Author Archives: chipkaufmann

The fans of Amicus movies all have their personal favorites. Some prefer the pulpiness of TALES FROM THE CRYPT or VAULT OF HORROR while others enjoy the cheesiness of TORTURE GARDEN or DR TERROR’S HOUSE OF HORRORS. Then there’s the literate approach of HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD and FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE. I love themContinue reading “HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD Is My Favorite Amicus Movie”

..Not really, but before watching THE DEADLY BEES, I was all set to have loads of fun with my review. I couldn’t use “O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?” as someone else had already come up with that so I came up with my own title. The problem is that after watching it, it’s notContinue reading “THE DEADLY BEES: The Problem With This Movie Is That It Really Stings…”

Well at last the long wait is finally over. A proper aspect ratio of DR TERROR’S HOUSE OF HORRORS, the movie that essentially launched Amicus Productions back in 1965 has finally made it to Region 1 and on Blu-Ray too. The quality of the transfer is quite decent but having been shot in Techniscope (theContinue reading “DR TERROR’S HOUSE OF HORRORS: Amicus’ First Anthology Film”

That’s the sad truth concerning CAPTAIN KRONOS: VAMPIRE HUNTER. Intended to revive Hammer’s flagging fortunes and start a new series of films, neither happened and what is left is a fascinating curio and the unfulfilled promise of what might have been. Brian Clemens, the man behind DR JEKYLL & SISTER HYDE as well as THEContinue reading “CAPTAIN KRONOS: The First One And Unfortunately The Last One”

I didn’t see HANDS on its original release in 1971 as part of a double bill with TWINS OF EVIL although I did see the latter coupled with a different movie. During my college years I haunted the drive-ins in search of Hammer and Euro-Gothic horror films but tastes were changing. The giallo films ofContinue reading “HANDS OF THE RIPPER: One Of My Favorite 1970s Hammer Films”

After reading Marcus Hearn & Alan Barnes’ THE HAMMER STORY and visiting Chris Woods’ cheeky BRITISH HORROR FILMS website (google it, the film reviews are a scream!), I have been working my way through most of Hammer Film’s core output especially the often overlooked and unfairly maligned early 1970s films. The first part of thisContinue reading “DR JEKYLL & SISTER HYDE: A Clever Title And An Even Better Result”

…was to have been the original title of this offbeat Hammer offering which attempts to combine their trademark Gothic settings with the type of PSYCHO inspired thrillers like HYSTERIA or MANIAC that they churned out during the early 1960s. For the most part it’s a very successful marriage thanks to lush visuals, committed performances, andContinue reading “DEMONS OF THE MIND: Blood Will Have Blood…”

It was quite enjoyable to see THE WITCHES again after almost 40 years. The widescreen print used for the DVD was in much better shape than the one I saw at the drive-in. I had forgotten most of it but the prologue and the delirious finale came back almost at once. I hadn’t realized thatContinue reading “THE WITCHES: Hammer Horror Meets Hitchcock”

By the time this film was released in America as FIVE MILLION YEARS TO EARTH in 1968, I was a confirmed fan of Hammer Films and tried to see as many of their movies as I could. Somehow I missed this one in the theaters and at the drive-ins so I had to wait 10Continue reading “QUATERMASS & THE PIT: A Major Miracle On A Minor Budget”

It delights me no end that Victor Sjostrom’s THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE is finally getting a Region 1 release and from Criterion no less. I have had the Region 2 version of this for a few years (complete with mislabeled discs) but now I will be able to enjoy the additional extra supplements that Criterion offers.Continue reading “THE PHANTOM CARRIAGE: A 1921 Swedish Silent Classic That Shouldn’t Be Missed”