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CHRISTOPHER LEE AS THE GOOD GUY
Icons of Horror: Hammer Films (2-disc) (The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb / The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll / Scream of Fear / The Gorgon)
Hammer added another 'classic' monster with Terence Fisher's THE GORGON (1964). Filled with chilling menace, the film is set in the Transylvanian village of Vandorf, terrorized by a series of killings in which the victims have turned to STONE. The Gorgon, Magaera, is found in the nearby ruins of the Castle Borski, but the discoverer is himself turned to stone, having just time to summon help in the form of his son and his son's tutor, Professor Meinster ( Christopher Lee, in a fine set of whiskers and playing for once, the avenger )! Eventually the Gorgon, is found to be in possession of the beautiful Carla Hoffman (Barbara Shelly) assistant and ex-patient of the sinister Professor Namaroff ( Peter Cushing ). Roy Ashton's make-up for the Gorgon, haloed with a hissing, striking frieze of serpents, makes Megaera, a true and unique female monster
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Buy This Set of DVDs and Get Hammer-ed!
Horror fans are well aware of the iconic position that Britain's Hammer Film Productions holds in the history of horror cinema, but most would agree that it's a bit of a stretch for Sony/Columbia to have included these four films in their Icons of Horror series. While these flicks are not without their merits, critics and fans alike agree that all four films are essentially second-string examples from the overall Hammer catalog and are not, therefore, icons of horror in and of themselves. Nonetheless, it's cool that Sony/Columbia has made these less-than-stellar films available in such a reasonably priced two-disc DVD set, and ardent fans of Hammer horror will definitely want to add the set to their collections.
THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL (1960), the first film in this set, was initially panned by critics for being slow paced and poorly directed, yet it actually offers an interesting twist on the familiar Robert Louis Stevenson story and contains some superb acting. In this interpretation, instead of being a handsome and successful doctor whose self-inflicted experimentation turns him into an ugly brute, the good doctor is a dull, ordinary-looking milquetoast who turns into a suave, handsome libertine after ingesting a chemistry-set concoction. (It wouldn't be unreasonable to argue that this treatment served as the inspiration for the 1963 Jerry Lewis parody THE NUTTY PROFESSOR and its later remake, both of which also used the ugly-duckling-to-beautiful-swan idea.) Canadian actor Paul Massie delivers very convincing and affecting performances as both Jekyll and his evil alter ego Hyde, and Hammer regular Christopher Lee is delightful in a supporting role. And as with all Hammer films, there are also plenty of pretty women with heaving bosoms. In fact, the only truly egregious flaw in THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL is the special FX makeup--the visual difference between Jekyll and Hyde is achieved solely via the presence of facial hair (Jekyll) or the lack thereof (Hyde), and it therefore becomes difficult for viewers to suspend disbelief and accept the idea that the denizens of Jekyll's world can't tell that he and Hyde are one in the same.
The second film in the set, 1964's THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB, comes closer to being a remake of Universal's classic Karloff vehicle THE MUMMY (1932) than did Hammer's 1959 film of the same name. Yet, as with most mummy-centric horror films, this flick is little more than a collection of cliches based on the myths and misconceptions that originated with the discovery and opening of King Tut's tomb in the early 1920s. Maybe it's because I hold a degree in Art History and have extensively studied the art of ancient Egypt, but the props and production design for this Hammer flick are historically and aesthetically inaccurate and therefore seem unconvincing to me. And if that's not enough, even the FX makeup on the titular monster looks technically more primitive than that with which Jack Pierce covered Boris Karloff nearly 32 years prior! Admittedly, THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB is mildly entertaining despite its flaws, but there is really nothing outstanding or groundbreaking about the film.
The third offering in this set, 1964's THE GORGON, is probably the least entertaining of the four. Inspired by the Greco-Roman myth about the feminine creatures whose gazes could turn men to stone, the film is almost unbearably slow paced and, with the exception of the anticipated decapitation at the denouement, wholly uneventful. As always, regular Hammer thespians Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing give it their best, and director Terence Fisher and his crew do a pretty good job of creating the moody, depressing Gothic atmosphere for which Hammer films are famous, but the material they are forced to work with is a creative albatross that they just can't ultimately overcome. The only really notable thing about THE GORGON is that it marks the first high-profile role in a Hammer film for actor Patrick Troughton, who here plays the chief of police in the town where the Gorgon resides. Troughton would go on to play supporting roles in a few other Hammer films, after which he would achieve international stardom playing the second incarnation of the titular character in TV's DOCTOR WHO. Horror fans might also recognize Troughton from his later role as the priest who gets impaled by a lightning rod in THE OMEN (1976).
SCREAM OF FEAR (1961), the fourth and final entry in this DVD set, was actually released in the UK (where it was made) under the moniker TASTE OF FEAR. It tells the story of a wheelchair-bound heiress who, at the invitation of her estranged father, arrives at the family estate only to discover that her father is conspicuously absent and that her stepmother is behaving rather suspiciously. Just when she becomes convinced that her father has been murdered and that her stepmother and family friends are conspiring to cheat her out of her inheritance, everything takes an interesting twist. Unlike the other three flicks in this "icons of horror" set from Sony/Columbia, SCREAM OF FEAR noticeably lacks the usual accoutrements of a horror film, and it would therefore be more acurate to describe it as a thriller or a mystery. Nonetheless, the tightly plotted story, excellent acting (including an early performance by American actress Susan Strasberg, who portrays the heiress), and skilled directing make it the best film of the lot, and it alone is worth amazon.com's price of admission.
The digital transfers of the films in this set are clean and crisp, all films are presented in their original aspect ratios (enhanced for widescreen TVs), and the sound quality is pretty good. The discs also include the original theatrical trailers for each film, but those are the only extras. While these films might not actually qualify as icons of horror in and of themselves, the studio that produced them, Hammer Film Productions, will always stand as an icon in the history of horror cinema. So all in all, this DVD set will make a fine addition to the collections of true fans of Hammer horror, and even fans of good mystery movies might want to pick up a set just to get a copy of the excellent SCREAM OF FEAR.
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HAMMERING OUT A CREEPY (AND FUNNY!) TIME
The Brits have a way with the horror film, a respect for the genre and a sense of fun that we yanks would do well to emulate. In these Hammer films, as in most British productions, don't look for millions in production values; instead check out the imagination and style. There's The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb, with the usual Egyptian claptrap flashback and stalwart American actor Fred Clark as a greedy showman out to get his comeuppance. The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll, with Christopher Lee as a loyal friend to the two-faced doctor played by Paul Massie, boasts an interesting switch: Jekyll is the hairy slob, while the evil Hyde is squeaky-clean and wildly malevolent. The Gorgon, with Lee and Peter Cushing. is pretty silly, but there are lot of thrills and suspense as the ancient Greek demon goes for gruesome revenge. Scream of Fear is the most interesting outing in the collection, featuring a translucently beautiful Susan Strasberg, daughter of acting teacher Lee and Marilyn Monroe guru Paula, and creepy goings-on in a mansion whose swimming pool holds a frightening secret. OK, so this quartet may not be the most magnificent examples of cinema genius, but they'll help to keep the post-Halloween horror going while offering up a good scare, or a good laugh, once in a while.
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Excellent value for at least two previously rare Hammer gems!
Having already bought the expensive DVD set by Sony in Japan that includes "Scream of Fear", I bought this set for "The Gorgon". These two classics are undoubtedly the best and most sought after films in this set. "The Curse of The Mummy's Tomb" is quite good, but a weaker "Mummy" flick than most other Hammer ones. "The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll" I think is very poor, despite some good acting; the least exciting of all the 'Jekyll and Hyde' movies. The quality of all the prints here is great, and I still can't believe what excellent value for money this set is, although as others have said, the packaging could have been better! But really, we've got these great films for just a few bucks, what more could we ask for?
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Who Is The Real Monster? (Superb Collection of Monster Movies From Hammer Film Productions)
First, allow me to discuss the DVD presentation. The only extra features are: theatrical trailers and English subtitles for all four movies. We who are hearing impaired thank Sony for the subtitles. Commentaries would've been nice, especially for those who have a favorite film in this collection. The restoration is superb and the audio is strong and clear for all four features. "The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll" and "The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb" are presented in widescreen with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1; "The Gorgon" and "Scream of Fear" are presented in 1.66:1. Except for "Scream of Fear," all features are in beautiful color. The black and white print is clear and sharp for "Scream of Fear." Too bad it wasn't in color. Overall, the DVD presentation is very good. Now for the review:
Hammer Film Productions was famous for their gothic horror films. This is a superb collection and introduction for anyone unfamiliar with Hammer. Horror icon Christopher Lee (most famous for his role as Dracula) is in three of the films. Other horror legends include Peter Cushing, Barbara Shelly, Susan Strasberg, and Oliver Reed. All four movies involve monsters, primarily humans who have become monsters, whether physically or intellectually. Also, in these films, the viewer doesn't know who the real monster is. (The films are rife with betrayal.) A monster can be anyone. Sometimes they are normal in appearance. I promise you no plot spoilers as I briefly describe the monster scenario in each of these highly rated classic gems.
"The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll" - Aging Dr. Jekyll drinks his potion and becomes a younger, more handsome man who wishes to be free of all responsibility for his amoral actions. (Don't we all wish we could live like that? Isn't there a monster in all of us?) Masquerading as Dr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll learns that his gorgeous wife and best friend (Lee) are traitorous monsters.
"The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb." - Ra, the Egyptian Prince, has been resurrected by an evil person who possesses an amulet. Who are they and why are they seeking to destroy everyone around them? The real monster is the one who is controlling the unfortunate mummy.
"The Gorgon." Both Lee and Cushing star as a doctor and a professor, respectively, who are seeking to destroy the monster who turns innocent villagers into stone with their gaze. Unfortunately, the monster may actually be a respected member of the community.
"Scream of Fear." This "Hitchcock"-like thriller stars Susan Strasberg as a crippled young woman; for the first time in ten years, she is visiting her wealthy father who lives on the French Riviera. Someone in the household is a monster who is trying to drive her insane. Quite a good mystery with many surprises.
In fact, all four films are mysterious, gloomy, creepy, and shocking. I'm surprised these haven't already been released on DVD in America. They are truly excellent horror classics. I can't tell you which one is my favorite. For having been made in the 1960s, these films contain violence that is surprisingly graphic and shocking. Also, certain scenes in "The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll" had language and sexual innuendoes that were hilarious.
This collection is a must have for fans of gothic horror from Hammer Film Productions. I'm very glad I bought it. Try to take it away from me and I'll turn into a monster.
