tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369610344911858466.post6999735720926040958..comments2024-01-09T04:01:00.672+00:00Comments on Breakfast In The Ruins: Pointless List Making / October Horrors # 14: Hammer Vampire Movies, in order.Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14951955227326548340noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369610344911858466.post-4637542900412330342019-11-03T18:51:54.568+00:002019-11-03T18:51:54.568+00:00Wow. Looking at some of your rankings, I can only...Wow. Looking at some of your rankings, I can only say: you're a brave man. Here are a few thoughts...<br /><br />Firstly, it's good to see 'Twins', 'Circus', 'Legend' and 'Taste' figure so highly on your list. 'Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires' is a particular favourite of mine, as I got to see the trailer for it on my first ever visit to a cinema at the age of nine years old. A kindly uncle had taken me to a Disney double bill of 'The Island at the Top of the World' and 'Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too', and in those days (in Northern Ireland anyway) no one gave a toss if they showed trailers for upcoming X-rated movies in the middle of U-rated family ones. I don't remember much about 'Island' and 'Winnie the Pooh' now, but I do remember thinking the 'Legend' trailer's mixture of vampires, zombies and kung-fu was the best thing ever. I nearly punched my hand in the air and shouted "Yes!" when Peter Cushing yelled, "Strike at their hearts!"<br /><br />Secondly, I'm glad that you placed 'Satanic Rites of Dracula' above 'Dracula AD 1972'. I mean, I quite like 'AD 1972', but it's not exactly what you'd call good...<br /><br />Thirdly, I'd place 'Brides'. 'Kiss' and 'Lovers' further down the list. I'd always thought 'Brides of Dracula' was a bit lame, but I watched it again recently and was impressed by its fairy tale atmosphere. But I still wouldn't say it was the best Hammer vampire movie ever.<br /><br />Fourthly, I'd rank the first two Christopher Lee Dracula movies and 'Captain Kronos' higher. I'm probably biased because 'Dracula Prince of Darkness' was the first proper horror movie I saw as a kid and it had a big impact on me, but having seen it again recently I think it still holds up pretty well -- the first half with the travellers trapped in the castle is as grim as hell, culminating in the splattery Dracula-revival scene (imagine watching that when you were ten years old!), and though the second half isn't as good, I enjoyed it because of Andrew Keir's gruff, Scottish-accented Father Shandor character. (I can understand why Dez Skinn gave Shandor his own comic strip in House of Hammer and Warrior magazines in the 1970s and 1980s.) With 'Captain Kronos', I just find it likable -- I agree that Horst Janson is wooden, but I like how he and Caroline Munro stick up for John Cater's hunchbacked character and Cater is allowed to save the day at the end.<br /><br />Incidentally, the reason why I've watched so many of these films again recently is because my partner is American and, when I first met her, she was unschooled in the ways of old British horror movies. So I've been trying to educate her. Among her comments... Of 'Satanic Rites of Dracula': 'I really like how the actors are taking it all so seriously." Of 'Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires': "I feel really sad. Most of the 7 brothers died at the end." Of 'Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter': "You only like it because Caroline Munro's in it, don't you?" And of 'Twins of Evil': "Twins of evil? TITS of evil, more like!"<br />Ian Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17895092159128758361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369610344911858466.post-87560221331172846652019-11-01T13:47:43.758+00:002019-11-01T13:47:43.758+00:00Nope, can't argue with that ordering of the fi...Nope, can't argue with that ordering of the films, frankly. Funny, as it always seems like theres more Hammer vampire films then there appears to be.<br /><br />Still tend to reach for AD72 the most, oddly. I know its crap, but its the kind of crap I like! Suppose riding the Kings Road on my commute home probably keeps it fresh.......Maurice Mickelwhitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05415253943533672436noreply@blogger.com