Hammer Films resurrects ‘7 Golden Vampires’

By Mark Pollard | Published June 10, 2009

Japanese poster art for THE LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES (1974) According to horror web site Bloody Disgusting, LA-based production company Spitfire Pictures is producing a remake of THE LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES, the campy 1974 kung fu-horror co-production from Hammer Films and Shaw Brothers.

Lending credence to this news is the fact that Spitfire Pictures is on board to produce several horror films annually for UK-based Hammer Films which was recently acquired, along with rights to 300 of the studio’s classic films, and re-launched by Dutch producer John De Mol. While some new horror films are in the works it was inevitable that Hammer Films’ sizable library would eventually be mined for remakes at some point.

THE LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES was an attempt by the struggling Hammer Films studio to tap into the popularity of the kung fu movie genre in the 1970s. Peter Cushing reprised his role from DRACULA (1958) as famed vampire slayer Dr. Van Helsing, who while lecturing in China, comes to the aid of villagers cursed by six Chinese vampires led by Dracula himself.

The film featured Shaw stars David Chiang and Shih Szu in co-starring roles, along with action choreography from the studio’s top action directers, Lau Kar-leung and Tang Chia.

I’m as tired as everyone else of all this remake nonsense but if ever there was a Hammer Films movie in need of a facelift, 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES is it. The original concept of mixing Hammer-style gothic horror with kung fu was sound but never fully exploited by the original film. Hopefully, we’ll get something along the lines of Guy Ritchie’s upcoming SHERLOCK HOLMES reboot and not another VAN HELSING with kung fu added.

Source: Bloody Disgusting

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  • danmye
    Part of the appeal of the original was the Kung Fu, and as AD.d by Lau Sifu. I don't see this same reverence for Kung Fu cinema being applied here, unless artists as Kung Fu/Kung Fu genre versed as the Lau's is employed, and the Fu used as a central tool in exploring the theme.

    If it's just Helboy/Van Helsing revisited, etc., it's better off not even wasting the time it'd take to remake it.
  • Thrak360
    Too bad Steven Seagal just waged a battle against vampires, in last year's direct-to-video feature "Against the Dark".
  • This news comes as no major surprise,since every movie title you can easily think of is getting remake.

    Otherwise,who can they possibly get to full Peter Cushing's shoes as Van Helsing(who I'm sure will be re-written as a martial arts fighter with vampire killing super-weapons):Chuck Norris ? Steven Seagal ? Van Damme ? Dolph Lundgren ? Wesley Snipes ? Gary Daniels ?
  • Fazeo
    I am sick of the remakes as well but this is one film that I don't mind seeing being remade. I just hope they don't overdo it with the CGI.
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