Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy,
and the Wolf Man, were all defined cinematically by the actors of the 1930s;
Karloff, Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr. But that was all to change when a new legion
of filmmakers and actors from across the pond put a new perspective on the
“gothic horror”.
In 1934 a successful businessman
and failed comedian, Anthony Hinds aka “Will Hammer” formed Hammer Productions
Limited and began production of the first Hammer film, The Public Life of Henry the Ninth, a modest 61 minute comedy. In
the summer of 1935, Hammer’s first full-length film featured Bela Lugosi, the
star of Universal’s Dracula, in The Mystery of the Mary Celeste. The
first ‘official’ picture from Hammer Film Productions was Doctor Morelle, released by Exclusive on June 27, 1949. By the
mid-fifties, most Hammer films were produced by either Anthony Hinds or Michael
Carreras, son of Hammer films producer & film renter Sir James Carreras.
The next major progression for the company
was a color horror film titled The Curse
of Frankenstein starring Peter Cushing as Victor Frankenstein and
Christopher Lee in the role of the Monster. The British press found the film to
be distasteful, responding with such quotes as “for Sadists Only” and “among
the half-dozen most repulsive films I encountered”. The picture was a financial
success worldwide and redefined the horror genre and breathed life into the
phenomena of “Hammer horror.” Hammer would continue to produce six sequels to The Curse of Frankenstein between 1959 and
1974.
Having brokered
a deal between Hyman’s Seven Arts production company and
Universal-International, Hammer would make their own version of Bram Stoker’s
Dracula. Hammer would grant distribution rights to Universal in exchange for
permission to make the film. Christopher Lee took the lead role, no one else
was auditioned. Upon release in the US, to differentiate Hammer’s version form
the original, Universal chose the new title Horror
of Dracula. The critics were once again repulsed by Hammer’s latest
production: “I came away revolted and outraged” wrote the Daily Worker. Time has been kind to Hammer’s Dracula. When the film was briefly re-released in 1996, the Evening Standard’s Neil Norman described
it as “romantic cinema that transcends genre. Unimpeachable and unsurpassed.”
Hammer also produced eight other Dracula films between 1960 and 1974. The first
five were direct sequels to the original and starred Peter Cushing as the
Count’s nemesis Doctor Van Helsing.
In 1974 Christopher Lee had decided
to don the cape for the last time. Despite Lee’s efforts to preserve Dracula’s
integrity by paraphrasing from Stoker’s novel in each film, he could no longer
work with the poorly written scripts. That year Lee firmly stated: “I will not play that character anymore. I no
longer wish to do it, I no longer have to do it and no longer intend to do it. It is now part of my
professional past, just one of the roles I have played in a total of 124
films.”
Hammer also produced a series of
“cave girl” films, most notably One
Billion Years B.C. starring Raquel Welch. While the Gothic horror films
were scaring up big money at the box-office, Hammer also produced a series of
low-budget psychological thrillers such as; Paranoiac,
Nightmare, and Fear in the Night.
Hammer even dabbled into the ‘film noir’ genre, featuring American actors.
Other notable films by Hammer include; The
Curse of Werewolf (1961) Oliver Reed’s first starring role, The Gorgon (1964), The Phantom of the Opera
(1962) starring Herbert Lom, Quatermass
and the Pit (1967); US title “Five Million Miles to Earth”, and The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960) a
version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”.
By the early 1970s, Hammer had to
change with the times. Audiences were able to see more explicit gore, in
relatively mainstream American films. Hammer had to compete and thus the
“Karnstein trilogy” was created; The
Vampire Lovers (1970), Lust of a Vampire (1971), and Twins of Evil (1971). These films had the traditional Hammer production
design and direction, but also an increase in scenes of nudity that were not of
the norm for English films at the time. The Karnstein Trilogy were written by
Tudor Gates, who also wrote two Hammer films that were unsuccessful but over
time would become cult favorites; Dr.
Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971) and Captain
Kronos: Vampire Hunter(1974).
In the late 1970s, Hammer made
fewer films and became a victim of its own notoriety. The Gothic horror films
that put Hammer Films on the map were growing less popular and thus Hammer
attempted to change by combining gothic horror with the martial arts genre
creating The Legend of the 7 Golden
Vampires (1974), unfortunately with little success. Hammer’s last
production, in 1979, was a remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes. The film was a failure at the box-office and
nearly bankrupt the studio.
The 2000s marked Hammer’s revival
with films; Beyond the Grave (2008), Let
Me In (2010) the remake of the Swedish film “Let the Right One In”, The Resident (2011) marking Christopher
Lee’s return to a Hammer production, Wake
Wood (2011), and The Woman in Black
(2012) starring Daniel Radcliffe. Hammer’s return to cinemas also included
the return of all things Hammer to store shelves! You can find many Hammer collectibles
at our shop Horrorbles, both vintage and new! From hand-crafted figurines, to
drive-in posters, you’ll find that special gift for the Hammer aficionado in your family.
“Maniac” Matt
