For decades, Hammer fans would get excited when the famous studio would get a new owner and we’d hear promises of a return of the name of Hammer. And then we’d wait. And wait. And nothing. Then another new owner, and the same would follow. But ever since John Gore bought Hammer Films, those promises has not only happened but have gone way beyond any fans’ dream. It started with the glorious 4K restorations of not only some of their most famous classic titles, but even some more obscure and non-horror titles that started Hammer on their path years before the gothic revival they started in 1957. And they continued on.

Then they started to announce titles that were not from the Hammer catalog but other British titles, acquiring licenses from studios like Tyburn, AIP, United Artists, and others. They are giving these films the same treatment and restorations as their own titles, giving movie fans a chance to see them like never before. Not to mention the extras included in the releases.

Now they are continuing that path by delving into horror history even beyond Hammer Films, under their Hammer Presents banner. Case in point, this new release is called The House of Hammer: Volume 1, and covers some subjects related to Hammer. But nonetheless, they have very informative features and featurettes.

First is the feature entitled Masques, Monsters and Madmen: Part 1, running a bit under 2 hours and is a new documentary on American International Pictures, or AIP, which from the ’50s on, where producing the kind of films for a younger market, and having great success in it. Many of their features were made for the drive-in market, which spectacular titles and double features, which were drawing kids away from their TVs to go to theaters, something the big studios were having a hard time doing. You get to hear from film histrions from both sides of the pond, such as Chris Alexander, Steve Haberman, Jonathon Rigby, Bruce G. Hallenbeck, Heidi Honeycutt, Dick Klemenson, David Pirie, Mark McGee, John Hamilton, Peter Fuller, and John Logan, as well as Victoria Price talking about her father, and actress Elizabeth Shepherd on working with Price and Roger Corman. They cover a wide variety of subjects of what was going on around that time and what helped make AIP shine, even competing with the bigger studios.

Then there is the 38-minute featurette The Land Demands Blood that is about films made in Cornwall, such as Plague of the Zombies to Doctor Blood’s Coffin.

Then there is a very interesting documentary called Deep Cuts about the changes in the censorship in the ’70s in the UK, at the time their X-certificate, which is much different than here in the states, was raised to over 18 years of age, and what happened next. A great little look into another country’s battle with studios that kept pushing the boundaries of what they could get away with in film.

We get a 30-minute interview with Oscar winning makeup and special effects team of Dave and Lou Elsey and all the amazing features they’ve worked on over the years. Listening to tales from the trenches from those in this line of work is always fascinating.

Symphonies of Shudder is a 40-minute featurette featuring author and musician David Huckvale discussing music for the films, especially Hammer, discussing the different composers, such as James Bernard and Harry Robinson, delving into some of their scores. Great stuff.

Another fun segment is a 43-minute featurette on actor Michael Gough with Jonathan Rigby, exploring his work from the start to the end, really showing just how talented he was.

There is also an archival interview with Roger Corman from 1995 at a film fest. I can never get tired of hearing him talk about his career.

Then we have footage from the 2025 London premiere of the recently restored The Curse of Frankenstein, a Hammer short that was recently discovered, entitled Ticket to Happiness, and a 120-page booklet that has articles on the making of Cry of the Banshee, Little Shoppe of Horrors publisher Dick Klemenson talking about his long running Hammer magazine, Roger Corman’s Poe films, an archival interview with Vincent Price and more!

You can get this set for only $49.99 from our friends at Diabolik DVD. If you’re a fan of not only Hammer, but horror films in general, you are going to enjoy everything on this set, and maybe even learn a thing or two! I can’t wait to see what is going to be on Volume 2!