Documentary Hammer Horror: The Warner Bros Years hits Blu-ray this month

August 9th 2018, 2:43pm

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

If you're like me – and most horror fans out there- and have always been fascinated with Hammer and their endless series of cult classic films starring Peter Cushing, Vincent Price, and Christopher Lee, then you'll be excited as hell to hear not only is there an in-depth documentary of the studio out there called HAMMER HORROR: THE WARNER BROS YEARS but it is headed to Blu-ray August 26th via Diabolique Films.

The fascinating story will finally be told in this unprecedented 101-minute documentary feature, written and directed by Marcus Hearn, Hammer Films’ official historian.

It features exclusive interviews with some of the key players from that period, including Veronica Carlson, John Carson, Steve Chibnall, Chris Cooke, Joe Dante, Renee Glynne, IQ Hunter, Wayne Kinsey, Denis Meikle, Caroline Munro, Nadja Regin, Peter Sasdy, Madeline Smith, and Gordon Thomson. As well as authors and historians like Sir Christopher Frayling and Jonathan Rigby.

Also included are rare production stills, previously unseen film footage, Hammer’s original shooting locations, and access to previously unpublished archive documents. You can check out the Blu-ray cover art and the trailer below.

History:

In the 1950s Hammer, England’s world-renowned production company, initiated a new style of horror filmmaking that transformed the genre. At the end of the 1960s, the world that Hammer had helped to create was changing fast – the once-reliable business model was unraveling and audiences wanted something new from their films.

Amid this uncertainty, Hammer’s short-term survival was secured by an alliance with American distributor Warner Bros. The films the two companies made together are among the most renowned in Hammer’s history. Classics such as Dracula Has Risen From the Grave (1968), Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1970) and Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) were produced alongside the Oscar-nominated epic When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970), the disturbing thriller Crescendo (1970) and the bizarre sci-fi western Moon Zero Two (1969).

The films became increasingly experimental in the 1970s, challenging the perception of traditional Gothic horror with Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972), The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973) and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974).

The documentary is written and directed by Marcus Hearn. It was edited by Dima Ballin, Jamie Green, and Sarah Appleton. Dima Ballin also produced the film. It features original music by Paul Taylor. HAMMER HORROR: THE WARNER BROS YEARS hits Blu-ray via Diabolique Films August 26th. There are only a few hundred copies available so make sure to pre-order yours today RIGHT HERE!