Hammer Studios’ Dracula: Prince of Darkness is one of those sequels that defines both the studio’s style and its limitations. It marked Christopher Lee’s triumphant return to the cape after sitting out The Brides of Dracula, and his presence alone gives the film a weight it might otherwise lack. What results is a moody, atmospheric…
Tag: Peter Cushing
The Brides of Dracula (1960) – Review
Hammer’s The Brides of Dracula is a curious beast. It’s a direct sequel to 1958’s Dracula, yet it lacks the very thing the title promises: Dracula himself. What it does have is Peter Cushing returning as Van Helsing, and that alone keeps the film afloat, even as Hammer serves us a Dracula substitute with a…
Dracula (1958) – Review
Forget the cobwebs and stagey theatrics of old, Hammer’s Dracula kicks down the crypt door with blood-red Technicolor, erotic menace, and two titans of horror: Christopher Lee as the most dangerous Count yet, and Peter Cushing as the steely Van Helsing determined to stop him. This was the film that made Dracula frightening—and sexy—again.
Island of Terror (1966) – Review
What happens when science goes too far? If you guessed “boneless corpses and Peter Cushing looking concerned,” then you may have seen the Island of Terror. This British sci-fi horror film, directed by Terence Fisher, is a solid blend of atmospheric tension, eerie practical effects, and that charmingly stiff-upper-lip British horror vibe of the era.
The Abominable Snowman (1957) – Review
Of all the creatures of myth, the Abominable Snowman has never quite received the respect it deserves, it certainly hasn’t had the same amount of big-screen appearances as other monsters have had, often stuck in lesser offerings such as 1977’s made-for-television horror film Snowbeast or in more family-friendly versions such as the Bumble in Rankin…