| Author | Message | ||
     Matthew Fryer (Matthew_fryer) Username: Matthew_fryer Registered: 08-2009 Posted From: 90.202.180.87 |
When it comes to a bit of old-school British horror, do you prefer the more contemporary narrated anthologies of Amicus, or the saucy period gothic of Hammer? | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.21 |
That's a difficult question. I think push come to shove, Amicus wins out, but only just. I love Hammer, but find all the 'sauciness' an unwanted distraction from the story. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 82.17.252.126 |
Amicus always made the nastier, more gritty and gruesome horror films but overall the Hammers were of a higher cinematic quality, better acted and more stylish imo - they were also far more prolific and varied in the subject matter they tackled e.g. 'Quatermass And The Pit', 'One Million Years BC', 'Captain Clegg', 'The Anniversary', 'Paranoiac', etc... | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
Amicus for me - the contemporary settings and gritty feel sucked me right in. Always loved Hammer, of course, just not as much as Amicus. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
but find all the 'sauciness' an unwanted distraction from the story. Not for me...the sauciness was always very much wanted.  | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.31.244.154 |
Yeah, boobies are pretty much essential. | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.177.115.63 |
Amicus for me if we're only looking at Hammer's 'period costume' stuff, but if we're looking at the entire (good!) Hammer output, then the latter wins easily. | ||
| John Forth (John) Username: John Registered: 05-2008 Posted From: 82.24.1.217 |
The quality to quantity ratio is probably in Amicus' favour, but when it comes to personal favourites films like THE DEVIL RIDES OUT, QUATERMASS AND THE PIT and THE NANNY win it for Hammer for me. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
I couldn't possibly choose between the two - it depends on the mood I'm in, I guess. Basically, they were both great examples of the absolute pinnacle of British horror cinema as far as I'm concerned.  | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.152.74.159 |
Amicus for me (that's hardly surprising, is it?) not just because of the contemporary settings but because the anthology movies meant that every story got to run its natural length. Oddly enough I quite liked the lack of nudity in the Amicus films (Shock! Horror!) because British 70s Horror never did sex very well anyway and in the Hammers the breasts always felt shoehorned in out of necessity. Now there's an image | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
>> .. and in the Hammers the breasts always felt shoehorned in out of necessity.<< You've just made me nearly choke with laughter, Lord P!  | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.152.74.159 |
Thank you Caroline! | ||
| Seanmcd (Seanmcd) Username: Seanmcd Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 217.39.90.148 |
Hammer for me. Three names: Cushing, Lee and Fisher. Always entertaining when working separately and bloody brilliant when two of them teamed up. But when this unholy trinity combined the result was spellbinding. The Curse of Frankenstein. Dracula. The Hound of the Baskervilles. The Mummy. The Gorgon. Night of the Big Heat (Non Hammer) | ||
| Ramsey Campbell (Ramsey) Username: Ramsey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.93.21.68 |
Well, quite a few Hammer films were contemporary, though - the Quatermass films, X The Unknown, Taste of Fear, The Damned, The Nanny... Those and films such as the original Hammer Dracula swing it for me. | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.21 |
I still prefer Amicus, but if I had to choose my favourite film from either company, it'd be Quatermass and the Pit every time. | ||
| Johnny_mains (Johnny_mains) Username: Johnny_mains Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 82.22.75.99 |
It's a shame that TYBURN didn't have a chance to spread their wings as a production company. THE GHOUL, PERSECUTION and the LEGENDS OF THE WEREWOLF are at heart Hammer films made on the cheap - but I think THE GHOUL is still an outstanding film. Just a shame that Hammer milked the well dry and there just wasn't an appetite for this very British type of horror. | ||
| Steve Bacon (Stevebacon) Username: Stevebacon Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 93.186.20.138 |
That's like chosing your favourite child. So for me it's probably Amicus. Because of the portmanteau. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
I agree: The Ghoul is excellent, and I also have a soft spot for Legend of the Werewolf - the ending in the sewers, the autopsy bits. Really good stuff. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 82.17.252.126 |
'The Ghoul' has long been one of my favourite 70s horror films and I could never understand the slating it always got from the critics!? The grand guignol atmospherics have rarely been done better on screen and the cast was just sublime; Peter Cushing, John Hurt (who steals the film), Gwen Watford & Don Henderson made one of the most memorable band of nasties ever assembled on screen imo, while what's not to like about any film that has Veronica Carlson AND Alexandra Bastedo (reason enough to have 'The Champions' box set!) as the screaming totty... and never forgetting good old Ian McCulloch, in yet another genre classic! I haven't seen this in years, wonder is it available on DVD? | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.31.244.154 |
I think both Hammer and Amicus were rubbish. [ducks for cover] | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
Stevie - I'm with you all the way regarding The Ghoul. Hurt is just brilliant. The film genuinely scared me when I first saw it - that brilliant opening with the fauz hanging, and the intense ending on the upper landing. Lovely stuff, and one of my personal favourite Brit horror films, too. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
"fauz" What am I on? I meant faux, of course... | ||
| Craig (Craig) Username: Craig Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 75.4.245.39 |
I agree with Ramsey - when Hammer was good, it was sublime. And the inestimable QUATERMASS AND THE PIT, plus the iconic HORROR OF DRACULA, and the crazed FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL (which gave us [imho, and contra Wikipedia] Mr. Burns from "The Simpsons")... these and others, outweigh Amicus any day of the week.... | ||
| Seanmcd (Seanmcd) Username: Seanmcd Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 217.39.90.148 |
Reminds me, I must upload my photos of Stevie and myself visiting the Excelsior Picture Theatre out in the countryside near Belfast for a 'Hammer Horror Double Bill' of 'The Mummy' and 'The Man who could Cheat Death'. The Excelsior Picture Theatre is a labour of love for it's proprietor Roy Spence. He has built a fully functioning mini art deco picture theatre IN HIS GARAGE! Obviously it only holds about 15/20 but this just adds to the charm. It has fully tiered plush seating, a working curtain and a proper little box office. The walls are covered in those old 50's B movie posters and coming soon ads. Going to the loo I passed several fully painted Universal/Aurora monster model kits. For memorabilia alone the place was worth a fortune. When the intermission came the ice lollies were passed around! An utterly magical nostalgic experience. Roy Spence has a twin brother, Noel, who also built and runs 'The Tudor' picture theatre 2 mins down the lane. Now there's a proper hobby! | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 82.17.252.126 |
It was a memorable night, Sean! Talking of Hammer/Amicus movies here are my Top 20 taken from just those two studios: 1. 'The Devil Rides Out' (1968) by Terence Fisher - HAMMER 2. 'Quatermass And The Pit' (1967) by Roy Ward Baker - HAMMER 3. 'From Beyond The Grave' (1973) by Kevin Connor - AMICUS 4. 'To The Devil A Daughter' (1976) by Peter Sykes - HAMMER 5. 'Dracula, Prince Of Darkness' (1966) by Terence Fisher - HAMMER 6. 'Plague Of The Zombies' (1966) by John Gilling - HAMMER 7. 'The Damned' (1963) by Joseph Losey - HAMMER 8. 'The Curse Of Frankenstein' (1957) by Terence Fisher - HAMMER 9. 'Torture Garden' (1967) by Freddie Francis - AMICUS 10. 'Dr Terror's House Of Horrors' (1964) by Freddie Francis - AMICUS 11. 'Dracula' (1958) by Terence Fisher - HAMMER 12. 'The Quatermass Experiment' (1955) by Val Guest - HAMMER 13. 'The Hound Of The Baskervilles' (1959) by Terence Fisher - HAMMER 14. 'Asylum' (1972) by Roy Ward Baker - AMICUS 15. 'Curse Of The Werewolf' (1961) by Terence Fisher - HAMMER 16. 'Quatermass II' (1957) by Val Guest - HAMMER 17. 'The House That Dripped Blood' (1971) by Peter Duffell - AMICUS 18. 'The Witches' (1966) by Cyril Frankel - HAMMER 19. 'Tales From The Crypt' (1972) by Freddie Francis - AMICUS 20. 'Vault Of Horror' (1973) by Roy Ward Baker - AMICUS Hammer win easily, while Amicus excelled at the portmanteau format the rest of their output was pretty routine imho... 'The Deadly Bees' anyone? | ||
| Huw (Huw) Username: Huw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 61.216.44.124 |
Both Hammer and Amicus made some great films, but Hammer just edges it for me. I don't think Amicus made anything that can quite match up to Quatermass and the Pit, for example. But, then again, those portmanteau films are great fun... I really wouldn't want to be without the best of either studio's output. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
I really wouldn't want to be without the best of either studio's output I think that sums it up perfectly, Huw. | ||
| Paul_finch (Paul_finch) Username: Paul_finch Registered: 11-2009 Posted From: 92.21.138.176 |
This is a great debate. As others have said, when Hammer were at their best, they really were something special - the early stuff in particular: CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF, QUATERMASS AND THE PIT. Of course, later on, in the raunchy 1970s, they often got diverted into producing movies that were little more than titillation exercises for juvenile male audiences (with long hair, star jumpers and crap flares). Efforts like THE VAMPIRE LOVERS and LUST FOR A VAMPIRE were little more than 'Confessions' versions of Hammer's earlier output. Though they were still capable of raising their game, even late on - HANDS OF THE RIPPER, for example. In this respect, I think that in the 1970s the Amicus portmanteau movies were a more satisfying experience for true horror buffs (rather than the sort of people who'd think that, if there was no horror available, a good night out was going to see HOLIDAY ON THE BUSES, which was also a Hammer film I shudder to admit). But yes, again as others have said, not everything Amicus did worked. Their anthology movies represented their best work (so long as we don't count the appalling TALES THAT WITNESS MADNESS). Incidentally, I'm sure I saw a trailer the other day for something called THE WICKER TREE. It's supposedly British Lion's official sequel to THE WICKER MAN, and Christopher Lee is said to be reprising his role as the villainous Lord Summerisle. | ||
| John Forth (John) Username: John Registered: 05-2008 Posted From: 82.132.139.221 |
Paul, THE WICKER TREE is adapted from Robin Hardy's novel COWBOYS FOR CHRIST, which is a sort of spiritual sequel to THE WICKER MAN. I'm sure I heard that while Christopher Lee has a small role, someone else is playing the Summerisle equivalent. | ||
| Paul_finch (Paul_finch) Username: Paul_finch Registered: 11-2009 Posted From: 92.21.138.176 |
Ahh well. We can but dream. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
Yes, here's the IMDB info on The Wicker Tree: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0323808/ As John says, it's based on Hardy's book "Cowboys for Christ". I've read the book. It's a good story, but the book is written as if he's writing a screenplay, although it's meant to be a novel - I imagine it was pretty easy to adapt it to the screenplay! Christopher Lee was intended as the "Lord Summerisle" character (Sir Lachlan Morrison), but it took so long for Robin Hardy to get funding for this and get it off the ground, that he realised Lee wouldn't be up to the rather strenuous acting which would have been required. So Lee just has a cameo role in the film. I think it will be worth watching when it comes out (soon, I think?). If you know The Wicker Man (which, I'm sure, we all do) then you think you know what twist is coming at the end, but then there's a further unexpected twist. I'll definitely be taking a look at it myself. Stevie - great list, as always. Can't really argue with any of the films you've put on there. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.253.174.81 |
Their anthology movies represented their best work (so long as we don't count the appalling TALES THAT WITNESS MADNESS). That's ok - it wasn't an Amicus film! It was produced by Norman Priggen for World Film Services, who had made The Creeping Flesh with director Freddie Francis the previous year. The story goes that not realising that Flesh's other producer, Michael Redbourn, was the one responsible for putting that project together, World Film Services allowed Francis and Priggen to do whatever they wanted for their next project which was to...make a bit of a mess, really. | ||
| Paul_finch (Paul_finch) Username: Paul_finch Registered: 11-2009 Posted From: 92.21.138.176 |
I stand corrected on that one, John. I'm glad to learn that TWM wasn't am Amicus film, because it's totally out of synch with the quality of the other anthologies they presented. I even love THE MONSTER CLUB, though it was very late in the cycle. I think it was unfairly maligned at the time because, by 1980, horror taste - supposedly - had moved into the slasher realm. | ||
| Hubert (Hubert) Username: Hubert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 78.22.237.21 |
Not by Hammer or Amicus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKvaJiTBHNs But with Lee and Cushing! | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
Oh boy, this thread is making me nostalgic for some great old Brit Horror films. Think I might have to spend some money on DVDs again - my husband will kill me ...  |