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Great movies (even though only 5 of them are actually out and out monster movies... the others are a pair of B&W psychological thrillers & an admittedly excellent historical adventure drama with a horror title tacked on) but, oh, that awful letterboxing! I mean really, you know that someone is literally setting their sights a bit too narrow when the North & South Pole are cut off of the globe on the opening Universal logo... I swear sometimes it's like trying to watch a movie through a mail slot! I hate it when studios use mock letterboxing on films that were made in the full screen format or else don't bother to use the right aspect ratio from a film's original release. Still, it doesn't seem likely that any of these films will ever be released on their own, and I admit I am quite happy to FINALLY have a copy of "Evil of Frankenstein" on DVD (especially considering that my old VHS copy is missing the first few minutes of sound...), and it is nice to have copies of the other films as well, especially for Peter Cushing's equally energetic performances in "Brides of Dracula" and the delightfully swashbuckling "Night Creatures".Read full review
I am annoyed with Universal's dual layered DVD collections. They may be cost effective, but three different sets have movies that stall or won't play. This set is no exception. Hammer is England's answer to Universal's monster series and they did a very good job. Here we have some much viewed movies and a few that are not often seen. Two of the most famous "The Curse of the Werewolf" and "The Evil of Frankenstein" are in in a pristine transfer. "The Phantom of the Opera" moves much faster than previous versions, although Claude Rains as "The Phantom" is definitive. For those who dislike opera (and I'm not crazy about it), very little is utilized in this version. It is very atmospheric and well made and succeeds far better on an entertainment level than the Rain's version which had too much music. My favorite really doesn't belong on a horror collection: "Night Creatures". It is more of a historical suspense drama starring Peter Cushing. I saw this when I was young on TV and was mesmerized. It still holds up well. The Modern Gothic movies do not fare well at all due to poor scripting and familiar storyline. "Paranoiac" I barely got through, and "Nightmare", I can't review as the movie stalls quite a bit. I had to skip to Chapter 7 before it played properly. Both are in B&W. "Brides of Dracula" is another classic outing sans Christoper Lee, and "Kiss of the Vampire", also sans Lee, is uninspired. It isn't even the least bit "frightening". However it does have one heck of of a "Hitchcokian" twist at the end that more than makes up for any shortcomings. I give the selection of movies 5 stars. The 3 star rating is for the annoying stalls which are due to light embedding on dual layer discs. This could have been a "great" box set. All the transfers are clean and the sound is crisp, but you blew it Universal. Buyer take note. I have read other reviews complaining about different movies that stalled on this collection but worked fine for me. Buy at your own risk. At least one movie will stall on you and for a horror collection this is sudden death. You can't get into the movie when it is stutters in slow to no motion. Terry Robertson (susanfan) Author of "Fill My Eyes" "Broken Windows, Reflections of a FoolRead full review
I bought this set of Hammer Studios horror films because many of them are difficult to find in the DVD format. Several of the eight films in the package are rarities, including "Paranoiac," "Night Creatures," "Nightmare," and "The Curse of the Werewolf." Set also includes the magnificent "Brides of Dracula," one of director Terence Fisher's best efforts and the intelligent "The Evil of Frankenstein." Most of these were made in British independent film company Hammer's heyday, and this set was well worth the price. Horror films today are so much more about special effects and are not as well written. Hammer made these low budget films that are truly scary and thought-provoking, too, with excellent acting (Oliver Reed got his start in these films and Brit actor Peter Cushing is always superb), terrific film scores, often by James Bernard, and great sets. Hammer did more with less money than wasteful US companies. So, if you like '60s and '70s horror done right, this set and anything else by Hammer is well worth having.Read full review
Here, We have 8 hammer films........in one set, for a great price... One of My favorites Night creatures Cpt Clegg, alias The Scarecrow later remade on Disney Dr Syn Scarecrow. The Brides Of Dracula, the one Chris lee did not do.. but an acceptable atmospheric film, one of Hammers best. Herbert loms, Phantom Oliver reeds Werewolf kiss of The vampire....one wonders how vampire bats conjured, destroy a coven of vampires.... a frankenstien film, nightmare and paranoiac.. get out the popcorn, get the kids....turn down the lights, and show the kids what scared the Baby Boomers...All enjoyable.......never get tired of watching......who needs freddie and jason......
Great movies, produced in a good quality DVD format with a very nice DVD chase.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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