BRIDES OF DRACULA, CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF DVD coming...

[venoms5]

According to Fangorias' website on September 6 Universal will release a 2-DVD set of the following-BRIDES OF DRACULA, CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA(62), PARANOIAC, KISS OF THE VAMPIRE, NIGHTMARE, NIGHT CREATURES, and EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN. All titles in 2.0 mono and anamorphic widescreen. No special features were mentioned.

[Markgway]

Yeah, just heard about that. Sounds frickin' awesome. It's apparently a Franchise release, which means you get all the films cheap as chips! None of these have ever been on DVD before. Only problem is if you only want one or two of the films in the set. Haven't seen any of them, but am looking forward to.

[zhunaid]

curse of werewolf-if this is oliver reed then yes its been released on dvd in south africa a year ago

[venoms5]

KISS OF THE VAMPIRE and EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN were previously available on DVD before her in the US, I have the KISS OF.. disc but never bought the FRANK.. disc.

[kungfusamurai]

I managed to get one of the last Image entertainment version of Kiss of The Vampire. I look forward to getting this Hammer set, which I think is all of the Hammer titles Universal owns.

Question about the original aspect ratio - were the Hammer films filmed fullscreen, 1.66:1 or 2.35:1? I noticed a lot of the Anchor Bay stuff is 1.66:1.

Also, it would be nice if someone could put out the Japanese/completely uncensored versions of these films, even if it means inserting the extra gore using a poor quality source. I've read about these missing scenes, and was disappointed that, for instance, the Warner Brother stuff was still the same censored versions that were on the VHS.

KFS

[Markgway]

I managed to get one of the last Image entertainment version of Kiss of The Vampire. I look forward to getting this Hammer set, which I think is all of the Hammer titles Universal owns.

OK. OK. So the odd release here and there (S. Africa) did surface, but you guys know what I mean!! :p
This Franchise release represents the first time ALL of Universal's Hammer films have been available on DVD - and in the same package no less!!

Question about the original aspect ratio - were the Hammer films filmed fullscreen, 1.66:1 or 2.35:1? I noticed a lot of the Anchor Bay stuff is 1.66:1.

Mostly 1.66. The only Scope films I can think of off-hand are: Dracula, Prince of Darkness; Rasputin, The Mad Monk; The Devil Ship Pirates (I think...). There may be others, but very few overall.

Also, it would be nice if someone could put out the Japanese/completely uncensored versions of these films, even if it means inserting the extra gore using a poor quality source.

Hammer and censorship are like magnets to each other. The main fault lies with the BBFC who cut movies for the UK and sometimes these masters would end up in other countries. America made their own (usually ridiculous) cuts. Japan got pretty much everything uncut. But I don't see any Western distibutor hunting down those. Sometimes you get releases that do turn up uncut (I think Carlton's DVDs are pretty good in that regard; and German company Anolis). Anchor Bay's Prince of Darkness is uncut. So it's not bad news all the way. But try finding an uncut Satanic Rites of Dracula!!

I've read about these missing scenes, and was disappointed that, for instance, the Warner Brother stuff was still the same censored versions that were on the VHS

Taste the Blood of Dracula was restored to uncut for DVD - so it can happen from time to time. No idea what the cuts made to the Universal release were (if any?) Some of these were cut in the UK, but were those cuts replicated in the US? I think only fans will be able to tell when the discs hit stores. Fingers crossed.

[kungfusamurai]

Mostly 1.66. The only Scope films I can think of off-hand are: Dracula, Prince of Darkness; Rasputin, The Mad Monk; The Devil Ship Pirates (I think...). There may be others, but very few overall.

Thanks for that. I have to admit that I bought these titles on VHS from Anchor Bay when they first came out so I've hesitated getting them on DVD because of the insanely high prices.

One title I'm surprised Anchor Bay or anyone has released is the last of the Hammer Mummy films that hasn't been put out - Curse of The Mummy's Tomb. I managed to catch the tail end of this on TV a couple of years ago and thought it looked pretty good.

Sometimes you get releases that do turn up uncut (I think Carlton's DVDs are pretty good in that regard; and German company Anolis). Anchor Bay's Prince of Darkness is uncut. So it's not bad news all the way. But try finding an uncut Satanic Rites of Dracula!!

Yeah, I got those Carlton disc sets because I didn't want to wait forever for Twins of Evil to come out here in NA. I already had Countess Dracula paired with Vampire Lovers from MGM on DVD, but Twins of Evil and Vampire Circus were ones I didn't have. I also got the set with the Hands of The Ripper.

I didn't realize Satanic Rites wasn't released uncut - by Anchor Bay? I've noticed that's the one and only Hammer film that's popped on those Horror film comps under an alternate name (I forget what it is).

Aren't there any Japanese companies putting out the Hammer stuff from their own source prints? Shoot, if anyone knows about this, it would be great to know. I want to see stuff that's been edited out, like the dunking of the head into acid from Curse of Frankenstein, Christopher Lee's full death sequence in Horror of Dracula, and that scene from Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell where Peter Cushing is clamping an artery with his teeth! :)

Taste the Blood of Dracula was restored to uncut for DVD - so it can happen from time to time.

Great! I will definitely invest in that one.

KFS

[venoms5]

I think you're referring to BLOOD FROM THE MUMMYS TOMB. It was the last Hammer mummy flick and is out on Anchor Bay DVD. SATANIC RITES... should be uncut as I've seen several different versions and the Anchor Bay disc is the best looking and most complete release. An uncut japanese laserdisc exists of FRANKENSTEIN & THE MONSTER FROM HELL, a friend of mine has it.

[Markgway]

One title I'm surprised Anchor Bay or anyone has released is the last of the Hammer Mummy films that hasn't been put out - Curse of The Mummy's Tomb. I managed to catch the tail end of this on TV a couple of years ago and thought it looked pretty good.

As Venoms says the last one was Blood From the Mummy's Tomb, Curse was made many years earlier. The penultimate Mummy film was The Mummy's Shroud, whcih is apparently a bit crap. Columbia have the rights to Curse.

Yeah, I got those Carlton disc sets because I didn't want to wait forever for Twins of Evil to come out here in NA. I already had Countess Dracula paired with Vampire Lovers from MGM on DVD, but Twins of Evil and Vampire Circus were ones I didn't have. I also got the set with the Hands of The Ripper.

I bought that Carlton Vampire set myself, though I only kept Twins of Evil, one of the better 70's Hammer horrors. Countess Dracula was OK, but not a keeper; I was disappointed with Vampire Circus. I saw Hands of the Ripper on TV recently, it started off well, but fell apart long before the finish.

I didn't realize Satanic Rites wasn't released uncut - by Anchor Bay?

It's the longest availble, but the version originally submitted to the BBFC was 93m. Six mins longer thean the Anchor Bay.

I've noticed that's the one and only Hammer film that's popped on those Horror film comps under an alternate name (I forget what it is).

Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride. It was shelved for five years in the US after the Hammer market fell away.

An uncut japanese laserdisc exists of FRANKENSTEIN & THE MONSTER FROM HELL, a friend of mine has it.

The German DVD is almost uncut bar a 1-sec shot.

[kungfusamurai]

I think you're referring to BLOOD FROM THE MUMMYS TOMB. It was the last Hammer mummy flick and is out on Anchor Bay DVD.

Sorry, I worded that wrong. I've already got Blood From The Mummy's Tomb. I mean the last of the Hammer Mummy's to get a release on DVD (if it ever does). It doesn't look like it's even been released on DVD in the UK. Curse was from 1964, I believe.

Markgway - yeah, Vampire Circus was rather disappointing for me too. It looked cool in those photos in my horror movie books! :)

Thanks for the heads up on the German Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell. I think I'll live without 1 sec (which shot was that)?

KFS

Edit: Is this the German version you were referring to:

Frankenstein & The Monster From Hell (http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002LDM4S/qid=1118592575/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_11_1/028-9080915-6588551)

It lists the running time as 91 minutes, which is 2 minutes shorter than the US version! The IMDB says the full version is 99 minutes.

[Markgway]

I think this link should answer all your questions...

Frankie's Monster From Hell (http://www.dvdmaniacs.net/Reviews/E-H/frankenstein_monster_uncut.html)

:)

[kungfusamurai]

Thanks for the link. It definitely cleared up the questions I had. Too bad it's not the definitive uncut version, but it's good enough for me (for now).

KFs

[chingdog]

Looking forward to Night Creatures.....I have several on video that are rare such as Brigand of Khandahar, Shadow of the cat, Cash On Demand, and Sword of Sherwood Forest.