Hammer History

 

 (imdb)

FLESH AND BLOOD-THE HAMMER HERITAGE OF HORROR-1994-In this entertaining documentary, two long segments cover all the Frankenstein and Dracula series (except Dracula AD 1972). There are many interviews: Michael Carreras, Jimmy Sangster, Roy Ward Baker, Anthony Hinds, Anthony Nelson Keyes, Hazel Court, Caroline Munro, Martine Beswick, Veronica Carlson, Freddie Francis and Christopher Lee who narrates along with Peter Cushing. Soundtracks, Director of Photography, makeup and other aspects are covered. Also how the studio picked its leading ladies. Other movies covered include The PHANTOM OF THE OPERA remake, THE DEVIL RIDES OUT, DR. JEKYLL AND SISTER HYDE. It also tells how American Robert Lippert helped distribute their films in the US and lent stock footage and how CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN was planned as a black & white film with Karloff! Stupidly they criticize ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (Joe Dante helps them) to make their CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN look like they were saving the horror genre. Apparently, the only American they could get to run down Universal horror movies and overly praise Hammer was Dante. Director Ted Newsom made many other documentaries and some horror movies like EVIL SPAWN (1987).

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Price's Dracula

 

 (imdb)

VINCENT PRICE'S DRACULA-1986-The incomparable Vincent Price narrates this documentary on the Dracula legacy. The first part tells the true story of Vlad Dracul aka Vlad the Impaler and uses scenes from the sweeping Russian made VLAD TESPES (a film I'd like to see). It also makes an illusion to Count Chocula and compares Vlad's impaling as a peculiarity that all heads of state have. Like Ronald Reagan liking jelly beans! (Tongue in cheek). 

The second part focuses on Bram Stoker and Price reads from the novel. Then the climax to the silent classic NOSFERATU (1922) is shown. Price then presents a "vampire emergency kit". Then comes an overview of the vampire film. Scenes from VAMPYR (1932), MARK OF THE VAMPIRE (1935) (called a sequel to DRACULA here) and RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE (1943) are used. Also mentioned are Francis Lederer in RETURN OF DRACULA (1958) and John Beal in THE VAMPIRE (1957). It ends with an exorcism being performed in modern day Transylvania. 

Price as the on screen narrator and his witty and urbane dialogue are the real reason to see this. It's director John Muller's only credit.

 (letterboxd.com)

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TV Shows From 2010

I only watched three TV series regularly this past year. Here they are:


THE WALKING DEAD-Everyone has probably heard about this AMC original production which tries to expand on the story lines laid down by George Romero's DEAD series and it's countless imitations. It's ironic that a once great cable station like AMC which horribly edits it's films and has more commercial interruptions than TBS would produce an original series that contains so much graphic violence and gore. A cop awakens from a coma (like in 28 DAYS LATER) and goes around the US trying to find his family and any other survivors. There's way too much CGI gore and most of the characters just argue and emote while occasionally fighting the living dead. The first season was only 6 episodes (how much faith did AMC have in this project before airing it?).




MOGULS AND MOVIE STARS-This was a great seven part original series produced by TCM that covers the beginnings of movie making up until the late '60's. Many old silent shorts are used plus interviews with filmmakers, writers and technical crews. Even TCM host Robert Osborne has a few things to say. It covers peep shows, Edison, Chaplin, the studio heads, blacklisting, the threat of TV, the demise of the studio system and a lot more. Some subjects are glossed over or left out, still it's well made and informative. Christopher Plummer provides the narration.



THE AVENGERS-THE WORLD’S MIGHTIEST HEROES-Maybe I’m a sentimental old fuddy duddy or just an immature “big kid” but I really enjoyed this animation based on the characters featured in Marvel Comics. It features all the “original” members (Iron Man, Capt. America, The Hulk, Ant Man, The Wasp and Thor plus The Black Panther). Other characters like Hawkeye, The Black Widow, Nick Fury and Doc Samson appear. There are a lot of super villains with The Leader, Baron Strucker, Modok and Hydra leading the way but SHIELD is basically presented as a force not to be trusted.

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