Hammer House of Horror

For those of us of a certain age, this was the must-see Saturday night TV event. And out of the 13 (very apt number...) individual episodes, there are several that chill my blood and haunt my nightmares to this day.

The luridly titled 'House That Bled To Death' was an excellent take on the Amityville theme - new owners of a house discover its murderous past, 'Thirteenth Reunion' takes the cannibal-aircrash-survivors story to a scary extreme, and 'Charlie Boy' gives us the cursed voodoo effigy from hell.

But undoubted winner of the 'Scare A Thirteen Year Old So He Pees The Bed' Award - 'Two Faces of Evil'. For any thirtysomething who has passing hazy recollections of this series, think rotten teeth and one sharp, black fingernail...

I'm off - I need the loo.

The last official 'Hammer horror' film - 'To The Devil A Daughter - was released in 1975. That seemed to be it. Five years later, this I.T.V. series appeared. Despite the title it was actually made by I.T.C. Entertainment ( 'Lew Grade's House Of Horror' didn't have the same ring, I suppose ). The thirteen episodes were a mixed bag, many relying on gore and nudity for their shock value, rather than well written stories. Easily the best was 'The Silent Scream' starring the late, great Peter Cushing. Great final shot! 'Witching Time' was pretty memorable too ( because Patricia Quinn and Prunella Gee both got their kit off ). But there was little of the essence of the movie series that had scared audiences for two decades. The strongest influence came from 'Thriller', an anthology made by A.T.V. in the early '70's. 'Guardian Of The Abyss' was the most Hammer-like episode, bearing a resemblance to 'The Devil Rides Out' ( 1968 ) based on the famous Dennis Wheatley novel.

1000 words are not enough to review this entire series but I'll try my best. These are 13 one-hour stories with the usual horrific ending. Standard fare? No. Quality actors, great direction and superb scripts make a great series of stories that are long gone but definitely not forgotten. 25 years have passed since the original airing and upon review, they're still great! Madness, revenge, greed, jealousy and the occult are just some of the subjects covered by these stories. The effects are dated, the actors look unfashionable and the locations look dated but that isn't unexpected. This is the third decade since then and life moves on. You may recognise familiar faces from Peter Cushing (Famous Hammer Actor: From Beyond the Grave, Asylum, Top Secret) to Lucy Gutteridge (Top Secret, Secret Garden) and Denholm Elliott (Trading Places).

If you love British horror, made during the 'golden era' of British television, get the DVD and start watching!

I have read the other reviews and pretty much agree with the comments, be they negative or positive. But what you have to appreciate, is that for some of us, these superb, very British mini horror films are a huge nostalgia trip. Like one of the other reviewers, I first saw these at a tender age (I must have been about 8) and they have really stuck with me into middle age! I still see a Werewolf at my window every time I pull the curtains in the dark! (Children Of The Full Moon) I still imagine that on the other side of my bedroom door stands the guy that was previously shot and buried in the woods! (A Visitor From The Grave) When driving at night, I still see glimpses of the sinister figure in the yellow mac! (The Two Faces Of Evil). I used to somehow manage to watch them each week without my parents realising quite how scary they would have been! So, back to the perspective of today. The 13 films are defiantly a mixed bag, most are hits but there are a few misses. They are all still worth your time though. I would rate them in the following order, (1. being my favourite.) 1. The House That Bled To Death 2. The Two Faces Of Evil 3. Children Of The Full Moon 4. Charlie Boy 5. The Silent Scream 6. The Mark Of Satan 7. Rude Awakening 8. A Visitor From The Grave 9. Guardian Of The Abyss 10. The Thirteenth Reunion 11. Growing Pains 12. Witching Time 13. The Carpathian Eagle To be honest apart from the last 3, they are all really good and there's not much between them. Yes, they do look dated now, but there are some great stories in there and some great performances from the likes of Peter Cushing, Denholm Elliot, Diana Dors, Christopher Cazenove and Simon MacCorkindale, plus a pretty ropey one by Pierce Brosnan! Despite being 40 years old now these films are still very effective at building a sense of dread and un ease in what start off as normal everyday situations. I think this is where they work, taking the everyday and spiralling into your worst nightmare! If you are into splatter fest's and torture, then these films are not for you. But, if you like your horror a bit more subtle, with solid tales that stay in your sub conscience for life and lurk in your nightmares (as all the best horror should), then you wont be disappointed!

Could you believe that after so long, the Hammer Company could come back and release a show that had as much quality content as the original Twilight Zone? For those who have not seen this, the closest that I can come to describing this gems is to compare to the 1 hour episodes that Rod Serling put out. Even that doesn't do them justice.

There are thirteen episodes in all. The cover lists Peter Cushing, Denholm Eliot, and Pierce Brosnan, but there are stand-out performances by many more in each episode. Jon Finch (Hitchcock's Frenzy) starts off as director editing his film at home when a fierce storm draws near... From the first minute of the first episode, it is apparent that this series was something special. Good direction, tight casting, and fast paced stories are the norm. This is not to say that all will interest, and some have common themes to other episodes, but all are enjoyable. Picture a standard film, and cut out a half an hour of the excess, and you've got these.

Certainly worth the investment, these episodes can be collected in one box set, which is quite well done by A+E. Werewolves, demons, witches, voodoo dolls, and for good measure a demented Nazi can all be found within. Horror fans, and those who miss good television, should take a look at Hammer. I assure you, you will not be disappointed.