The Hammer Story: The Authorised History of Hammer Films

by Marcus Hearn, Alan Barnes

Fifty years ago, Hammer Films released The Curse of Frankenstein. The now-legendary British company went on to make such classics as Dracula (and its many sequels), making international stars out of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, changing the face of horror cinema, and inspiring a generation of Hollywood filmmakers, including George Lucas, Martin Scorsese and Tim Burton.

Now, for the first time, Hammer have given their active backing to an authorised history of the company, and have provided unlimited access to their archives.

The Hammer Story provides a film-by-film dissection, dripping with rare promotional material and previously unpublished photographs.

Genres: Film, Horror, Nonfiction, Media Tie In, Vampires, History, Gothic

192 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2005

Reviews

[GoldGato · Rating 5 out of 5]

You don't need to be a Hammer Films fan to enjoy this tasty volume. Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and Oliver Reed are here in their full gory glory. The authors do an exceptional job on making the book as colorful as the Hammer flicks were, with lots of color photographs and lobby cards. Each film has a full section with the plot synopsis and behind-the-scenes gossip. For the cinema fan, this should be a must-have book for the library.


Book Season = Autumn (when the air is chill)

[Michael Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great overview of Hammer films, with behind the scenes details of all the classic horrors, plus a commentary of the changing face of the British film industry which finally led to the decline of the studio as funding and distribution could no longer be found.

Hammer films remain my favourite horrors, tapping into the mythic instead of just the horrifying. I think this is why they have stood the test of time so well. Today we have films which are much gorier and more realistic, but nowhere near so charming.

[Lee Cushing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well book chronicles the history of one of Britain's most prolific film studios, from their humble beginnings as a small distribution company to becoming the studio that won the Queen's Award for Industry. From "The Quatermass Xperiment" in1955 and then "Curse of Frankenstein" and "Dracula" through to their later, campier films such as "Vampire Lovers" and "Captain Kronos," this is an informative read. Lavishly illustrated with color stills and film posters from each production, it provides information on Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Hammer Glamour, Bray Studios, and some of the non-gothic films they produced.
Even if you, like me, have read extensively on Hammer, this is still reading. Highly recommended.

[Mark Levandoski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice quality hardcover,coffee table type with glossy pages.Gives history of Exclusive Films Ltd./Hammer Film Productions Ltd. group of companies. A filmography of features,short films and TV shows produced by them is included at the end of book.Bulk of book contains mostly a 2 page spread of various movies with nice color and bw photos and the lobby card or poster associated with that movie. A history of the making/production and cast of the movie is given as well as a short synopsis of the plot. All in all a job well done, and any fan of the Hammer movies(mostly horror) would find this enjoyable.

[Robert]

I grew up watching re-runs of the classic vampire films of Hammer Studios & fell in love with them. Those films introduced me to the classic British actors Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Ingrid Pitt, etc. This book is a total history of that classic studio and I learned MANY things that I never knew about. In the back is a COMPLETE filmography including not only the classic horror, sci-fi & fantasy films; but also the comedies and other non-genre films they produced. I recommend this book to any fan of genre films.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love the gothic horror films from Hammer, then you must own this handsome volume.

Nobody did cheesy, bosomy horror like Hammer.

Nobody ever said "ee-ville" better than Peter Cushing.

And nobody ever did a "drunken yokels in public house" scene better.

I was surprised to learn the company dates back to the 1930s, and I also didn't realize Hammer was responsible for "One Million Years B.C.," the film that pioneered the fur-lined bikini.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific book about the history of Hammer Films ranging from the early days in the 30s to the time the book was published in 2007 when the studio was just starting to be able to consider producing new films. It covers the details of the production studio's many films and the careers of actors who worked with them. Of particular interest is the the financial ups and downs of the studio as it struggled to make product that would be commercial and find the financing to produce it in an ever-changing British film industry which was in dire straights by the 70s when Hammer's fortunes dried up. A great reference book to keep in any film fan's library.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quintessential book if you want to know the Hammer story in word and pictures. All periods (the exclusive years, reanimation, fresh blood, setting son, life after death) and all the major movies, each featured on two pages (e.g. The Quaterman Experiment, The Curse of Frankenstein, The Abominable Snowman, Dracula, The Mummy, The Brides of Dracula, She, The Nanny, to name but a few). You'll find inside all the brilliant movie posters, colourful behind the scene photos, Hammer Glamour and a complete filmography. It's time for a Hammer movie, as Hammer is Horror. Great book. Highly recommended!

[Vincenzo Ridente · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tasty volume of The Hammer Film production company a good companion piece if you want to know more about the Hammer movies

[Susan Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely wonderful coffee table book for anyone interested in the world of Hammer Horror and British Horror film history.

There are great pages detailing each film and how it was made, plus biography's of actors who worked with the company regularly like Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.

I appreciate this book is for quite a niche audience, but this is a wonderful authorized guide particularly for that niche.

(One thing for any readers that expect this book to detail the recent resurgence of Hammer, with films like The Woman in Black, you should be aware it doesn't).

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous coffee table book filled with photos from on-set as well as great promo shots from the greatest horror film studio ever, Hammer Films. Has a fantastic listing of the Hammer films from the horror, to the comedies to the suspense and tons of great interviews with some of Hammer's best known stars. I love the chronological listing of the various titles--aside from being gorgeous, it's quite helpful for those of us who are collectors in terms of keeping a checklist. My only complaint would be not seeing the name of my dear friend and Hammer expert Bruce Hallenbeck.

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

really comprehensive guide to england's largest and most influential horror studio. covers every film

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fangs are bared in this revealing look at the Hammer Studios. There is some tongue-in-cheek moments but this is for the fanatic.

[Brian Sammons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Hammer films and this big, beautiful book is full of great pics and info on all the Hammer classics. Consider it a must have.

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very fun book

[Chloe Brant · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a big Hammer fan (I grew up with these films), this was a Christmas present from my husband. An excellent read, but great pictures as well.