Hammer Horror Podcast

Our final instalment of the Dracula franchise sees Hammer team up with the Shaw Brothers with a blend of kung fu and horror. Van Helsing returns played once more by the amiable Peter Cushing and despite Dracula returning to the scene, Christopher Lee this time does not don the cape. Instead the role is taken up by John Forbes Robertson. Does he measure up and what are the views of the podcasters? Join us as we venture further through the Q Station.For photos from the night, please head here:https://bit.ly/2JRCghh

For our final podcast installment on the Hammer Horror Dracula franchise, we thought that we’d give you, the listeners, a special treat and thanks to the management at Q Station in Manly, we were able to bring you the podcast, recorded live from grounds.So we have set up this page slightly differently to previous posts. In the first part we talk about The Satanic Rites of Dracula .Additionally, we have also recorded our thoughts and reactions as we navigated our way through the Quarantine Station complex and its various haunted spots, ably guided by our Q Station host, Jake. Needless to say, we got a lot more than we bargained for as we experienced an extremely active night.For photos from the night, please head here: https://bit.ly/2JRCghh

It’s 1972 and Hammer have started to shift their celluloid output into a different direction, with more blood and more cleavage but what of its style and how would this impact on the beloved Dracula franchise?

 The sixth instalment of the Hammer Horror Dracula franchise, Scars of Dracula once more bears witness to Christopher Lee taking on the titular role for his fifth turn.

Christopher Lee returns as Dracula himself and makes his presence felt throughout the movie, but with its fifth instalment into the franchise, is the blood starting to run dry?

2 Years has passed since the last Dracula instalment and for the first time, has a new director at the helm, Freddie Francis. Dracula Has Risen From The Grave, ventures into new territory, visually and therefore offers a whole new slant on the Hammer franchise.

Like Dracula himself, the Hammer Horror podcast team have resurrected ourselves for the third instalment of the Dracula franchise; Dracula: Prince of Darkness.

The Hammer Horror podcast team discuss the second Dracula instalment that Hammer delivered. Does it stand up next to it’s predecessor or should it be staked through its celluloid heart?

Celebrating 60 years this year, Hammer films extended their formula in The Curse of Frankenstein with a look at Bram Stoker's Dracula.With the pairing of Christopher Lee in the titular role and Peter Cushing as Professor Van Helsing, a new era of British horror was born.

If you look up Shane Briant, you’ll see that he is now a successful novelist. Believe it or not, this is not his day job. In acting and film circles he has carved a strong reputation amongst his peers and critics alike. Having emigrated to Australia in the 80s, he has cropped up in numerous TV and films over the years, but it is perhaps his first foray into the movie world that he is best remembered for – at least amongst the Hammer aficionado and would indeed craft a style of performance from him that would see him playing various evil incarnations throughout his career. This would also, lead him to release an autobiography, with a similar vein in mind, Always The Bad Guy.

The 7th and final chapter in the Frankenstein Franchise for Hammer sees them return to what had originally worked with its predecessors.Along with it comes the return of Cushing and Fisher. So we can be rest assured that we are in safe hands.Frankenstein is alive and well and living in a mental asylum, where there are no limits to the work that he can carry out. The lunatic has literally taken over the asylum.HHP cast our views on whether the last of the Frankenstein movies ends on the right note or does it merely go out with a whimper?

We are now into the 6th instalment of the Frankenstein Franchise as visioned by Hammer Productions. It’s first in the 70s and it definitely feels it. Out with the old and in with the new as they say, as Hammer tries to sex up the image of Frankenstein. Cushing is cast aside and in comes Ralph Bates to take on the titular character. At the time, Hammer were trying to mould Ralph Bates as the new face of Hammer Horror.But will this new approach take effect? And will the fact that Jimmy Sangster’s triple role of writer, producer and director limit the scope of Hammer’s new vision?

The 5th in the Frankenstein franchise and possibly its finest, sees Frankenstein once again portrayed by Peter Cushing, tackle brain surgery to save an associate who has gone mad. His motive though lies in a formula that he wishes to receive from the doctor, but to what extent?

The fourth film in Hammer’s Frankenstein franchise and the return of Terence Fisher as director. In Frankenstein Created Woman, the Baron sheds his pursuit of the physical transference of the human body and focuses on the metaphysical. Is it possible to transfer the human soul into the body of another?HHP discuss the ramifications of this switch in story style. 

The 3rd instalment of the Frankenstein franchise sees the monster take on the more traditional look that audiences had become familiar with from the Universal Pictures classics. This was in part due to the collaboration Universal as part of a distribution deal, which allowed Hammer free reign to duplicate make-up and set elements. Before Hammer had been restricted to do so, but by keeping close to the look and feel of Hammers’ gothic film predecessors, do they in turn lose some of their identity?

It was inevitable with the success of Curse of Frankenstein that Hammer would revisit the Frankenstein franchise. (In fact they would do so again another 5 times throughout their history) So, a sequel was quickly rustled up with Cushing taking on the role of Frankenstein once more and Terence Fisher was once again called upon to take on directorial duties. But would they be able to pull off the winning formula that was established in its predecessor?

Hammer’s first endeavor into the realms of television would lead them to explore the options of expanding the Frankenstein universe. Armed with a series of ideas for potential episodes (most of which would be used one way or another in future films) they teamed up with Columbia Pictures. Creative differences would however play a part in this collaboration and the series would never be picked up. All that remains is the pilot for the show and the team at HHP have reviewed it in keeping with our Frankenstein Edition podcast.

As we begin our 2nd podcast season, it seems only fitting that we should divert our attention to the Frankenstein franchise. After all, it was the monster that created Hammer.

The final instalment of Hammer's Mummy franchise ventured into a different direction and gave us Valerie Leon as Queen Tessa.Find out our views of the film in our latest podcast.

The Hammer Horror podcast team continue their discussions of The Mummy franchise with The Mummy's Shroud.Time to unravel this classic British horror starring Andre Morell as Sir Basil Walden and the final movie to be made at Bray Studios for the company.

Hammer Productions would continue unveiling the horror monsters of the 30's and bestow a second outing for the bandaged menace, The Mummy. The Hammer Horror podcast team venture into this sequel and unravel the remains to see if it still stands the test of time.

It was inevitable that Hammer Horror would continue in their success and following in Universal Horror’s footsteps.It all started with The Curse of Frankenstein, and then Dracula, before turning their attention to The Mummy.Once more, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee would reunite as was their winning formula.Cushing playing the hero again as heroic archaeologist, John Banning, and Lee would don the make-up to take on the monster of the piece, The Mummy.Hammer Films  were in their element and below is the Hammer Horror Podcast teams thoughts and views on the film.