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Reel Britannia - a very British podcast about very British movies...with just a hint of professionalism. Episode 181 - The Gorgon (1964) " Don't use long words, Inspector; they don't suit you." Get ready to have a monstrously good time with one of Hammer Film Productions' most creative and atmospheric chillers, 1964's The Gorgon! This isn't just any old creature feature; it's a vibrant, gothic mystery that brings together the titans of terror, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, for a truly legendary showdown. Forget what you know about Medusa, because this film introduces a new snake-haired sister to the mix, and she's ready for her close-up! The fun kicks off in the spooky little German village of Vandorf around the turn of the 20th century. This town has a serious problem: its residents have a nasty habit of turning to stone. When a young artist is found petrified, his family refuses to accept the flimsy official story. His determined father and brother arrive to uncover the truth, but the locals, terrified of a legendary curse, are tighter-lipped than a statue. This creates a wonderfully suspenseful puzzle, with our heroes piecing together clues while the village doctor (the ever-brilliant Peter Cushing) seems to know more than he's letting on. The mystery deepens with the arrival of the dashing Professor Karl Meister, played with commanding authority by the one and only Christopher Lee. He storms into town, ready to challenge superstition with science and solve the stony situation once and for all. The scenes between Cushing and Lee are electric, a fantastic duel between two masters of the genre who bring gravitas and excitement to every line. They elevate the film from a simple monster movie into a compelling human drama set against a wonderfully spooky backdrop. The film does a masterful job building the tension, giving you glimpses of slithering snakes and haunting reflections before the big reveal. When Megaera finally appears in her full, terrifying glory, it's a fantastic piece of classic horror magic. Her ghostly presence, combined with the eerie wail that precedes her, makes for some of the most memorable scenes in Hammer's history. The special effects, which show victims slowly hardening into stone, are delightfully retro and add to the film's unique charm. The Gorgon culminates in a thrilling and dramatic finale set in the ruins of Castle Borski. It's a fantastic climax filled with heroic sacrifice, shocking revelations, and a final, unforgettable confrontation with the creature. If you're looking for a horror film that is less about jump scares and more about rich atmosphere, brilliant performances, and a truly unique monster, then The Gorgon is an absolute must-see. It's a stylish, exciting, and wonderfully entertaining ride from start to finish! This and previous episodes can be found everywhere you download your podcasts Bonus content available at: patreon.com/ReelBritanniaPodcast Follow us on Twitter @rbritanniapod Thanks for listening Scott and Steven
Hammer horror reaches peak gothic chills with The Plague of the Zombies (1966), a Hammer Film Productions classic that defines British horror cinema. Shot at Bray Studios from 28 July 1965 and filmed back-to-back with Hammer's The Reptile (see episode 19), it used the same eerie Cornish village set designed by Hammer's celebrated production designer Bernard Robinson. Director John Gilling – the so-called “gentleman pig farmer” behind The Shadow of the Cat and The Mummy's Shroud – stages a story of graveyards, curses and the undead that became a template for Hammer zombie horror. Writer Peter Bryan, who joined Hammer Film Productions in 1948 as a camera operator before turning to screenwriting, provided the script and left the studio shortly after completing A Challenge for Robin Hood in 1967. When The Plague of the Zombies was submitted to the BBFC it was heavily trimmed: André Morell's Sir James Forbes originally decapitated a zombie with four shovel blows in the graveyard sequence, reduced to one for the censors. Heatherden Hall at Pinewood Studios doubles as the Forbes mansion, better known to James Bond fans as SPECTRE Island from From Russia With Love. Diane Clare, cast as Sylvia, had been one of the best-paid child “film babies” of the 1940s, appearing in The Ghosts of Berkeley Square and The Silver Fleet before leading roles in Hammer horror such as The Haunting, Witchcraft and The Hand of the Night. Her entire performance in The Plague of the Zombies was dubbed by South African actress Olive Gregg without her knowledge, a practice Hammer repeated when re-voicing Ingrid Pitt in Countess Dracula. André Morell himself had turned down both The Quatermass Experiment and Quatermass II on television before finally playing Professor Bernard Quatermass in the BBC's Quatermass and the Pit. When Hammer Film Productions made the feature version the role went to Andrew Keir. Morell also played O'Brien opposite Peter Cushing's Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Dr Watson in Hammer's Hound of the Baskervilles, voiced Elrond in Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings and appeared in Doctor Who. Quiz fans: Morell appeared in three films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar – can you name them? John Carson, born in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), plays Clive Hamilton. He spent time in Australia and New Zealand before settling in Britain, later featuring in Doctor Who's Snakedance, Tales of the Unexpected and Hammer House of Horror. IMDb longlists even connect him to Tobe Hooper's Lifeforce (episode 39) though he got none of the roles. With this episode we complete a Hammer horror hat-trick of his films: Captain Kronos (episode 51), Taste the Blood of Dracula (episode 60) and now The Plague of the Zombies. He later emigrated to South Africa with his second wife, Luanshya Greer – formerly Pamela Greer, who became a TV writer for Dixon of Dock Green, Thriller and Triangle. Dr Peter Tompson is played by Brook Williams, a lifelong friend of Richard Burton who appeared with him in Where Eagles Dare, The Wild Geese and The Sea Wolves. Michael Ripper appears as Sergeant Swift; Hammer's most prolific supporting actor with 33 Hammer Film Productions credits, seven films alongside Peter Cushing and nine with #BigChrisLee. Ripper also starred in all four original St Trinian's films, . For a deeper dive into Jacqueline “Servalan” Pearce, check back to our episode on The Reptile (episode 19). This discussion of The Plague of the Zombies cements its place as one of Hammer horror's boldest British horror releases of the 1960sSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week we have a look at the 1970 Hammer Dracula film TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA. This is Episode #463! Taste the Blood of Dracula is a 1970 British supernatural horror film produced by Hammer Film Productions. Directed by Peter Sasdy from a script by Anthony Hinds, it is the fifth installment in Hammer's Dracula series, and the fourth to star Christopher Lee as Count Dracula, the titular vampire. The film also features Geoffrey Keen and Gwen Watford.Taste the Blood of Dracula was followed by Scars of Dracula, also released in 1970.Once more we are joined by a very special guest. This writer received the Tony award for his play Red and wrote the book for the Tony award-winning Moulin Rouge. As a screenwriter, he has been nominated for the Oscar three times and has received Golden Globe, BAFTA, WGA and Edgar awards. His film work includes Skyfall, Gladiator, The Aviator, Hugo, Rango, Sweeney Todd, They/Them, The Last Samurai, and Any Given Sunday. He also created the television series Penny Dreadful for Showtime. next year will see the release of his movie Michael, about Michael Jackson. We are joined tonight by JOHN LOGAN.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/castle-of-horror-podcast--4268760/support.
This week we have a look at the 1968 Hammer Dracula film DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE. This is Episode #462! Dracula Has Risen from the Grave is a 1968 British supernatural horror film directed by Freddie Francis and produced by Hammer Film Productions. It is the fourth entry in Hammer's Dracula series, and the third to feature Christopher Lee as Count Dracula, the titular vampire. The film stars Rupert Davies as a clergyman who exorcises Dracula's castle, and in doing so, unwittingly resurrects the Count back from the dead. Dracula Has Risen from the Grave also stars Veronica Carlson, Barry Andrews, Barbara Ewing, Ewan Hooper, and Michael Ripper. It was followed by Taste the Blood of Dracula in 1970.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/castle-of-horror-podcast--4268760/support.
This week we have a look at the 1963 Hammer film KISS OF THE VAMPIRE. This is Episode #461! KISS OF THE VAMPIRE (also known as KISS OF EVIL on American television) is a 1963 British vampire film directed by Don Sharp and starring Edward de Souza and Jennifer Daniel. It was written by producer Anthony Hinds (as John Elder) and made by Hammer Film Productions.It was Sharp's first movie for Hammer. He went on to make two more non-vampire films for the company, The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964), and Rasputin: The Mad Monk (1966). He also made Witchcraft (1964) with Lon Chaney, a film we've covered.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/castle-of-horror-podcast--4268760/support.
Reidar Palmgren ja Sami Ruokangas analysoivat lisää suosikkilevyjään Deep Purplen ja Black Sabbathin rikkaasta ja rakkaasta sukupuusta. Millainen oli Reidarin Tampereen Pakkahuoneella 90-luvulla näkemä Black Sabbath? Kuinka tähän liittyvät Kassu Halonen, Kirka ja rumpalilegenda Carmine Appice? Kuuntele viihdy ja sivisty. (Huom! Jakso on äänitetty joulukuussa 2024 jolloin John Sykes oli yhä elossa, mutta julkaistaan vasta nyt Samin silmäleikkausten ja sairaslomien vuoksi. RIP John Sykes ja Jukka Komppa.) Black Sabbath Born Again, Whitesnake: Slide It In, Deep Purple: Perfect Strangers, Black Sabbath: Headless Cross ja Pretty Maids: Jump The Gun. Jakson soittolista: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1w53LNstIsa4AHpH1u0Jtt?si=d741ef0475624c82 Menossa ovat mukana Ronnie James Dio, Ian Gillan, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Martin, Hammer Film Productions, Y&T, Geezer Butler, Soundi-lehti, Stonehenge, Spinal Tap, Krusher Joule, David Coverdale, Whitesnake, Bad Company, Paul Rodgers, Cozy Powell, Ian Paice, Micky Moody, Mel Galley, Trapeze, Glenn Hughes, Jon Lord, Led Zeppelin, Gary Moore, Neil Murray, John Sykes, Thin Lizzy, Tygers Of Pan Tang, Phil Lynott, Scott Gorham, Randy Rhoads, Blue Murder, Tony Franklin, Carmine Appice, Marco Mendoza, Tommy Aldridge, Darren Wharton, MTV, Iron Maiden, Sounds, NME, Kerrang, Ritchie Blackmore, Rainbow, Roger Glover, John McCoy, NWOBHM, Kassu Halonen, Kirka, Uriah Heep, Tina Turner, Nyt-liite, Steve Harris, Don Airey, Rolling Stones, Ray Gillen, RATT, Badlands, Vow Wow, Laurence Cottle, Geoff Nicholls, Ian Stewart, Quartz, Juha Ruokangas, Marita ja Jukka Komppa, Pink Floyd, Sorcerer, Tampereen Pakkahuone, Bobby Rondinelli, Blue Öyster Cult, Axel Rudi Pell, Pretty Maids ja Ronnie Atkins. www.facebook.com/RockAroundTheBlogFinland www.instagram.com/samiruokangas
This week we have a look at the 1966 Hammer film DRACULA: PRINCE OF DARKNESS. This is Episode #460! Dracula: Prince of Darkness is a 1966 British gothic supernatural horror film directed by Terence Fisher. The film was produced by Hammer Film Productions, and is the third entry in Hammer's Dracula series, as well as the second to feature Christopher Lee as Count Dracula, the titular vampire. It also stars Andrew Keir, Francis Matthews, and Barbara Shelley.The film was photographed in Techniscope by Michael Reed, designed by Bernard Robinson and scored by James Bernard.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/castle-of-horror-podcast--4268760/support.
This week, we have a special guest--actor, producer, and writer, Allison Claye! First we talk about recent viewings like HELL OF A SUMMER, CANNIBAL MUKBANG, and THE RULE OF JENNY PENN, and then.....STOP! It's hammer Time! No, not that kind of Hammer, I mean the iconic series of Gothic horror films produced by the British film company Hammer Film Productions from the mid-1950s to the 1970s! These classics are still influencing directors and studios today. These movies are simply too legit to quit!
Is' ja hammer-, hammerhart. Da is' einiges am Start. Am Start Baby. Nach Dingo Pictures geht es in dieser Folge um eine nächste berühmte Filmproduktionsfirma. Aus dem gigantischen Katalog von Hammer Film Productions arbeiten wir uns durch die Jahrzehnte und stellen euch absolute Klassiker, Geheimtipps und neuere Werke vor.
We try to avoid rumors. We have no issues talking about speculation from unnamed sources, but just straight up gossip and fan casting isn't really our thing. That is what the internet and social media is for. But if it involves a couple of our favorites, we have not choice but to chime in.There are a number of criminally overlooked characters in Hollywood. The most underused may be the Universal monsters. Everyone knows who they are - Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man - but they never seem to get their just due. This is especially true of the Mummy. Are things about to change?Heist movies tend to be a lot of fun. Unfortunately, we have not covered many bank robbery movies on our humble little podcast. And this year's attempts at Christmas horror have frankly fallen flat. To end the year, we found something that checks off both boxes.There are a lot of shocking things about 1961's Cash on Demand. And the fact it was made by the renowned Hammer Film Productions may be the least. The story of a cold bank manager who has to deal with a charming bank robber does not sound all that original. Cash on Demand makes it work with strong performances, wit, and great characters. Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com
Hello! And welcome to the 82nd and last episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions from The Quatermass Xperiment through to Doctor Jekyll. This month, we review Peter Cushing's many appearances over the years on The Morcambe and Wise Show! Next month: it's the debut of Telefantasy Time Jump!
Hello! And welcome to the 81st and last regular episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions from The Quatermass Xperiment through to Doctor Jekyll. This month, we review the last Hammer Horror movie to date, Doctor Jekyll (2023).
Hello! And welcome to the 80th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions from The Quatermass Xperiment through to Jekyll This month, we review The Lodge (2019).
"Multiple Maniacs" month is here. We are looking at four films this month that all have the one word title "Maniac". We kick it off with a look at a British psychological thriller from Hammer Film Productions. The Crew discuss what they enjoyed about it and how it did not deliver quite what the poster promised...is it worth checking out this spooky season. Find out and find out if it drove any of the crew crazy. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spoilerroompodcast/support
Take a trip back in time to the heyday of the iconic British production company Hammer Film Productions. Between the mid-50s and the early 70s, Hammer left an indelible mark on horror, with hits that were sexy, lurid, gothic and campy. We take a look at the lasting impact and sometimes questionable politics of a small selection of Hammer Horror films. Includes discussions of David Cronenberg's novel Consumed, Blow Out (1981), The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), Taste of Fear (1961), The Gorgon (1964), The Devil Rides Out (1968), The Vampire Lovers (1970), Hands of the Ripper (1971) and more.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.Contact us at crystal@spookybitchgang.com and scott@spookybitchgang.com.
Hello! And welcome to the 78th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions from The Quatermass Xperiment through to Jekyll This month, we review The Woman in Black: Angel of Death (2014).
Hello! And welcome to the 78th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions from The Quatermass Xperiment through to Jekyll This month, we review The Quiet Ones (2014).
Hello! And welcome to the 77th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter, and now beyond! This month, we review The Woman in Black (2012).
This week we have a look at the 1972 horror film Vampire Circus. This is Episode #435 – and we have a very special guest joining us: John Logan! John has received the Tony award for his play Red and wrote the book for the Tony award-winning Moulin Rouge. As a screenwriter, he has been nominated for the Oscar three times and has received Golden Globe, BAFTA, WGA and Edgar awards. His film work includes Skyfall, Gladiator, The Aviator, Hugo, Rango, Sweeney Todd, They/Them, The Last Samurai, and Any Given Sunday. He also created the television series Penny Dreadful for Showtime. This November his musical Swept Away opens on Broadway and next year will see the release of his movie Michael, about Michael Jackson. Vampire Circus is a 1972 British horror film directed by Robert Young and starring Adrienne Corri, Thorley Walters and Anthony Higgins. It was written by Judson Kinberg, and produced by Wilbur Stark and Michael Carreras (uncredited) for Hammer Film Productions. The story concerns a traveling circus, the vampiric artists of which prey on the children of a 19th-century Serbian village.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/castle-of-horror-podcast--4268760/support.
Hello! And welcome to the 76th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter, and now beyond! This month, we review Wake Wood (2009).
Hello! And welcome to the 75th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter, and now beyond! This month, we review The Resident (2011).
Hello! And welcome to the 74th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter, and now beyond! This month, we review Let Me In (2010).
Hello! And welcome to the 73rd episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review the last of the classic Hammer films! It's To The Devil a Daughter (1976).
Hello! And welcome to the 72nd episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974).
Hello! And welcome to the 71st episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review 1974's Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell.
Hello! And welcome to the Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. It's another Hammer House of Podcast Christmas Special! We're back with another commentary, this time for the first episode of Season 5 of The Avengers, "From Venus With Love", guest starring Hammer Horror favourite Barbara Shelley. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HHoP Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HammerHousePod
Hello! And welcome to the 70th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review 1974's Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter.
"Dracula the Damned" is a 1960 British supernatural horror film produced by Hammer Film Productions starring ‘Big' Christopher Lee… Scratch that…Rather, the original sequel to the first Hammer Dracula film was cancelled without explanation, although Christopher Lee's decision not to return due to fear of typecasting probably led to The Brides of Dracula taking its place. #BigChrisLee did return five years later, however, when he starred in Dracula, Prince of Darkness.The Brides of Dracula is a 1960 British supernatural horror film produced by Hammer Film Productions. Directed by Terence Fisher, the film stars Peter Cushing, David Peel (who wore lifts in his shoes to make him the same height as actor Peter Cushing in the film. Peel, according to his bio at the time, was 5 foot 10. Cushing was six feet tall. To make his vampire look distinguishable from Christopher Lee's, Peel wore a full blonde hairpiece), Yvonne Monlaur, Andrée Melly, Miles Malleson (the hearse driver in the Ealing chiller compendium Dead of Night), Martita Hunt (known for her rich cluster of queens, dowagers, shrews, and evildoers—but it was her brilliant performance as the mad, reclusive Miss Havisham in the classic Great Expectations that earned her international recognition), and Freda Jackson (also an alumna of Great Expectations). Although, the character of Count Dracula does not appear in the film, and is instead mentioned only twice.After the success of Dracula, Hammer commissioned Jimmy Sangster to write a sequel titled Disciple of Dracula, about an acolyte of the vampire, with Count Dracula himself only making a cameo appearance. Sangster's script was rewritten by Peter Bryan to remove references to Dracula, while adding the character of Van Helsing. The screenplay was then further revised by Edward Percy. Filming began on January 16, 1960, at Bray Studios, and the film premiered at the Odeon Marble Arch on July 6. It was distributed theatrically on a double bill with The Leech Woman.The ending was originally planned to have the vampires destroyed by a swarm of bats, but this proved too expensive to stage and shoot, and was also vetoed by Peter Cushing, who did not think his character would perform the black magic required to summon the bats. However, the idea was recycled three years later for the climax of Hammer's The Kiss of the Vampire. The prop department put a lot of effort into making a realistic model bat, but it was lost and had to be replaced on short notice. This explains the unconvincing model bat in the movie.The front doors of Oakely Court served as the main entrance to Meinster Castle. Oakley Court has been featured in a number of classic horror films, including The Curse of Frankenstein, The Horror of Dracula, The Evil of Frankenstein, Die, Monster, Die, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$Just in case anyone has too much money and wants to give a bit to us to help with our hosting n stuff. It would be amazing if you fancied sending us some pennies - thank you.https://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£ Get bonus content on PatreonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hello! And welcome to the 69th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review 1974's The Satanic Rites of Dracula.
Lifeforce (aka Space Vampires) is a 1985 science fiction horror film directed by Tobe Hooper, adapted by Dan O'Bannon (writer of Alien!) and Don Jakoby, and starring Steve Railsback, Peter Firth, Frank Finlay, Mathilda May, and Patrick Stewart. It also features John Forbes-Robertson as ‘The Minister' The film is based on Colin Wilson's 1976 novel, The Space Vampires. It portrays the events that unfold after a trio of humanoids in a state of suspended animation are brought to Earth after being discovered in the hold of an alien spaceship. This was the first film of Hooper's three-picture deal with Cannon Films, the other two films are the remake of Invaders from Mars and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. Prior to Lifeforce, Hooper was originally offered the script for E.T. but turned it down. Spielberg then suggested Hooper direct Poltergeist, a project he had written himself and had planned on directing. he took the job and Spielberg went on directed E.T. (and most people also believe Poltergeist as well) Before Hooper, Michael Winner was offered the Lifeforce director's gig, but it didn't work out. And Billy Idol said he had been offered a lead role as a vampire by Hooper, who had directed the video for "Dancing with Myself", but turned it down due to touring commitments. It has been suggested that this is a remake of Hammer Film Productions' Quatermass and the Pit. In an interview, director Tobe Hooper discussed how Cannon Films gave him $25 million, free rein, and Colin Wilson's book The Space Vampires. Hooper then shares how giddy he was: "I thought I'd go back to my roots and make a 70mm Hammer film." Hooper came up with the idea of using Halley's Comet in the screenplay, rather than the asteroid belt as originally used in the novel, as the comet was going to pass by Earth one year following the film's release. Colin Wilson, the author of the source material, was unhappy with the way the film turned out. He wrote of it, "John Fowles had once told me that the film of The Magus was the worst movie ever made. After seeing Lifeforce I sent him a postcard telling him that I had got one better." According to interviews with Bill Malin, who plays one of the male vampires, the film went over schedule during production. Because of this, some important scenes were never shot, and the film was shut down at one time because the studio had simply run out of money. The film marked the fourth project to feature special effects produced by Academy Award winner John Dykstra. Dykstra who has worked on 38 films including: Star Wars, Star Trek the Motion Picture, Batman Forever and Batman and Robin, Spider-Man 1 and 2, and the last three Tarantino films. His last IMDB credit is a fan man Spiderman film that is getting some heat because of racist slurs used by some of the cast whilst promoting the film. The umbrella-like alien spaceship was modelled after an artichoke, while the miniature London destroyed in the film was actually the remains of Tucktonia, a model village near Christchurch, United Kingdom, that had closed not long before the shooting of the film. The initial Director's cut was 128 minutes long. This is 12 minutes longer than the final version, which had several scenes cut, most of them taking place on the Space Shuttle Churchill. According to an interview he gave on the UK talk show Wogan in 1985, most of Nicholas Ball's performance ended up on the cutting room floor Mathilda May had to learn her lines phonetically, for her audition as Space Girl, because she didn't know any English at the time. She then went on to learn the language during the six months she spent in England on this movie. Patrick Stewart has said several times that Tobe Hooper was his favourite director to work with (which is rather unkind to Jonathan Frakes I thought). Music and SFX provided by https://slip.stream and Audio jungle Get bonus content on PatreonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hello! And welcome to the 68th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review 1972's Demons of the Mind..
Welcome back to Fright School! We are kicking off our EIGHT season! In honor of LGBTQ History Month, we are teaming up with LAMBDA Archives and the Diversionary Theatre for a showing of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW! Join us for a discussion of the enduring legacy of the film and new perspectives on its meaning to Queer audiences. Joe is catching up on the GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW. Our 2023 Halloween Horror Film Challenge is out NOW and it's all about horror sequels. This Spooky Season we are reflecting on the history of Hammer Film Productions and Hammer Horror which has brought us some of the most iconic portrayals of famous monsters like Christopher Lee's Dracula. This week we focus on HORROR OF DRACULA. We discuss the updates to Bram Stoker's original story, comparisons to the Bela Lugosi film, the repression inherent in Victorian age sexuality and morality, and the influence of contemporary British culture of the 1970s on the story. The House of Horror: A History of Hammer Films by Stephen Carver Horror of Dracula from Senses of Cinema by Tony Williams Queer Horror: Screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show and Panel Discussion with LAMBDA Archives and Fright School! 31 Days of Horror Sequels 2023 Challenge Calendar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tonight, we complete the Hammer Quatermass trilogy (albeit out of order) with The Quatermass Xperiment (a.k.a. The Creeping Unknown in the US) is a 1955 British science fiction horror film from Hammer Film Productions, based on the 1953 BBC Television serial written by Nigel Kneale. Produced by Anthony Hinds, one of the of 37 films he made for Hammer. Hinds wrote a number of films under the pseudonym 'John Elder' which he adopted after Her couldn't afford a screenwriter for The Curse of the Werewolf). It is directed by Val Guest, writer and director of the Cannon and Ball vehicle, Boys in Blue and Confessions of a Window Cleaner. (and of course director of Quatermass 2) The film stars Oscar Nominee, Brian Donlevy in his fist of 2 portrayals as the eponymous Professor Bernard Quatermass. Richard Wordsworth, Who feature as a sinister taxidermist with James Stewart in Alfred Hitchcock's second version of The Man Who Knew Too Much, as well as appearing in British TV dramas such as Huntingtower and The Tripods, and notablble in other Hammer films - The Revenge of Frankenstein and The Curse of the Werewolf, plays the tormented astronaut Carroon. Jack Warner plays Inspector Lomax (insanely famous in his time as the titular Dixon of Dock Green appearing in 432 episodes on tv from 1955 to 1976) Margia Dean plays Judith Carroon. Dean only passed away, sadly, this June. We also briefly see Thora Hird in one scene as 'Rosie'. Thora lived so long and did achieved so much, she was the subject of 'This is your Life' Twice. The Quatermass Experiment was originally a six-part TV serial broadcast by BBC Television in 1953. It was an enormous success with critics and audiences alike, later described by film historian Robert Simpson as "event television, emptying the streets and pubs". Among its viewers was the forementioned Hammer Films producer, Anthony Hinds, who was immediately keen to buy the rights for a film version. Nigel Kneale also saw the potential for a film adaptation and, at his urging, the BBC touted the scripts around a number of producers. Kneale met with Sidney Gilliat to discuss the scripts but Gilliat was reluctant to buy the rights as he felt any film adaptation would inevitably receive an 'X' Certificate from the British Board of Film Censors. Hammer's offer met some resistance within the BBC, with one executive expressing reservations that The Quatermass Experiment was not suitable material for the company, but the rights were nevertheless sold for an advance of £500. Kneale was a BBC employee at the time, which meant that his scripts were owned entirely by the BBC. He received no extra payment for the sale of the film rights. This became a matter of some resentment on Kneale's part, and when his BBC contract came up for renewal he demanded and secured control over any future film rights for his work. Kneale remained bitter over the affair until the BBC made an ex-gratia payment of £3,000 to him in 1967, in recognition of his creation of Quatermass. We also include the concept Album 'Victor Caroon', available on Soundcloud here:https://soundcloud.com/victor-caroon Get bonus content on PatreonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hello! And welcome to the 67th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review 1972's Dracula A.D. 1972.
Hello! And welcome to the 66th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review 1972's Fear in the Night.
We cross "the pond" to find two unique films from the legendary British film studio "Hammer". Both movies feature vampires and supple young females, and both are VERY entertaining! We start off with 1971's "Twins of Evil" which stars Grand Moff Tarkin himself, Peter Cushing, as a crusading member of "The Brotherhood" who is trying to save the souls of everyone in his small European village from the women he suspects are witches. His recently-ophaned twin neices come to town and coincidentally so does a vampire who seeks to turn one of the girls into the undead. We follow this up with 1972's "Vampire Circus", where we see a different European village beset by a horde of vampires that travel across the countryside putting on shows for the locals and feasting on anyone they can capture. Both of these are fun escapes and have plenty of surprises and twists. We highly recommend both! We then proceed to list the various things we've been watching for fun. Please let us know what you thought of the show, and send us some suggestions for future episodes. You can email us at flickersfrom@yahoo.com or flickersfrom@gmail.com. You can also reach us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Hello! And welcome to the 65th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review 1972's Straight On till Morning.
Hello! And welcome to the 64th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review 1972's Vampire Circus.
Hello! And welcome to the 63rd episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review 1971's Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde.
Hammer Film Productions tries to update the play THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET by Barré Lyndon, with mixed results. Take a listen to hear what we liked and didn't about 1959's THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH (Fisher)! Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 22:30; Discussion 32:19; Ranking 46:04
Hello! And welcome to the 61st episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review 1971's Twins of Evil.
This week we have a look at the 1972 film Dracula A.D. 1972. This is Episode #400! We start off with thoughts and reminiscences on 400 episodes and then move on to the film.Dracula A.D. 1972 is a 1972 British horror film, directed by Alan Gibson and produced by Hammer Film Productions. It was written by Don Houghton and stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Stephanie Beacham. Unlike earlier films in Hammer's Dracula series, Dracula A.D. 1972 had a contemporary setting in an attempt to update the Dracula story for modern audiences. Dracula is brought back to life in modern London and preys on a group of young partygoers that includes the descendant of his nemesis, Van Helsing.It is the seventh Hammer film featuring Dracula, and the sixth to star Christopher Lee in the title role. It also marked the return of Peter Cushing as Van Helsing for the first time since The Brides of Dracula (1960), and was the first to feature both Lee and Cushing in their respective roles since Dracula (1958).It was followed by the last film in Hammer's Dracula series to star Christopher Lee, The Satanic Rites of Dracula, which similarly utilized a modern setting and featured most of the same central characters.
This week we have a look at the 1974 film Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter . This is Episode #397! Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter is a 1974 British swashbuckling action horror film, written and directed by Brian Clemens, produced by Clemens and Albert Fennell for Hammer Film Productions, and starring Horst Janson, John Carson, Shane Briant, and Caroline Munro. The music score was composed by Laurie Johnson, supervised by Philip Martell. Belatedly released on 7 April 1974, the film was intended as the first in a series focused on the title character and his companions. Due to the film's violence and sexual subtext, Captain Kronos was rated R in North America. This was Clemens' only film as a director.
Hello! And welcome to the 61st episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review 1971's Hands of the Ripper, with special guest Antony Johnston.
Your hosts are incredibly excited for the next highly anticipated horror from Hammer Film Productions... it's THE MUMMY (1959) from director Terence Fisher, writer Jimmy Sangster, and starring Peter Cushing, Christoper Lee and George Pastell! Will these legends of horror continue with their winning streak, or will the mummy's curse of tepid horror strike again? Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 33:35; Discussion 46:48; Ranking 1:13:36
Hello! And welcome to the 60th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review 1971's Blood From The Mummy's Tomb.
Hello! And welcome to the 59th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review 1971's Creatures the World Forgot.
Hello! And welcome to the Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. It's Hammer House of Podcast's fifth Christmas Special! We're back with another commentary, this time for the 1967 science fiction film The Terrornauts. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HHoP Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HammerHousePod
Hello! And welcome to the 58th episode of Hammer House of Podcast, where Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Elementary) and L.M. Myles (Verity!) discuss, in order of UK release, every horror movie made by Hammer Film Productions between 1955 and 1976, from The Quatermass Xperiment to To the Devil… A Daughter. This month, we review 1971's Countess Dracula.
The big Transgender Jubilee! Josh sends Drusilla off for surgery, but not before they discuss the movie from which Drusilla stole her username. From Wiki: "Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde is a 1971 British horror film directed by Roy Ward Baker based on the 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. The film was made by British studio Hammer Film Productions and was their third adaptation of the story after The Ugly Duckling and The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll.[citation needed] The film is notable for showing Jekyll transform into a female Hyde; it also incorporates into the plot aspects of the historical Jack the Ripper and Burke and Hare cases.[1] The title characters were played by the film's stars, Ralph Bates and Martine Beswick."Along the way: Female Trouble, Myra Breckenridge, Desperate Living, Pink Flamingos, Elizabeth Coffey on Midnight Mass, the new Arrow boxset Gothic Fantastico, Hatchet for the Honeymoon, The Night Evelyn Came from the Grave, White Lotus, School of Rock, Enlightenment, Chucky, Smile, and more!NEXT WEEK: Hereditary with special guest Chrisitan TucciWebsite: http://www.bloodhauspod.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/BloodhausPodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/Email: bloodhauspod@gmail.com Drusilla's art: https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/Drusilla's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hydesister/Drusilla's Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/drew_phillips/ Joshua's website: https://www.joshuaconkel.com/Joshua's Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoshuaConkel Joshua's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/Joshua's Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/joshuaconkelal