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Robert Eggers’ version of Nosferatu opens with a breathtaking sequence of dark psychosexual romance, as melancholy maiden Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp) is beckoned by a mysterious figure out of her bedroom and onto the manicured lawn of a dignified manor home. Her white nightgown billows behind her under blue moonlight,...

James Wan is one of the most highly respectable names in the horror genre, and for good reason. The Australian filmmaker has made some of the most memorable horror movies as a writer, director, and producer. Over the years, his spine-chilling narratives have beautifully captured audiences’ attention. The Saw, Insidious, and The Conjuring movie series are some of his famous works. His entire filmography has done business north of $2 billion at the global box office.

James Wan At A Convention | Via Wikimedia Commons/Gage Skidmore

Wan recently put up his Halloween watch list with a selection of some of his favorite vampire movies.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula A Scene From Bram Stoker’s Dracula | Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures

This movie, released in 1992, is an adaptation of author Bram Stroker’s novel of the same title. Directed by none other than Francis Ford Coppola, the film steers a tad away from the...

The vampire subgenre has been at the forefront of horror for over 100 years, and the myths of undead creatures living off of human blood go back countless years further. The best vampire movies ever made are, mostly, incredibly varied. There’s a whole lot of great “Dracula” movies out there, sure, but also art-house nightmares, mainstream action movies, silly comedies, Neo-westerns, heartwarming romances and more. And if you ask us, these are the very, very best.

(Film Arts Guild) “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” (1922)

F.W. Murnau’s eerie silent classic is 100 years old, and it still has the power to shock and horrify. Telling an extremely plagiarized version of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” – Stoker’s estate successfully sued, and nearly had every single copy of “Nosferatu” destroyed – the film stars Max Schreck as the verminous Count Orlok, who moves from his haunted castle to Germany, and brings a supernatural plague along with him.

After a busy August with the Season 2 premiere of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” which continues throughout September with new episodes through Oct. 3, “Batman: Caped Crusader,” and more, Amazon streaming services Prime Video and Freevee will have a comparably quiet September.

Most of the action for the month will come from Prime Video’s sports options. After the Sept. 5 Kickoff Game at Arrowhead Stadium with the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs going up against the Baltimore Ravens, Prime Video’s third season of Thursday Night Football begins with AFC East champs Buffalo Bills taking on the Miami Dolphins in Miami. The WNBA and Nwsl also continue their seasons on Prime Video, with matches all month long from New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, Angel City Fc, and more top teams.

But Prime Video will welcome a few new series this month, including the highly publicized...

For decades, Hammer Studios was synonymous with monsters. And heaving breasts. And blood. Their classics “Curse of Frankenstein” and “Horror of Dracula” helped yank iconic movie monsters out of their spooky old castles and into a violent, sensual cinematic era (which also had castles). There was nothing wrong with these iconic boogeymen. They just needed a bit of updating.

Hammer Studios closed its doors in 1979, but the icons persisted. Since the production company came back in the late 2000s, they’ve shied away from the classic creature pantheon, instead releasing what we can generously call a mixed-bag of paranormal potpourri. They’ve made at least one excellent film — Matt Reeves’ “Let Me In,” a surprisingly sturdy remake of Tomas Alfredson’s acclaimed “Let the Right One In” — followed by some respectable (and less-respectable) thrillers, and a smattering of haunted houses.

Now, finally, they have unleashed “Doctor Jekyll,” an old-fashioned monster...

What’s new on Amazon’s Prime Video in February 2024?

In light of Valentine’s Day, Prime Video nailed it. This February, the platform is bringing a variety of new shows and movies for you and yours. There is something for everyone — from the latest releases to classic romantic comedies to thrillers and more.

Rom-com “Upgraded,” starring Camila Mendes and Archie Renaux, hits the streamer on Friday, while a series adaptation of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s steamy spy thriller “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” is already taking the world by storm since its Feb. 2 debut with stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine.

The platform will also debut 2015’s “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” with Tom Cruise and Rebecca Ferguson, last year’s animated “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” and the well-liked 2014 indie “St.Vincent” with Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts and Chris O’Dowd.

And don’t forget about...

Prime Video’s big February drop is Mr. & Mrs. Smith! No, not the 2005 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie action movie, but a new TV series kinda based on it starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine. The set up for the show version? Glover and Erskine are two strangers who both get jobs at a shady spy agency and are asked to get married so that they can pretend to be a couple undercover, but things get more complicated when they start falling in love for real. Uh oh!

If you’re in the mood for a movie or two this month, you can also check out the Prime debuts of Strays, Bottoms, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. In the meantime, here’s everything coming to Amazon Prime Video and Freevee this month. Amazon Originals are accompanied by an asterisk!

New on Amazon Prime Video – February 2024

February 1

12 Angry Men...

Love is in the air this February at Prime Video! From the long-awaited espionage comedy series “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” to Jennifer Lopez’s new album companion film “This Is Me…Now: A Love Story,” the streamer is days away from adding dozens of classic and fresh titles to its seemingly endless catalog, including the premieres of many more Amazon Originals like “The Second Best Hospital in The Galaxy,” “Five Blind Dates,” and “The Silent Service.”

Check out The Streamable’s top picks for February on Prime Video, and find out everything coming to the platform this coming month!

30-Day Free Trial $8.99+ / month amazon.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Prime Video in February 2024? “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” | Friday, Feb. 2

Donald Glover and Maya Erskine star in the long-awaited spy comedy series about two lonely strangers who land a job working for a mysterious spy agency...

It's easy to take for granted the weirdness and shocking nature of the extraterrestrial's lifecycle in Ridley Scott's seminal 1979 horror film "Alien."

In "Alien," John Hurt plays Kane, a crew member of the futuristic space tug Nostromo who finds an outsize, leathery egg while exploring a mysterious alien vessel. The egg opens, and a strange monster -- part lobster, part bladder -- leaps out and grabs his face. He immediately goes comatose. Later, it is discovered that the monster, while still attached to his face, has inserted an unsettling biological tube down his throat. Kane's crewmates are unable to remove the monster from his face; when they pull on it, it begins to strangle Kane with its tail, and when they cut it, it bleeds acid that can eat through metal.

After a spell, the monster drops off Kane's face of its own volition and dies. What happened? It's...

A classic film that not only endures but continues to inspire half a century later is a true marvel. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, The Wicker Man helped popularize the folk horror genre that continues to flourish with the likes of Midsommar, The Witch, and The Ritual. Its impact extends beyond cinema, from inspiring Radiohead (“Burn the Witch”) and Iron Maiden (“The Wicker Man”) songs to being included in the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.

In the film, Sergeant Neil Howie travels from the mainland to the Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. The devout Christian is appalled to learn that the islanders practice a form of paganism characterized by blasphemous beliefs, degeneracy, doublespeak, and peculiar customs. Like The Bride of Frankenstein, the namesake doesn’t show up until the final moments of the film, but it leaves an indelible impression long after the credits roll.

The first time the term “horror” was used to describe a movie genre that sent chills down your spine was as early as the 1930s, when motion pictures like Frankenstein (1931), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931), The Old Dark House (1932), Vampyr (1932), and The Invisible Man (1933) became box-office sensations. Following the devastation suffered in World War II, the focus then shifted from mad scientists and the supernatural to atomic beings, alien invasions, and generally more complex monsters and thrillers, such as The Thing from Another World (1951), House of Wax (1953), Creature from The Black Lagoon (1954), and Godzilla (1954).

The relaxation of censorship in the 60s and the 70s meant that horror films could feature more violence and salaciousness, and delve deeper into the human psyche. It was the heyday of the Gothic aesthetic and Hammer Film productions like Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968), The Vampire Lovers (1970), and Twins of Evil (1971). Meanwhile, the Italian giallo subgenre,...

The classic horror flick The Wicker Man has gotten the 4K treatment.

Lionsgate has announced that The Wicker Man is getting a special SteelBook in 4K Ultra HD, along with Blu-ray and Digital. The SteelBook is set to be released on Oct. 17, 2023. Ahead of the release, Lionsgate has also unveiled the artwork for the SteelBook.

Related: Andy Serkis Announces The Wicker Man TV Series

The film is directed by Robin Hardy (The Fantasist) and follows Police Sergeant Howie as he investigates Lord Summerisle and his secretive pagan society. Anthony Shaffer wrote the script. The film also stars Britt Ekland, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt, and Lindsay Kemp, and Russell Waters.

In The Wicker Man, per Lionsgate's synopsis, "When a young girl mysteriously vanishes, Police Sergeant Howie (Woodward) travels to a remote Scottish island to investigate. But the seemingly quiet community is not as it appears, as the detective uncovers a secretive...

Cult Horror Masterpiece, The Wicker Man, Arrives on a SteelBook in 4K Ultra HD October 17: "The cult horror masterpiece, The Wicker Man, arrives on a SteelBook® in 4K Ultra HD™ (+ Blu-ray™ + Digital) on October 17th from Lionsgate. Directed by Robin Hardy (The Fantasist), the film follows Police Sergeant Howie, as he investigates Lord Summerisle and his secretive pagan society. The Wicker Man will be available for the suggested retail price of $27.99."

Official Synopsis

When a young girl mysteriously vanishes, Police Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) travels to a remote Scottish island to investigate. But the seemingly quiet community is not as it appears, as the detective uncovers a secretive pagan society led by the strange Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee). While the townsfolk tempt and threaten him with bizarre rituals and wanton lust, Howie must race to discover the truth behind the girl's disappearance before his clash with Lord Summerisle builds...

(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)

The Movie: "Asylum"

Where You Can Stream It: Shudder

The Pitch: Halloween may be over for 2022, but for some of us, the month after October is just an excuse for more scary movies. As Mark Venturini's character in "The Return of the Living Dead" asserts, "this isn't a costume, this is a way of life." November is also a time of preparation for a slew of holidays, birthdays, and celebrations as the leaves change and fall, so by the time one is done orchestrating family visits and planning the gift budget, committing to a two-hour movie might be a tall ask. But what about a crisp 88-minute collection of four creepy stories and a wraparound? What if I told you...

(Welcome to Year of the Vampire, a series examining the greatest, strangest, and sometimes overlooked vampire movies of all time in honor of "Nosferatu," which turns 100 this year.)

Vampires may be fundamentally incapable of self-reflection (seeing as how they don't show up in mirrors and all), but that doesn't mean we can't reflect on them. And so we have, all throughout 2022. The Year of the Vampire is almost over now, and these last 11 months have been an educational, blood-spattered ride through one of film history's oldest genres.

With the first 50 articles in this series, we spotlit individual vampire movies, beginning with F.W. Murnau's original "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror" and ending with Werner Herzog's 1979 remake "Nosferatu the Vampyre." However, if you've been following along at all, you might know we've jumped around in time since January and analyzed over two dozen 20th-century vampire films.

This list adds to that with 20 more titles,...

Hammer Horror: the name rings so ubiquitously in the realms of cinema, and especially around Halloween. Hearing the name, you’re likely to picture one of a number of the British studio’s releases between the 1950s and early 1970s which boasted decadent set design and an intensity of fear and playfulness. A studio of progressive storytelling compared to other offerings of the time, in Hammer’s horror subdivision could be found Technicolor horror (and its subgenres), often sexually and socially provocative, taking classical source material and turning it on its head. Seen as vulgar to the critics, audiences loved the low-budget thrills of Hammer Horror as a refreshing alternative to Hollywood, with two actors in particular becoming distinct heroes of the cycle, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.But what are the sounds behind the horror? The wonder of movie soundtracks can be put on best display in the horror genre,...

Scream Factory's brand new Blu-ray edition of "The Vampire Lovers," featuring a sparkling new 4K transfer along with a killer Kim Newman interview, seemed like as good an excuse as any to dive back into this perennial favorite. The 1970 feature is more than just a titillating exploitation vehicle, but served as a historical turning point for both Hammer Studios and the horror genre itself. It also introduced a genre icon in the form of Polish beauty Ingrid Pitt, who cemented her legendary status with a performance that is at once uninhibited, frightening, and shockingly emotionally...

The post Year of the Vampire: The Vampire Lovers Brought Sexy Back To Bloodsucker Lore appeared first on /Film.

With the Christmas holiday hitting later this week, Tuesday is looking to be a somewhat quiet day for horror and sci-fi home media releases. Scream Factory has put together a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray for The Vampire Lovers and Tempe Video is showing some love to a trio of overlooked micro-budget genre flicks from the 1990s: Kingdom of the Vampire, Zombie Cop, and Humanoids from Atlantis. Other releases for December 21st include Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness and Roh.

Humanoids from Atlantis

Faced with a prolonged bitter Ohio winter in March 1992 and a distributor release date just weeks away, producer J.R. Bookwalter (“The Dead Next Door”) had no choice but to toss out the majority of his “Humanoids From Atlantis” screenplay and have the cast and crew make it up as they went along. The result is a complete cinematic abomination that has to be seen to be believed, but strangely...

The Vampire Lovers Collector’S Edition Highly Anticipated Cult Classic Arrives December 21, 2021 A diabolical female vampire ravages the young girls and other townsfolk of a peaceful hamlet in eighteenth century Europe in revenge for the killing of her fellow vampires years earlier. A rousing hunt for the vampiress ensues as a group of men …

The post The Vampire Lovers Collector’s Edition Arrives Dec 21 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.

Hammer Horror: Four Gothic Horror Films

Blu ray – All Region

Imprint

1971-72

Starring Ingrid Pitt, Peter Cushing, Eric Porter

Cinematography by Kenneth Talbot, Dick Bush

Directed by Peter Sasdy, John Hough, Robert Young

In December of 1959, Hammer Studios released a bit of Yuletide cheer called The Stranglers from Bombay, a censor-baiting melodrama highlighted by severed limbs and Marie Devereux’s cleavage. The studio would spend the next decade expanding upon those themes and wore the inevitable X Certificates like badges of honor. But as an ancient reprobate said, “Politicians, ugly buildings, and whores all get respectable if they last long enough” and by the seventies the bad boys of Bray seemed positively sedate. Though the power to shock had waned, Hammer was still a thriving business—there were two Dracula films produced in 1970 alone. Still, no one could blame them for shaking things up—Anthony Hinds, the studio’s guiding light,...

I've worked remotely for more than 15 years, so the transition to pandemic life wasn't as jarring as it was for some, but even I wasn't mentally prepared for will likely be 2+ years of us being in lockdown. It's been a real struggle to watch anything that's super serious (I'm still waiting to see Relic!), and I've turned to some of my favorites as horror movie comfort food, including... The Monster Club!

Those who have listened to our Corpse Club podcast over the years know that this has been a favorite of mine for quite some time now. It's easily the movie I've watched the most in the last ten years and no other movie comes close, but it isn't nostalgia driving my interest in re-watching this. I didn't see the movie until maybe 10-15 years ago, but thanks to the Code Red Blu-ray release, it's been a regular watch ever since.

It’s a great time to be a horror fan. Not only are Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and Shudder awash with all kinds of horror movies old and new, but the Criterion Channel is getting in on the gruesome action with a month’s worth of horror titles from the 1970s.

The subscription service is the digital offshoot of the Criterion Collection, which for more than 35 years has been providing definitive archival home video versions of classic and contemporary films from around the world. Criterion launched its streaming service last year as a way to offer a curated cross-section of its library of films online.

Horror has always had a respectful home at Criterion, with the company publishing definitive editions of a number of the genre’s landmark films. The October rollout of horror movies for the Halloween season is similar to what other companies are doing, but the focus is the difference here.

Horror fans, specifically those interested in classic horror, have just been handed a gift by The Criterion Channel. The streaming service has announced a massive collection of 70s horror classics will be arriving on the service just in time for the Halloween season. This includes a wide range of selections from some of the most iconic filmmakers to ever tackle the genre, including Tobe Hooper, George A. Romero, Wes Craven and David Cronenberg, just to name a few.

The Criterion Channel recently released a trailer detailing what the collection contains. Per Criterion, "This tour through the 1970s nightmare realm is a veritable blood feast of perverse pleasures from a time when gore, grime, and sleaze found a permanent home in horror." The trailer offers but a small taste of the tour, which includes a total of 29 classics, rarities and oddities from the decade.

Some bonafide horror classics are included in the collection,...

It’s safe to say that the world is a bit weird right now. Much to some people’s surprise, horror movies can often be a way for fans to make sense of things and confront their fears in a safe space. Streaming service Shudder offers a large array of horror movies, TV shows, and even podcasts covering the full spectrum of the macabre. But how do you know where to start?

We’ve put together a guide to some of the best films the service has to offer. The Shudder catalogue is always growing and changing so we’ll keep this updated – head back for the latest additions and new suggestions.

(All entries are available in both UK and US unless stated otherwise!)

Hammer The Vampire Lovers (1970)

Only Available In The US

After literally decades in which the classic Hammer Films library of horror titles was often difficult to see,...

You got witch-hunting in my vampirism! Yeah? Well, you got vampirism in my witch-hunting! Deliciously combined, Hammer’s Twins of Evil (1971) pits religious fanaticism against vampiric seduction in the third and final film of the Karnstein trilogy, and it’s a fittingly erotic and spirited sendoff.

Released by Rank Film Distributors in the U.K. and Universal Pictures stateside, Twins of Evil was part of a double bill with Hands of the Ripper, and as these things do, brought in the casual viewer looking for a little mayhem to tide them over. Twins of Evil however, still manages to seduce the viewer through muscular filmmaking and solid performances, with the biggest draw being the stunning Collinson sisters, Mary and Madeleine, as our titular characters. They make it one of the most lascivious of the latter day Hammer films; no small feat, that.

We open on Central Europe in the late...

It’s Hammer Time again, and I always feel like I’m playing gothic whack-a-mole; finish one and another pops up begging for my attention. This brings us to Lust for a Vampire (1971), the second film in the “Karnstein trilogy” of which I’ve now seen a total of one. I will see the rest, as is my sworn duty, and because I’ve heard this entertaining chapter to not be the best of the bunch.

That’s the word on the streets anyway, with top honours going to The Vampire Lovers (1970), the preceding effort based on the story Carmilla and enough of a hit to warrant a follow-up. (And a follow-up to this entitled Twins of Evil .) However the rest play out for this viewer, I can attest that despite some issues, Lust for a Vampire works as a decent Hammer and an effective take on vampiric eroticism.

Originally...

Courageous disc boutique Scream Factory takes on one of Hammer’s biggest embarrassments, that almost everyone connected to it would like to disown. I bailed from my first viewing around 1990 … yet this time around found it somewhat better than I expected. The girlie-show nudity is treated as a special effect, and the story at least hangs together. And like every Hammer horror, there’s a sizable, vocal cheering section out there that sings its praises.

Lust for a Vampire

Blu-ray

Scream Factory

1971 / Color / 1:85 & 1:66 widescreen / 91 min. / Street Date July 30, 2019 / 27.99

Starring: Barbara Jefford, Ralph Bates, Suzanna Leigh, Yutte Stensgaard, Michael Johnson, Helen Christie, Mike Raven, Christopher Cunningham, Harvey Hall, Pippa Steel, David Healy, Jonathan Cecil.

Cinematography: David Muir

Film Editor: Spencer Reeve

Original Music: Harry Robinson

Written by Tudor Gates, based on characters by Sheridan Le Fanu

Produced by Harry Fine, Michael Style

Directed by Jimmy Sangster

What? This column...

Every year, Scream Factory gives horror fans a bunch of new home media releases to look forward to at their annual Comic-Con panel, and this year is certainly no exception, as they've announced an exciting slate of horror Blu-rays on the horizon, including Collector's Editions for Silver Bullet, Big Trouble in Little China, Pet Sematary II, and My Bloody Valentine (1981), as well as The Fly Collection and new Neca figure collaborations for Night of the Demons (1988) and The Slumber Party Massacre.

Complete special features will be revealed at later dates, and we'll be sure to keep Daily Dead readers updated as more details are revealed. In the meantime, we have a look at Scream Factory's full announcement and images of their exclusive Neca figures for Night of the Demons and The Slumber Party Massacre. For more Comic-Con news, visit our online hub to catch up on all of our convention coverage!

Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.News Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria.The lineup for this year's Venice Film Festival has been announced. In-competition titles include Carlos Reygadas' open-relationship romance Where Life is Born (the auteur's first feature in 5 years), Shinya Tsukamoto's much-anticipated samurai film Killing, and Jennifer Kent's The Nightingale, a Gothic revenge story set in Tasmania. The Venice Documentaries section joins an eclectic range of heavy-hitters, from Gastón Solnicki (Kékszakállú) and once-retiree Tsai Ming-liang, to Errol Morris and Frederick Wiseman, whose Ex-Libris: The New York Public Library screened in competition at the festival last year.Meanwhile, the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival has followed suit, releasing the names of the films set to premiere at its Special Presentations and Galas. Notably, this edition reunites the festival with Barry Jenkins, whose James Baldwin adaptation If Beale Street Could Talk will have its world premiere.

Last year, New York's Quad Cinema paid tribute to Mario Bava with a 21-film, multi-day marathon, and this summer they're heating up the big screen once again with a two-part Hammer horror movies celebration, and we've been provided with the exclusive details on part 1 of their massive celebration of Hammer movies from 1956–1967.

Read the official press release below for all 32 titles (21 of which will be displayed in 35mm) in part 1 of the Quad's Hammer movie marathon, and keep an eye on their website for more information!

Press Release: May 30 - June 19 It's a chilling season at the Quad! Brace yourself for mummies, vampires, werewolves, and more with our extensive two-part retrospective celebrating Britain's genre studio powerhouse, Hammer Films

Throughout film history, many countries have had their own point-of-pride movie studios; Britain can claim several, whether as backlots or sites of creative capital. In Hammer Films, a genre-oriented counterpart to Ealing Films,...

With Christmas now only a week away, there’s a big day of genre-related home entertainment releases to look forward to in the meantime, just in case you were in need of some last-minute gift ideas (or if you were looking to spoil yourself, which is totally cool). Easily my most anticipated Blu-ray release for all of 2017, Synapse Films' stunning 4K restoration of Suspiria gets the royal treatment via an incredible three-disc limited edition Steelbook set this Tuesday, and Severin Films is also keeping busy with their HD upgrade of The Amicus Collection, which includes Asylum, And Now The Screaming Starts, and The Beast Must Die.

Other notable Blu-ray and DVD releases for December 19th include American Gothic, Leatherface, mother!, and the limited edition Steelbook for Donnie Darko.

American Gothic (Scream Factory, Blu-ray)

A new tale of terror from the director of The Legend of Hell House and The Incubus.

I’ve always had a great appreciation and fondness for horror anthologies, and I devoured horror comics as a kid; whether it was House of Mystery or Creepy magazine, they never failed to fire my imagination in short, sharp bursts. When the Romero/King collaboration Creepshow (1982) came out, my dream of seeing these kinds of stories translated to film was nothing but revelatory. I soon discovered it was not the first of its ilk, and began a journey through dusty video store shelves looking for its long-lost relatives. One of my first (and favorite) finds was Vault of Horror (1973), a five-fingered punch to my nascent, pubescent, omnibus-loving heart.

Released by Cinerama Releasing stateside in March and produced by Amicus (the fine folks behind its predecessor, Tales from the Crypt), Vault of Horror (aka The Vault of Horror, for the easily confused, I guess) was not as well received by critics as Tales,...

Of all the legendary early horror films Carl Theodor Dreyer’s vampire nightmare was once the most difficult to appreciate — until Criterion’s restoration of a mostly intact, un-mutilated full cut. Dreyer creates his fantasy according to his own rules — this pallid, claustrophobic horror is closer to Ordet than it is Dracula or Nosferatu.

Vampyr

Blu-ray

The Criterion Collection 437

1932 / Color / 1:19 Movietone Ap. / 73 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 3, 2017 / 39.95

Starring: Julian West (Baron Nicolas De Gunzberg), Maurice Schutz, Rena Mandel, Sybille Schmitz, Jan Hieronimko, Henriette Gérard.

Cinematography: Rudolph Maté

Art Direction: Hermann Warm

Film Editor: Tonka Taldy

Original Music: Wolfgang Zeller

Written by Carl Theodor Dreyer, Christen Jul from In a Glass Darkly by Sheridan Le Fanu

Produced by Carl Theodor Dreyer, Julian West

Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer

Carl Theodor Dreyer’s Vampyr is a tough row to hoe for horror fans, many of whom just...

Powell & Pressburger’s big-scale historical epic is perhaps the best show ever about an old-school naval encounter between battleships. The first half depicts the showdown between England and Germany in the South Atlantic, and the second half a tense diplomatic game in the neutral country of Uruguay. Peter Finch, Bernard Lee and Anthony Quayle shine as sea captains.

Panzerschiff Graf Spee (The Battle of the River Plate)

Region B Blu-ray

ITV Studios Home Entertainment (Germany)

1956 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 119, 106 117 min./ Pursuit of the Graf Spee / Street Date 2010 / Available from Amazon UK £16.90

Starring: Peter Finch, Bernard Lee, Anthony Quayle, John Gregson, Ian Hunter, Jack Gwillim, Lionel Murton, Anthony Bushell, Peter Illing, Michael Goodliffe, Patrick Macnee, Christopher Lee.

Cinematography: Christopher Challis

Production Design: Arthur Lawson

Film Editor: Reginald Mills

Original Music: Brian Easdale

Written, Produced & Directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressberger

The best way so far to see the impressive The Battle of the River Plate...

By the early ‘70s, Hammer films was wheezing and sputtering just to stay alive. Their attempts to stay current with the changing tides of horror were often misbegotten and misdirected (Dracula A.D. 1972, anyone?) as the plots continued to recycle shopworn ideas when audiences were ready for more modern concerns, such as hulking maniacs with chainsaws. In essence, time was passing Hammer by, and they were willing to try anything. Hence we arrive at The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974), a delightful elixir of Dracula and…Kung Fu. This was the last gasp for Hammer’s beloved franchise, and it’s a very worthy burial.

Aka 7 Brothers Versus Dracula, 7 Brothers and a Sister Meet Dracula, 7 Golden Vampires, and Enter The Dracula (no, but who screwed up that marketing?), Legend was a co-production between Hammer and Shaw Brothers, the immortal Chinese martial arts film studio that would crank out 10, sometimes 15 films a year of kinetic,...

When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth

Blu-ray

Warner Archive Collection

1970 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 100 96 min. / Street Date February 28, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99

Starring: Victoria Vetri, Robin Hawdon, Patrick Allen, Drewe Henley, Sean Caffrey, Magda Konopka, Imogen Hassall, Patrick Holt, Jan Rossini, Carol Hawkins, Maria O’Brien.

Cinematography: Dick Bush

Film Editor: Peter Curran

Visual Effects: Jim Danforth

Original Music: Mario Nascimbene, Philip Martell

Written by: Val Guest, J.G. Ballard

Produced by: Aida Young

Directed by Val Guest

When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth didn’t get much attention when released here early in March of 1971. Only film fanatics obsessed with special effects had much to say about it. Cinefantastique magazine showed a still photo or two of dinosaurs on the rampage, and told us that stop-motion effects notable Jim Danforth, who we knew from mentions in Famous Monsters, was attached. We also learned that an animator named David Allen had worked on one sequence.

Yesterday, amid a crush of sweaty people desperate for last-minute props, I visited a local Halloween superstore with my daughter, looking for a Pikachu mask. Well, there wasn’t much to choose from in the Cute Kid Division. But this particular hall of Halloween hell definitely had the adult sensibility covered. Of course there were the usual skimpy or otherwise outrageous costumes for purchase —ladies, you can dress up like a sexy Kim Kardashian-esque vampire out for a night of Hollywood clubbing, and gents, how about impressing all the sexy Kim Kardashian vampires at your party by dressing up like a walking, talking matched set of cock and balls! It’s been a while since I’ve shopped for fake tools of terror, but it seems there’s been a real advance in sophistication in the market for “Leatherface-approved” (I swear) chainsaws with moving parts and authentic revving noises,...

From the mid sixties to the mid seventies, omnibus (or anthology, or portmanteau if you’re really fancy) horror films were big business. And Amicus Productions ruled the roost. Between ’65 and ’74 they released seven such films, starting with Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (not to be confused with Dr. Tongue’s Evil House of Pancakes) and culminating with From Beyond the Grave. Today’s film lands in the middle, The House that Dripped Blood (1971) showcasing a company just starting to hit their stride with anthologies.

Popularity of the omnibus format has ebbed and flowed throughout the last 50 years; after Amicus stopped making them, George Romero and Stephen King collaborated on one of the finest, Creepshow (1982), which didn’t so much kick start a revival as have everyone afraid to compete. Throughout the late ‘80s and ‘90s there were pockets of inspiration, Tales from the Hood (1995) and of course HBO...

The icon-establishing performances Marilyn Monroe gave in Howard Hawks’ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) and in Billy Wilder’s Some Like It Hot (1959) are ones for the ages, touchstone works that endure because of the undeniable comic energy and desperation that sparked them from within even as the ravenous public became ever more enraptured by the surface of Monroe’s seductive image of beauty and glamour. Several generations now probably know her only from these films, or perhaps 1955’s The Seven-Year Itch, a more famous probably for the skirt-swirling pose it generated than anything in the movie itself, one of director Wilder’s sourest pictures, or her final completed film, The Misfits (1961), directed by John Huston, written by Arthur Miller and costarring Clark Gable and Montgomery Clift.

But in Don’t Bother to Knock (1952) she delivers a powerful dramatic performance as Nell, a psychologically devastated, delusional, perhaps psychotic young woman apparently on...

Gruesome Galleries collects some hot shots from Hammer’s 1971 sex vampire classic. I’m never been sure as to why Lust For A Vampire, Jimmy Sangster’s full-blooded follow up to Roy Ward Baker’s groundbreaking Hammer Horror film The Vampire Lovers, has been historically met with such disdain. As much of a fan of Baker’s once daring…

The post Gruesome Galleries: 1971’s Lust For A Vampire appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.

Curious about all those Region B Hammer Blu-rays from overseas, the ones requiring a region-free player? As a public service, Savant has solicited an expert opinion (you'll have to take my word for that) of a film restoration/transfer specialist who is also an informed fan of the filmic output of the little horror studio at Bray. I know, real Hammer fans buy first and worry about quality later, but this little guide might be of help to the rest of us budget-conscious collectors.

A 'Guest' article Written by a trusted Savant correspondent.

(Note: I receive plenty of emails asking for advice about the quality of Region B Blu-rays, most of which I don't see. I have access to industry people qualified to compare and judge the discs, but they stay off the record, because their employers forbid them to go online with their opinions. They must sometimes simmer in...

Crypt Of The Living Dead

(1973, dir: Julio Salvador & Ray Danton)

“The Undead Dies…Again, Again And Again!”

One night whilst snooping round a luxurios island villa, archaeologist Professor Bolton (Mariano García Rey, Shaft in Africa) is attacked by crazed writer Peter (Mark Damon, Black Sabbath). Bolton is left for dead under a tomb. When his son Chris (Andrew Pine, The Town That Dreaded Sundown) finds out about the fate of his father, he visits the island to say his goodbyes. He is greeted by Peter who is playing the nice guy card. Once settled and with the help of the mysterious locals, Chris and Peter begin to open the tomb belonging to Hannah (Teresa Gimpera, Lips of Blood), who according to local folklore was the vampiric wife of Louis VII. Once opened, they discover the still fresh corpse of Hannah (who looks damn good considering she’s been buried for 700 years!

George Cole in The Vampire Lovers

With his flashy cars, his fat cigars and his large VATs, Minder con man Arthur Daley became one of the most popular characters on British TV. Now, 21 years after the series came to an end. the man who played him, George Cole, has died.

Though best known for his television work, which also included roles in A Man Of Our Times, Blott On The Landscape and The Bounder, Cole also enjoyed a lengthy film career, appearing in the likes of Cleopatra, May Reilly and The Vampire Lovers. he was well known for his work in the popular St Trinians films of the Fifties and Sixties. Last year he joined the cast of Spencer Hawken's mystery thriller Road Rage and told friends how much he was looking forward to it.

Given up for adoption as a baby, Cole subsequently lost his adoptive father but had the good fortune,...

Netflix giveth and Netflix taketh away.

While everyone's favorite subscription streaming service is adding a ton of awesome movies and TV shows in December, it's also yanking a huge list of popular titles from its library. Below is said list. I'm especially sad to see "Dirty Dancing" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley" go. Those movies are the sh...

Watch them while you can!

Movies Being Dropped by Netflix on December 1st

"1941" (1979)

"The Apostle" (1997)

"Audrey Rose" (1977)

"The Believers" (1987)

"Better than Chocolate" (1999)

"Blood & Chocolate" (2007)

"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" (2008)

"Chaplin" (1992)

"The Choirboys" (1977)

"The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County" (1970)

"Coffee and Cigarettes" (2003)

"The Cold Light of Day" (1996)

"The Constant Gardener" (2005)

"Count Yorga, Vampire" (1970)

"Cry-Baby" (1990)

"Dirty Dancing" (1987)

"Double Indemnity" (1944)

"En la Cama" (2005)

"Event Horizon" (1997)

"Eye for an Eye" (1996)

"Fairy Tale: A True Story" (1997)

"First Knight" (1995)

"Five Easy Pieces" (1970)

"Foreign Student" (1994)

"Free Men" (2011)

"Funny Lady" (1975)

"The Ghost and Mrs Muir" (1947)

"The Girl from Petrovka...

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Dust Bug Records. 

Hammer Presents Dracula With Christopher Lee

Unavailable on vinyl since its release in 1974, Dust Bug Records is proud to present this special Limited Edition 40th Anniversary 180 g vinyl pressing of Hammer Presents Dracula with Christopher Lee.

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Side one features the horrifying story of vampirism with spine- chilling sounds, and music composed by James Bernard and narration by Christopher Lee. Side 2 features The Four Faces Of Evil music suite: Fear In The Night: She: The Vampire Lovers; and Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde. Music arranged and conducted By Philip Martell.

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We've gone back to the original 1/4 inch tapes to bring you the best sound possible.

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100% analogue- Dust Bug Records is proud to confirm that this record has been cut on vintage analogue equipment. A Digital- Free Process.

The signal path is Studer A80 Mk1 tape recorder > RCA BA...

That a little studio located in the English countryside consistently put out high quality films on a very limited budget is one of the great stories in filmmaking history. Hammer Films was the most successful independent film company ever, producing comedy, drama, mysteries, and war movies before finding their niche in horror. Hammer became a name synonymous with horror, a name that still means something today.

They took their horror stories from English literature set in Europe in the 19th century and their carefully designed and constructed sets created an atmosphere that made the time and place as much a part of the film as the story. After securing remake rights from Universal for their catalog of classics from the 1930s and 1940s, Hammer became the leading producer of horror films. Hammer’s philosophy was straightforward: always be entertaining, have plenty of sex appeal, and lots of violence and blood.

Halloween is almost here, which means you've got an appetite for horror: Good thing there are so many vampire, zombie, and serial killer flicks you can watch right now on Netflix.

Whether it's a classic like "Carrie" you want to revisit, an old '80s B movie you never saw or that Jennifer Lawrence thriller you missed at the theater, here are 31 of the best horror movies on Netflix, streaming in all their bloody glory. (Streaming options are subject to change. Check Netflix for latest availability.)

1."Carrie" (1976) R

Forget the recent two remakes (although the latest, with Chloë Grace Moretz, is also available to stream): Brian De Palma's version of Stephen King's novel about a telekinetic high school outcast who wreaks havoc at the prom is the only one you need to see.

2. "World War Z" (2013) PG-13

Remember when everyone predicted what a disaster this Brad Pitt project would be?...

Hammer have had something of a renaissance on Blu-ray recently, with StudioCanal releasing a number of classic titles in new hi-def editions. And now, released as part of Network’s ‘The British Film’ collection, comes two of Hammer’s “sexier” films of the 70s: the infamous Twins of Evil, starring Playboy Playmates Mary and Madeleine Collinson; and Countess Dracula, which features a career-defining performance from Ingrid Pitt in the titular role.

Despite being made during Hammer early-70s fallow period, where the studio was running out of stories, out of budget and were being left behind by more “extreme” horror films and exploitation movies emanating from the Us (after all this was just after the release of Night of the Living Dead which ultimately changed the face of the genre forever), both Twins of Evil and Countess Dracula are beloved by fans of the studio, and with good reason.

Twins of Evil

Stars: Peter Cushing,...

Dynasty actress Kate O’Mara died on Sunday at a southern England nursing home. She was 74.

Kate O'Mara Dies

Mara passed away following a brief illness, according to her agent, Phil Belfield, reported Variety.

After falling ill earlier this month, O’Mara had tweeted a thank you message to her followers that were concerned over her health.

Hello all - thank you so much for your kind tweets. It's both humbling and completely overwhelming to read all of your messages. Much Love x

— Kate O'Mara (@KateOmara_) March 17, 2014

During the 80s, O’Mara, in one of her best-known roles, starred in Dynasty as Cassandra “Caress” Morell. Caress was the sister of Joan Collins’ character Alexis Colby. The popular show, which won five Golden Globes during its nine seasons, also starred John Forsythe, Linda Evans and Gordon Thomson.

Upon learning of O’Mara’s death, Collin’s took to Twitter to express...

British actress Kate O’Mara, who was known to many Americans during the 1980s as Joan Collins’ sister Cassandra Morell on ABC‘s Dynasty, died in Sussex, England this morning. She was 74. A TV vet since the 1960s with credits that included such cult British shows as The Saint and The Avengers, O’Mara was coveted for her portrayal of alluring, pungent personalities, such as The Rani in Doctor Who from 1985-86 and the ruthless businesswoman Laura Wilde in the BBC drama Howards’ Way. Born in Leicester, UK, O’Mara was the daughter of actress Hazel Bainbridge (The Family Way) and John Carroll. Originally, O’Mara pursued a career as a speech therapist, but she caught the acting bug and made her stage debut at 24 in a production of The Merchant of Venice. After breaking in TV, O’Mara caught the attention of Hammer Studios which cast her in the...