Hammer Films

Some have called it "The Studio that Dripped Blood," and for good reason; Hammer Films was one of the most prolific horror production companies of all time and its legacy has permeated many forms of media, whether acknowledged or not. Founded by William Hinds and James Carreras, Hammer Film Productions, Ltd. was initially in the business of "quota quickies," which were cheap and uninspired filler films. After being presented with a film project to rejuvenate the Frankenstein brand, the studio opted to make their own, since Mary Shelly's work was already in the public domain. With The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), the film company rebranded to almost exclusively guts and gore forevermore. Their next foray was Dracula (1958), which also starred Christopher Lee as the monster. In The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958), rather than the monster reappearing as he had in the many Universal Monster films, it was Dr. Frankenstein. The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) had Peter Cushing return to his mad scientist. Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) was odd and bad, but worth seeing. Frankenstein Must be Destroyed (1969) had some high points. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974) featured some adept makeup and effect work. Christopher Lee played yet another monster, which was also played by the prolific Boris Karloff, the titular mummy in The Mummy (1959). The Brides of Dracula (1960) was a well received blend of sex and violence. The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) was sadly the studio's only werewolf film. The Phantom of the Opera (1962) was somewhat cursed from the outset, having originally been conceived for Cary Grant before he backed out. Delving into more mythic subject matter, The Gorgon (1964) had some fun practical effects for Medusa and her serpent hair. Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966), Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968), Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970), Scars of Dracula (1970), The Vampire Lovers (1970), Dracula AD 1972 (1972), and The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973). The Plague of the Zombies (1966) has some charm. The Reptile (1966) was a schlocky, but well made, creature feature. The Mummy's Shroud (1967) Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971) was arguably before its time, touching on gender norms. This week's "Hidden Track" is Silent Horror. Their new album can be found here: https://silenthorror.bigcartel.com/. If you ever have feedback or recommendations on future episodes, please let us know at [email protected]. You can always find us on our social media: Instagram, Twitter, Slasher App: @slasherspod Facebook: /slasherspod Reddit: u/slasherspod https://www.youtube.com/c/slasherspodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices