Hammer, re-mastering its classic movies

One of the most famous film studios in Britain’s film history has announced plans to remaster its back catalogue in preparation for a number of releases on Blu-ray later in 2014. Legendary horror film creators Hammer, working with industry partners such as Pinewood, Illuminate Hollywood, STUDIOCANAL and Anolis Entertainment, is planning to remaster and reissue over 30 of their most successful films.

First to get the remastering treatment is the iconic Dracula Prince of Darkness, one of Sir Christopher Lee’s early appearances as the vampire. The re-released HD Blu-ray version of the film will include some previously unseen clips from the cutting room floor. Studio bosses have even issued an appeal for Hammer fans to get in touch if they have any unused footage from other films so that the scenes can be included in the upcoming releases.

Hammer, re-mastering its classic movies

Hammer and its partners will be working throughout the year on remastering many of the studio’s best-known titles, including The Devil Rides Out, The Mummy’s Shroud, Rasputin the Mad Monk and The Plague of the Zombies.

The famous studio, which was founded in the 1930s, enjoyed its greatest success between the late-1950s and the mid-1970s, when stars such as Sir Christopher Lee, Vincent Price and Peter Cushing made their names in a string of legendary horror roles. Hammer was sadly forced to close thirty years ago, but made a triumphant return to film-making in 2010 with Let Me In, a remake of the Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In.

Hammer, re-mastering its classic movies

CEO and President of Hammer, Simon Oakes, hopes that it is not just hardcore fans who will enjoy the remastered versions of many of their classic films, but that new audiences too will be able to enjoy the films, perhaps for the first time.

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