Icons of Horror Collection: Hammer Films (The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb / Scream of Fear / The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll / The Gorgon) [DVD] [NTSC]

movies to watch

I should think these are the best prints in existence. I prefer NTSC to PAL as I'd rather have films running at their correct speed. The "intolerable" shudder during fast movement on PAL equipment is barely - if at all - noticeable. The "Hammer Horror Series" set is also excellent. Some fans are probably wondering what all the fuss was about regarding the "butchering" of certain Hammer films. These new releases feature "restored" or, I suspect, simply foreign prints that are relatively unscathed compared to the versions known to U.K. audiences. These releases were a nice surprise as it was not generally known that better versions could ever be made available! My one complaint is about Two Faces - for some reason it's a small file size (non-anamorphic?).

With two films per disc one might be forgiven in assuming this would be an budget release. Quite the contrary. The prints are bright and clean and the picture and sound quality are very good indeed. Until these classics are on Blu ray (if ever) this is a great way to see them

It is inevitable with a selection of films in one package, that some will be better than others. This collection comes out pretty well. Let's deal with them in order of merit.The best of the bunch is 'Scream of Fear' or to give it it's English title 'Taste of Fear'. This was the best of the psychological thrillers that 'Hammer' produced. There is an excellent cast with Susan Strasberg, Ann Todd, Ronald Lewis and Christopher Lee. It has a twist ending and is also shot in black and white.Then we have 'The Gorgon'. The only thing wrong with the Gorgon, is the Gorgon itself, which could have been improved upon by the make-up department, otherwise it is a very atmospheric film with Peter Cushing and Barbara Shelley.Christopher Lee pops up again in 'The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll' and steals the film from Paul Massie. This film got short shrift from the critics, but I found it quite watchable.Last and least, the only dud, 'The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb, which I found to be a yawn, but with three good films out of 4, there is no real cause for complaint here.

Good

I agree with other reviewers'favourable comments except in one particular.Many films are spoiled by lack of attention to detail or perhaps sloppy research.The Gorgon is a case in point.The Barbara Shelley character should have been called Medusa not Megaera who in Greek Mythology was one of the three Furies.

I ordered this from the USA inporter as it is not available in the UK its a great mini collection of old horror films its first class and works spot on on my multi regional DVD player.

Icons of Horror: Hammer Films (REGION 1) (NTSC)Hammer added another 'classic' monster with Terence Fisher's THE GORGON (1964). Filled with chilling menace, the film is set in the Transylvanian village of Vandorf, terrorized by a series of killings in which the victims have turned to STONE. The Gorgon, Magaera, is found in the nearby ruins of the Castle Borski, but the discoverer is himself turned to stone, having just time to summon help in the form of his son and his son's tutor, Professor Meinster ( Christopher Lee, in a fine set of whiskers and playing for once, the avenger )! Eventually the Gorgon, is found to be in possession of the beautiful Carla Hoffman (Barbara Shelly) assistant and ex-patient of the sinister Professor Namaroff ( Peter Cushing ). Roy Ashton's make-up for the Gorgon, haloed with a hissing, striking frieze of serpents, makes Megaera, a true and unique female monster