Our friends at Universal Studios have done quite well by classic horror fans. Their "Franchise Collection" entry titled The Hammer Horror Series contains eight films on two discs that, while not on Hammer's A-list (like "Horror Of Dracula" or the still unreleased-on-DVD "So Long At The Fair"), are significant entrants in the Hammer saga. In order of appearance, they are
Brides Of Dracula (Peter Cushing, Freda Jackson 1960)
The Curse Of The Werewolf (Clifford Evans, Oliver Reed 1961)
Phantom Of The Opera (Herbert Lom, Michael Gough 1962)
Paranoiac (Janette Scott, Oliver Reed 1963)
The Kiss Of The Vampire (Clifford Evans, Edward DeSouza 1963)
Nightmare (David Knight, Moira Redmond 1964)
Night Creatures (Peter Cushing, Patrick Allen 1962)
The Evil Of Frankenstein (Peter Cushing, Duncan Lamont 1964)
The Kennedy Administration high point of Hammer Studios, much like Hitchcock's TV series begun a few years earlier in the States, was not only a house of enviable regular talent (such as Cushing) but an incubator for future careers (note the early work of Oliver Reed). Most selections give a good taste of the famous Hammer atmosphere ("Frankenstein" and "Nightmare" are the main entries for this) but others show the diversity of the catalog:
Night Creatures (alternate title: "Captain Clegg") - although ghost story elements are present, this is actually an action-adventure story set in the late 1700's (in the manner of Disney's "Dr. Syn alias The Scarecrow"). Cushing is a village pastor trying to shepherd his flock during complicated times, with the coastal fishermen caught in between operations of piratical smugglers and the rough King's brigades opposing them with land-based and flintlock-toting foot patrols.
Brides Of Dracula - the often confusing entrant in the Hammer Dracula series, it involves the Van Helsing character (Cushing) after the death of Dracula in the 1958 first film but before his reanimation in the 1966 second appearance of Christopher Lee as the Count. This 'further adventures of Van Helsing' is helped by the strong foil of Martita Hunt as the current Countess in charge of the castle.
Phantom of the Opera ('62) - An all-around acceptable budget retelling of a story that's been done at least 20 times. Above average music, acting and effective use of soundstage sets in spite of limitations. The phantom's character is properly motivated and the romantic-school pursuit of the main characters of answers and resolution is unbroken in the build toward the climax.
Kiss Of The Vampire - One of the earliest and best Hammer films to deal with period vampirism without specific reference to the Stoker character. The particular Count in the case of this village is more of a cult leader than predatory loner, and the undead have a limited ability to move in low indirect daylight. This more gregarious vampire brood is less obtrusive than usual, covering its tracks well and provoking confusion in their victims.
At around 29$ at Sun Coast video (at Baybrook), it's a bargain, and a must-have for those pursuing old-school character development and plotting, not to mention high-quality melodramatic atmospherics.
