Madeline Smith and John Carson Join Hammer Horror: The Warner Bros. Years Documentary
The classic Hammer films from Warner Bros. are now finally starting to appear on Blu-ray; however, they have never received an in-depth exploration in any special feature or documentary… until now! Hammer Horror: The Warner Bros. Years has a Kickstarter campaign under way, and two veteran Hammer actors have joined the show! Read on to learn who they are and how you can help bring the film to life.
From the Press Release:
Veteran Hammer actors Madeline Smith and John Carson have been confirmed to take part in the new documentary HAMMER HORROR: THE WARNER BROS. YEARS, to be produced and directed by film historian Marcus Hearn.
The unprecedented, 90-minute HAMMER HORROR: THE WARNER BROS. YEARS 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 Kickstarter campaign
John Carson has a long history with Hammer Horror. He is one of the co-stars of Taste the Blood of Dracula. He also appeared in the Plague of the Zombies and Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter. Although Madeline enjoys very little screen time in Hammer’s Taste the Blood of Dracula, she does manage to portray a sense of wide-eyed innocence in the part, and her presence stands out among the crowd of beautiful women. She was soon to be invited back again by the studio, this time to take the role she became known all over the world for: Emma Morton in The Vampire Lovers.
Extra Features on the Blu-Ray
In addition to the main feature, the Blu-ray will also contain extended interviews with some of the key participants. Other extras will be announced as they become confirmed.
Hammer’s History
In the 1950s Hammer, England’s world-renowned production company, initiated a new style of horror filmmaking that transformed the genre. At the end of the 1960s, the world that Hammer had helped to create was changing fast – the once-reliable business model was unraveling and audiences wanted something new from their films. Amid this uncertainty, Hammer’s short-term survival was secured by an alliance with American distributor Warner Bros.
The films the two companies made together are among the most renowned in Hammer’s history. Classics such as Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968), Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1970), and Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) were produced alongside the Oscar-nominated epic When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970), the disturbing thriller Crescendo (1970), and the bizarre sci-fi western Moon Zero Two (1969).
The films became increasingly experimental in the 1970s, challenging the perception of traditional Gothic horror with Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972), The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973), and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974).
Hammer fans, they need your support to make this happen. Learn more, and contribute HERE!
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