Horror Extreme Movie Catalog

This collection released by Warner Brothers brings together the three films that established Hammer as the leading purveyors of gothic horror. It is perhaps difficult to appreciate now, but the major innovation that Hammer brought to these tired gothic tales was filming them in colour. In just the same way that Universal used the innovative German expressionist techniques of lighting and set design, Hammer chose the opposite route and celebrated the excesses and transgressions of the gothic strain. They brought to the horror genre a physical and sensual style of filmmaking which covered up the very regressive attitudes to gender and class that bubbled beneath the surface.

This collection works very well because of the continuity of personnel that became a trademark of Hammer. These three films are connected by cast, director, art designer, composer, producer and cinematographer - which gives these three films the feel of a trilogy. Of the three films "Dracula" stands up to modern scrutiny the best, its energy and dynamism remain undiminished. But to fully appreciate the aesthetic merits of "Dracula" one must acknowledge "Curse of Frankenstein" which preceded it. This was Hammer's most daring production up to that point, and much of Hammer's conventions of style and theme were established here. However to modern audiences the film does seem somewhat overly talky, and the makeup for the creature, whilst impressive, lacks the impact of Universals. "The Mummy" falls in the middle ground between the two, but possesses an epic rich grandeur of sets the other two lack, "The Mummy" is a gorgeous looking film. But like "Curse of Frankenstein" suffers from some pacing problems.

Warner's have chosen well here and must be commended for their selection, other Hammer box sets have a disappointing randomness. But little seems to have been done in terms of picture and sound restoration, and aside from trailers for all films, there are no further special features. All in all quite disappointing treatment for such important horror films. But the box itself is well designed, and the price (at least when it was first released) represented good value for money.

These three classic Hammer horror movies are essential additions to horror buff DVD collections. Released in the same year as classics Touch of Evil and Vertigo, Dracula (1958) managed to not only stand out as a fantastic piece of artfully contrived entertainment but also saved the studio from some shaky antecedent years. Featuring a powerful performance from Peter Cushing as vampire hunter Van Helsing, Dracula offers plenty of nail-biting suspense and healthy amounts of gore (Surprising, considering the film's release date). And of course, there's the fantastic Christopher Lee in one of his first major movie roles, who turns in one of his best performances as the snarling, hissing count. Melissa Stribling and Michael Gough provide great support amidst the thrills. Under the steady hand of horror veteran Terence Fisher, Dracula is a fan favorite, and an indispensable chapter for the genre.

Lee, Cushing and director Fisher also created the fantastic Curse of Frankenstein in the previous year. One of the best examples in its field, the action is great, James Bernard's chilling music sends a shiver down the spine, and Jack Asher's stunning cinematography is haunting. Like the Bela Lugosi Dracula, Christopher Lee was Hammer's answer to Boris Karloff, a trend he would continue in the 1959 film The Mummy. While perhaps not as resounding as the previous two movies, Lee and Cushing's added gravitas give so much to a fairly standard plot. The standout is Cushing, whose role as the nervous archeologist John Banning provides much of the film's emotion and exposition. Considering that the fully bandaged role for Lee basically means that all you see are his eyes (Except for an excellent flashback explaining how Kharis came to be mummified alive) yet he still manages to give more scares than a bucket load of CGI can muster. Yvonne Furneaux shines in dual roles as Kharis' love Princess Ananka and Banning's wife, Isobel. And that ending? Creepy to say the least. Lee's creature performances outshine Karloff (And that's not easy) and despite the notoriety of the earlier originals, these three classics have stood the test of time to become the cherished horror gems they are today.