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HannibalBarca
Sep 11, 2016

History shows, again and again, how nature points out the folly of man.

Sir Nose posted:

Unfortunately no, the films were sold to US distributors individually, so US rights are owned by several different studios and there's no way to compile them all into one set.

Yeah, I was looking at Amazon and that seemed to be the case. Same thing happened with the Godzilla series, you have to collect them piecemeal. Ah well.

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WeedlordGoku69
Feb 12, 2015

by Cyrano4747
So... this isn't really a big deal or even something anybody cares about, but what is up with some of the MPAA ratings for these movies? A few of them, like Taste the Blood of Dracula and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed in particular, apparently got resubmitted to the MPAA in recentish years (former went from PG to R, latter went from "M" to PG-13), but I'm unsure what the story behind that was; it seems a little odd that they'd just resubmit a couple Hammer movies for the sake of it.

Sir Nose
Mar 28, 2009


US theatrical version of Taste the Blood of Dracula was edited back in the day to get a PG, for the kids. Same version was on VHS. But DVD and blu ray are restored and have the uncut UK version which is rated R, for some additional adult content and brief flashes of nudity.

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed was rated M upon release but that rating category no longer exists, so had to be resubmitted for home video release and got the PG-13.

But for rating categories back then that still exist now, no resubmission is required for the same edit of the film. So films like Planet of the Apes and Dracula Has Risen From The Grave retain their G rating they got in the late 60s, because the G rating still exists today. But of course nowadays the G rating is reserved for absolutely benign pap; if made today POTA and DHRFTG would surely get at least PG now... DHRFTG is, I guarantee, the most violent bloody G rated movie you will ever see.

Even so, you still would have totally dug it back when you were 8. *sigh* The ratings board back then seemed to better intuit how tough, resilient, and bloodthirsty kids actually are...

Sir Nose fucked around with this message at 07:15 on Nov 23, 2016

WeedlordGoku69
Feb 12, 2015

by Cyrano4747
That's tangential to what I was asking about, though. In the US, you don't actually have to resubmit movies to release them on home video, even if it's a different cut; had they released the uncut version of Taste the Blood... with the original PG rating on it, they might've gotten in trouble, but releasing it unrated would have been totally fine (and is generally the option distributors go with in this type of situation; hell, Horror of Dracula and Dracula: Prince of Darkness are unrated in the US to this day). Ditto with Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed's original rating no longer existing; releasing it unrated would have been perfectly okay.

What I'm curious about is why they went out of their way to resubmit the movies and get new ratings on them, when they could have simply released them as unrated and avoided the expense and hassle. The only obvious answer would seem to be that they were doing a theatrical rerelease of the movies (the only situation in which they'd have to resubmit them, and even then not necessarily since most repertory theaters don't care), but Taste the Blood of Dracula and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed seem like pretty odd choices for that, particularly the former.

Sir Nose
Mar 28, 2009


LORD OF BOOTY posted:

had they released the uncut version of Taste the Blood... with the original PG rating on it, they might've gotten in trouble, but releasing it unrated would have been totally fine (and is generally the option distributors go with in this type of situation)
Indeed, that's what happened with Swamp Thing and When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth; initial dvd releases had the original US ratings on it, but contained more explicit European versions of the films. There were complaints, and the dvds were quickly withdrawn. These are viewed as "kids' movies", and getting new ratings on the covers would protect them against this. "Hey, lady, the box cover warned you..."

LORD OF BOOTY posted:

hell, Horror of Dracula and Dracula: Prince of Darkness are unrated in the US to this day
I think that's because those films predate the US ratings system.

LORD OF BOOTY posted:

What I'm curious about is why they went out of their way to resubmit the movies and get new ratings on them, when they could have simply released them as unrated and avoided the expense and hassle.

Ya got me there. :shrug: Maybe to avoid angry moms (see above).

LORD OF BOOTY posted:

The only obvious answer would seem to be that they were doing a theatrical rerelease of the movies (the only situation in which they'd have to resubmit them, and even then not necessarily since most repertory theaters don't care), but Taste the Blood of Dracula and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed seem like pretty odd choices for that, particularly the former.

Well, TTBOD is now a truly different version of the film than what was seen here before, so it actually has some big changes and that seems to me to make it the least odd choice for a re-rating, to cover their rear end and avoid the Swamp Thing/Dinosaurs problem I mentioned above. Although, as I think about it, not all versions of FMBD have the rape scene; perhaps the reinstatement of that scene informed Warner's decision to resubmit it for rating as well.

Sir Nose fucked around with this message at 07:49 on Nov 23, 2016

HUNDU THE BEAST GOD
Sep 14, 2007

everything is yours

Sir Nose posted:

That's Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, most Hammer fans regard it as one of the better installments. Evil of Frankenstein and Horror of Frankenstein are much shittier.

I really gotta rewatch the whole series. The only one I've seen more than once is Frankenstein Created Woman, which owns.

DeimosRising
Oct 17, 2005

¡Hola SEA!


HUNDU THE BEAST GOD posted:

I really gotta rewatch the whole series. The only one I've seen more than once is Frankenstein Created Woman, which owns.

It's the only one I ever feel much urge to revisit. Cushing does all the heavy lifting in the others and they don't have the hooks that the Dracula flicks, for example, have. The Hammer Dracula are just overflowing with ideas, the Frankensteins, Created Woman notwithstanding, have one great character and not much else.

HUNDU THE BEAST GOD
Sep 14, 2007

everything is yours
And those Mummy movies. I want to like them so bad.

DeimosRising
Oct 17, 2005

¡Hola SEA!


HUNDU THE BEAST GOD posted:

And those Mummy movies. I want to like them so bad.

Every time I watch the Mummy, I'm like man that's a really cool idea/image/whatever one minute then a minute later I realize I zoned out and started doing the dishes or something. I am at a total loss to explain why I don't like them.

LesterGroans
Jun 9, 2009

It's funny...

You were so scary at night.

DeimosRising posted:

Every time I watch the Mummy, I'm like man that's a really cool idea/image/whatever one minute then a minute later I realize I zoned out and started doing the dishes or something. I am at a total loss to explain why I don't like them.

Watched it for the second time in October and liked it a lot more than the first time I saw it. Those sequels though... Yikes.

HUNDU THE BEAST GOD
Sep 14, 2007

everything is yours
I know exactly why I don't like them - they establish a mood that they don't sustain, which is something crucial that otherwise mediocre movies manage to exploit. The Terror, for example, is not a great movie by any stretch but it is very moody. Those Mummy movies are just dull.

I'm gonna give it another shot because it seems wrong that my favorite Mummy movie is the one with Brendan Fraser.

HUNDU THE BEAST GOD fucked around with this message at 21:50 on Nov 27, 2016

PinkoBastard
Oct 3, 2010
I'm a big fan of The Mummy (1959), and I actually think that it's the best mummy movie ever made, for better or for worse. The sequels, though, are very lacklustre, so the films just don't work as a series.

Hollismason
Jun 30, 2007

Witchfinder General

It sucks that they broke continuity with the third Cushing Frankenstein film.

Also it looks like Shudder has gotten the rights to a good number of Hammer Horror and Amicus horror films as well.

RC and Moon Pie
May 5, 2011

Turner Classic Movies always has a run of Hammer Frankenstein and Dracula movies in October, though not all of them.

Going through Hammer's YouTube channel, they've uploaded a handful of early films.
- Phantom Ship (1935)
- The Song of Freedom (1936)
- Dick Barton: Special Agent (1948)
- River Patrol (1948)
- Dick Barton Strikes Back (1949)
- Dick Barton at Bay (1950)
- The Man in Black (1950)
- Four-Sided Triangle (1953)

HannibalBarca
Sep 11, 2016

History shows, again and again, how nature points out the folly of man.

Hollismason posted:

Also it looks like Shudder has gotten the rights to a good number of Hammer Horror and Amicus horror films as well.

Which ones? Frankensteins and Draculas or some of the lesser-known oneoffs?

DeimosRising
Oct 17, 2005

¡Hola SEA!


HUNDU THE BEAST GOD posted:

I know exactly why I don't like them - they establish a mood that they don't sustain, which is something crucial that otherwise mediocre movies manage to exploit. The Terror, for example, is not a great movie by any stretch but it is very moody. Those Mummy movies are just dull.

I'm gonna give it another shot because it seems wrong that my favorite Mummy movie is the one with Brendan Fraser.

That's a good point, and it's the best thing about, for a directly comparable and mediocre comparison, The Gorgon. It knows exactly what it's doing and really sells this dreary, almost claustrophobic fall atmosphere that compliments the story perfectly.

HUNDU THE BEAST GOD
Sep 14, 2007

everything is yours
Yeah, movies like The Gorgon, The Oblong Box, their zombie movie I can never remember the name of all do great with atmosphere. The Abominable Snowman is one of the best examples I can think of in that regard.

LesterGroans
Jun 9, 2009

It's funny...

You were so scary at night.

HUNDU THE BEAST GOD posted:

Yeah, movies like The Gorgon, The Oblong Box, their zombie movie I can never remember the name of all do great with atmosphere. The Abominable Snowman is one of the best examples I can think of in that regard.

The Plague of the Zombies

Remulak
Jun 8, 2001
I can't count to four.
Yams Fan
Isn't Theatre of Blood a Hammer? Picked it up recently and it's as much fun as I remember. Also picked up both Phibes, which are AIP I know but I think are awesome, my 12-yo self thought so, anyway.

On topic, was the shemp in The prestige a call out to the similar role in Theater of Blood? They sure looked similar.

HannibalBarca
Sep 11, 2016

History shows, again and again, how nature points out the folly of man.

HUNDU THE BEAST GOD posted:

Yeah, movies like The Gorgon, The Oblong Box, their zombie movie I can never remember the name of all do great with atmosphere. The Abominable Snowman is one of the best examples I can think of in that regard.

Abominable Snowman has incredible atmosphere. It's best watched during a snowstorm. It's even better when you consider that most of the shots were done on a a few soundstages with fake snow. Being able to create such a convincing Himalayan snowscape out of that is a great example of how Black and White can enhance a movie. The soundtrack does a lot of good work there, too.

HannibalBarca fucked around with this message at 14:16 on Nov 28, 2016

Sir Nose
Mar 28, 2009


Hollismason posted:

It sucks that they broke continuity with the third Cushing Frankenstein film.

Head canon: The continuity still sorta works for me, I consider everything that happens in the third film including the flashbacks as all happening after the events of the second movie, and Frankenstein is being selective in what he reveals to his assistant about his past adventures.


Remulak posted:

Isn't Theatre of Blood a Hammer? Picked it up recently and it's as much fun as I remember. Also picked up both Phibes, which are AIP I know but I think are awesome, my 12-yo self thought so, anyway.

Theatre of Blood is not Hammer. But yeah it's terrific.

HannibalBarca
Sep 11, 2016

History shows, again and again, how nature points out the folly of man.
I've just now started collecting some of these on DVD/Blu-Ray, but I've hit a snag where it's hard to get a hold of DVDs for the Frankenstein series between "Revenge" and "Must be Destroyed." Are those movies essential viewing in terms of having to bridge gaps between the films? If so, can you point a poor colonial towards a place to obtain these pieces of high culture from the Mother Country?

Basebf555
Feb 29, 2008

The greatest sensual pleasure there is is to know the desires of another!

Fun Shoe

HannibalBarca posted:

I've just now started collecting some of these on DVD/Blu-Ray, but I've hit a snag where it's hard to get a hold of DVDs for the Frankenstein series between "Revenge" and "Must be Destroyed." Are those movies essential viewing in terms of having to bridge gaps between the films? If so, can you point a poor colonial towards a place to obtain these pieces of high culture from the Mother Country?

The Evil of Frankenstein is on this set: https://www.amazon.com/Werewolf-Par...of+Frankenstein

Its a good set even aside from Frankenstein, it includes a very underrated Cushing role in Night Creatures, and there's also Curse of the Werewolf which is excellent.

Frankenstein Created Woman is tougher to track down, but unfortunately it is pretty essential. Some would argue that its the best of all the sequels. The only real option is paying $25 for an individual blu ray, I don't think its included in any DVD set that's currently in print.

HannibalBarca
Sep 11, 2016

History shows, again and again, how nature points out the folly of man.
Thanks!

Sir Nose
Mar 28, 2009


HannibalBarca posted:

I've just now started collecting some of these on DVD/Blu-Ray, but I've hit a snag where it's hard to get a hold of DVDs for the Frankenstein series between "Revenge" and "Must be Destroyed." Are those movies essential viewing in terms of having to bridge gaps between the films? If so, can you point a poor colonial towards a place to obtain these pieces of high culture from the Mother Country?

Are you region-free? The US version of Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell is cut. You'll have to shop overseas to get it uncut. You can find stand-alone discs of Evil of Frankenstein overseas, too, if you don't want to get that US set. (Although, as Basebf555 said, it's a good set. It also contains the great Brides Of Dracula.)

Sir Nose fucked around with this message at 16:11 on Jan 12, 2017

HannibalBarca
Sep 11, 2016

History shows, again and again, how nature points out the folly of man.
After some wrangling (and downloading what is probably bloatware), I was finally able to watch the Blu-Ray of Revenge of Frankenstein that I ordered. It's great! Better than the first movie.

E: although I'm confused as to why the synopsis on the box refers to Frankenstein's "devoted dwarf Fritz" when the actual character is merely a cripple, named Karl. :hmm:

additionally, I watched Hammer's The Mummy last night, but I wasn't grabbed by it. So far I've most enjoyed the two Frankenstein films, then the first Dracula, with The Mummy bringing up the rear. I also really love The Abominable Snowman, as I've mentioned before, but it's not quite the same sort of movie.

HannibalBarca fucked around with this message at 05:06 on Jan 13, 2017

Ramadu
Aug 25, 2004

2015 NFL MVP


I just watched Quartermass and the Pit and holy poo poo what a ride. Are the other Quartermass movies just as insane and cool?

Sir Nose
Mar 28, 2009


Pit is probably the best of the bunch, but the first two are still really good. I wouldn't call them insane, but they are cool. They're like 10 years older and the actor who plays Quatermass is very different in appearance and temperament than the actor in Pit, that might be a bit jarring for you.

If you wind up enjoying the first two Quatermass films, you should also check out X The Unknown which actually started out as a Quatermass film but then was reworked for legal reasons.

Quatermass Experiment reminds me of The Thing, Quatermass 2 is like Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers, and X The Unknown is like The Blob.

LesterGroans
Jun 9, 2009

It's funny...

You were so scary at night.

Ramadu posted:

I just watched Quartermass and the Pit and holy poo poo what a ride. Are the other Quartermass movies just as insane and cool?

Basically reiterating what Sir Nose said, but definitely check out the first two and X The Unknown.

I actually kind of prefer Quatermass 2 the best out of the three, but they're all basically neck-and-neck.

Ramadu
Aug 25, 2004

2015 NFL MVP


Cool I'll have to track those down. I think I just wasn't expecting basically anything that happened in that film and learned that British people are not ready for space ant telekinetic powers

Maxwell Lord
Dec 12, 2008

I am drowning.
There is no sign of land.
You are coming down with me, hand in unlovable hand.

And I hope you die.

I hope we both die.


:smith:

Grimey Drawer

LesterGroans posted:

Basically reiterating what Sir Nose said, but definitely check out the first two and X The Unknown.

I actually kind of prefer Quatermass 2 the best out of the three, but they're all basically neck-and-neck.

Yeah Quatermass 2 is pretty amazing.

I got to see all three on the big screen- there's a theater in Independence MO that Wade Williams owns that used to just show old movies and it has/had a big 50 foot curved screen. I checked their listings obsessively for the sci fi double features.

HannibalBarca
Sep 11, 2016

History shows, again and again, how nature points out the folly of man.
Watching Horror Express again tonight, which isn't a Hammer film of course, but might as well be with Cushing and Lee as the two main stars. It's amazing how fine of a movie you can make on a budget with good actors and a creative take on an old story.

Sir Nose
Mar 28, 2009


Maxwell Lord posted:

Yeah Quatermass 2 is pretty amazing.

I got to see all three on the big screen- there's a theater in Independence MO that Wade Williams owns that used to just show old movies and it has/had a big 50 foot curved screen. I checked their listings obsessively for the sci fi double features.

Wow that's pretty cool, when was this? Williams is such an rear end in a top hat about his film holdings, but I didn't know he did things like that.

HUNDU THE BEAST GOD
Sep 14, 2007

everything is yours
ALSO WATCH QUATERMASS IV

LesterGroans
Jun 9, 2009

It's funny...

You were so scary at night.
Is there a good place to find it? I've been trying to track it down since my huge Hammer binge in October.

Sir Nose
Mar 28, 2009


Quatermass IV (actually titled simply "Quatermass") isn't Hammer. It's a BBC serial. All the Quatermass adventures were BBC serials, Hammer refilmed the first three as features. The fourth was not refilmed, but there is an edited-down version called "Quatermass Conclusion" that played in theaters. Avoid this version, find the full serial if you can. I got it from Netflix (dvd, not streaming).

Ferox13
Jun 10, 2008
The Devil Rides Out needs to get some love. Excellent adaptation of the Dennis Wheatley book of the same name. Chris Lee plays a good guy for a change. The Goat of Mendes scared the poo poo out of me as a kid.

These Are the Damned seemed to get over looked by a lot of people and its a fine film. It starts with Ollie Reed acting a bit like Alex DeLarge and then progresses into a strange Sci Fi film. Recommended.

LesterGroans
Jun 9, 2009

It's funny...

You were so scary at night.

Ferox13 posted:

The Devil Rides Out needs to get some love. Excellent adaptation of the Dennis Wheatley book of the same name. Chris Lee plays a good guy for a change. The Goat of Mendes scared the poo poo out of me as a kid.

The Devil Rides Out is great. It's always refreshing to see Christopher Lee play a good guy (The Gorgon is good for this too, with the added bonus of Cushing as a villain) and it has some dope effects for the time.

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HannibalBarca
Sep 11, 2016

History shows, again and again, how nature points out the folly of man.

LesterGroans posted:

The Devil Rides Out is great. It's always refreshing to see Christopher Lee play a good guy (The Gorgon is good for this too, with the added bonus of Cushing as a villain) and it has some dope effects for the time.

Another great film for seeing both Cushing and Lee play the ostensible "good guys" is Horror Express. While not a Hammer Film, the presence of both of these actors (along with a bit part by Telly "Ernst Blofeld" Savalas) really elevates this weird Spanish take on the short story that inspired John Carpenter's "The Thing" into a classic.

edit: upon review, I've said essentially the same thing in the past few posts, but given the fact that this thread is bumped on a monthly schedule, I apologize for nothing

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