Taste the Blood of Dracula)

Starring:Peter Cushing, Hazel Court, Robert Urquhart, Christopher Lee, Melvyn Hayes, Valerie Gaunt, Paul Hardtmuth, Noel Hood, Fred Johnson, Claude Kingston, Alex Gallier, Michael Mulcaster, Andrew Leigh, Anne Blake, Sally Walsh, Middleton Woods, Raymond Ray, Ernest Jay, Rupert Davies
Director: Terence Fisher, Freddie Francis
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

What would the average sensible American do if he encountered a pulsing ball of protoplasm from outer space? That's right: he'd poke it with a stick. Thus begins the endearingly earnest and silly tale of The Blob. Young Steve McQueen takes on his first leading role as, um, Steve, a spunky teenager with plenty of heart. Steve sees the blob kill the local doc, but darn it, none of the town's adults will believe him! Yup, it's up to the teens to save the day! Steve and his trusty girlfriend Jane break their curfews(!) and head off into the night to find the Blob and warn the town. The Blob is a completely enjoyable watch from start to finish, offering the triple pleasures of 1950s morals, gee-whiz acting, and a whole lotta extras running around and screaming. The special effects, though primitive, certainly get the job done, and it is still a treat to watch the Blob ooze its way to its next meal. You may notice that the theme song is surprisingly bouncy for a horror flick ("Beware of the Blob! It creeps, and leaps, and glides and slides across the floor"). It was written by Hal David and a fresh young composer by the name of Burt Bacharach. --Ali Davis

Description

"Beware of the Blob!" One of the great cult classics, The Blob melds '50s schlock sci-fi and teen delinquency pics even as it transcends these genres with strong performances and ingenious special effects. Made outside of Hollywood by a maverick film distributor, a crew experienced in religious and educational shorts, and a collection of theatrical talent from Philadelphia and New York, The Blob helped launch the careers of superstud Steve McQueen and composer Burt Bacharach.

Customer Reviews:

Absorbing Performance.......2007-01-10

While Steve McQueen and the other human actors seem to be honing their acting skills, the Blob itself gives an absorbing performance. In addition to the monster's performance, the story is what makes this 1958 production an essential addition to any collection of science fiction movies. Like The Invasion of the Body Snatchers before it, The Blob deals with the idea of dormant alien life drifting through space, just waiting for a chance encounter with an unsuspecting planet. Hey, it could happen. It may have already happened.

As the song goes: "Beware of the Blob - it creeps and leaps and glides and slides...".......2007-01-02

In 1958, Paramount Pictures released THE BLOB, a modest sci-fi cinematic effort showcasing a struggling, up-and-coming actor named Steve McQueen in his first feature film starring role. THE BLOB - about a primal life form from outer space which comes to earth and begins to indiscriminately devour human flesh - made a killing at the box office and generated a 1972 sequel and a 1988 remake, as well as a Halloween parody by THE SIMPSONS. This movie is also known for its tongue-in-cheek theme song ("Beware of the Blob"), co-written by a pre-famous Burt Bacharach, which went on to become a top 40 hit.

The plot: Teenagers Steve Andrews (McQueen) and Jane Martin (Aneta Corsaut) are out on a date when they glimpse a falling star and attempt to pinpoint its location. Meanwhile, an elderly man comes upon the fallen meteor and pokes at it with a stick (never a sound move in first alien contacting), only to have the meteor break open and the semi-sentient, jelly-like substance within climb up and cling to his hand. The frantic numbnut runs around and is almost struck by Steve's car. Steve and Jane take the man to the hospital, where the jelly blob on the infected victim begins to grow further, eventually consuming its host. It then begins to treat the medical staff like a buffet; the blob inevitably gets out and begins snacking on every human in its path, ever growing larger and larger.

The townspeople are blissfully unaware of the goings-on, despite Steve's desperate attempts to warn them, until a blob assault in a movie theater finally clues in everyone. The town, naturally, falls into a panicked state as the frenzied citizenry mill around and the police strive to ineffectively battle the monstrosity. Finally, it's up to Steve to figure out how to vanquish the blob monster. Unfortunately, he figures it out before the annoying kid actor is eaten.

Absolutely, THE BLOB had its own share of shlock, but, within the confines of its B movie status and irregardless of the cheeky theme song, the cast and crew strived to tell a gripping sci-fi/horror story. The cheesy special effects don't hold up at all to modern day standards (the blob was created initially using a weather balloon and later with tinted silicone gel), and the blob, in today's age, certainly isn't about to realistically intimidate anyone, but there's still an element of nostalgic fun in watching the blob go oozing about its business and scaring the bejesus out of the film characters. The actors made the tale as credible as possible by playing it straight and serious. Kudos go to 27 year old Steve McQueen for convincingly playing a 19 year old. Apparently, McQueen wasn't well liked on the set (he was a prima donna and was in constant argument with the director), but he ended up turning in a charismatic leading man performance. He, evidently, was good enough here that it got him the lead in the television series WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE.

THE BLOB, with its display of 1950s sensibilities so different from today's mores and values, is a time capsule film in which the audience could hearken back to a more innocent time. Back then, as predominantly portrayed in cinematic films, even the delinquents end up being kinda square and wholesome. Put side by side with today's standards, it looks pretty unrealistic today. Anyway, THE BLOB is worth investing about 80 minutes of your time. It tells a decent monster attack story, the special effects are so hokey they're fun, the song is bubbly, and McQueen is very good. But that kid is still annoying.

The Blob: 5 stars for the movie, 1 star for Criterion........2006-12-17

First of all, I want to say that 1958's The Blob is a landmark picture and a fantastically fun sci-fi/horror film. Steve McQueen is perfect in it, and it's quite possibly the best sci-fi cheese to come out of the 50s.

HOWEVER, I'm fed up with the Criterion Collection. What this company seems to intend to do is snatch up the rights to many, many great movies, "class" them up with minimal special features, and sell them at obscene prices. This edition of The Blob has ONE DISC, and the only special features are two commentaries. And we have to cough up $40 to have it.

There are no other options; If you want to own this masterpiece, you have to be able to fork up forty dollars to do so.

Criterion is trying to target great films that should be enjoyed by everyone to a wealthy group of people.

The best way to watch this iconic film.......2006-07-20

As with other Criterion releases, this DVD gets right to the point. No annoying "coming soon" or other cross promotions.

This transfer is clear, but by this point, the film could do with a bit of restoration or at least color balancing. This is a limitation of the original film stock, not of the transfer.

I have watch the film both with and without the commentaries. The commentaries add quite a bit of behind the scenes information and allowed me to enjoy the film on a different level.

If you are a fan of Steve McQueen or of 1950's SF movies, then this is an essential movie. It is one of McQueen's breakthrough roles and one of the better "invasion" SF movies. Granted it was made on a shoe string budget, but it has more realistic characters than just about any other SF movie of its era.

Good Movie.......2006-03-13

I went ahead and ordered the Criterion version of this dvd based on other reviewers who said it was a high quality transfer, etc..

Yes it was good. I liked it.

I don't have anything to compare it to as far as a cheeper dvd so I can't comment on whether the colors are better, etc..

Highly recommended.

Recommended further viewing:

The Manster
The Thing (from another world)
The Four Skulls Of Jonathan Drake
Horror Hotel
The Flesh Eaters
The Indestructible Man
The Brain That Wouldn't Die
Not Of This Earth (original)
The Incredible Shrinking Man
IT (The Terror From Beyond Space)
Invasion Of The Saucer Men
The Fly / The Return Of The Fly / The Curse Of The Fly

Jeff Marzano

Hammer Horror Collection (The Curse of Frankenstein / Dracula Has Risen from the Grave / Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed / Horror of Dracula / The Mummy / Taste the Blood of Dracula)

Average customer rating:

Hammer Productions- 6 Legendary Classics of Gothic Horror!
oldie but goodie
Killer Hammer Collection
When horror films had stories.
the rebirth of gothic horror at the movies

Hammer Horror Collection (The Curse of Frankenstein / Dracula Has Risen from the Grave / Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed / Horror of Dracula / The Mummy / Taste the Blood of Dracula)
Starring: Peter Cushing , Hazel Court , Robert Urquhart , Christopher Lee , and Melvyn Hayes
Director: Terence Fisher , and Freddie Francis
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001FVEAY
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Description

A collection of horror classics from Hammer Studios. Six films that feature horror stars Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing-- Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, Frankenstein Must be Destroyed, Horror of Dracula, The Mummy, Taste the Blood of Dracula.

Customer Reviews:

Hammer Productions- 6 Legendary Classics of Gothic Horror!.......2007-04-26

The legendary British film studio, Hammer Productions began its climb to the top of the horror film genre with its Technicolor release of "The Curse of Frankenstein." Teaming Peter Cushing with Christopher Lee for the first time- the result is pure movie magic and the beginning of what was to become a beautiful friendship. As well as a great time for movie going gothic horror fans as Hammer began churning out one classic after another. This set of Hammer horror includes:

"The Curse of Frankenstein" (1957)
Baron Victor Von Frankenstein, (Peter Cushing) is in prison for murder and trying to evade the guillotine. While there he tells a priest how he and his mentor, Paul Krempe, (Robert Urquhart) had performed many scientific experiments, eventually leading to the resurrection of a dead body. Due to an accident, that damages the brain intended for Frankenstein's creation, the experiment goes horribly wrong. Instead of the intelligent being Frankenstein set out to create- a hideous monster (Christopher Lee) rises from the laboratory table! The baron's obsession and the monster's homicidal nature cause the deaths of several of those around them. Finally the Baron is confronted by an enraged monster about to throw Victor's fiancée Elizabeth, (Hazel Court) from the castle parapet. The DVD release has a clean transfer and the audio is vibrant. Great use of color and the studio sets and costuming are used to full advantage to set the gothic atmosphere to perfection. The beginning of Hammer's rise to the top of the Horror genre and the first of many classics to come!

"Dracula Has Risen From The Grave" (1968)
When his castle is exorcised, Dracula (Christopher Lee) plots his revenge against the Monsignor (Rupert Davies) who performed the rites by attempting to make the Holy man's young niece, Maria (Veronica Carlson) his bride. Great story and very enjoyable performances by the entire cast make this entry in Hammer's `Dracula" series a real treat!

"Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed!" (1969)
Baron Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) is once again working with illegal medical experiments. Together with a young doctor, Karl Holst (Simon Ward) and his fiancée Anna Spengler (Veronica Carlson) they kidnap the mentally sick Dr. Brandt, (George Pravda) to perform the first brain transplant ever!

"Horror of Dracula" (1958)
After Jonathan Harker (John Van Eussen) attacks Dracula (Christopher Lee) at his castle, the vampire travels to a nearby city, where he preys on the family of Harker's fiancée. The only one who may be able to protect them is Dr. Van Helsing, (Peter Cushing) Harker's friend and fellow-student of vampires, who is determined to destroy Dracula, whatever the cost! The first in Hammer's "Dracula" series and possibly "the best" gothic vampire movie ever made! Lush visuals, great atmospheric music and studio sets, along with outstanding cast performances make this Hammer's crowning jewel of gothic horror!

"The Mummy" (1959)
Three British archeologists (including Peter Cushing) discover the grave of an important Egyptian female priestess (Yvonne Furneaux) who has died about four millennia ago. But when they open it a bad curse falls on them for having woken up the mighty "Guard of the Grave" (Christopher Lee) who was buried with the priestess. Hammer once again proved its ability to bring a classic horror story to vibrant life! "The Mummy" is perfectly wonderful in it's story telling, costuming, studio sets, and the cast performances are superb!

"Taste the Blood of Dracula" (1970)
Three elderly distinguished gentlemen are searching for some excitement in their boring lives and get in contact with one of count Dracula's servants (Ralph Bates). During a nightly ceremony they restore The Count (Christopher Lee) back to life. The three men kill Dracula's servant, and for revenge the Count makes sure that the gentlemen are killed one by one by their own sons. An original ideal for Hammer's `Dracula" series makes this one quite enjoyable. Ralph Bates really puts in a fine performance as Dracula's devoted servant- he's so believable!

"THE HAMMER HORROR COLLECTION" is a great box containing some of the Production Studios finest. If only a volume 2 or even a volume 3 would have followed! Hammer Studios truly set the bench mark for the gothic horror genre, and as of yet, no other studio has come close to meeting Hammer's success!

oldie but goodie.......2007-01-10

I have wished for this series for a long time. I got it at a reasonable price in a very short time.

Killer Hammer Collection.......2006-12-13

You cannot go wrong with Hammer Horror of any type, however, this collection beats all the other Hammer collection thats out there today. If you want great horror, then this collection is the best to start off with any true Hammer fan. Cushing and Lees best work to date. Highly Recommended!!

When horror films had stories........2006-05-14

In the last 25 years, we've been bombarded with horror films designed to shock rather than scare. We have Jason, a mindless murderer back from the grave, Freddie, a murderer who haunts our dreams, and Chucky, a little doll who likes to kill people. I'm not saying these newer films are bad. They're just not as good as the older ones.

Case in point, the horror films released by England's Hammer studios from the late 50s into the 70s. All of these films have villains, murderers and shock. But they also have interesting stories. They're not mindless.

This gem of a collection is a great starting point for somebody interested in owning Hammer horror films. There are other Hammer films out there besides these, but these are some of the best.

The Curse of Frankenstein. This is where it all started. Peter Cushing is excellent in his sinister portrayal as Victor Frankenstein, and Christopher Lee is an admirable monster.

The Horror of Dracula. Peter Cushing is back, and is great this time around as Van Helsing. Christopher Lee plays the infamous count for the first time.

The Mummy. This is the best remake of the Boris Karloff original. Lee stars again, this time as Kharis, a resurrected mummy out for revenge against those who desecrated his beloved Ananka's ancient tomb. Peter Cushing is one of the people he wants to get even with.

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed. Perhaps Cushing's most sinister stint as Dr. Frankenstein, this time stopping at nothing to make history in the science of brain transplants.

Dracula Has Risen From the Grave. Lee's third stint as the evil count, this time using a priest to exercise his agenda of death and destruction.

Taste the Blood of Dracula. Lee's fourth go-around as the blood-sucking monster, this time seeking revenge against the three men who murdered his disciple.

All of these films are beautifully presented in anamorphic widescreen. The colors, particularly the red, stand out.

the rebirth of gothic horror at the movies.......2006-04-22

this fantastic collection of the best hammer horror movies is just what the true horror movie fan has been waiting for. from frankenstein,dracula,and the mummy you get them all. while the hammer frankenstein movies are fun and i love them,i think the dracula films are the best the studio ever did. the dracula's always had the greatest deaths for the count and the one's in this set are the best. the one shot cushing&lee mummy is also one of the best mummy movies ever(right behind karloff's mummy)and a true treat. the transfers are great and the colors,so important to the hammer movies are like new. set back and let some of the masters of horror show you how it should be done.

Hammer Horror Collection (Curse of Frankenstein / Horror of Dracula / The Mummy [1959])

Average customer rating:

Masterful Gothic Trilogy From Hammer
Classic Hammer Horror with Frankenstein, Dracula and The Mummy
Essential introduction to Hammer horror
Hammer Horror Classics
Three of the Best

Hammer Horror Collection (Curse of Frankenstein / Horror of Dracula / The Mummy [1959])
Starring: Peter Cushing , Christopher Lee , Michael Gough , Melissa Stribling , and Carol Marsh
Director: Terence Fisher
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

Horror | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00006JMSN
Release Date: 2002-10-01

Customer Reviews:

Masterful Gothic Trilogy From Hammer.......2007-05-07

This collection released by Warner Brothers brings together the three films that established Hammer as the leading purveyors of gothic horror. It is perhaps difficult to appreciate now, but the major innovation that Hammer brought to these tired gothic tales was filming them in colour. In just the same way that Universal used the innovative German expressionist techniques of lighting and set design, Hammer chose the opposite route and celebrated the excesses and transgressions of the gothic strain. They brought to the horror genre a physical and sensual style of filmmaking which covered up the very regressive attitudes to gender and class that bubbled beneath the surface.

This collection works very well because of the continuity of personnel that became a trademark of Hammer. These three films are connected by cast, director, art designer, composer, producer and cinematographer - which gives these three films the feel of a trilogy. Of the three films "Dracula" stands up to modern scrutiny the best, its energy and dynamism remain undiminished. But to fully appreciate the aesthetic merits of "Dracula" one must acknowledge "Curse of Frankenstein" which preceded it. This was Hammer's most daring production up to that point, and much of Hammer's conventions of style and theme were established here. However to modern audiences the film does seem somewhat overly talky, and the makeup for the creature, whilst impressive, lacks the impact of Universals. "The Mummy" falls in the middle ground between the two, but possesses an epic rich grandeur of sets the other two lack, "The Mummy" is a gorgeous looking film. But like "Curse of Frankenstein" suffers from some pacing problems.

Warner's have chosen well here and must be commended for their selection, other Hammer box sets have a disappointing randomness. But little seems to have been done in terms of picture and sound restoration, and aside from trailers for all films, there are no further special features. All in all quite disappointing treatment for such important horror films. But the box itself is well designed, and the price (at least when it was first released) represented good value for money.

Classic Hammer Horror with Frankenstein, Dracula and The Mummy.......2005-08-10

These three classic Hammer horror movies are essential additions to horror buff DVD collections. Released in the same year as classics Touch of Evil and Vertigo, Dracula (1958) managed to not only stand out as a fantastic piece of artfully contrived entertainment but also saved the studio from some shaky antecedent years. Featuring a powerful performance from Peter Cushing as vampire hunter Van Helsing, Dracula offers plenty of nail-biting suspense and healthy amounts of gore (Surprising, considering the film's release date). And of course, there's the fantastic Christopher Lee in one of his first major movie roles, who turns in one of his best performances as the snarling, hissing count. Melissa Stribling and Michael Gough provide great support amidst the thrills. Under the steady hand of horror veteran Terence Fisher, Dracula is a fan favorite, and an indispensable chapter for the genre.

Lee, Cushing and director Fisher also created the fantastic Curse of Frankenstein in the previous year. One of the best examples in its field, the action is great, James Bernard's chilling music sends a shiver down the spine, and Jack Asher's stunning cinematography is haunting. Like the Bela Lugosi Dracula, Christopher Lee was Hammer's answer to Boris Karloff, a trend he would continue in the 1959 film The Mummy. While perhaps not as resounding as the previous two movies, Lee and Cushing's added gravitas give so much to a fairly standard plot. The standout is Cushing, whose role as the nervous archeologist John Banning provides much of the film's emotion and exposition. Considering that the fully bandaged role for Lee basically means that all you see are his eyes (Except for an excellent flashback explaining how Kharis came to be mummified alive) yet he still manages to give more scares than a bucket load of CGI can muster. Yvonne Furneaux shines in dual roles as Kharis' love Princess Ananka and Banning's wife, Isobel. And that ending? Creepy to say the least. Lee's creature performances outshine Karloff (And that's not easy) and despite the notoriety of the earlier originals, these three classics have stood the test of time to become the cherished horror gems they are today.

Essential introduction to Hammer horror.......2004-07-06

From the mid-'50s until the mid-'70s, the British Hammer Studios specialized with great success in producing gothic horrors, with great success. Showcased here are three of their early productions, all directed by stalwart Terence Fisher.

The seminal Curse of Frankenstein contains all the sophistication, irony and terror that made the Hammer Frankenstein series so successful and memorable. Peter Cushing plays the villianous Baron magnificently, and Christopher Lee presents us with an original and sympathetic portrayal of the creature. Production design is stunning, especially some of the lush matte paintings, and veteran James Bernard supplies one of his best scores.

Horror of Dracula is generally regarded as Fisher's masterpiece. Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee are pitted against each other as vampire-hunter Van Helsing and the nefarious Transylvanian aristocrat respectively. Fisher brings style and depth to the Dracula myth, and is fortunate to have the brilliance of composer James Bernard and designer Bernard Robinson at hand. Here we are presented with some of the cinema's most memorable images of vampirism of all time.

The Mummy never quite reached the heights attained by Frankenstein and Dracula, but it remains an entertaining piece of vintage Hammer.

Hammer Horror Classics.......2003-07-04

I am a big fan of the Hammer horror films. While, the scripts were adequate, the actors were brilliant and top-rate, and managed to inject complete believability into what they had to work with. In my opinion, however, the primary genius behind these films was director, Terence Fisher, who managed to give these films a look and style quite apart from anything that had ever been done before, which very few people have managed to match in today's "quick cutting, camera-whipping to the point of nauseum, get-as-much-information-as-you-can-to-the-audience" filmmaking. Great horror is not about overt blood-letting, it's about classy style. Fisher, his crew and cast, had style.

Three of the Best.......2003-01-15

These are the films that took the three classic movie monsters brought them into the world of color. They each spawned several sequels of various quality ( the Hammer Mummy films coming off worst)but they all changed the way that we view horror today. Made on the high end of a low budget the films look great.The acting is wonderful, Cushing's Frankenstien is masterful portrait of evil and Christopher Lee's Dracula rightly made him famous the world over. It should also be remembered that as tame as they seem by todays standards there was a great out cries about the horror and shock content of the films upon their first release. The films while not nearly as terrifying as they once were are still really good thrillers. The discs themselves are quite good, although sorely lacking in extra material. Why no effort was made to put something together by Warner is beyond me, especially since Christopher Lee has been doing commentaries for the other Dracula films over at Anchor Bay.But that's a minor sticking point since the films themselves are what matter and in this case the transfers are wonderful.

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