HOUSE OF THE LONG SHADOWS. (1983) AN ICONIC HORROR FILM REVIEWED BY SANDRA HARRIS.

Dr. Who and the Daleks/Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. Blu-Ray Review

In this the fiftieth anniversary year of Dr Who, one of the world's most successful television creations, it's inevitable that talk of the show will be everywhere. Despite all the 'Who-ha' however, there seems little if any mention of the film spin-offs made shortly after the Doctor first appeared on the small screen during the early 1960's. So it's timely that STUDIOCANAL have seen fit to release what is surprisingly, considering the Doctor's cult-like status, his only big screen adventures to date.

Dr Who (Peter Cushing) comes up against the mighty force of his most diabolical foe the Daleks, firstly on their home planet of Skaro in Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965) and then on a devastated, futuristic Earth in Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.(1966)  Aided by his granddaughter Susan (Roberta Tovey) and various hapless innocents who inadvertently get taken along for the ride, the Doctor must face his biggest fears in order to save the human race yet again.

In the same way that David Niven's outing as 007 in the original film treatment of Casino Royale (1967) is frequently overlooked when discussing the celluloid history of Ian Fleming's super-spy, so too is Peter Cushing's camp though endearingly batty big screen interpretation of the ageless Timelord. Made by Amicus Studios on the back of the BBC series' success, the two films are remarkably similar to the television show at the time, from the age of the Doctor (portrayed as an eccentric, fatherly figure), to him being accompanied by his granddaughter (played in both films by the precocious child star Tovey). On reflection this is hardly surprising considering that Terry Nation, the writer of the television series and creator of the Daleks, was also co-writer of the films along with Amicus supremo Milton Subotsky.

Nation's involvement likely influenced the choice of the Daleks as the enemies in the film adventures. Watching them now the Doctor's most famous adversaries (who really resemble nothing more scary than giant salt cellars on casters), seem created with the big screen in mind. Though it would be several years before the Doctor appeared in colour on television, here he jumps from the screen in vibrant Technicolor as a velvet jacketed nutty professor, whilst the Daleks themselves are given a new vibrancy in acid yellow and neon red as well as the more familiar neutral silver.

Like the television show which suffered when restricted to indoor sets but came alive in later years with the use of outdoor locations, Dr. Who and the Daleks, though undoubtedly fun with its kitsch air of 1960's psychedelia, is pale in comparison to the following year's sequel. Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. makes marvellous use of an atmospherically war torn London, when the the Doctor and his companions land the Tardis in a post apocalyptic future. This setting also provides not only the film but perhaps the whole Dr Who mythology with one of its most iconic images - namely the vision of a Dalek emerging from the River Thames, which once seen will remain indelibly etched in the viewer's mind. It is the second film which also introduces a certain risqué'ness in the form of the Dalek's latex clad human slaves - a 'kinky' touch they would likely not have got away with on television during the 1960's.

Apart from the locations, Daleks and a marvellous supporting cast including Roy Castle and Bernard Cribbens, it is undoubtedly Cushing who makes the films comes alive. An actor who was at the height of his fame during the mid 1960's, Cushing had made mad scientists his forte and hence was perfectly suited for the big screen version of Dr Who. Indeed, watching the films now, it is puzzling why he was never asked to take on the role on television as he would undoubtedly have brought a unique zest to the part. A tantalising option fans were unfortunately never to see.

Dr. Who and the Daleks and Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. were released on digitally remastered DVD and Blu-ray on 27th May, 2013. Both versions come with a host of extras including audio commentary, cast interviews, still galleries and trailers.

Cleaver Patterson

Dr. Who and the Daleks

★★☆☆☆

Rating: U
DVD/BD Release Date: 27th May 2013 (UK)
Director: Gordon Flemyng
Cast: Peter Cushing, Roy Castle, Jennie Linden
Buy: Doctor Who And The Daleks [Blu-ray]



Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.

★★★½☆

Rating: U
DVD/BD Release Date: 27th May 2013(UK)
Director: Gordon Flemyng
Cast: Peter Cushing, Bernard Cribbins, Ray Brooks

Buy: Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. [Blu-ray]

Horror Channel To Celebrate Centenary of Peter Cushing With Season

On Sunday May 26th Horror Channel celebrates 100 years of the birth of one of the country’s most beloved actors - Peter Cushing (OBE).

PETER CUSHING CENTENARY DAY will be devoted to some of the legendary actor’s finest work, picked from a film & TV career which spanned 50 years and over 80 films.

Born on 26 May 1913, Cushing’s career took off in the 50s and he is probably best known for his roles for Hammer Films – in particular the sinister scientist Baron Frankenstein and the vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing. But to younger generations he is also fondly remembered for his portrayal of Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars and for his many appearances as Sherlock Holmes.

The line-up:

10:00. FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN (1967)

Hammer Horror’s Frankenstein Created Woman sees Cushing in one of his most famous roles, that of Baron Frankenstein. Here the sinister scientist embarks upon his most ambitious work - bringing a young maiden back to life using the twisted soul of an executed man. Directed by Terence Fisher, this is the fourth film in Hammer's Frankenstein series and seen as the most ambitious dealing, not with the physical aspects of the Baron's work, but with questions of the soul, and its relationship to the body.

12:00 THE BLOOD BEAST TERROR (1968)

Relishing his role as a Victorian super-sleuth, Peter Cushing stars as Inspector Quennell, a Scotland Yard detective sent to a small town in the English countryside to investigate a series of suspicious deaths. Clues led him to renowned entomology professor Dr. Carl Mallinger (Robert Flemying). Through his beautiful daughter Clare, Mallinger has created a ‘were-moth’, a she-creature capable of transforming into a murderous Death Head moth.

13:30 I, MONSTER (1971)

In this loose adaption of the Dr. Jekyll, Mr Hyde story, Cushing teams up with horror-thesp regular Christopher Lee. Lee plays Charles Marlowe, a psychologist who invents a drug which will release his patients' inhibitions. But when Marlowe tests it on himself he becomes the cruel, murderous Edward Blake. It’s up to Marlowe's lawyer, Utterson (Cushing), to discover the truth. The film was intended to be in 3-D, but that was aborted mid-production.

15:00 THE BEAST MUST DIE (1974)

In this ‘beastly’ whodunit, Cushing shines as archaeologist and lycanthropy enthusiast Dr. Lundgre – one of a number of invited guests of wealthy sportsman (Calvin Lockhart) to a big-game hunt. He's sure that one of them is a werewolf and he intends to stalk and kill it. Near the conclusion, the audience have a 30-second interlude during which they can decide, who the hunted beast is. Due to the small production budget, the "werewolf" was played by a German shepherd dog

16:50 HAMMER HOUSE OF HORROR: ‘The Silent Scream’ (1980)

Cushing gives a finely-tuned performance of benign menace as Martin Blueck, a seemingly kindly pet shopkeeper who befriends a released convict, Chuck Spillers, (Brian Cox) As the trust between them grows, Blueck asks Spillers to look after the shop whilst he goes away. But Spillers and his wife find that they are trapped by the deviant mind of an ex-Nazi doctor and Blueck’s experiments live on. Directed by Alan Gibson, this episode from the first series was considered the best.


TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138
www.horrorchannel.co.uk | twitter.com/horror_channel

Watch New Clip & Featurette For Terrence Fisher Dracula Re- Release

Your not a true horror fan if you don't Terence Fisher's 1958 classic DRACULA, fully restored in High Definition and available on Blu-ray and DVD for the first time. This Monday 18th March 2013 British & Irish horror fans will get their hands on the release which  will contain two versions of the feature (seamlessly branched on the Blu-ray).

Thanks to the  2007 BFI restoration plus the 2012 Hammer restoration, fans will get a chance to see for the first time additional new footage that has been unavailable for decades.The additional footage comprises two of the scenes that were originally censored by the BBFC in 1958 that have now been restored to the film from the “Japanese reels”:

• Dracula’s seduction of Mina

• Dracula’s sunlight disintegration

These will be the most complete versions ever released and taken together fully deserving of the description DEFINITIVE.

DRACULA has been unavailable on any UK home entertainment format for many years. This release will be at the correct aspect ratio of 1.66:1 which has never been available for home viewing.

Available 18th March in the UK on 3-disc Double Play, the pack comprises 1 x Blu-ray and 2 x DVD, the release also includes brand new featurettes, a new commentary track, multiple bonus extras and a stills show (see below for full list of extras).

DRACULA is the first in the series of Hammer films inspired by the Bram Stoker novel Dracula. It was directed by Terence Fisher, and stars Peter Cushing, Michael Gough, Carol Marsh, Melissa Stribling and Christopher Lee.
Dr. Van Helsing, investigating the death of his friend Jonathan Harker, concludes that Harker was the victim of a vampire. When Harker's fiancée, Lucy, becomes affected by the terrifying force and hypnotic power of Count Dracula, Van Helsing releases her tortured soul by driving a stake through her heart. But Dracula seeks revenge, targeting Lucy's beautiful sister-in-law, Mina. Van Helsing, now aided by Mina’s husband Arthur, swears to exorcise this evil forever by confronting the vile and depraved Count himself.

Lionsgate are releasing this horror treasure on 18th March and they have sent us a short clip which shows Dracula's hand (Christopher Lee) dissolving in the sun. As a extra bonus we have a look at a 9 minute featurette called 'Censoring Dracula' which looks at the censorship one of horror's most iconic monsters had to go through especially Terrence Fisher's version which 55 years later is still rated 15!

Below the videos you can find details of the extras and the links you need in order to pre-order or buy Dracula!

Clip


Featurette

Four Brand-New Featurettes

"Dracula Reborn". New 30 min. featurette about the film’s creation and history, featuring, among others: Jimmy Sangster, Kim Newman, Mark Gatiss, Jonathan Rigby and Janina Faye (Tania in the film).

"Resurrecting Dracula". New 20 min. featurette about the film’s restoration, from the BFI’s 2007 restoration through to the integration of “lost” footage, featuring interviews with key staff at the BFI, Molinare and Deluxe142. Also covers the February 2012 world premiere of Hammer’s interim restored version including “vox pop” interviews with fans after the event.

"The Demon Lover: Christopher Frayling on Dracula". New 30 min. featurette.

"Censoring Dracula". New 10 min. featurette on the original cuts to the film ordered by the British Board of Film Censors.

Commentary: New commentary by Hammer historian Marcus Hearn and author & critic Jonathan Rigby

Plus

• All 4 surviving "Japanese reels" (6 - 9) unrestored (40 mins
• The World Of Hammer episode: Dracula And The Undead
• Janina Faye reading a chapter of Stoker’s novel at the VAULT festival
• Stills Gallery of over 100 fully-restored and rare images
• Booklet by Hammer archivist Robert J. E. Simpson (PDF)
• Original shooting script (PDF)

Pre-order or Buy:Dracula (Blu-ray + DVD) [1958]

HAMMER LAUNCHES YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Exclusive new filmed content alongside beloved classic genre films to make groundbreaking online debut

 

To the delight of fans worldwide Hammer, Britain's most celebrated genre film brand which recently produced box office smash The Woman in Black and the acclaimed Let Me In, today launches its first dedicated YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/hammerfilms.  For the very first time, exclusive new content from current Hammer productions as well as carefully restored classic Hammer feature films will be available to stream online.

The Hammer Films Channel will carry a range of exclusive new content, previews, commentary and behind the scenes material from upcoming new productions such as The Quiet Ones starring Jared Harris and Sam Claflin and The Woman in Black: Angels of Death, the follow up to the worldwide box office hit, The Woman in Black, starring Daniel Radcliffe.

In addition, the Hammer Films Channel will stream a collection of Hammer’s well-known classic feature film titles including The Quatermass Xperiment, The Man In Black and Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter some of which have been newly restored and digitally re-mastered. As additional titles are added to the new platform, this will be the first time fans can view other digitally re-mastered classic Hammer films online under a restoration initiative launched earlier this year by Hammer’s owner Exclusive Media.

From the historic library, the Hammer Films Channel will also carry Classic Hammer TV series such as ‘Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense’, as well as new on-air commentary and film introductions from official Hammer historian, Marcus Hearn and Hammer archivist, Robert J.E. Simpson.  Newly created featurettes and original trailer material, not seen by the public for many years, will also be added to the Channel’s far reaching content.  The Hammer Films Channel will continually expand its range of programming as it becomes available, with the full schedule to be published and regularly updated at www.hammerfilms.com 

Simon Oakes, President and CEO of Hammer said, “The launch of our dedicated YouTube channel truly encapsulates how we have positioned Hammer as a dynamic British genre label with a great heritage.  We hope this new platform will allow us to continue to reach fans who have responded so well to films like Let Me In and The Woman in Black, while continuing to honour the great filmmaking history of our company."

Watch this brilliant video from the channel called History Hammer Films In 90 Seconds!