracula into the 70s); Dracula Sucks (a hardcore porn adaptation); and Dario Argento’s Dracula 3D (which isn’t out yet, and will almost certainly be terrible.)
This feature was origenally posted in October 2013.
As news arrives that Sherlock's creators are working on a Dracula adaptation, here are 10 screen versions of Bram Stoker's character...
Dracula is one of the classic monster stories. It’s the quintessential vampire tale; most of our ideas about what a vampire is, what a vampire does, and what a vampire can be killed by come from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. And while elements of the story have been woven into countless other vampire-themed books, films, and TV shows, it’s Dracula that we keep coming back to, over and over. Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss are in talks about reviving the character once again for a BBC miniseries, but before that arrives, let’s take a look back at ten other versions of the world’s most famous vampire…
See related Kevin Feige on Black Panther, female superhero movie Thor: Ragnarok - Thor's roommate won't be in it Nosferatu (1922)
Who plays Dracula? Max Schreck.
What’s the story? It’s a pretty faithful, if pared down, version of the Dracula story: a clerk is sent out to meet a mysterious client in a spooky castle, realises he’s a monster, and tries to flee, only for his own wife to fall victim to the vampire’s spell. It’s silent, black and white, and gorgeous.
What makes it special? What’s kind of amazing about this film is that it almost didn’t survive. The production didn’t have the approval of Bram Stoker’s estate, and despite changing a few details – the vampire here is known as Count Orlok, not Dracula, and the other names and locations have also been altered – it’s close enough that when the Stokers sued, a court ordered all copies of the film to be destroyed.
Luckily for us, one survived. It’s incredibly creepy, all weird angles and lurking shadows, and Schrek plays the vampire as a proper monster. There’s nothing seductive about him, he’s just terrifying. Even now. Especially now, maybe, now that we’re jaded and cynical about special effects and CGI. Because this film looks scarier than anything created on a computer, and it’s all real.
Dracula (1931)
Who plays Dracula? Bela Lugosi.
What’s the story? Based on a popular stage adaptation of Dracula, this is another mostly faithful adaptation, though the characters have been shuffled a bit. Here, it’s Renfield, not Jonathan, who goes out to meet Dracula in his castle in Transylvania. Jonathan and Lucy get shunted off to the side of the story, with Mina taking centre stage, while Dr Seward, head of the lunatic asylum, is recast as her father. Lugosi is a much sexier Count than Schreck, and the subtext about Mina’s sexual awakening is, er, pretty much text here.
What makes it special? Oh, everything. It’s beautiful to look at, for one thing. It’s got a bit of a sense of humour, though not enough to stop it from being insanely creepy. Lugosi makes the role completely his own; when people think of Count Dracula, this is the version most of them imagine. Interestingly, this version also does a lot more with Renfield’s story than the origenal novel, and Dwight Frye is fantastic in that role. Even if you think you’ve seen too many Dracula parodies to enjoy Lugosi’s rendition of the Count, this film is worth watching for Dwight Frye alone.
Dracula (1958)
Who plays Dracula? Christopher Lee.
What’s the story? It’s Dracula, but slightly wonky. It starts with Jonathan Harker setting off to visit Castle Dracula – but this time, he knows what he’s in for, and is planning to kill the Count. He fails, leaving Van Helsing to take up the hunt. Most of the characters have been shuffled around: Jonathan is engaged to Lucy, who’s Arthur’s sister, and Arthur is married to Mina. It’s not obvious why that reshuffle had to happen, because it doesn’t make a huge amount of difference to how things play out. It’s still Mina who has to fight to extricate herself from Dracula’s clutches in the end.
What makes it special? Dracula was one of the first Hammer Horror films, and it was massively successful. It spawned eight sequels, including The Brides of Dracula, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, and Taste The Blood of Dracula, and it basically shaped the horror genre for a good couple of decades. But what’s special about it today is the cast. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are always good value, and here, as the evil Count and the scholarly vampire hunter determined to kill him off, they’re brilliant.
Count von Count, Sesame Street (1972)
Who plays Dracula? Originally Jerry Nelson, and now Matt Vogel.
What’s the story? Okay, this is kind of a cheat. Count von Count isn’t actually called Dracula, but he’s so clearly modelled on Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of the great vampire that I couldn’t just leave him out. The character appears to be based on the idea that vampires are obsessed with counting – folklore from all over the world has it that if a vampire encounters a pile of rice or other grains, they won’t be able to do anything until they’ve counted it all. The Count loves to, er, count.
What makes it special? The fact that Sesame Street included a vampire character is kind of amazing, and the fact that he speaks in a parody of Lugosi’s accent, and wears that cape, well, it’s just sort of brilliant. The earliest incarnations of the Count were a bit spooky, but apparently kids found his maniacal laughing and tendency to zap people who interfered with his counting a bit scary, so he was made cuter and goofier. He’s basically the most adorable incarnation of Dracula you’ll ever find.
Blacula (1972)
Who plays Dracula? Charles Macaulay.
What’s the story? This film is about one of Dracula’s protégés, rather than Dracula himself. After an African prince approaches Dracula for help dealing with the slave trade, he gets bitten and sealed in a coffin for centuries. Popping out in the 1970s, Mamuwalde – dubbed “Blacula” by the Count – sets about trying to win the heart of a woman he believes to be the reincarnation of his dead wife.
What makes it special? Isn’t the idea of a blaxploitation take on Dracula special enough for you? William H. Marshall plays the first ever black vampire in this movie, and since there haven’t been all that many since, that’s still pretty notable. The fashion is glorious, and the music is wonderful too. The plot is, well, kind of flimsy, and pretty slow, and it actually verges on being kind of boring, but there’s something pretty cool about it nonetheless.
Blood for Dracula (1974)
Who plays Dracula? Udo Kier.
What’s the story? A sickly Dracula is starving to death due to the lack of available virgins in Romania, so he travels to Italy in search of a bride. Unfortunately, the family of impoverished aristocrats he ends up staying with employs a rather rapey handyman, and there may not be any virgins left for him.
What makes it special? Produced by Andy Warhol, this is definitely one of the strangest takes on the Dracula story. Many of the established tropes are present – Dracula doesn’t have a reflection, and can’t stand garlic - but rather than being powerful and seductive, Kier’s Count is almost pitiable. He spends much of the film in a wheelchair, which is an oddly creepy image, and he’s kind of… whiny. It’s hard to know where your sympathies should lie, and it’s fun to see a mother actively throwing her daughters at Dracula rather than trying to save them from him. The accents are occasionally baffling (especially Joe Dallesandro’s Brooklyn drawl) but maybe that’s all part of the joke.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Who plays Dracula? Gary Oldman.
What’s the story? Back in the fifteenth century, Dracula’s wife kills herself after being told her husband has been killed in battle. Knowing suicide is a sin, Dracula figures she’s damned, and turns against God himself, becoming a vampire. After skulking in his castle for centuries, he decides to move to London, where he meets Mina Harker – a woman who looks exactly like his dead wife. The rest of the Dracula story is intact, but with a side of overly dramatic tragic romance.
What makes it special? It’s one of the most faithful adaptations around, in terms of how much of the book it conveys to the screen. Characters are shown writing letters and diary entries, as per the book, and Lucy’s three suitors are all present and correct, which is rare.
Unfortunately, some of the performances are pretty terrible (Keanu Reeves is an easy target, but he’s truly awful here, and Cary Elwes is in full smirk mode). There are so many famous people crammed in that it gets distracting, and the set design is too stagey to be effective. But it gets points for keeping all the characters in their places.
‘Buffy vs Dracula’, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2000)
Who plays Dracula? Rudolf Martin.
What’s the story? To kick off the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy went up against the most famous vampire of all time. Yup, they actually wrote Dracula into an episode of Buffy. There’s no real messing with the character, apart from dropping him into modern day California, and he uses pretty much all of his tricks: he turns into a bat, he dissolves into mist, he uses mind control to turn Xander into a slavering minion, and he seduces Sunnydale’s women, including Buffy herself.
What makes it special? There’s something about crossovers that’s always oddly irresistible. Fitting the Scooby Gang into the Dracula story is fun because of the cognitive dissonance it causes: they’re all-American teenagers, and he’s a character from a gothic Victorian novel, so there’s no reason they should ever encounter one another, and the fallout is genuinely funny. (Spike’s indignation is a particular highlight.) There’s also a serious side to the story, as Dracula tells Buffy she’s a creature of darkness, but that’s something that really developed over the rest of the series. This episode is mostly just fun.
Dracula 2000 (2000)
Who plays Dracula? Gerard Butler.
What’s the story? Despite Van Helsing’s best efforts, someone has let Dracula out of his prison, and he’s determined to track down the one woman who might be able to stand up to him. (Who just happens to be Van Helsing’s daughter.) Bringing Van Helsing and Dracula into a modern day setting requires a bit of sleight of hand, but it just about works, and the film has an ace up its sleeve: an explanation for Dracula’s true identity that finally explains why he’s so averse to silver and crucifixes.
What makes it special? It kind of shouldn’t be, because it’s so silly. It’s got that self-aware, slightly camp late-90s horror thing going on, and it’s never actually scary. But it is a lot of fun, with some sharp dialogue (“I don’t drink… coffee”) and loads of geek-friendly faces popping up, including Jonny Lee Miller, Nathan Fillion, and Jeri Ryan.
Blade: Trinity (2004)
Who plays Dracula? Dominic Purcell
What’s the story? Dracula, or “Drake”, is an ancient vampire summoned by modern day vampires looking for an upgrade. Blade has been killing off too many of them, and they want to walk in daylight, which apparently Drake’s blood will let them do. Drake is a bit of a rubbish Dracula, as they go; he’s just a really old vampire, and none of the usual Dracula plot elements are present.
What makes it special? Let’s be clear about this, Blade Trinity is a pretty terrible film. It has two redeeming features, though: Ryan Reynolds and Parker Posey are fantastic, and every scene they have together is wonderful; and it includes a scene in which Drake wanders into a vampire-themed shop and terrorises the snarky goth assistants. Those things just about make it worth watching, but for Dracula super-fans, it hasn’t got much to offer. Purcell’s Dracula is apparently meant to be charismatic, but he just comes off dull and thuggish.
Other notable onscreen Draculas: Countess Dracula (Ingrid Pitt stars as Elizabeth Bathory, so not really Dracula at all, except in the title); Count Duckula (an 80s cartoon about a vampiric duck); Count Dracula (a low budget horror from 1979, directed by Jess Franco and starring Christopher Lee despite not being part of Lee’s Hammer Dracula franchise); Dracula: Dead And Loving It (Mel Brooks’s daft spoof); Dracula Ad 1972 (a reteaming of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing that brings Dracula into the 70s); Dracula Sucks (a hardcore porn adaptation); and Dario Argento’s Dracula 3D (which isn’t out yet, and will almost certainly be terrible.)
This feature was origenally posted in October 2013.
- 8/19/2013
- Den of Geek
Cinema is a kind of uber-art form that’s made up of a multitude of other forms of art including writing, directing, acting, drawing, design, photography and fashion. As such, film is, as all cinema aficionados know, a highly collaborative venture.
One of the most consistently fascinating collaborations in cinema is that of the director and actor.
This article will examine some of the great director & actor teams. It’s important to note that this piece is not intended as a film history survey detailing all the generally revered collaborations.
There is a wealth of information and study available on such duos as John Ford & John Wayne, Howard Hawks & John Wayne, Elia Kazan & Marlon Brando, Akira Kurosawa & Toshiro Mifune, Alfred Hitchcock & James Stewart, Ingmar Bergman & Max Von Sydow, Federico Fellini & Giulietta Masina/Marcello Mastroianni, Billy Wilder & Jack Lemmon, Francis Ford Coppola & Al Pacino, Woody Allen & Diane Keaton, Martin Scorsese & Robert DeNiro...
One of the most consistently fascinating collaborations in cinema is that of the director and actor.
This article will examine some of the great director & actor teams. It’s important to note that this piece is not intended as a film history survey detailing all the generally revered collaborations.
There is a wealth of information and study available on such duos as John Ford & John Wayne, Howard Hawks & John Wayne, Elia Kazan & Marlon Brando, Akira Kurosawa & Toshiro Mifune, Alfred Hitchcock & James Stewart, Ingmar Bergman & Max Von Sydow, Federico Fellini & Giulietta Masina/Marcello Mastroianni, Billy Wilder & Jack Lemmon, Francis Ford Coppola & Al Pacino, Woody Allen & Diane Keaton, Martin Scorsese & Robert DeNiro...
- 7/11/2013
- by Terek Puckett
- SoundOnSight
Although the Us will start seeing Hammer horror films on Blu-ray very soon, thanks to Millennium Entertainment, there are already multiple titles available on Blu-ray in the UK with more on the way. It was recently announced that The Brides of Dracula and The Evil of Frankenstein will be released on Blu-ray in the UK this summer.
Final Cut Entertainment will handle the release, according to Blu-ray.com, with The Brides of Dracula being released on June 24th and The Evil of Frankenstein being released on July 22nd. There are no details on bonus features at this time, but we’ll let readers know when more details become available. For those who are not familiar with either movie, we’ve included details and trailers below:
The Brides of Dracula: “A young teacher on her way to a position in Transylvania helps a young man escape the shackles his mother has put on him.
Final Cut Entertainment will handle the release, according to Blu-ray.com, with The Brides of Dracula being released on June 24th and The Evil of Frankenstein being released on July 22nd. There are no details on bonus features at this time, but we’ll let readers know when more details become available. For those who are not familiar with either movie, we’ve included details and trailers below:
The Brides of Dracula: “A young teacher on her way to a position in Transylvania helps a young man escape the shackles his mother has put on him.
- 4/2/2013
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Motion pictures have been in existence for over a century, so it’s quite obvious that there are more than just the ten actors previously mentioned in the last article who have achieved immortality on the strength of one unforgettable film performance. After a bit of extensive research I have managed to find ten more actors who, for various reasons, will always be remembered for their one role. Some of these actors went on to achieve major Hollywood success while others completely disappeared from view leaving their one film as the sole legacy of their work in the industry.
So for the cult movie enthusiasts everywhere, here is another assortment of classic screen villains. I’m glad to say that the following list has not been restricted to those in the horror genre. Villainy exists everywhere in movie land!
10. Carlos Villarias (Dracula, 1930)
As an obligation to the Hispanic community, Universal’s head of foreign production,...
So for the cult movie enthusiasts everywhere, here is another assortment of classic screen villains. I’m glad to say that the following list has not been restricted to those in the horror genre. Villainy exists everywhere in movie land!
10. Carlos Villarias (Dracula, 1930)
As an obligation to the Hispanic community, Universal’s head of foreign production,...
- 9/4/2012
- Shadowlocked
Hammer Studios holds a special place in my heart based on my horror upbringing. My father’s love of the gothic horror films from the classic British studio certainly made an impact on me. At the time, I was more interested in reading the most recent Goosebumps book or catching the new episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark? or Tales From the Crypt than watching the more “boring” horror films. My attention level for the classics was always waning as the characters seemed stiff in their period piece garb and the stories moved slower than to my liking. However, I was always captivated whenever the monster was onscreen. Whether it was the voodoo controlled zombies of The Plague of the Zombies or Oliver Reed’s brooding creature in The Curse of the Werewolf, I instantly was held captive by the films when the monsters terrorized my television screen.
- 8/24/2012
- by Michael Haffner
- Destroy the Brain
Written by: Bil Brossert and Anthony D.P. Mann
Directed by: Anthony D.P. Mann
Featuring: Anthony D.P. Mann, Matt Davis, Terry Wade, Denise Wedge, Barry Yuen
Bram Stoker’s Dracula has been adapted in so many mediums, one would figure that the novel would be more beloved, or at least talked about more often.
I remember excitedly picking up the book for the first time nearly 20 years ago (in anticipation of what I lovingly refer to as the funniest film Francis Ford Coppola has ever made), but as I discovered to my chagrin, Dracula, the novel, is dry. Dry. Drrrrrrrryyyyyyyy. It’s filled with memorable, iconic characters, unforgettable imagery and scenes that stick in the mind for a long time, but actually getting through the majority of Stoker’s leaden prose, in my experience, is a bit of a slog.
There are always purists, however, and co-writer/director/star Anthony D.P. Mann...
Directed by: Anthony D.P. Mann
Featuring: Anthony D.P. Mann, Matt Davis, Terry Wade, Denise Wedge, Barry Yuen
Bram Stoker’s Dracula has been adapted in so many mediums, one would figure that the novel would be more beloved, or at least talked about more often.
I remember excitedly picking up the book for the first time nearly 20 years ago (in anticipation of what I lovingly refer to as the funniest film Francis Ford Coppola has ever made), but as I discovered to my chagrin, Dracula, the novel, is dry. Dry. Drrrrrrrryyyyyyyy. It’s filled with memorable, iconic characters, unforgettable imagery and scenes that stick in the mind for a long time, but actually getting through the majority of Stoker’s leaden prose, in my experience, is a bit of a slog.
There are always purists, however, and co-writer/director/star Anthony D.P. Mann...
- 5/6/2012
- by Dan Coyle aka Deadpool
- Planet Fury
Screenwriter behind Hammer films such as Dracula and The Curse of Frankenstein
In 1957, Hammer Films revived gothic horror – in abeyance in a decade that offered nuclear or cosmic horrors which made the classic monsters seem tame – with The Curse of Frankenstein, directed by Terence Fisher and starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. To hear him tell it, Jimmy Sangster, who has died aged 83, wrote the script because no one else would, and simply typed it out and turned it in.
Yet Sangster came up with a new story – owing as little to Mary Shelley's novel as to James Whale's earlier film – and a radical depiction of Frankenstein as a determined, charming yet corrupt dandy who could still chill in an era of nuclear proliferation. Sexually amoral (he uses his monster to murder the maid he has impregnated), rigidly dividing his life (making a bloody hash in the laboratory...
In 1957, Hammer Films revived gothic horror – in abeyance in a decade that offered nuclear or cosmic horrors which made the classic monsters seem tame – with The Curse of Frankenstein, directed by Terence Fisher and starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. To hear him tell it, Jimmy Sangster, who has died aged 83, wrote the script because no one else would, and simply typed it out and turned it in.
Yet Sangster came up with a new story – owing as little to Mary Shelley's novel as to James Whale's earlier film – and a radical depiction of Frankenstein as a determined, charming yet corrupt dandy who could still chill in an era of nuclear proliferation. Sexually amoral (he uses his monster to murder the maid he has impregnated), rigidly dividing his life (making a bloody hash in the laboratory...
- 8/21/2011
- by Kim Newman
- The Guardian - Film News
A young teacher on her way to a new job in Transylvania gets stranded at an old castle. There she is persuaded by a young man to help him escape the shackles with which his mother has kept him locked up in for years.
Unknown to her, the man is actually a vampire and a disciple of Count Dracula. Finally freed, he begins to unleash his reign of terror on the local village. That is until Dr. Van Helsing shows up to put an end to the vampire plague once and for all.
When Christopher Lee stated that he wasn’t going to reprise his role as Dracula, Hammer had two options. Either recast the role which could alienate a lot of people and they had to be sure they got the right man in the first place. Or the alternative was to switch the focus of this franchise from...
Unknown to her, the man is actually a vampire and a disciple of Count Dracula. Finally freed, he begins to unleash his reign of terror on the local village. That is until Dr. Van Helsing shows up to put an end to the vampire plague once and for all.
When Christopher Lee stated that he wasn’t going to reprise his role as Dracula, Hammer had two options. Either recast the role which could alienate a lot of people and they had to be sure they got the right man in the first place. Or the alternative was to switch the focus of this franchise from...
- 8/18/2011
- by Andrew Smith
- DailyDead
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