British Horror Thread

[Banjo]

Does anybody else apart from me have a passion for the classic British horror movies of the 1960's and '70's.
Like SW's(also from the same era!) these movies were shown in great frequency in the UK 20+ years ago although BBC and ITV have always shown a good selection every now and again.After seeing and getting totlally obsessed with the Wicker Man(Nicolas Cage leave this movie alone,Hollywood have already slaughtered the Italian Job and Get Carter -its utter sacrilege) i decided to tape every Hammer/Tigon/Amicus/British Lion etc  horror film off the telly as it came up and i have the following so far:-
FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN
SCARS OF DRACULA
BLOOD FROM A MUMMIES TOMB
PSYCOMANIA
SHE
VENGEANCE OF SHE
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED
DRACULA AD1972
BRIDES OF DRACULA
LEGEND OF 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES
THE DEVILS
WITCHFINDER GENERAL
TALES FROM THE CRYPT
VAMPIRE LOVERS
BLOOD BEAST TERROR
THE GHOUL
BEAST MUST DIE
COUNTESS DRACULA
LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF
CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF
PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES
HANDS OF THE RIPPER
FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE
CRUCIBLE OF TERROR
TOWER OF EVIL
LUST FOR A VAMPIRE
VAMPIRE CIRCUS
HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
THE GORGON
TWINS OF EVIL
I MONSTER
THE MUMMIES SHROUD
HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN
DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE
TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA
AND THE SCREAMING STARTS
TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER
MEDUSA TOUCH
DEVILS OF DARKNESS
THE SHOUT
THE UNCANNY
BEAST IN THE CELLAR
DOOMWATCH
NOTHING BUT THE NIGHT
CITY OF THE DEAD
DR TERRORS HOUSE OF HORROR
CURSE OF THE MUMMYS TOMB
QUATERMASS EXPERIMENT
QUATERMASS EXPERIMENT 2
DR JECKYL AND SISTER HYDE
THE REPTILE
DRACULA
DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS
THE MUMMY
THE DEVIL RIDES OUT
QUATERMASS AND THE PIT
HORROR EXPRESS
CREEPING FLESH
THEATRE OF DEATH
SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA
THE WICKER MAN

What i like about these movies is they nearly always have stella British casts,good storylines, great look atmosphere and music,the quaintness including the pre-historic special effects-i can't stand all the CGI of blood and guts we get nowadays-its tiresome and definately not scary.What happened to all the suspense and having to use your own imagination.
I do like some USA oldies also like the Omen and The
Exorcist which are both very well made,well acted,suspenseful and scary!! 

[Leone Admirer]

Wow, thats a hell of a collection there banjo. I havent seen a lot of them but The Wicker Man is a personal favourite of mine. I recomend picking up the studio canal release (quickly because I hear they are going OOP) of the two disc DVD release which has the theatrical and extended cut along with some excellent extras.

[Juan Miranda]

All good stuff there Banjo, though my own fave Brit horror film (also currently suffering the ignominy of a Hollywood remake), DON'T LOOK NOW seems to be missing.

The trouble with a lot of the versions shown on TV (until not long ago) is that they are old prints hacked up by the BBFC. It's only recently that a film like Freddie Francis's splendid TALES FROM CRYPT has finally appeared complete with writhing intestines (horray!) and beating, butcherd heart.

Just to be Mr. Pedantic (as usual), THE OMEN actually is a British film. Spooky!

[Banjo]

Leone_Admirer,I hadn't realised i had so many until today when i went through all the video tape covers and made the list.
The Wicker Man would probably be in my personal top 10 movies from all genres.I just love the cast,the weird pagan rituals,the fantastic Scottish locations,unique stoyline and the wonderful folk music-i have the CD!
I've been meaning to pick up the 2 disc dvd and in view of what you say i will do so very quickly!

[Banjo]

All good stuff there Banjo, though my own fave Brit horror film (also currently suffering the ignominy of a Hollywood remake), DON'T LOOK NOW seems to be missing.

The trouble with a lot of the versions shown on TV (until not long ago) is that they are old prints hacked up by the BBFC. It's only recently that a film like Freddie Francis's splendid TALES FROM CRYPT has finally appeared complete with writhing intestines (horray!) and beating, butcherd heart.

Just to be Mr. Pedantic (as usual), THE OMEN actually is a British film. Spooky!

I don't know why i haven't got this down on tape because i've seen and enjoyed this-will have to make amends!
Is the whole Omen trilogy British then?
I've also got House of Wax and Mask of the Red Death Death-both Vincent Price but i think they may be Amercican!

[Juan Miranda]

Is the whole Omen trilogy British then?
I've also got House of Wax and Mask of the Red Death Death-both Vincent Price but i think they may be Amercican!

The other 2 OMEN films are US productions. HOUSE OF WAX is an American film also. Although MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH is a Roger Corman film, it was actually shot in Britain, with an almost entierly Brit cast and was a Brit production.

It also has a connection with DON'T LOOK NOW. It's director, Nic Roeg, was the cinematographer behind the lush colour lighting on the Corman gig.

By the way, any of you folks been to any of THE WICKER MAN locations in Scotland?

[Banjo]

I'm sure i read that the Wicker Man was released in British cinemas as a double header with Don't Look Now in 1973!
I have got Allan Browns excellent book "Inside The Wicker Man" and i see the filming locations are spread all over the place in Scotland but i'd love to go!

[Leone Admirer]

Your correct, it was released in a time when even double headers were old hat. Its funny to think that even the filmmakers all admit that if the film had been very popular then and there hadn't been any studio interferance, then the film wouldn't be heralded nearly as much as it is today.

[Banjo]

And reading the whole history of the movie in Allan Browns (very reccomended)book is like one extremely long drawn out horror story in itself.The only reason there is an extended version of the film available is because a positive(from which a new negative was eventually made) was left and forgotten about in the hands of some American guy,the original negative toghether with other footage being either destroyed or buried beneath a motorway somewhere!!!

[Leone Admirer]

isnt it the M1 or the M4? Roger Cormon had the positive but it has degraded a bit.

[Banjo]

Yeau thats the guy i was trying to think of and yes the quality of the longer print(on my video tape) is not as good as the butchered version which i understand is the only version stereo on the DVD?
I'm one of those nutters who thinks they should dig up the M1(or 4),if theres any truth in it- its that important!!!

[Leone Admirer]

I think for repairs they should try and have a look and see if the cans are in any state of repair and have done any preservation of the neg. The Theatrical version on the DVD is in 5.1 and the Extended Cut is in 2.0 Mono.

[Banjo]

It would do the UK balance of payments a big boost if we could unearth(literally he,he) the missing footage because the Wicker Man is a worldwide cult especially in the USA i understand.

[Leone Admirer]

The funny thing is, the major scene still missing is the apple scene in which Lord Summerisle talks to Howie about the beauty of apples, it waa cut because it was long and boring etc and everyone agrees with this except the director and Lee.

[Banjo]

Christopher Lee claims that theres up to 3 hours footage filmed in total though Allan Brown thinks he may be exaggerating somewhat.
For quite some while there been mention of Wicker Man director Robin Hardy writing and directing a loose sequel with similar themes,including Lee and other cast members from the original, called Riding of the Lairdie although i think the latest title is Mayday.They must be moving extremely slowly because there never seems to be any news of whether its in production or a release date given!