Posts Tagged ‘Hammer Films’
Posted by Ashleigh in Latest News, Movies on May 12th, 2010
Because shooting movies in three dimensions is quickly becoming the film industry’s BFF (that’s Best Friends Forever, in case you’re over the age of 12 and/or aren’t an avid watcher of the Disney Channel. Don’t judge me!), the recently-reanimated Hammer Films is joining the cool kids’ table by shooting a 3D picture of their own.
The Woman in Black – based on the novel of the same name by Susan Hill – will tell the story of Arthur Kipps, a lawyer who travels to the home of a recently-deceased client to sort out some papers. Oh, yes, and the house might be haunted. Because that’s the sort of thing you have to deal with when you become a lawyer (little known fact: the Ghostbusters were fantastic lawyers; they could have gotten Charles Manson off with just a warning, and still would have had time to vacuum up some ghosts, that’s how good they were).
Hill’s story is considered a classic by some and has been made into a TV movie, a radio broadcast and a successful stage play in the U.K.
James Watkins (of Eden Lake fame) has been signed on to direct, while Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, Stardust) will be adapting the story for the big screen. Vertigo Entertainment’s Roy Lee will be executive producing. Production is scheduled to begin in fall of this year.
Discuss this story at the Famous Monsters of Filmland Official Forum!
Posted by Jonathan in Comics, Latest News, Movies on April 16th, 2010
It was announced Thursday that Dark Horse and Hammer Films have entered a partnership to create a series of graphic novels and comic books.
Despite having an extensive catalog of 1950’s-1960’s “Hammer Horror” films, the companies revealed their first project will be based on Hammer’s new and upcoming thriller Let Me In, a remake of Swedish vampire movie, Let the Right One In. Dark Horse Comics is no stranger to the horror genre either, as they have acquired rights to make comic book adaptations to some of our favorites films such as Aliens, and Predators — needless to say, I think we can expect some good stuff to come in the future.
Not too much about the storyline has been revealed just yet, but the companies announced it “will incorporate some of the film’s characters and mythology with some fresh themes.”
Let Me In follows the story of an alienated 12-year-old boy (Kodi Smit- McPhee) who is bullied by his classmates and neglected by his parents. After meeting a mysterious new neighbor however, life begins to change. Chloe Moretz (Kick-Ass) will portray his neighbor, only friend, and unsuspecting vampire.
Discuss this at the Famous Monsters of Filmland Official Forum!
Posted by Ashleigh in Latest News, Movies on March 22nd, 2010
As earlier reported, the new CEO of Hammer Films, Simon Oakes, has been making the publicity rounds. Oakes recently sat down with horror blog Bloody Disgusting to discuss the future of the classic film production company. Hammer will soon be releasing The Resident starring Hilary Swank with a cameo appearance by Sir Christopher Lee, which will tell the story of a doctor whose landlord becomes obsessed with her. The company will also be releasing Let Me In, a remake of the Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In amid some controversy from fans of the original.
The reanimation of Hammer is big news for fans of classic horror, having released The Curse of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula, Curse of the Werewolf and a myriad of other titles that have withstood the tests of time.
Here are some highlights from the interview. The full Q&A can be read here.
On remaking old Hammer movies:
“… we would never remake. We might re-imagine. You know, one of the first questions I was asked when we bought the company was, ‘Are you gonna remake all of those old Hammer films?’ And I said, ‘well, why would you do that?’ Because in a sense they almost were of their time. They sort of almost became old-fashioned as they came up to the end of that period of time when they were making those pictures.”
On Hammer’s control of its library:
“What we do is we control everything in the sense that we also have blocking rights. So in some cases we control titles entirely, and in some cases other people have distribution rights of which we’re a beneficiary, but we don’t distribute ourselves. In some cases, we have co-ownership of rights with studios. Because the company is so old, you can imagine, [if] you made a picture in the ‘50s, and that company that made the picture got sold to that company, and to that company, and to that company. And suddenly you find you end up with a picture with Warner Bros., Canal and Fox.”
On what Hammer plans to bring to contemporary horror:
“What I do know is what we’ll do, and what we’re trying to do. And what we’re trying to do is, as I say, reboot, recreate, kick-start this studio again…We can really start from the ground upwards. The genres are broad, you know. In a sense, it’s almost like I know what I won’t do as opposed to what I will do. We will do a lot of stuff, alright. And the genres within genres…there are six to eight different broad tropes that we’d say, ‘well, that would be ok for us.’ The only thing that on my watch we won’t do, is we won’t make slasher pictures.”
Posted by Movies Unlimited in Featured Columns, Latest News, Movies, Movies Unlimited on March 8th, 2010
“Ghouly Irv” is back, asking you, his best fiends, to lend him your ears–don’t worry, he’ll give them back! In this installment of MovieFrightFare, your chummy chiller expert selects another decade to study and find some unusual facts about your favorite fear flicks:
Posted by Jesse in Latest News, Movies on February 3rd, 2010
FEARnet is reporting that the new incarnation of Hammer Films has optioned rights to the novel The Woman in Black, a supernatural thriller by Susan Hill.
Script will be written by Jane Goldman (Stardust, Kick-Ass), for director James Watkins (Eden Lake, Methuselah).
Hammer Films is, of course, a horror icon. Founded in 1934, the English studio revolutionized horror in the 1950’s and ’60’s, with its series of updates of horror classics like Dracula (Horror of Dracula in the USA) and The Curse of Frankenstein, and making stars of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.
Declining in the 1970’s, Hammer closed its doors in the 1980’s.
Producer John De Mol purchased it in 2007, with the intent of returning Hammer to active film development.
Posted by dominie in Movies on January 30th, 2009
Hammer Films has been busy developing several pictures for the relaunch of Hammer Films Production. After wrapping on The Wake Wood, the group immediately began prepping for the suspense/thriller The Resident. In early December, two-time Academy Award winner Hillary Swank was cast. Today, Bloody Disgusting revealed that Watchmen star Jeffrey Dean Morgan will play opposite Swank in the film. Shooting begins soon in the East Coast with Antti J. Jokinen at the helm for his first feature debut. You can read below for a detailed synopsis of The Resident, co-written by Jokinen and Robert Orr (Savior) and re-written by Erin Cressida Wilson (Secretary, Fur).
Synopsis: The Resident is inspired by the fact that every year, millions of single women in America move into apartments for the first time. They do not know who lived in the apartment before them, they do not know their landlords, and they don’t bother to change the locks. This is the story of one such woman, a pretty, young doctor Juliet Dermer (Swank), who is settling into a new life and a new loft in Brooklyn when mysterious occurrences lead her to suspect that she is not alone in her home. Her fears quickly become all too real, and in a chilling revelation she discovers that her seemingly charming, young landlord, Max (Morgan), has developed a dangerous obsession with her. A terrifying game of cat and mouse ensues as Juliet fights to free herself from Max’s sinister intentions.
Hammer is producing the film for its parent company Exclusive Media Group (EMG), the global filmed entertainment group combining Hammer and L.A. based Spitfire Pictures, backed by strategic Investment Group Cyrte Investments. Exclusive Film Distribution will be handling worldwide sales and distribution for the film. Stay tuned for more updates.
Posted by dominie in Latest News, Movies on December 5th, 2008
Academy Award winner Hillary Swank (The Reaping) will star in the feature directorial debut for Antti J. Jokinen, The Resident. Variety reports the thriller will begin shooting in May 2009 in the East Coast under the Hammer Films banner, which has been transitioning away from their internet series to making brand new feature films. It will be the second production since Hammer Films relaunched. The label just wrapped the low-budget thriller The Wake Wood, filmed in Ireland.
Swank will play a doctor who moves into a Brooklyn loft. Becoming suspicious that she’s not alone in her new home, she discovers her landlord is a stalker.
Jokinen’s credits include videos for Will Smith, Beyonce, Eminem, Korn and Celine Dion, and is co-founder of Solar Films, Finland’s largest TV and film producer. He’s also directed and co-written several TV series back home.
Posted by dominie in Latest News, Movies, Reviews on September 30th, 2008
Last week Hammer and Overture films announced an English-language remake of Swedish director Tomas Alfredson’s Let the Right One In, the original coming of age vampire film that hits theaters October 24. According to Bloody-Disgusting, Cloverfield helmer Matt Reeves will direct the remake, and Alfredson’s thoughts don’t come with open arms.
“Remakes should be made of movies that aren’t very good, that gives you the chance to fix whatever has gone wrong,” Alfredson tells Moviezine. “I’m very proud of my movie and think it’s great, but the Americans might be of an other opinion. The saddest thing for me would be to see that beautiful story made into something mainstream. I don’t like to whine, but of course – if you’d spent years on painting a picture, you’d hate to hear buzz about a copy even before your vernissage!”
If you’ve been following our coverage of Let the Right One In (review), you will understand how furious this news makes me. I’ll agree that an English-language remake may expose the film to millions more fans, but potentially sacrificing everything we have loved about the movie seems too great of a risk (seems likely the way Hollywood is nabbing remake rights). Can we not read subtitles anymore? If the film gets proper exposure (something Magnet Releasing may want to reconsider), the film could be a potential masterpiece even in the states. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ring a bell? Alfredson’s stunning success in the film comes from being subtle and leaving more to the viewers’ imagination for the scare, something we used to see in the good ol’ Hollywood days.
Posted by Dominic in Latest News on September 27th, 2008
Well, what do you know? Hammer Films is back in business. And to think, the last time they produced a film my parents weren’t yet divorced. Wait, my parents weren’t even married. In fact, they hadn’t even met. So, I guess, the last time Hammer Films produced a movie, I was not alive…and I’m almost 30!
The Wake Wood, directed by David Keating (The Last of the High Kings), written and produced by Brendan McCarthy and starring Aidan Gillen (The Wire), Eva Birthistle (Breakfast on Pluto), Ella Connolly and Timothy Spall (the guy who informs Tom Cruise that his nickname is “Citizen Dildo” in Vanilla Sky), tells the tale of a couple who moves to the town of Wake Wood to start anew after the loss of their daughter. Set in a cold, rainy, dreary Ireland, Wake Wood feels to be a common enough horror/supernatural story. But who cares if the film is good? I’m just happy that Hammer Films is back to putting “nails in the coffin.” (Yikes, that was a bad pun)
Now, let’s tangent: Writer/producer Brendan McCarthy obviously cast Birthistle as the female lead in his film. He also cast Eva in another movie he exec. produced called Breakfast on Pluto (which is an amazing movie starring Cillian Murphy). What I find interesting and really cool is that producers and/or directors use the same actors again and again. Cillian Murphy, as an example, is a Danny Boyle regular starring in both 28 Days Later and the fabulous Sunshine. D.J. Caruso’s new film Eagle Eye is the second film Shia LaBeouf has starred in. And let’s not forget the greatest director/actor relationship of all: Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. I don’t know why I find these loyal affairs to be so gratifying. Maybe it’s because the film industry is such a savage and fickle business that it’s nice to see constants in all the chaos. I guess it brings hope into the equation. Something that is easily lost in the grind of everyday life. So, let’s have a couple of cheers for the faithful ones. And let’s have a cheer for McCarthy and Birthistle.
Posted by Dominic in Events on June 25th, 2008
Amazon is running a contest allowing shoppers to void on the cover art of the recently announced Icons of Horror: Hammer Films. If you click here (http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&x=113&ref_=amb_link_7047422_4&amznpll-results=1&y=10&docId=1000241891) you will have a chance, until June 30, to vote and preorder.
Titles in the collection include: The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, Scream of Fear, and The Gorgon.
Posted by Dominic in Movies on June 21st, 2008
We miss the Hammer horror films of old but we’re delighted to see that the new incarnation of Hammer is hard at work. They’re prepping to shoot the English version of the vampire tale Let the Right One In and now we know what to expect next. (more…)
Posted by Dominic in Movies on June 20th, 2008
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced an October 14 release of Icons of Horror, a collection of four Hammer films: The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, The Gorgon, and Scream (Taste) of Fear. Details and artwork to follow.
Viz Media will finally release Death Note on DVD on September 16. The Japanese film has spawned several sequels including L: Change the World, which will make its domestic debut at the New York Asian Film Festival then be released as a subtitled DVD. Death Note is also being remake by Vertigo Films, with Vlas and Charles Parlapanides (The Strangers) on board to write the script.
