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New blood for Hammer

Written by Oliver Pfeiffer
Thursday, 25 June 2009 00:00

Think of Hammer horror and you inevitably conjure up grisly images of paint-drenched gore in tremendous Technicolor, extravagant stories set within sumptuous gothic locations and films showcasing the indisputable talents of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.

But one forgets Hammer’s heritage as an outlet for modest mysteries, musicals and comedy thrillers. It was only after the rise of popular television in the 1950s that Hammer decided to exploit the horror market by creating the UK’s first colour horror film, The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) and establish an éclat in economical films plucked from the pages of Dennis Wheatley, Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley.

However, by the mid 1970s, Hammer had outstayed its welcome. To the Devil a Daughter marked the last ill-fated attempt to compete with successful US horror films like Rosemary’s Baby, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Exorcist. The film’s commercial and critical failure bolted the door shut on the studios and marked the end of an era. Or so we thought…

Cut to some 30 years later and we now learn two more Hammer horrors are planned for release. The Wake Wood is described as a haunting supernatural tale concerning the family reunion of a hideously mauled girl that stars British thespian Timothy Spall. The Resident is deemed as a psychological thriller “in the mould of Hammer classics The Taste of Fear and The Nanny” boasting a return for the recently-knighted Hammer veteran Lee who is cast as an old man hiding a dark secret when he welcomes young Hilary Swank into her new apartment.

But in this era of derivative horror remakes and retreads, should we be rejoicing the news of a Hammer resurrection or perhaps fear for the return of the repressed? Will the new films live up to the spellbinding impact that Hammer’s early horror adaptations had now that audiences are perhaps more accustomed to CGI infused terror and chills? If so, will the new films attempt to contemporise or hark back to their cherished predecessors? 

Family plot

Part of the appeal of the studios was the sense of a firm, family structure of loyal and talented collaborators, helping to enrich the films with a distinctive style and quality. Frequent scribe Jimmy Sangster breathed life into sometimes stodgy gothic material, emphasising the psychological, sexual and violent themes, while Terence Fisher, perhaps the studios’ most revered filmmaker, lent a fluid, taut and unambiguous style of direction to several of Hammer’s most prolific works, including Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula and The Devil Rides Out. James Bernard composed brooding, oppressive scores to maximise tension, most distinctively with his repetitive “leitmotif” for the count in the Dracula films. Production designer Bernard Robinson helped establish that distinctive gothic look, utilising beautiful Victorian furnishings for interiors and dressing up the surrounding Bray back-lot for those haunting period exteriors. The grisly special effects were devised by Les Bowie and Sid Pearson, responsible for the classic smouldering demise of the titular fiend in the gruesome climax to Dracula, while cinematographer Jack Asher lent the films whose dark rich hues, fully exploiting the new medium of colour. Finally, the dependable talents of Cushing and Lee helped to personalise Hammer’s most tyrannical creations.

The rise and fall

It was this fortuitous collaboration that created some of Hammer’s most laudable classics. Even after 50 years, Dracula still stands up today as a masterstroke of rich compositions, chilling intensity and nerve-wracking suspense. The scene where we first encounter an enraged Lee (framed in extreme close-up) still has the power to shock and astound in equal measure. While The Devil Rides Out (adapted from an unremarkable Dennis Wheatley tale), arguably remains Hammer’s most polished film. It’s a disturbing story about the occult, brought to life with superb performances from the likes of Charles Gray and Lee (this time taking a sympathetic role), powerful direction and graced with impressive production designs that allow the film a truly disturbing climax.  

Of course Hammer did flounder toward the end when they tried a little too hard to exploit popular trends. The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974) was an attempt to fuse martial arts with horror and was touted as “The First Kung Fu Horror Spectacular!” while Dracula A.D. 1972 absurdly attempted to contemporise the series by placing the titular count in modern-day “swinging” London. During this time, Hammer should have been making films as audacious as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Exorcist; instead, they were tweaking the same old formula. The blend of eroticism, hinted at in the early films, now became fully realised and the 1970 film The Vampire Lovers even saw a push toward overt themes of sexuality by casting Ingrid Pitt as a vamp who seduces a young Madeleine Smith.

Something to scream about

So where does this leave the new Hammer horrors? A considerable legacy has been left for the filmmakers of The Wake Wood and The Resident to exploit, but can they rise to the challenge admirably? Hammer was so much a product of its time, where the era was etched into the aesthetic, how can these films hope to replicate that particular style and texture?

Perhaps the films will serve on their own terms, rather than bask in the shadow of Hammer’s former glory. But if this is indeed the dawning of a new era for Hammer, would the studios revisit some of their own back-catalogue in the future? If so, can they intelligently update the films for modern audiences or perhaps have a go at remaking some of their lesser titles?

To the Devil a Daughter remains an interesting failure with audacious camera work and sound design, marred only by the ridiculous titular rampaging foetus sequence and an abrupt (anti-) climax. Could it finally be re-mastered and updated with enhanced visuals and a decent dramatic closure in place?

Hammer’s initial aim remains the same: produce a modestly budgeted flick for maximum effect and consumption. The question is: Will Hammer rejuvenate the horror film market once again and give us all something to scream about?