Tag Archives: Hammer Films

The Blood is the Life Book

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Since it is Black Friday and all . . .

The latest volume from the creators of We Belong Dead magazine, this time covering one of the oldest monsters around, the vampire! The Blood is the Life covers “a century of filmic bloodsuckers”, starting with the one and only Nosferatu (1922), which is only fitting since next month we will be getting a new version of this tale with the release of Robert Eggers new film. This book covers a wide range of films from the classic Universal titles like Dracula (1931), Dracula’s Daughter (1936), to a slew of Hammer titles with Christopher Lee as the Count, to their other efforts like Kiss of the Vampire (1963) to Twins of Evil (1971). I was honored to be part of this tome, having essays on Al Adamson’s Dracula vs Frankenstein (1971) and José Ramón Larraz Vampyres (1974).

While these books are a bit pricy with the currency exchange and the overseas postage, because I have several of their books, I will say they are luxurious looking volumes of well written essays on the genre. With full color pages, filled with plenty of poster art, stills, lobby cards, and even some behind-the-scenes shots, it’s one of those volumes that just paging through it can be a little time machine, helping you escape into many different worlds! So yes, an investment, but I feel a worthy one.

Hardcovers are £45.00 or $57.02 US, and softcovers are £35.00 or $44.35 US. Shipping to here in the US will cost another $25. So again, it’s a bit of cash, but a beautiful investment in knowledge, and for your library. Just click HERE to see more information about the book!

Captain Kronos 5 Disc Release?

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As we make our way to the Monster Bash Conference, where we, along with all the other attendees, will be celebrating Hammer Films with four lovely ladies that appeared in some of their films. Names like Caroline Munro, Martine Beswick, Victoria Vetri, and Pauline Peart, along with a few other interesting guests. You can get all the details by clicking HERE.

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New Little Shoppe Coming

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That’s right folks, issue # 51 from one of the longest running horror magazines out there, Little Shoppe of Horrors, is now taking orders for their new issue, which features a stunning cover of Nosferatu (1922). Sure, it’s not a Hammer film, but since there is Robert Eggers’ new version coming out in December, LSoH is taking this opportunity to have their usual in-depth “making of” on the very first adaptation of Stoker’s novel, with the article “The Plague of Nosferatu: The Making of a Vampire” by Rolf Giesen, who has written a couple of books on the subject, The Nosferatu Story (read our review of it HERE) and Golem, Caligari, Nosferatu.

Also, to tie into this, there will be an article entitled “Victims of his Imaginations” – Bram Stoker and an unmade Hammer title.

Then there is a couple of features on the sci-fi/horror film The Damned, as well as a piece on Hammer’s first horror title with “The Making of the Mystery of the Mary Celeste”.

Plus, all the usual goodies that LSoH pages are filled with. You can order your copy now by going to their website HERE.

Know Your Hammer?

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While there are plenty of books out there on Hammer Studios, and trust me, I know since I probably have most of them, this multiple volume book series that Peveril Publishing has been putting out is a set that would probably answer many, if not all, of your Hammer question. The first 2 volumes of their series The House that Hammer Built have been released, volume 1 covers the years between 1934 to 1949, while volume 2 covers 1950 to 1954. And they have just released the cover for the 3rd volume, which will cover the years 1955 to 1959, which is when the studio really exploded all over the world with their remake of Dracula in 1957.

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Little Shoppe of Horrors Hits the Big 50!

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Issue # 50 of simply the best magazine devoted to Hammer Studios is about to release their 50th issue. Issue # 1 was published in June of 1972, over 50 years ago. And if you’ve purchased any of their issues, then you know just how packed full of information they are. This one is no different.

With the incredible cover art by Mark Maddox, this issue features in-depth making of The Devil Rides Out by Bruce G. Hallenbeck, called Angel of Death. There are also pieces on Charles Gray, as well as one on special effects artist Michael Stainer-Hutchins, an analysis of Richard Matheson’s screenplay for the film called The Devil in the Details, by Constantine Nasr.

Plus, Mr. Hallenbeck also gives us Fresh Blood, Fresh Brains: The Making of Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell!

Filled out with the other usual content, from book reviews, the Keith Dudley report, and Confessions of a Monster Chick by Pam Murray, this issue will be just as entertaining and engaging as all the rest. I can’t wait! You can order your copy now by clicking HERE.

New Books from the U.K.

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As a book collector, it is so tough to get books from across the pond because of the postage. But I still do it for a few of reasons. The titles I’m buying are more than worth it for the content. It also helps support the smaller publishers in continuing to put out such fantastic books. Oh yeah, and I’m a sucker when it comes to these kinds of titles!

The first one is the latest from the We Belong Dead people, Unsung Horrors Has Risen from the Grave. I have started contributing to some of their books, not in this latest volume though, but it’s not stopping me from adding it to the library. I mean, I already have the previous two titles in their Unsung Horrors series, so I obviously need this one as well! As usual, the authors have selected titles they feel need a little more love, which I’m always in agreement of. With so many movies coming out every year, there are plenty that seem to be left in the shadows that are more than worth your time. This volume covers titles like Curse of the Vampires, Evil of Dracula, The Redeemer, Lake Mungo, Curse of the Black Widow, Rogue, The Phantom Carriage, Splinter, and so much more.

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More Hammer Books from Peveril

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I know there are a lot of books on Hammer Films out there. Trust me, I know. With 2 shelves of just book on the famous studio, I probably have most of them! So why do we need more? Well, for a collector, not sure I can give a real answer other than . . . just because. But the thing about the Hammer titles from Peveril, and this isn’t a knock on any of the other wonderful books out there, but Peveril’s titles are like the archival material you’d go to a library to find. You know, those huge, old books you have to wear gloves to page through and aren’t allowed to check out, but go to special room to view them? The kind that scholars that are investigating some sort of mystery, go to these places to look for some undiscovered clue. Okay . . . maybe that’s taking a bit far.

In all seriousness, these books are archival in that they are filled with so much information, both in text and photos, that these will be the ones that future scholars will want to go back to, time and time again. I know I do each and every time I work on a piece about Hammer, or those involved. With their latest series, The House that Hammer Built, going through the decades and detailing what the studio was doing, is just amazing and filled with so much information. Vol. 2, going through from 1950 to 1954 is off to the printers so should be available soon.

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Movie Plans for 2024?

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While I know we might be a little preoccupied with the upcoming holiday in a couple of days, or any end of year celebrations, but since it is also close to the start of a new year, has anybody thought of taking on a little movie challenge? One of the things that I hear some fans doing, which I have done myself, is to make a little checklist of a particular film series, or maybe a bunch from one director, or even a particular sub-genre, and make your way through them during the next year. There’s no time limit (unless you want to set it for yourself) other than trying to get them through within those 12 months.

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Hammer Karnstein Scrapbook Now Available

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Continuing their releases covering the different series of films Hammer did, Peveril Publishing has released their latest volume in this long series, The Hammer’s Karnstein’s Scrapbook and is now available to order!

By the time the ’70s came around, Hammer was upping the amount of gore and nudity in their films, trying to keep hold of their dwindling audiences. Since films like Rosemary’s Baby and Night of the Living Dead, both released1968, had modern settings and monsters, fans were growing tired of the gothic period pieces. Plus, in 1970, The British Board of Film Censors raised the X-Certificate from 16 to 18 in hopes of fighting off this new trend of sexploitation films that were coming out. Hammer took that and amped up their gore and nudity to meet that new standard with their adaptation of Le Fanu’s 1872 novella Carmilla, with what would become The Vampire Lovers (1970), starring the alluring Ingrid Pitt.

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Robert Tayman – Rest In Peace

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Robert Tayman was an actor that didn’t appear in too many horror films, but a few that are worth mentioning. He appeared in Pete Walker’s House of Whipcord (1974), and even Hammer’s strange Sci-Fi / Western Moon Zero Two (1969). But it really his performance as the vampire Count Mitterhaus in Hammer’s Vampire Circus (1972) that most Hammer and horror fans remember him by. While we haven’t seen anything official announced, I’ve seen a couple of posts from reliable sources that Mr. Tayman has recently passed away, at the age of 80 years old.

His performance as Mitterhaus is a bit over-the-top, but that is one of the reasons I’ve always enjoyed it, as well as the film itself. It’s a style that I’m not sure we’ll see anytime soon, but as a young horror fan, I thought the film, and the vampires throughout the story were just so damn slick and cool.

Our thoughts go out to his friends and family in this difficult time, but know that because of his performance in Vampire Circus, along with Count Mitterhaus, his life will go on for us fan.