hammer house of horror

It’s seems redundant and more than a little tiresome to provide a brief history of Hammer Studios yet again, and the impact they had on horror cinema worldwide from around 1957 until the company fell apart during the late ‘70s. Especially considering that from a technical standpoint, most of the creative personnel responsible that success were long gone by the time Hammer House of Horror aired as a British television series in 1980.

A classic anthology series featuring a different hour-long story each week, House did feature a few notable appearances from Hammer vets like Peter Cushing, director Alan Gibson (Dracula A.D. 1972) and soon-to-be-famous British actors like Pierce Brosnan and Brian Cox.

As is usually the case with shows of this type, the quality of each episode varies depending on the talent involved. Cushing’s role in The Silent Scream is sure to attract the most fan attention as a pet-shop owner who keeps a dangerous menagerie in the back room. But The House that Bled to Death, an Amityville-style ghost story with a twist, and Charlie Boy, wherein an African idol predicts its own owner’s demise, are both ahead the curve compared with similar fare like Tales from the Darkside or Monsters.

Even though it wasn’t quite the all-star horror show fans might have expected at the time, House is sure to garner a few looks now, especially in the attractive package presented by Synapse Films. All unlucky thirteen episodes look great with individual introductions by film historian Shane M. Dallman, talent interviews and a still gallery.