It doesn’t get much more goth than a Hammer Horror movie. Long before I had seen a Hammer Horror film my brother and I collected the Topps trading cards that depicted gory stills from the Hammer movies. We would not have been very old at all (I would have been 10 years old at most) and this is another example of the spooky and slightly terrifying imagery children were subjected to in the seventies in the UK (check out the public information films of the time for clarity on this!) But what the Topps trading cards did is create a lifetime fascination with these movies which at the time we were far too young to see.
So, some 40 years later here is a list of my top 10 Hammer horror movies. Presented in no real order of preference as each has its merits.
The Plague of the Zombies (1966)
A full two years before Johnny utters the immortal line “They’re coming to get you, Barbara!” in Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, Hammer took us back to Cornwall in 1860 and gave us zombies, a virus, voodoo and other black arts. Along with Night of the Living Dead this created the template for most zombie movies that followed.
The Brides of Dracula (1960)
The sequel to Horror of Dracula although Dracula himself is only mentioned in the film and is never shown but this is a great movie with Cushing reprising his role as Van Helsing. With Dracula absent we have Baron Meinster (played by David Peel) taking the head vampire role and unleashing his fangs on a school for ladies!
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)
The fifth Hammer Frankenstein movie and this time Frankensteins plan involves transplanting the brain of a crazed surgeon into another body. The result is of course another monstrous creation. There is a great feel to this instalment and with Peter Cushing once again taking the lead he is at his most intense and the insanity of Frankenstein is palpable.
Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)
Hammers fifth Dracula flick and the fourth with Christopher Lee as the fanged one. Dracula is resurrected by an English lord who is subsequently killed and Dracula seeks about avenging the lords death. Also stars Linda Hayden who a year later would star in the classic The Blood on Satans Claw. We don’t get to see a great deal of Lee and at times things get a little confused but a great movie all the same.
The Mummy (1959)
After successes with Dracula and Frankenstein Hammer turned its attention to another horror staple: The Mummy.
With Terence Fisher at the helm again and the Lee / Cushing duo heading up the cast you know this is going to be great movie. Initially taking cues from the Howard Carters discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb the plot veers off as the mummy of a high priest is used to seek revenge on those that disturbed the tomb.
The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)
A young Oliver Reed gives a brilliant performance in his first lead role playing Hammers only werewolf and is treated to an amazing man to werewolf transformation. The plot is lacking and initially drags and the using Spain as the setting feels totally wrong but things soon pick up pace and make this well worth watching.
Horror of Dracula (1958)
Hammers first of many outings with Dracula directed by Terence Fisher. Christopher Lee playing the Count and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing along with lots of blood all contributed to this being a commercial success (around $3.5 million worldwide) and earning praise from critics. This set the standard for vampire movies and crowned Lee as the definitive Dracula.
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
Taking Mary Shelleys Frankenstein as a starting point this is the first colour offering from Hammer and another Cushing / Lee spectacular.
For many Boris Karloff’s portrayal of the monster is the image the name Frankenstein conjures and Hammer ensured their monster was very different. In doing so they created a creature which feels much closer to the Shelley creation with an excellent performance from Lee.
Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
The third Dracula film from Hammer but only the second with Christopher Lee taking the title character lead after his (and the title charcters) absence in The Brides of Dracula. This has a great feel to it and all the classic vampire movie elements. One oddity is that the Lee never utters a single word, choosing only to hiss!
The Devil Rides Out (1968)
Adapted from Dennis Wheatley’s novel (which is well worth reading). Satanism,cults, black magic and even the cloven hoofed one makes an appearance: What’s not to like! Once again Hammer cast Christopher Lee in the lead, but this time as a hero! This has become something of a cult movie and with good reason.
The Plague of the Zombies (1966)
A full two years before Johnny utters the immortal line “They’re coming to get you, Barbara!” in Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, Hammer took us back to Cornwall in 1860 and gave us zombies, a virus, voodoo and other black arts. Along with Night of the Living Dead this created the template for most zombie movies that followed.
The Brides of Dracula (1960)
The sequel to Horror of Dracula although Dracula himself is only mentioned in the film and is never shown but this is a great movie with Cushing reprising his role as Van Helsing. With Dracula absent we have Baron Meinster (played by David Peel) taking the head vampire role and unleashing his fangs on a school for ladies!
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)
The fifth Hammer Frankenstein movie and this time Frankensteins plan involves transplanting the brain of a crazed surgeon into another body. The result is of course another monstrous creation. There is a great feel to this instalment and with Peter Cushing once again taking the lead he is at his most intense and the insanity of Frankenstein is palpable.
Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)
Hammers fifth Dracula flick and the fourth with Christopher Lee as the fanged one. Dracula is resurrected by an English lord who is subsequently killed and Dracula seeks about avenging the lords death. Also stars Linda Hayden who a year later would star in the classic The Blood on Satans Claw. We don’t get to see a great deal of Lee and at times things get a little confused but a great movie all the same.
The Mummy (1959)
After successes with Dracula and Frankenstein Hammer turned its attention to another horror staple: The Mummy.
With Terence Fisher at the helm again and the Lee / Cushing duo heading up the cast you know this is going to be great movie. Initially taking cues from the Howard Carters discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb the plot veers off as the mummy of a high priest is used to seek revenge on those that disturbed the tomb.
The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)
A young Oliver Reed gives a brilliant performance in his first lead role playing Hammers only werewolf and is treated to an amazing man to werewolf transformation. The plot is lacking and initially drags and the using Spain as the setting feels totally wrong but things soon pick up pace and make this well worth watching.
Horror of Dracula (1958)
Hammers first of many outings with Dracula directed by Terence Fisher. Christopher Lee playing the Count and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing along with lots of blood all contributed to this being a commercial success (around $3.5 million worldwide) and earning praise from critics. This set the standard for vampire movies and crowned Lee as the definitive Dracula.
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
Taking Mary Shelleys Frankenstein as a starting point this is the first colour offering from Hammer and another Cushing / Lee spectacular.
For many Boris Karloff’s portrayal of the monster is the image the name Frankenstein conjures and Hammer ensured their monster was very different. In doing so they created a creature which feels much closer to the Shelley creation with an excellent performance from Lee.
Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
The third Dracula film from Hammer but only the second with Christopher Lee taking the title character lead after his (and the title charcters) absence in The Brides of Dracula. This has a great feel to it and all the classic vampire movie elements. One oddity is that the Lee never utters a single word, choosing only to hiss!
The Devil Rides Out (1968)
Adapted from Dennis Wheatley’s novel (which is well worth reading). Satanism,cults, black magic and even the cloven hoofed one makes an appearance: What’s not to like! Once again Hammer cast Christopher Lee in the lead, but this time as a hero! This has become something of a cult movie and with good reason.