A History Of Horror With Mark Gatiss

How could he have missed out The Devil Rides Out? Classic - and classy - Hammer horror and seriously scary too. Apparently Christopher Lee's favourite, out of his Hammer roles.
 
You've taken the worRAB right out of my mouth! I can't remember seeing .....Satan's CLAW during the horror double seasons on BBC2 in the late 70's/early 80's - perhaps it was too "new" or too saucy so have been "forced" to make a purchase on Amazon - there's a re-mastered version on the market so fingers crossed that it's worth the dosh.
 
Really enjoyed the whole series, well presented, researched and writtem. Some fantastic interviews, and clips of film I have always avoided watching as the looked too scary (Texas Chainsaw Massacre being one). He ie clearly such an enthusiast and that came over so well throughout the series. Another one that goes into the "BBC at it's best" file for me!
 
That was a very bittersweet moment but it was nice they managed to get her to feature in the programme. She came across as a real lady with a lot of class...it's a shame another link to old Hollywood is gone.

I thought the programme was wonderful. I'm a horror fan and it's introduced me to some films I'd not been familiar with, so I'll be seeking out copies and having a horrorfest.

I'm looking forward to them covering Halloween and the teen slasher genre - I assume that will feature on the last episode if they're going to work their way through the years in order.

More programming like this would be a joy, and not tucked away with little to no advertising on BBC4 either. Programming of this quality deserves to be on BBC2, at least, with good promotion. I'm sure a lot more people would have watched had the BBC given it a stronger presence.
 
BoSC was a staple of 70s horror screenings on the telly and even at that time I clocked it as something more disturbing (like The Wicker Man) than most of the others shown alongside. Don
 
I think it would have been nice to separate the few good horrors from the screams and final destinations and such crap that seems to get the spotlight these days
 
I was waiting for Theatre of Blood myself. One of my favourites - Pricey hamming it up magnificently with the added bonus of Diana Rigg.

And Robert Morley tucking in to those pies :D
 
Are you sure the Cannes version was aired as early as 1997?
The film would still have been censored back then .
Seems odd to show the long version with all the gore cut out.
 
I know that! (lets out long sigh) I said that myself in an earlier post on this thread, nonetheless he had to skip lightly over later Hammer for example Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter didn't even get a mention, Amicus deserved a bit more, no mention of Tygon, Peter Walker and so on.
 
The series is there to summarise, not acknowledge every notable film of the age.

I think he did a good job summarising. I think he summed up late Hammer quite well, he essentially said there were a few gems, but all in all it came too reliant on nudity and exploitation (lesbian vampires etc.)....and in all honesty thats pretty much true. And i don't think a lot more neeRAB to be said, as he said it all pretty succinctly. There were quality late Hammer productions, but they were the exception not the rule.

He already heaped a lot of praise and insight on one late Hammer 'Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde'.
 
Great to see Carla Laemmle too. She'll be 101 on October 20th and still as sharp as a tack. Staggering to think that she appeared in Phantom of the Opera nearly 85 years ago and spoke the first lines in Lugosi's "Dracula" in 1930.
 
I was looking forward to a bit of Wolfman too, shame. But the Hammer films up next will be amazing. I know so flipping little about them, despite having seen a handful. It should be superb.
 
I enjoyed the first episode the most.

The second focusing on hammer horror was interesting but not really an era I'm familiar with yet.

I wasn't that keen on tonight. Was really disappointed iconic movies like Carrie didn't get a mention, or that there was no mention at all of the 80s teen slashers. I know it was always going to about Gatiss's personal favourites but it just seemed wrong that the original Nightmare On Elm Street and Friday 13th were completely snubbed.

Ah well. It was still great to see a series like this on TV. Older films really don't get much attention now that those in charge of broadcasting are probably snotty little thirty somethings straight out of media courses who hate anything older than themselves.
 
Theater of Blood has got to have the best cast of any 70s horror film. Price(s), Rigg, Morley, Hordern, Lowe, Hendry, Dors & Sykes to boot (well in boot).


Even the original Jabba the Hutt is in it. ;)
 
Great thread, everyone!

I watched the first 2 episodes of this on catch-up last night and it was marvellous. I know very little about old horror movies and the gratuitous rubbish that masquerades as horror these days (Saw, Hostel etc) is of no interest to me.

I thought the clips of Karloff playing Frankenstein's monster were stunning. The scene where the little girl was thrown into the water genuinely shocked me. I've made a mental note to seek out some of those old Lugosi / Karloff / Chaney films.

The scenes with Peter Cushing were very moving. What a great actor and a real gentleman. I used to live in Kent and recognised Whitstable immediately. There's a bench near the seaside with a brass plaque that says how much he loved that view.

Anyway, great series and just the sort of thing BBC4 should be doing. It's rapidly becoming my favourite channel.
 
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