Diabolique Films Launches Campaign for New Hammer Horror Doc

Diabolique Films backs new Hammer Horror doc; launches Kickstarter campaign.

Every time the fine lads at Warner Home Video have spat out one of the treasured titles from their Hammer Films library in any digital format (including recent Blu-ray releases), it’s a tragically bare bones affair, with the presence of a trailer being the most we can hope for. It’s a crying shame as the pictures released under the Warner wing, include many of their most interesting and essential titles including Freddie Francis’ DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE, Peter Sasdy’s TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA, Alan Gibson’s lively DRACULA A.D. 1972. Terrence Fisher’s malevolent FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED and many, many more.

The history behind the Warner/Hammer international distribution agreement runs deep and is worthy of a serious examination. Now, Dima Ballin of Diabolique magazine is putting his weight behind a new Kickstarter campaign whose goal is to produce the definitive documentary about this period.

Says Ballin:

“Hammer’s period at Warner Bros produced some of their finest films, including FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED which is not only Peter Cushing’s finest screen performance, but Terence Fisher’s directorial triumph as well. There have been many documentaries and featurettes made about various aspects of Hammer Horror and the various period’s in Hammer’s illustrious history, but no serious study has ever been done on Hammer’s period at Warner Bros. Diabolique Films is happy to team with Marcus Hearn, Hammer’s official historian, in compiling the first film of this kind to tackle Hammer Horror/Warner Bros. illustrious history.”

Hearn is, of course, Hammer’s official historian and HAMMER HORROR: THE WARNER BROS. YEARS will be both written and directed by the man. The documentary will feature exclusive interviews with many of the key players from that period, as well as authors and film historians like Jonathan Rigby and Constantine Nasr. Also included will be rare production stills, film footage, Hammer’s original shooting locations, and access to previously unseen archive documents. The documentary will be available via streaming and in a limited Blu-ray release, exclusive to the folks who contribute to the Kickstarter campaign.

For fans of Hammer’s vast, influential history, this is certainly a most worthy project. SHOCK gives it our seal of approval and urges you to explore the campaign and the perks within (including gorgeous poster-size prints of select titles by cover artist Mark Spears).

To peruse the HAMMER HORROR: THE WARNER BROS. YEARS Kicktstarter project go HERE.

And we’ll leave you with the trailer for FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED. Because we can.