Hi Burkey, I am 22 and have been raised on Hammer films by my dad. I have always been hooked and I get the same kick out of them as you did :)
I would absolutely adore a Hammer Season on TV! Perhaps a Christopher Lee week ;)
This, the final film in Hammer's original cycle is a mixed bag. In places it is genuinely disturbing and director Peter Sykes shows real flare. Christopher Lee is excellent as always and Nat Kinski has a innocense about her that makes Father Michael's corruption of her more shocking. The scene of the demon child's birth is grusome stuff too!
Good points aside the main negatives are the plot development and the non climax. My opinion is don't knock it til you've tried it!!
Likewise, love The Curse Of Frankenstein, but was more than a little peeved at the the awful Bluray transfer. I have a dvd boxset with the big three in (Curse oF.../Dracula/Mummy) & these 'dvd' films look better than this poor excuse of a bluray. Lets hope Lionsgate sort their act out & give us a fantastic looking Dracula? I will not be spending any hard earn cash till I start seeing Positive reviews!
(Continued) ... the aethetic choices that are made, as well as unpredictable chemical reactions. I applaud the Blu-Ray digital mastering team for following the BFI's lead. After seeing online screen captures, I can't wait to see the difference in the color balance from the American IB Technicolor prints that I have seen over the years. The way DRACULA was processed in its country of origin was certainly the best model for digital remastering.
What matters most is that Hammer has cooperated in making a restored version of DRACULA before there coud be any additional deterioration of the original elements. BRAVO!
First of all, I saw HORROR OF DRACULA first run in its original U.S. release in 1958. Over the years I have seen American IB Technicolor prints in both 35mm & 16mm many times. Let me urge everyone who is actually interested in film restoration to visit this site:
www.widescreenmuseum.com.
It will give you technical information on aspect ratios and color printing.
Now as to the new Blu-Ray remastering of DRACULA: It sounds like the BFI referenced an original check print, or "answer print". Such a print would have had correct exposures for every shot, following Jack Asher's original printing instructions to the laboratory. It would probably be an IB Technicolor print from Technicolor's London facility. Seperation matrices would have made from the original camera negative. Referencing such a print was absolutely the right thing to do! The different Technicolor labs in Hollywood, New York, London, & Rome could yield strikingly differrent results when printing the same photographic material. Dye transfer Technicolor printing involved bathing the celluloid in a solution. The mineral content of the water could affect the result, because the minerals were "imbibed" into the celluloid along with the petroleum based pigments.
HORROR OF DRACULA was released by Universal-International in the U.S. American Technicolor would have made the dye transfer prints for U.S. release with a much "hotter" color balance, the way U-I typically wanted their pictures to look. Call it a house style. However, British Technicolor was known for having a more delicate, subtle color balance. I can easily believe that this was what Terence Fisher & Jack Asher would have wanted!
Bear in mind that motion picture film is a chemical process, subject to variations all down the line. Digital mastering is an electronic process, subject to a different set of characteristics altogether. Reproduction in any medium is problematical, with many possible variations. The final result depends on
a more original hoor film from hammer. great acting, directing and plot. i consider "blood from the mummy's tomb" to be a successful attempt in updating the "mummy" franchise as the studio's previous 2 efforts are weak by comparison
Best movie I've ever seen and have been saying so for the last 25 years when I first saw it. Is more atmosphere than action, which suits it well because it gives you the feeling that you are right there in the middle of things and the zombies following close behind you.
Have spent countless nights watching this along with any of the Cushing/Lee flicks, love it!
Sure would be nice to know when I can get myself a Blu-Ray copy - (North American copy, that is... region coding sux)
Lord Summerisle
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01 Apr 2013, 9:15pm
Hi Burkey, I am 22 and have been raised on Hammer films by my dad. I have always been hooked and I get the same kick out of them as you did :) I would absolutely adore a Hammer Season on TV! Perhaps a Christopher Lee week ;)
Related to: The Quiet Ones (2013)
Rangel Joseph
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31 Mar 2013, 3:38pm
Put this title on iTunes Store Brasil, I want to see all the movies on iTunes store Brazil
Related to: One Million Years B.C. (1966)
chribio1
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23 Mar 2013, 11:01pm
This, the final film in Hammer's original cycle is a mixed bag. In places it is genuinely disturbing and director Peter Sykes shows real flare. Christopher Lee is excellent as always and Nat Kinski has a innocense about her that makes Father Michael's corruption of her more shocking. The scene of the demon child's birth is grusome stuff too! Good points aside the main negatives are the plot development and the non climax. My opinion is don't knock it til you've tried it!!
Related to: To The Devil A Daughter (1976)
Darklord
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07 Mar 2013, 3:48pm
Essential Hammer viewing! A classic example of Hammer style, great visuals, soundtrack and production values!
Related to: The Brides of Dracula (1960)
Rickanne
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06 Mar 2013, 3:11pm
Likewise, love The Curse Of Frankenstein, but was more than a little peeved at the the awful Bluray transfer. I have a dvd boxset with the big three in (Curse oF.../Dracula/Mummy) & these 'dvd' films look better than this poor excuse of a bluray. Lets hope Lionsgate sort their act out & give us a fantastic looking Dracula? I will not be spending any hard earn cash till I start seeing Positive reviews!
Related to: The Curse Of Frankenstein (1957)
GaneshJ
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06 Mar 2013, 12:27pm
Awesome
Related to: The Quickening (2013)
Victor
Report
02 Mar 2013, 8:19pm
(Continued) ... the aethetic choices that are made, as well as unpredictable chemical reactions. I applaud the Blu-Ray digital mastering team for following the BFI's lead. After seeing online screen captures, I can't wait to see the difference in the color balance from the American IB Technicolor prints that I have seen over the years. The way DRACULA was processed in its country of origin was certainly the best model for digital remastering. What matters most is that Hammer has cooperated in making a restored version of DRACULA before there coud be any additional deterioration of the original elements. BRAVO!
Related to: Dracula (1958)
Victor
Report
02 Mar 2013, 8:17pm
First of all, I saw HORROR OF DRACULA first run in its original U.S. release in 1958. Over the years I have seen American IB Technicolor prints in both 35mm & 16mm many times. Let me urge everyone who is actually interested in film restoration to visit this site: www.widescreenmuseum.com. It will give you technical information on aspect ratios and color printing. Now as to the new Blu-Ray remastering of DRACULA: It sounds like the BFI referenced an original check print, or "answer print". Such a print would have had correct exposures for every shot, following Jack Asher's original printing instructions to the laboratory. It would probably be an IB Technicolor print from Technicolor's London facility. Seperation matrices would have made from the original camera negative. Referencing such a print was absolutely the right thing to do! The different Technicolor labs in Hollywood, New York, London, & Rome could yield strikingly differrent results when printing the same photographic material. Dye transfer Technicolor printing involved bathing the celluloid in a solution. The mineral content of the water could affect the result, because the minerals were "imbibed" into the celluloid along with the petroleum based pigments. HORROR OF DRACULA was released by Universal-International in the U.S. American Technicolor would have made the dye transfer prints for U.S. release with a much "hotter" color balance, the way U-I typically wanted their pictures to look. Call it a house style. However, British Technicolor was known for having a more delicate, subtle color balance. I can easily believe that this was what Terence Fisher & Jack Asher would have wanted! Bear in mind that motion picture film is a chemical process, subject to variations all down the line. Digital mastering is an electronic process, subject to a different set of characteristics altogether. Reproduction in any medium is problematical, with many possible variations. The final result depends on
Related to: Dracula (1958)
horrorfilmfanatic.
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28 Feb 2013, 5:26pm
a more original hoor film from hammer. great acting, directing and plot. i consider "blood from the mummy's tomb" to be a successful attempt in updating the "mummy" franchise as the studio's previous 2 efforts are weak by comparison
Related to: Blood From The Mummy's Tomb (1971)
Lovechop
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12 Feb 2013, 5:27am
Best movie I've ever seen and have been saying so for the last 25 years when I first saw it. Is more atmosphere than action, which suits it well because it gives you the feeling that you are right there in the middle of things and the zombies following close behind you. Have spent countless nights watching this along with any of the Cushing/Lee flicks, love it! Sure would be nice to know when I can get myself a Blu-Ray copy - (North American copy, that is... region coding sux)
Related to: The Plague Of The Zombies (1966)