BroadcastChic
Excellent, a Must See
Supelice
Dreadfully Boring
GarnettTeenage
The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.
Neive Bellamy
Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.
andrew jones
It was a good idea to make these one hour episodes brought to us from the famous Hammer house film company,but it would of been even better had they kept up a high standard and not got predictable.The small budget doesn't make a difference if the writing and script are top notch but in some episodes we are left feeling quite bored and "yeah didn't see that coming" The episode "CARPATHIAN EAGLE" is a fine example of what i have just mentioned,its totally predictable has no shocks or twists in it and feels down right padded at times,but look out for 007 himself Pierce Brosnan sporting quite big hair.From a bad episode to a classic "THE SILENT SCREAM" is one of the best,in part because the story is original but also because of Hammer veteran Peter Cushing who effortlessly injects depth and a sinister feel to his Character. That will teach thieving Brian Cox to go near his safe!My personal favourite is "RUDE AWAKENING". Denholm Elliot turns in a fine performance as a seedy estate agent who goes to look at a disused country house and finds himself caught up in a endless surreal dream...or does he?There seems to be a story amongst the batch of 13 that will appeal to most peoples tastes and on the whole the acting is to a good standard. If nothing else, these are good to watch to spot future big names before the money rolled in.
MARIO GAUCI
Curiously enough, this is only Hammer's second foray into Wolf Man lore after THE CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF (1961); intriguingly, it's mixed here with a VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960)-like brood of evil children while the sinister procreation plot is a clear nod to ROSEMARY'S BABY (1968). An unsettling mood pervades this particular episode (helped by its central location, an English country-house situated deep into the woods) even if, when finally glimpsed, the werewolf make-up is kind of goofy! The bewildered hero is played by Christopher Cazenove, his business partner by Hammer veteran Robert Urquhart, while Diana Dors is the deceptively genial housekeeper of the eerie mansion who, apart from looking after the children by day, has the task of initiating the werewolf's female victims (the latest being Cazenove's wife) into their new 'role'. The final twist concerning a woodsman Cazenove meets when he goes looking for his missing wife is predictable, but nicely handled all the same. As has been the case with some other episodes in the series which, I have to admit, has taken me by surprise overall this presents a far more chilling, and subversive, concept (bestiality) than is usually associated with Hammer Films!
Robert MacRae (jayhawk-18)
My boyfriend was happy to see these available to rent through Amazon. He remembered many a late night as a boy under the blanket in front of the telly watching these. Some childhood memories don't deserve to be revisited though and he said the original thrill of watching these was long gone.We sat through about six episodes in all, cringing at the cheap effects, crap acting and lame pacing. Most episodes had no suspense or intrigue to them whatsoever (some were downright boring) and every twist makes itself known well in advance. Some episodes are nonsensical, even in the 'anything can happen' genres of horror and sci-fi. Doppelgangers in East Anglia? Must be 'normal for Norfolk.' Hospital porters being groomed by Satanists to eat babies? Again, normal for Norfolk, I guess.The acting was hammy to the extreme, like the time travelling witch who does nothing but bare her breasts and cackle (as witches do). The actress who played the American woman suffering from a nervous breakdown deserves a BAFTA, honest. 'I...will be...AVENGED!!!' If you're a unsophisticated teenager or some ironic uni students wanting some cheap entertainment, here's your series. Anyone with a serious interest in creepy thrillers should stay well away.
movieman_kev
The first disk contains 'Witching Hour'. This tale of a witch who teloports to the 20th century while simply OK, is still the best on disk 1 of the set. the second episode ' the Thirteenth Reunion' is as slow paced as molasses, but nice performances and the ending doesn't make it a total loss. Next we have 'Rude Awakining' I find that tale of a man suffering perpetual nightmares to be the weakest of the episodes on Disk one. Certainly the weakest opening. On to Disk 2 begins with the atrocious possession show 'Growing Pain' (the worst of the series), the much better 'the House that Screamed Blood', and the best of the trio, the voodoo-themed 'Charlie Boy'. Disk 3 begins with the best show of the series 'Silent Scream' then a sharp drop in quality with the extremely lackluster 'Children of the Full Moon', and the underrated 'Carpathian Eagle' Finally disk 4 holds 'two lackluster efforts ( Guardian of the Abyss', 'Visitor from the grave') the best of disk 4,'Two faces of Evil', and the simply alright 'The mark of Satan' (woulda been better as episode 9 though). All in all a much much better swansong to Hammer, than their last released theatrical movie.My Grade: B DVD Extas: Disk 1) History of Hammer text; Hammer Filmography; and stills gallery.Eye Candy: Patricia Quinn (most known as Magenta from Rocky Horror) gets topless briefly in 'Witching Hour'; Lucy Gutteridge of "Top Secret!" fame, shows very brief left nipple in 'Rude Awakining'; Rachel Davis gets topless in 'the House that Screamed Blood'; blink and you'll miss nipple's from Angela Bruce in 'Charlie Boy'