I found this documentary to be very interesting. Although most of the clips from the Hammer films were in the format of theatrical trailers (due to actual film clips being too expensive), I found that there was enough of a mix of interviews and clips to keep most people happy. The narration was good (as you would expect from Peter Cushing & Christopher Lee) but was also tinged with sadness, as when it was shown in the UK (on consecutive Saturday evenings) Peter Cushing died before the second part was shown. It can truly be seen as his swansong for Hammer, for whom he made so many classic films.
13 Reviews
An essential and definitive look into the history of the Hammer Films.
Boba_Fett113810 September 2008
This is a rather nice 100 minutes lasting outline of the history of Hammer Film Productions ans simply a must-see for every Hammer movie lover.
I did not only wanted to see this documentary because of its subject and I'm a big fan of the Hammer studios movies but also because this was the last project Peter Cushing worked on. He died in the same year as the release of this documentary. He also sounded really old and just not 100% healthy during his narrations. The other part of he narration is being handled by his old buddy Christoper Lee. Together they starred in dozens of Hammer movies. It also feels right that this was Peter Cushing's last project, since he spend most of his career playing in Hammer movies and is also a reason why he is still so well known and loved, due to all the fine and iconic roles he has played in Hammer productions.
A lot of persons appearing in this documentary has died ever since so obvious the documentary is better than it could had been as it was made at this current day and time, although this movie also uses a lot of archived interviews. The documentary got made at the right time, after the Hammer reign had already ended.
It lets actors, directors, studio executives and everything in between speak about their own personal experiences and the history of the Hammer film studios, from the '30's to their peak at the '50's, '60's and '70's and the end later less successful years. It of course mostly focus on the horror productions, for which the Hammer studios are so well known. The movies had a very unique and distinctive style, which gave them a very large cult following, which was the reason why the Hammer movies were so successful at their time. They putted new life into the declining horror genre in the '50's.
The documentaries provides some unique behind the scenes footage and stories. It's also filled with footage from the actual movies and interviews with all those involved. It isn't just only about their successes but also about the bad choices they made and they also don't pretend like they were making "Citizen Kane" sort of movies at time and their movies were all perfect in every way thinkable.
The documentary is mostly insightful into the history of the Hammer studios and explains why they did things their way. It's perhaps not as insightful on the actually movies and some of its stars and directors, so just don't expect to learn a whole lot of new things about some of the Hammer classics.
Also the actual style of the documentary itself just isn't anything special. It's formulaic but pleasantly fast paced. It doesn't let one person needlessly say more than the other and the documentary features a wide variety of interviewees, which makes this a pleasant and always nice paced and told insightful documentary.
An essential movie for the Hammer lovers.
8/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
I did not only wanted to see this documentary because of its subject and I'm a big fan of the Hammer studios movies but also because this was the last project Peter Cushing worked on. He died in the same year as the release of this documentary. He also sounded really old and just not 100% healthy during his narrations. The other part of he narration is being handled by his old buddy Christoper Lee. Together they starred in dozens of Hammer movies. It also feels right that this was Peter Cushing's last project, since he spend most of his career playing in Hammer movies and is also a reason why he is still so well known and loved, due to all the fine and iconic roles he has played in Hammer productions.
A lot of persons appearing in this documentary has died ever since so obvious the documentary is better than it could had been as it was made at this current day and time, although this movie also uses a lot of archived interviews. The documentary got made at the right time, after the Hammer reign had already ended.
It lets actors, directors, studio executives and everything in between speak about their own personal experiences and the history of the Hammer film studios, from the '30's to their peak at the '50's, '60's and '70's and the end later less successful years. It of course mostly focus on the horror productions, for which the Hammer studios are so well known. The movies had a very unique and distinctive style, which gave them a very large cult following, which was the reason why the Hammer movies were so successful at their time. They putted new life into the declining horror genre in the '50's.
The documentaries provides some unique behind the scenes footage and stories. It's also filled with footage from the actual movies and interviews with all those involved. It isn't just only about their successes but also about the bad choices they made and they also don't pretend like they were making "Citizen Kane" sort of movies at time and their movies were all perfect in every way thinkable.
The documentary is mostly insightful into the history of the Hammer studios and explains why they did things their way. It's perhaps not as insightful on the actually movies and some of its stars and directors, so just don't expect to learn a whole lot of new things about some of the Hammer classics.
Also the actual style of the documentary itself just isn't anything special. It's formulaic but pleasantly fast paced. It doesn't let one person needlessly say more than the other and the documentary features a wide variety of interviewees, which makes this a pleasant and always nice paced and told insightful documentary.
An essential movie for the Hammer lovers.
8/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
The Heritage of Hammer!
Space_Mafune19 August 2003
A more complete and fascinating study of the heritage left behind by Hammer Studios will not likely ever be done quite this well in this format again. To hear the narrative thoughts of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee on their time with Hammer and its eventual rise and fall prove fascinating as do the many comments and interviews from the likes of Jimmy Sangster, Val Guest, Hazel Court, Ingrid Pitt, Caroline Munro, Michael Carreras, Raquel Welch, James Bernard and Tony Hinds's son. This is sure to thrill and delight any true fan of Hammer Horror. In fact it's a must-have!
A documentary history of Hammer Film Productions that is entertaining and informative.
Jason-382 June 1999
Hammer Films was the most successful independent production company in the history of the British film industry. Starting in the 1950's, they produced a memorable series of low budget science fiction and gothic horror films. These films were marked by high production values, solid technical work, strong acting, and intelligent writing and directing.
Their breakthrough came in 1957 with the release of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN. This low budget film became one of the most profitable films in the history of British cinema, as well as the most influential genre film to be released since the end of the Second World War. Today, numerous film makers acknowledge Hammer Films as an influence on their work. They include, George Lucas, Stephen Spielberg, Martin Scorcese, Joe Dante, John Landis, and John Carpenter, to name only a few.
Ted Newsom, the writer and director of FLESH AND BLOOD, originally made it in 1994, when it was shown on British television. The Anchor Bay Video Edition is Copyright 1997. Ted Newsom has succeeded in capturing a moment in time when a number of the people who made these films were still with us. Now, a few short years later this is no longer the case.
This was the last project that Peter Cushing completed before his death in 1994. He is heard in the off camera narration and seen only in film clips. Cushing's old friend Christopher Lee joins him in the off camera narration and in an on camera interview, as well as in film clips. The other interviews are candid and informative. Most of these people remember working for Hammer with real affection.
The one drawback in this documentary is that the film clips are taken from trailers. This avoided paying fees to distributors, but limits the choice and quality of the footage. On the other hand, FLESH AND BLOOD is well organized and researched. It presents a view of a memorable era in British film production with clarity and insight. For anyone who is already a Hammer fan, this is a must. For anyone who is just getting acquainted with their films, this will serve as an excellent introduction.
Their breakthrough came in 1957 with the release of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN. This low budget film became one of the most profitable films in the history of British cinema, as well as the most influential genre film to be released since the end of the Second World War. Today, numerous film makers acknowledge Hammer Films as an influence on their work. They include, George Lucas, Stephen Spielberg, Martin Scorcese, Joe Dante, John Landis, and John Carpenter, to name only a few.
Ted Newsom, the writer and director of FLESH AND BLOOD, originally made it in 1994, when it was shown on British television. The Anchor Bay Video Edition is Copyright 1997. Ted Newsom has succeeded in capturing a moment in time when a number of the people who made these films were still with us. Now, a few short years later this is no longer the case.
This was the last project that Peter Cushing completed before his death in 1994. He is heard in the off camera narration and seen only in film clips. Cushing's old friend Christopher Lee joins him in the off camera narration and in an on camera interview, as well as in film clips. The other interviews are candid and informative. Most of these people remember working for Hammer with real affection.
The one drawback in this documentary is that the film clips are taken from trailers. This avoided paying fees to distributors, but limits the choice and quality of the footage. On the other hand, FLESH AND BLOOD is well organized and researched. It presents a view of a memorable era in British film production with clarity and insight. For anyone who is already a Hammer fan, this is a must. For anyone who is just getting acquainted with their films, this will serve as an excellent introduction.
Absolutely fascinating--for horror fans
preppy-31 November 2003
I grew up watching the Hammer horror films on TV in the late 1970s. Even though some of them were severely edited (for violence and time) they still scared me silly and I was impressed by the acting and lush settings. In 1994 (a few years before Peter Cushing's death) they got together him and Christopher Lee to narrate a documentary on Hammer films. They also had tons of interview footage of Hammer directors, producers, editors, composers, executives etc etc talking about productions. Also many actors of the various Hammer movies talked about their roles and the productions themselves. Raquel Welch and Martine Beswick give very amusing commentaries and Veronica Carlson talks about a disgusting rape scene she was forced to act in for "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed". It was (thankfully) cut from the final print but the footage is here.
If you're a horror fan (like me) this is a just engrossing insight into how some of the best horror films of the 1950s-1970s were made. This isn't a whitewash job either. The actors and executives do complain about issues and problems they had with scripts and productions. Just fascinating from beginning to end. My only complaint--the footage from Hammer films is in pretty poor shape. Couldn't they have gotten some better prints?
If you're a horror fan (like me) this is a just engrossing insight into how some of the best horror films of the 1950s-1970s were made. This isn't a whitewash job either. The actors and executives do complain about issues and problems they had with scripts and productions. Just fascinating from beginning to end. My only complaint--the footage from Hammer films is in pretty poor shape. Couldn't they have gotten some better prints?
Funny anecdotes of a horrific business.
mark.waltz11 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
"With that Marcel wave, I looked like Helen Hayes!", Peter Cushing says with a glint in his eye, describing one of his many ventures as Dr. Frankenstein in the series that got Hammer on the map. Not to be confused with American International which also did colorful gothic horror films, Hammer was a British studio that re-made many of Universal's 1930's classics, including "Frankenstein", "Dracula" and "The Mummy", making long-running series out of both "Frankenstein" and "Dracula" and creating a star in Christopher Lee. This documentary covers a bit of the studio's entire history, how it was set up, the types of films that influenced it in creating an artistic look, and the flow of each series from conception to its completion, how both the critics and the public reacted to these films (quite differently as you can imagine), and how changes in the production code led to an abundance of bare flesh that added an erotic view to the characterization of these classic monsters.
Along the way, there are interviews with many of the stars, including Cushing and Lee of course, as well as the Hammer beauties, luscious British vixens who looked far more innocent than fellow British actress Barbara Steele who was very popular in Italian made horror films around the same time. Some of the actresses talk candidly about having to bare their breasts on screen, but one thing is clear in their appearance more than 20 years after these films have made: they were still quite attractive! Martine Beswicke ("Sister Hyde") stands out for me with her candidness and charm and humor, talking about how gorgeous Raquel Welch got all the make-up and attention on "One Million Years B.C." while she just was expected to look rough and unkempt for their fight scene. Those who worked there comment on the family like atmosphere, how everything got done on time and on budget, but how they managed to find time to have fun as well.
Looking back at these films 40-50 years after they were made, you can see the care that was put into the making of them, with some films very subtle in their horror, but genuinely spooky. The use of some American stars (Welch, Herbert Marshall, Richard Widmark, etc.) gives the film a continental feel, just as American International utilized some British actors also from Hammer in their Gothic horror films. Like a documentary I saw on the creation and fall of American International, Hammer reigned supreme in the late 1950's and 60's, begin to go down in quality and budget in the 1970's, and was pretty much non-existent after the early 1980's. There's little camp in the Hammer films, unlike American International, but there are subtleties of humor in the way the monsters encounter, seduce and finish off their victims, and that adds to the appeal of these movies. Audiences are admittedly frightened, yet attracted, by things that entice them, and this reminds them of their own weaknesses and desires and desperation not to be seduced by something that can steal their souls.
Along the way, there are interviews with many of the stars, including Cushing and Lee of course, as well as the Hammer beauties, luscious British vixens who looked far more innocent than fellow British actress Barbara Steele who was very popular in Italian made horror films around the same time. Some of the actresses talk candidly about having to bare their breasts on screen, but one thing is clear in their appearance more than 20 years after these films have made: they were still quite attractive! Martine Beswicke ("Sister Hyde") stands out for me with her candidness and charm and humor, talking about how gorgeous Raquel Welch got all the make-up and attention on "One Million Years B.C." while she just was expected to look rough and unkempt for their fight scene. Those who worked there comment on the family like atmosphere, how everything got done on time and on budget, but how they managed to find time to have fun as well.
Looking back at these films 40-50 years after they were made, you can see the care that was put into the making of them, with some films very subtle in their horror, but genuinely spooky. The use of some American stars (Welch, Herbert Marshall, Richard Widmark, etc.) gives the film a continental feel, just as American International utilized some British actors also from Hammer in their Gothic horror films. Like a documentary I saw on the creation and fall of American International, Hammer reigned supreme in the late 1950's and 60's, begin to go down in quality and budget in the 1970's, and was pretty much non-existent after the early 1980's. There's little camp in the Hammer films, unlike American International, but there are subtleties of humor in the way the monsters encounter, seduce and finish off their victims, and that adds to the appeal of these movies. Audiences are admittedly frightened, yet attracted, by things that entice them, and this reminds them of their own weaknesses and desires and desperation not to be seduced by something that can steal their souls.
Flesh And Blood: THE HAMMER HERITAGE OF HORROR {TV} (Ted Newsom, 1994) ***
Bunuel197612 July 2015
Another feature-length history of the infamous British film studio that, as the narration proudly says here, changed the face of cinema – and, more precisely, the vivid depiction of screen violence – forever. However, being a longer piece than usual, it takes care to deal with its 1930 origins (including 1935's THE MYSTERY OF THE MARY CELESTE aka PHANTOM SHIP starring legendary horror icon Bela Lugosi), its 1940s radio successes-to-screen adaptations and its 1950s "quota-quickie" run headed by Hollywood second leads like Paul Henried. Furthermore, it also delves into the studio's efforts in other genres like swashbucklers and thrillers but, somewhat disappointingly, not in enough detail to do them proper justice. Therefore – and the title is clear indication enough – the bulk of the feature is dedicated to their phenomenally successful cycle of Gothic horrors, Sci-Fi and Prehistoric adventures.
The roster of interviewees is pretty impressive and quite definitive: apart from Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee (who also act as narrators) we have Hammer stars like Martine Beswick, Veronica Carlson, Hazel Court, Andrew Keir, Francis Matthews, Ferdy Mayne, Caroline Munro, Christopher Neame, Ingrid Pitt, Yutte Stensgaard and Raquel Welch in a combination of archive and newly-shot footage; as for the creative Hammer staff there are Roy Ward Baker, James Bernard, Michael Carreras, Freddie Francis, Val Guest, Ray Harryhausen, Anthony Hinds and Jimmy Sangster as well as Hollywood fanboy Joe Dante. Apart from marking the historic final step in the working relationship of Cushing and Lee, the documentary inadvertently also served as an epitaph for the former and Michael Carreras who would both die soon after it premiered on TV! Apparently, according to its maker Ted Newsom, a longer "Director's Cut" will be unveiled in the near future, a full 20-plus years after it was originally shot
The roster of interviewees is pretty impressive and quite definitive: apart from Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee (who also act as narrators) we have Hammer stars like Martine Beswick, Veronica Carlson, Hazel Court, Andrew Keir, Francis Matthews, Ferdy Mayne, Caroline Munro, Christopher Neame, Ingrid Pitt, Yutte Stensgaard and Raquel Welch in a combination of archive and newly-shot footage; as for the creative Hammer staff there are Roy Ward Baker, James Bernard, Michael Carreras, Freddie Francis, Val Guest, Ray Harryhausen, Anthony Hinds and Jimmy Sangster as well as Hollywood fanboy Joe Dante. Apart from marking the historic final step in the working relationship of Cushing and Lee, the documentary inadvertently also served as an epitaph for the former and Michael Carreras who would both die soon after it premiered on TV! Apparently, according to its maker Ted Newsom, a longer "Director's Cut" will be unveiled in the near future, a full 20-plus years after it was originally shot
I miss Hammer's style of movie making
bensonmum24 December 2005
Warning: Spoilers
This is a wonderful documentary for any fan of Hammer. It's all here from the rise of Hammer as the King of Gothic Horror with The Curse of Frankenstein to the tragic downfall in the mid-70s. I have seen dozens of Hammer films over the years and to hear the stories about these films from the people who were there is an absolute joy. Even though the film is narrated by Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, the best stories are from Hammer directors like Roy Ward Baker and Val Guest and by Hammer writers like Jimmy Sangster and by Hammer producers like Michael Carreras. And they don't hold back. I appreciated their honesty, especially that of Carreras, concerning the demise of Hammer.
My only complaint would be with the film clips selected for use in Flesh and Blood. Little effort appears to have been made to clean-up or restore the clips. The quality is lacking at best.
My only complaint would be with the film clips selected for use in Flesh and Blood. Little effort appears to have been made to clean-up or restore the clips. The quality is lacking at best.
A Tribute to Hammer Films.
michaelRokeefe9 August 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Ted Newsome writes and directs this very interesting documentary paying homage to the legendary horror studio that frightened and titillated us in the theaters and drive-ins of the 60s and late night TV in the 70s. If it came from Hammer, it had to be good. The blood curdling The Horror of Dracula, The Curse of Frankenstein, The Curse of the Werewolf, The House of Usher, Hound of the Baskervilles and the many spin offs of Dracula and so many more. Flesh and blood sells; more flesh and blood sells better. Those great movies where the blood wasn't just red, it was "Hammer red". And the beautiful women with magnificent bosoms. Great Britian's Hammer Studios showed the American studios how to make horror, fantasy and Sci-Fi.Thoughts and interviews featuring Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Hazel Court, Ingrid Pitt, Ray Harryhausen, Raquel Welch, Veronica Carlson, Martine Beswilcke, Jimmy Sangster and so many others in front and behind the cameras. A journey about two hours long that features the ins and outs; the ups and downs and many clips from those exciting trailers from of the "fear factory"...Hammer Studios.
A MUST HAVE FOR HORROR FANS
kirbylee70-599-52617920 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The luster and heritage of Hammer Studios is now lost to a generation that's grown up with gore fueled blood drenched horror films dependent on shock value as opposed to storytelling and atmosphere. But growing up in the sixties the name Hammer meant horror as much as the name Universal and their classic creatures did. The release of a Hammer film meant something special and if one of their movies was on late night television forget about sleep that night.
FLESH & BLOOD: THE HAMMER HERITAGE OF HORROR was a 2 part BBC documentary celebrating the studio in 1994. It was released by Anchor Bay on home video around the same time since they were licensing their films for video distribution but that was a shortened version of the original. Now S'Mores Entertainment is releasing the documentary in its full 2 hours and 28 minutes running length.
Begun in 1934 it wasn't until Hammer studios ventured into the science fiction and horror realms that their films really gained notoriety. Starting with the Quatermass character in several films starring that fixture they gained enough impetus to move forward. But it was their gothic horror films that garnered the most attention and filled their coffers. Starting with THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN the studios seemed to find a gimmick that worked.
That gimmick was much easier than one would think. They took a solid story, created fantastic sets are small costs and featured actors who might not have been that well-known but were superb in their abilities. For this feature they employed two who would go on to greater acclaim but who starred in a vast number of Hammer films and became long-time icons in the world of horror: Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. So associated with the studio were these two actors that they are the ones chosen to narrate this documentary.
The pair would not only be used to launch the series of Frankenstein films the studio made featuring Cushing as the maniacally possessed scientist, they would co-star in a number of films based on that other towering giant of horror films Dracula. With HORROR OF DRACULE (released in the UK as just DRACULA) the studio hit pay dirt. The film featuring Lee as the horrific Count and Cushing as his formidable foe Van Helsing. Made for a small amount the film went on to become a top grossing film that year.
As you can see it's easy to get caught up in the mania for Hammer horror when you reflect on the studio and its output if you grew up watching these films as I have. I could go on about all of the things they did and their progress into more horror and their eventual downturn but to do so would leave you with no reason to watch this wonderful documentary.
Combining film clips, trailer clips and interviews with many who were responsible for making those classic films the story of Hammer comes through from their beginning to their demise to their eventual rising from the grave much like the famed count himself, reinvented for a new generation with new movies being produced recently. There is little doubt that the inclusion of this portion of the documentary may be what increased the length of it from previous incarnations since these films have only been made recently. To see the words "Hammer Films" on the screen once again is a joy for fans.
The documentary is broken down into various chapters covering the types and styles of films that Hammer made. One will focus on Frankenstein, another on Dracula and yet another on what was termed the glamour of Hammer focusing on the beautiful women placed in many of their films. Each takes a look at the items that made Hammer the studio that they were.
If you are unfamiliar with the studio and the output of films they are responsible for then this is a nice jumping point to start with. It will provide you with a glimpse at their offerings and afterward you'll be able to pick and choose those you want to seek out. The background information and interviews are enjoyable and give you a background on some of the films and the productions of them from when they were made. That we are fortunate enough to have the archival interviews is good news for fans of film since many have since passed away, in particular both narrators.
Watching this documentary not only took me back to the movies they created but to Friday nights growing up when my friends and I would make sure we stayed up late and watched the local horror hosts airing these films. If one of them popped up on some schedule during the week you know that we would be bleary eyed the next morning having snuck out of bed to watch them. It also made me want to go back through my collection of films to re-watch a number of the films they made and enjoy them all over again or to pick up copies of those I was missing. Best of all the documentary brings forth an awareness of the studio that many may not have or may not have grown up with in spite of being fans of horror. If you are among those then might I suggest you pick this one up and educate yourself in all things Hammer and then seek out those films.
FLESH & BLOOD: THE HAMMER HERITAGE OF HORROR was a 2 part BBC documentary celebrating the studio in 1994. It was released by Anchor Bay on home video around the same time since they were licensing their films for video distribution but that was a shortened version of the original. Now S'Mores Entertainment is releasing the documentary in its full 2 hours and 28 minutes running length.
Begun in 1934 it wasn't until Hammer studios ventured into the science fiction and horror realms that their films really gained notoriety. Starting with the Quatermass character in several films starring that fixture they gained enough impetus to move forward. But it was their gothic horror films that garnered the most attention and filled their coffers. Starting with THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN the studios seemed to find a gimmick that worked.
That gimmick was much easier than one would think. They took a solid story, created fantastic sets are small costs and featured actors who might not have been that well-known but were superb in their abilities. For this feature they employed two who would go on to greater acclaim but who starred in a vast number of Hammer films and became long-time icons in the world of horror: Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. So associated with the studio were these two actors that they are the ones chosen to narrate this documentary.
The pair would not only be used to launch the series of Frankenstein films the studio made featuring Cushing as the maniacally possessed scientist, they would co-star in a number of films based on that other towering giant of horror films Dracula. With HORROR OF DRACULE (released in the UK as just DRACULA) the studio hit pay dirt. The film featuring Lee as the horrific Count and Cushing as his formidable foe Van Helsing. Made for a small amount the film went on to become a top grossing film that year.
As you can see it's easy to get caught up in the mania for Hammer horror when you reflect on the studio and its output if you grew up watching these films as I have. I could go on about all of the things they did and their progress into more horror and their eventual downturn but to do so would leave you with no reason to watch this wonderful documentary.
Combining film clips, trailer clips and interviews with many who were responsible for making those classic films the story of Hammer comes through from their beginning to their demise to their eventual rising from the grave much like the famed count himself, reinvented for a new generation with new movies being produced recently. There is little doubt that the inclusion of this portion of the documentary may be what increased the length of it from previous incarnations since these films have only been made recently. To see the words "Hammer Films" on the screen once again is a joy for fans.
The documentary is broken down into various chapters covering the types and styles of films that Hammer made. One will focus on Frankenstein, another on Dracula and yet another on what was termed the glamour of Hammer focusing on the beautiful women placed in many of their films. Each takes a look at the items that made Hammer the studio that they were.
If you are unfamiliar with the studio and the output of films they are responsible for then this is a nice jumping point to start with. It will provide you with a glimpse at their offerings and afterward you'll be able to pick and choose those you want to seek out. The background information and interviews are enjoyable and give you a background on some of the films and the productions of them from when they were made. That we are fortunate enough to have the archival interviews is good news for fans of film since many have since passed away, in particular both narrators.
Watching this documentary not only took me back to the movies they created but to Friday nights growing up when my friends and I would make sure we stayed up late and watched the local horror hosts airing these films. If one of them popped up on some schedule during the week you know that we would be bleary eyed the next morning having snuck out of bed to watch them. It also made me want to go back through my collection of films to re-watch a number of the films they made and enjoy them all over again or to pick up copies of those I was missing. Best of all the documentary brings forth an awareness of the studio that many may not have or may not have grown up with in spite of being fans of horror. If you are among those then might I suggest you pick this one up and educate yourself in all things Hammer and then seek out those films.
Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror
henry8-35 December 2019
Documentary, narrated by Lee and Cushing charting the huge success of Hammer at Bray studios. It covers the categories of films eg Frankenstein, Dracula and others rather than opt for a straight chronological journey and as well as many great clips to jog memories there are some fascinating insights from directors and producers.
A touch stilted / unimaginative in its presentation, but worth seeing if you're interest in film history or just loved the Hammer films.
A touch stilted / unimaginative in its presentation, but worth seeing if you're interest in film history or just loved the Hammer films.
Well Balanced. A Little Long at Times
Hitchcoc24 July 2020
After Universal, Hammer films drew a big audience. This documentary takes us inside this institution. They took, for example, Frankenstein and Dracula and did sequels till the vampires came home. Still, their quality was fine and interviews with the principle players were quite nice. I am in the process of finding a few of the films that I've not seen.
Wonderful Documentary
BaronBl00d26 December 1999
Perhaps no other studio has been linked with the horror genre more so than that of the English Hammer Studio. Flesh and Blood is the story of that studio and its meteoric rise in the late fifties and its crashing demise in the late seventies. The chronicle is related to the audience through the voices of the studio's biggest stars...Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. This was Cushing's last project before his death in 1994, and it is thrilling just to hear him speak of his days of old with Hammer. Christopher Lee adds more insights into his films and about those people that worked in front and behind the camera. Among those interviewed are Hammer starlets Raquel Welch, Veronica Carlson, Ingrid Pitt, delicious Hazel Court, and Caroline Munro, Hammer producers and directors Anthony Hinds, Michael Carreras, Jimmy Sangster, Freddie Francis, and Val Guest, and other notables such as actor Andrew Keir. This documentary starts out with the studio's success with the Quatermass movies and then spends a good amount of time going over the breakthrough film The Curse of Frankenstein and its sequels and then The Horror of Dracula and its sequels. Ted Newsom certainly has done a great job with this definitive story of the House that Hammer Built!
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