History Film / HammerHorror

** They also made several ScienceFiction films, including ''Film/TheDamned1963'', the SpaceWestern ''Film/MoonZeroTwo'' and film adaptations of the ''Franchise/{{Quatermass}}'' series.

The films were distributed by studios including Creator/WarnerBros, Creator/ColumbiaPictures, and Creator/{{Universal}} Pictures. The films mostly re-invented the 'classic' horror movie characters previously given form by [[Franchise/UniversalHorror Universal themselves]] in the 1930s and '40s (Film/{{Dracula|1931}}, [[Film/{{Frankenstein1931}} Frankenstein and his Monster]], [[Film/TheWolfMan1941 The Werewolf]], Film/{{The Mummy|sHand}}), putting them into colour (often very lurid colour) and adding some new twists. The reinventions were so popular that the modern public image of many of these characters has kept some Hammer elements. For example, [[ClassicalMovieVampire the popular conception]] of {{Dracula}}, as seen in so many cartoons, wears full evening dress and talks with a Hungarian accent, like Creator/BelaLugosi's portrayal for Universal, but he is also over six feet tall and lean with {{red eyes|TakeWarning}}, [[FangsAreEvil long fangs]] and a [[VillainousWidowsPeak widow's peak]], which more closely resembles Creator/ChristopherLee's Hammer Dracula.

Creator/TerryPratchett's love of Hammer films was a source of much inspiration for the Literature/{{Discworld}} country of {{Uberwald}}, where every count is a vampire, every baron a werewolf, and every doctor is a MadScientist, and each of them is served by a specimen of TheIgor clan. You can also see many of the old clichés lovingly spoofed in Aardman's animated ''WesternAnimation/{{Wallace and Gromit Curse of the Were Rabbit}}''. One of the most fondly regarded periods of ''Series/DoctorWho'' is the "[[GothicHorror gothic]]" period of Season 12-14 (with Creator/TomBaker), which swiped Hammer Horror tropes and monsters and Doctorised them. Creator/TobeHooper's vampire flick ''Film/{{Lifeforce}}'' was dreamed up as a "70mm Hammer Film" and Creator/TimBurton's ''Film/SleepyHollow1999'' is basically an American equivalent, even featuring Christopher Lee and Creator/MichaelGough. ''Film/DraculaDeadAndLovingIt'' pays loving tribute to Hammer the way ''Film/YoungFrankenstein'' did the Universal films, and the ''[[Film/FrightNight1985 Fright Night]]'' films are more serious, though still tongue-in-cheek homages with Creator/RoddyMcDowall as an extremely Peter Cushing-esque vampire hunter. Creator/GuillermoDelToro is a lifelong Hammer fan and admitted to styling his gothic ghost films ''Film/TheDevilsBackbone'' and especially ''Film/CrimsonPeak'' as [[GenreThrowback throwbacks]]. Creator/SteveCoogan, a horror nerd, created the ''Series/DrTerriblesHouseOfHorrible'' to {{Pastiche}} Hammer films, as well as similar ones by their rival Creator/AmicusProductions. Meanwhile in Japan, LightNovel/VampireHunterD and Franchise/{{Castlevania}} draw strong influence from Hammer's stylings and traditions. Infact, Hammer Horror was ''so'' [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff popular in Japan]] Creator/{{Toho}} ended up making it's own Hammer Horror derivative series of Vampire movies known informally as the "Bloodthirst" trilogy. On the other hand, ''Film/TheWickerMan1973'' was essentially made as an anti-Hammer film, deliberately shying away from onscreen gore or stereotypical gothic scenery despite featuring Hammer regulars Christopher Lee and Ingrid Pitt.

Early films in the series were basic, Universal-type horror stories done in colour, but as time went on the studio found themselves in greater competition with American studios who had bigger budgets and better special effects. Hammer retaliated by increasing the sex content of their films so that starting in the late '60s and continuing into the mid '70s Hammer films had more nudity than most horror films even today. The contrast can be seen in their two adaptations of Creator/DennisWheatley black magic tales. In ''Film/TheDevilRidesOut'' (written 1963, released 1968, based on Creator/DennisWheatley's 1934 horror thriller) the satanic orgy features characters robed from neck to ankle dancing in a manner no wilder than teenagers at a modern nightclub, ''To the Devil, a Daughter'' (1976) features full-frontal nudity, sex scenes and a gory birth scene, all in an attempt to win back an audience who had seen ''Film/RosemarysBaby'', ''Film/TheExorcist'' and ''Film/{{The Texas Chainsaw Massacre|1974}}'' and wouldn't be impressed by counts in coffins any more. It didn't really work. Hammer stopped making movies after that and went on to their two '80s TV series, ''Series/HammerHouseOfHorror'' and ''Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense''.

** In ''Film/TheDamned1963'', King's [[MySisterIsOffLimits overly protective behavior]] towards his sister Joan is implied to be due to incestuous desire.

* ''Film/TheseAreTheDamned'' (aka ''The Damned'') (1963)

Creator/TerryPratchett's love of Hammer films was a source of much inspiration for the Literature/{{Discworld}} country of {{Uberwald}}, where every count is a vampire, every baron a werewolf, and every doctor is a MadScientist, and each of them is served by a specimen of TheIgor clan. You can also see many of the old clichés lovingly spoofed in Aardman's animated ''WesternAnimation/{{Wallace and Gromit Curse of the Were Rabbit}}''. One of the most fondly regarded periods of ''Series/DoctorWho'' is the "[[GothicHorror gothic]]" period of Season 12-14 (with Creator/TomBaker), which swiped Hammer Horror tropes and monsters and Doctorised them. Creator/TobeHooper's vampire flick ''Film/{{Lifeforce}}'' was dreamed up as a "70mm Hammer Film" and Creator/TimBurton's ''Film/SleepyHollow1999'' is basically an American equivalent, even featuring Christopher Lee and Creator/MichaelGough. ''Film/DraculaDeadAndLovingIt'' pays loving tribute to Hammer the way ''Film/YoungFrankenstein'' did the Universal films, and the ''[[Film/FrightNight1985 Fright Night]]'' films are more serious, though still tongue-in-cheek homages with Creator/RoddyMcDowall as an extremely Peter Cushing-esque vampire hunter. Creator/GuillermoDelToro is a lifelong Hammer fan and admitted to styling his gothic ghost films ''Film/TheDevilsBackbone'' and especially ''Film/CrimsonPeak'' as [[GenreThrowback throwbacks]]. Creator/SteveCoogan, a horror nerd, created the ''Series/DrTerriblesHouseOfHorrible'' to {{Pastiche}} Hammer films, as well as similar ones by their rival Creator/AmicusProductions. Meanwhile in Japan, LightNovel/VampireHunterD and Franchise/{{Castlevania}} draw strong influence from Hammer's stylings and traditions. Infact, Hammer Horror was ''so'' [[GermansLoveDavidHasselholff popular in Japan]] Creator/Toho ended up making it's own Hammer Horror derivative series of Vampire movies known informally as the "Bloodthirst" trilogy. On the other hand, ''Film/TheWickerMan1973'' was essentially made as an anti-Hammer film, deliberately shying away from onscreen gore or stereotypical gothic scenery despite featuring Hammer regulars Christopher Lee and Ingrid Pitt.

Creator/TerryPratchett's love of Hammer films was a source of much inspiration for the Literature/{{Discworld}} country of {{Uberwald}}, where every count is a vampire, every baron a werewolf, and every doctor is a MadScientist, and each of them is served by a specimen of TheIgor clan. You can also see many of the old clichés lovingly spoofed in Aardman's animated ''WesternAnimation/{{Wallace and Gromit Curse of the Were Rabbit}}''. One of the most fondly regarded periods of ''Series/DoctorWho'' is the "[[GothicHorror gothic]]" period of Season 12-14 (with Creator/TomBaker), which swiped Hammer Horror tropes and monsters and Doctorised them. Creator/TobeHooper's vampire flick ''Film/{{Lifeforce}}'' was dreamed up as a "70mm Hammer Film" and Creator/TimBurton's ''Film/SleepyHollow1999'' is basically an American equivalent, even featuring Christopher Lee and Creator/MichaelGough. ''Film/DraculaDeadAndLovingIt'' pays loving tribute to Hammer the way ''Film/YoungFrankenstein'' did the Universal films, and the ''[[Film/FrightNight1985 Fright Night]]'' films are more serious, though still tongue-in-cheek homages with Creator/RoddyMcDowall as an extremely Peter Cushing-esque vampire hunter. Creator/GuillermoDelToro is a lifelong Hammer fan and admitted to styling his gothic ghost films ''Film/TheDevilsBackbone'' and especially ''Film/CrimsonPeak'' as [[GenreThrowback throwbacks]]. Creator/SteveCoogan, a horror nerd, created the ''Series/DrTerriblesHouseOfHorrible'' to {{Pastiche}} Hammer films, as well as similar ones by their rival Creator/AmicusProductions. Meanwhile in Japan, LightNovel/VampireHunterD and Franchise/{{Castlevania}} draw strong influence from Hammer's stylings and traditions.

On the other hand, ''Film/TheWickerMan1973'' was essentially made as an anti-Hammer film, deliberately shying away from onscreen gore or stereotypical gothic scenery despite featuring Hammer regulars Christopher Lee and Ingrid Pitt.

Creator/TerryPratchett's love of Hammer films was a source of much inspiration for the Literature/{{Discworld}} country of {{Uberwald}}, where every count is a vampire, every baron a werewolf, and every doctor is a MadScientist, and each of them is served by a specimen of TheIgor clan. You can also see many of the old clichés lovingly spoofed in Aardman's animated ''[[WesternAnimation/TheCurseOfTheWereRabbit Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit]]''. One of the most fondly regarded periods of ''Series/DoctorWho'' is the "[[GothicHorror gothic]]" period of Season 12-14 (with Creator/TomBaker), which swiped Hammer Horror tropes and monsters and Doctorised them. Creator/TobeHooper's vampire flick ''Film/{{Lifeforce}}'' was dreamed up as a "70mm Hammer Film" and Creator/TimBurton's ''Film/SleepyHollow1999'' is basically an American equivalent, even featuring Christopher Lee and Creator/MichaelGough. ''Film/DraculaDeadAndLovingIt'' pays loving tribute to Hammer the way ''Film/YoungFrankenstein'' did the Universal films, and the ''[[Film/FrightNight1985 Fright Night]]'' films are more serious, though still tongue-in-cheek homages with Creator/RoddyMcDowall as an extremely Peter Cushing-esque vampire hunter. Creator/GuillermoDelToro is a lifelong Hammer fan and admitted to styling his gothic ghost films ''Film/TheDevilsBackbone'' and especially ''Film/CrimsonPeak'' as [[GenreThrowback throwbacks]]. Creator/SteveCoogan, a horror nerd, created the ''Series/DrTerriblesHouseOfHorrible'' to {{Pastiche}} Hammer films, as well as similar ones by their rival Creator/AmicusProductions. Meanwhile in Japan, LightNovel/VampireHunterD and Franchise/{{Castlevania}} draw strong influence from Hammer's stylings and traditions.

* ''Film/TheseAreTheDamned'' (aka ''The Damned'')

** They also made several science fiction films, including "space western" ''Film/MoonZeroTwo'' and the Quatermass series.

* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: The caveman epics often differentiate between tribes by hair color, and the blondes will generally be nicer and smarter than the brutish brunettes.

* PluckyGirl: Candy in ''The Snorkel'', who resolves to prove the guilt of her mother's murderer.

* ScreamingWoman: Too many to count. Hammer generally let the men handle all the action, which the left the job of being terrified to the women.

* BrotherSisterIncest: ''Demons of the Mind''. We only actually see kissing, but Emil and Elizabeth are obsessed with each other, and their father is willing to do anything to keep them apart [[spoiler:(up to and including killing them)]].

* TheDulcineaEffect: Gender-flipped in ''Lust for a Vampire'', in which Richard is in love with Mircalla, but Janet has noticed that everyone who gets close to Mircalla ends up dead. Janet tries to get Richard to stay away from Mircalla. When he asks why she cares, she says she's in love with him -- even though they've barely spoken in the movie before then, and most of their conversations seem to consist of him blowing off her concerns.

Creator/TerryPratchett's love of Hammer films was a source of much inspiration for the Literature/{{Discworld}} country of {{Uberwald}}, where every count is a vampire, every baron a werewolf, and every doctor is a MadScientist, and each of them is served by a specimen of TheIgor clan. You can also see many of the old clichés lovingly spoofed in Aardman's animated ''[[WesternAnimation/TheCurseOfTheWereRabbit Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit]]''. One of the most fondly regarded periods of ''Series/DoctorWho'' is the "[[GothicHorror gothic]]" period of Season 12-14 (with Creator/TomBaker), which swiped Hammer Horror tropes and monsters and Doctorised them. Creator/TobeHooper's vampire flick ''Film/{{Lifeforce}}'' was dreamed up as a "70mm Hammer Film" and Creator/TimBurton's ''Film/SleepyHollow1999'' is basically an American equivalent, even featuring Christopher Lee and Michael Gough. ''Film/DraculaDeadAndLovingIt'' pays loving tribute to Hammer the way ''Film/YoungFrankenstein'' did the Universal films, and the ''[[Film/FrightNight1985 Fright Night]]'' films are more serious, though still tongue-in-cheek homages with Roddy [=McDowall=] as an extremely Peter Cushing-esque vampire hunter. Creator/GuillermoDelToro is a lifelong Hammer fan and admitted to styling his gothic ghost films ''Film/TheDevilsBackbone'' and especially ''Film/CrimsonPeak'' as [[GenreThrowback throwbacks]]. Creator/SteveCoogan, a horror nerd, created the ''Series/DrTerriblesHouseOfHorrible'' to {{Pastiche}} Hammer films, as well as similar ones by their rival Creator/AmicusProductions. Meanwhile in Japan, LightNovel/VampireHunterD and Franchise/{{Castlevania}} draw strong influence from Hammer's stylings and traditions.

* ''Film/TheLegendOfThe7GoldenVampires'' (1974)

[[folder:List of Hammer horror works with pages on this wiki:]]

* GenreShift: Occasionally, they did non-supernatural psych thrillers like ''Film/{{Paranoiac}}'' and ''Nightmare''. Despite the title, though, ''Film/NightCreatures'' was more of a 1790s crime thriller than a horror movie.

The Hammer films included a "stable" of regular actors, one or two of whom (at least) would appear in each major performance. The most famous of the stable were Creator/ChristopherLee, Creator/PeterCushing and Creator/OliverReed. The style was well plotted but still reassuringly predictable. As Creator/TerryPratchett put it, "You knew just what you were going to get." Just to add to the confusion, other Brithorror studios-- notably Creator/AmicusProductions and Creator/TigonBritishFilmProductions-- borrowed actors from Hammer (as well as other staff such as cinematographer/director Freddie Francis).

The films were distributed by studios including Creator/WarnerBros, Creator/ColumbiaPictures, and Creator/{{Universal}} Pictures. The films mostly re-invented the 'classic' horror movie characters previously given form by [[Franchise/UniversalHorror Universal themselves]] in the 1930s and '40s (Film/{{Dracula|1931}}, [[Film/{{Frankenstein1931}} Frankenstein and his Monster]], [[Film/TheWolfMan1941 The Werewolf]], Film/{{The Mummy|sHand}}), putting them into colour (often very lurid colour) and adding some new twists. The reinventions were so popular that the public image of many of these characters has some Hammer elements. For example, [[ClassicalMovieVampire the popular conception]] of {{Dracula}}, as seen in so many cartoons, wears full evening dress and talks with a Hungarian accent, like Creator/BelaLugosi's portrayal for Universal, but he is also over six feet tall and lean with {{red eyes|TakeWarning}}, [[FangsAreEvil long fangs]] and a [[VillainousWidowsPeak widow's peak]], which more closely resembles Creator/ChristopherLee's Hammer Dracula.

* ''Film/TwinsOfEvil'' (1972)

* BurnTheWitch: ''Twins of Evil.''