Editorials
A Beginner’s Guide to Hammer Horror: 10 Essential Movies
Iconic British film studio Hammer Film Productions is well known and regarded for their gothic horror output that took off in the ‘50s and ‘60s, but the 1934-founded company has an extensive catalog of films and television series from all genres. Hammer first garnered a lot of attention for retooling the Universal classic horror films with their own gothic style in the ‘50s, and by the ‘70s their horror received some serious critical appraisal. But the ‘70s also marked a major shift in the horror landscape, and fans weren’t so interested in gothic tales anymore. Hammer attempted to branch out, but their reputation had been founded on their brand of gothic horror and so the attempts didn’t have the nearly the same impact.
If you’ve been paying close attention lately, you’ve likely spotted that iconic Hammer logo in the opening credits of recent releases. 2010’s Let Me In remake, 2012’s gothic redo The Woman in Black, the upcoming chiller The Lodge, and more all bear that trademark logo. After a couple of decades in the shadows, this iconic company is in the midst of a revival.
All of this to say that unless you’re already well versed in their extensive output it can be intimidating to know to start. Consider this your starter kit to Hammer Horror; these 10 horror movies make for a great introduction.
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
Upon initial release, the critics hated this movie. Luckily that sentiment wasn’t shared by audiences, who turned this low budget horror experiment into a major success for Hammer. It paved the way for the Hammer Horror legacy that followed. Hammer’s first color film, this take on Mary Shelley’s classic tale is far more gruesome and bloodier, and far removed from the revered Universal classic iteration. Starring Peter Cushing as Victor Frankenstein and Christopher Lee as The Creature, The Curse of Frankenstein is heavier on character work as well as body count.
Horror of Dracula (1958)
Released as Dracula, this one was retitled Horror of Dracula to avoid confusion with the 1931 film of the same name. A critical and commercial success, Horror of Dracula was the first to see Christopher Lee in the titular role Count Dracula. Peter Cushing played his nemesis Van Helsing. Extravagant production design, shocking blood and violence, and eroticism all solidified Hammer Horror as a definitive brand. It also marked the beginning of a series.
The Brides of Dracula (1960)
The sequel to Horror of Dracula followed Van Helsing (Cushing) returning to Transylvania to aid beautiful school teacher Marianne, who has fallen prey to the bloodthirsty Baron Meinster (David Peel). The Brides of Dracula expands the vampire lore without the aid of Dracula himself, and continued to up the ante on the sex appeal and horror. This played a direct influence on filmmaker Jess Franco.
The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)
Based on the novel The Werewolf of Paris, this one stars Oliver Reed as Leon, the bastard son of a mute servant that was raped by a crazed beggar. That alone would give anyone deep-seated issues, but poor Leon also finds himself dealing with a hunger for flesh and excessive body hair. That’s right, he’s a werewolf. This one puts a unique spin on the werewolf tale with a riveting lead performance and beautiful cinematography. It helps that the werewolf transformation is pretty well done, too.
The Plague of the Zombies (1966)
Hammer’s spooky twist on the zombie movie saw a Cornish village being wiped out thanks to a mysterious epidemic. Doctor Tompson is stumped, so he seeks outside help from a friend, Sir James Forbes, and his daughter. In an attempt to investigate, the men find all the coffins of the deceased empty, and they soon encounter zombies. Two years prior to the release of George A. Romero’s game-changer, this zombie film centers on Haitian voodoo. Zombies may have changed dramatically since, but this was among the first to depict them rising from their graves.
Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
Christopher Lee made his return as Count Dracula in this sequel, forever tying him to the iconic character. After a prologue that catches viewers up to speed from the original film, the main plot sees a resurrected Dracula hunting four unsuspecting visitors to his castle. Though Lee’s role in this one is limited, his menacing performance is now iconic. This sequel also helped set the standard Hammer Horror blueprint for future entries.
Quatermass and the Pit (1967)
Not all great Hammer movies worth seeking out exist solely in the realm of gothic horror, and this sci-fi/horror movie proves it. This one is the third entry in the Quatermass series, and the best entry by far. You don’t need to have seen the previous two to enjoy this one, either. The plot sees a strange artifact unearthed in London, and scientist Bernard Quatermass is called in to determine its origin and effects on humanity. Intelligent and introspecting, this film has been cited as a major influence on Stephen King and John Carpenter.
The Devil Rides Out (1968)
Also known as The Devil’s Bride, this cult horror film really delves into the workings of a Satan-worshiping cult and sees said worshipers working to convert two new victims. Christopher Lee plays Nicholas, Duc de Richleau, an investigator that deduces his friend’s son may be one of the cult’s newest inductees. An epic battle of good versus evil, full of chills and adventure, The Devil Rides Out is one of Hammer horror’s best. It also seems to be one of the rarer instances in which Lee plays the good guy.
Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde (1970)
You know the story; a Victorian scientist develops a serum that causes him to turn into a monstrous mastermind. But what if he turns into a murderous seductress instead? That’s the concept behind this fun, sensual twist on a familiar classic. This one is pure over the top camp in the most entertaining way. Hammer Horror developed a name for gothic retellings of familiar classics, but the company doesn’t always get the credit it deserves for just how unique these retellings can be. This is a great example.
Captain Kronos- Vampire Hunter (1974)
With interest in gothic horror waning fast, Hammer attempted to launch a new franchise. One that gave vampires a different spin and added sword fighting adventure to the mix. Also, the focus was on the plucky swashbuckling hero Captain Kronos and his humpbacked sidekick, and less so the villains. A blend of multiple genres that also toes the line between tongue-in-cheek and serious, Captain Kronos is one of Hammer’s most fun films. It deserves a bigger audience.
Having grown up in a religious family, Christian movie night was something that happened a lot more often than I care to admit. However, back when I was a teenager, my parents showed up one night with an unusually cool-looking DVD of a movie that had been recommended to them by a church leader. Curious to see what new kind of evangelical propaganda my parents had rented this time, I proceeded to watch the film with them expecting a heavy-handed snoozefest.
To my surprise, I was a few minutes in when Denzel Washington proceeded to dismember a band of cannibal raiders when I realized that this was in fact a real movie. My mom was horrified by the flick’s extreme violence and dark subject matter, but I instantly became a fan of the Hughes Brothers’ faith-based 2010 thriller, The Book of Eli. And with the film’s atomic apocalypse having apparently taken place in 2024, I think this is the perfect time to dive into why this grim parable might also be entertaining for horror fans.
Originally penned by gaming journalist and The Walking Dead: The Game co-writer Gary Whitta, the spec script for The Book of Eli was already making waves back in 2007 when it appeared on the coveted Blacklist. It wasn’t long before Columbia and Warner Bros. snatched up the rights to the project, hiring From Hell directors Albert and Allen Hughes while also garnering attention from industry heavyweights like Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman.
After a series of revisions by Anthony Peckham meant to make the story more consumer-friendly, the picture was finally released in January of 2010, with the finished film following Denzel as a mysterious wanderer making his way across a post-apocalyptic America while protecting a sacred book. Along the way, he encounters a run-down settlement controlled by Bill Carnegie (Gary Oldman), a man desperate to get his hands on Eli’s book so he can motivate his underlings to expand his empire. Unwilling to let this power fall into the wrong hands, Eli embarks on a dangerous journey that will test the limits of his faith.
SO WHY IS IT WORTH WATCHING?
Judging by the film’s box-office success, mainstream audiences appear to have enjoyed the Hughes’ bleak vision of a future where everything went wrong, but critics were left divided by the flick’s trope-heavy narrative and unapologetic religious elements. And while I’ll be the first to admit that The Book of Eli isn’t particularly subtle or original, I appreciate the film’s earnest execution of familiar ideas.
For starters, I’d like to address the religious elephant in the room, as I understand the hesitation that some folks (myself included) might have about watching something that sounds like Christian propaganda. Faith does indeed play a huge part in the narrative here, but I’d argue that the film is more about the power of stories than a specific religion. The entire point of Oldman’s character is that he needs a unifying narrative that he can take advantage of in order to manipulate others, while Eli ultimately chooses to deliver his gift to a community of scholars. In fact, the movie even makes a point of placing the Bible in between equally culturally important books like the Torah and Quran, which I think is pretty poignant for a flick inspired by exploitation cinema.
Sure, the film has its fair share of logical inconsistencies (ranging from the extent of Eli’s Daredevil superpowers to his impossibly small Braille Bible), but I think the film more than makes up for these nitpicks with a genuine passion for classic post-apocalyptic cinema. Several critics accused the film of being a knockoff of superior productions, but I’d argue that both Whitta and the Hughes knowingly crafted a loving pastiche of genre influences like Mad Max and A Boy and His Dog.
Lastly, it’s no surprise that the cast here absolutely kicks ass. Denzel plays the title role of a stoic badass perfectly (going so far as to train with Bruce Lee’s protégée in order to perform his own stunts) while Oldman effortlessly assumes a surprisingly subdued yet incredibly intimidating persona. Even Mila Kunis is remarkably charming here, though I wish the script had taken the time to develop these secondary characters a little further. And hey, did I mention that Tom Waits is in this?
AND WHAT MAKES IT HORROR ADJACENT?
Denzel’s very first interaction with another human being in this movie results in a gory fight scene culminating in a face-off against a masked brute wielding a chainsaw (which he presumably uses to butcher travelers before eating them), so I think it’s safe to say that this dog-eat-dog vision of America will likely appeal to horror fans.
From diseased cannibals to hyper-violent motorcycle gangs roaming the wasteland, there’s plenty of disturbing R-rated material here – which is even more impressive when you remember that this story revolves around the bible. And while there are a few too many references to sexual assault for my taste, even if it does make sense in-universe, the flick does a great job of immersing you in this post-nuclear nightmare.
The excessively depressing color palette and obvious green screen effects may take some viewers out of the experience, but the beat-up and lived-in sets and costume design do their best to bring this dead world to life – which might just be the scariest part of the experience.
Ultimately, I believe your enjoyment of The Book of Eli will largely depend on how willing you are to overlook some ham-fisted biblical references in order to enjoy some brutal post-apocalyptic shenanigans. And while I can’t really blame folks who’d rather not deal with that, I think it would be a shame to miss out on a genuinely engaging thrill-ride because of one minor detail.
With that in mind, I’m incredibly curious to see what Whitta and the Hughes Brothers have planned for the upcoming prequel series starring John Boyega…
There’s no understating the importance of a balanced media diet, and since bloody and disgusting entertainment isn’t exclusive to the horror genre, we’ve come up with Horror Adjacent – a recurring column where we recommend non-horror movies that horror fans might enjoy.
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