(1964)
Dir - Terrence Fisher
Overall: GOOD
Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and Terrence Fisher reunited yet again for a Greek mythology based horror outing that unsurprisingly is quite expertly made. (Very) minor complaints can be found in that both Lee and the title monster are rather underused, though the latter is effectively teased at least. Written by Plague of the Zombies and The Reptile director and frequent Hammer screenwriter John Gilling, he certainly deserves props for taking a concept like the Gorgon sisters and fitting it into an early 20th Century tale of possession. It still takes place in a small village with a lot of angry and terrified townsfolk though of course. Cushing and Lee's characters are both a little grey in the fact that Lee is rather off-putting though ultimately a bigger hero and more noble a protagonist than Cushing's foolish doctor. Patrick Troughton also makes a minor appearance for classic Doctor Who fans to rejoice over. It is ultimately rather beautifully directed, acted, and scripted, making it one of Hammer's several, non-Universal monster remakes that were quite solid in their own right.
.JPG)
(1966)
Dir - John Gilling
Overall: GOOD
John Gilling's The Reptile is another one of Hammer's excellent "one and done" horror films that is not based off a book of any kind, just a solid, classy creature feature. Filmed at the same time as the also superb The Plague of the Zombies and using the same sets, location, and one or two cast members, the formula of "outsiders move into small village, murders have been accruing, and the townsfolk are all suspicious and quiet about it" is done to a tee here. While unavoidably silly at times, the creepy mystery unfolds rather well and is adequately surprising in its reveals. It also easily features some of the best makeup effects for any such monster movie from the studio, arguably only surpassed by Roy Ashton's work in 1961's The Curse of the Werewolf. The film is definitely slow in parts and while the cast is more than adequate, (particularly Jacqueline Pearce), it is noticeably void of the more recognizable players in Hammer's usual pool of actors. Still, it is a top-notch production, one of the many from the studio that was still very much in their heyday at the time.
(1966)
Dir - Cyril Frankel
Overall: GOOD
Adapted by Nigel Kneale from Norah Lots' 1960 novel The Devil's Own, The Witches, is one of Hammer Studios' better, slightly lesser-known films. Kneal's script takes a great deal of time to lay all of its cards on the table. Clues and tidbits of information are given to us for well over half of the movie as to the sinister underlinings in the rural English village of Heddaby before anything really goes down. We are then given a brief slight-of-hand as to what we have been watching, only to have it all laid out in layman's terms for the finale. Speaking of which, the movie's legacy has somewhat been compromised due to that very same finale where the pagan proceedings inexplicably turn into a choreographed routine of jazz hands practice. It is also rather cartoonish that the "witches" all dress in tattered rags with filth all over them for no other reason than just...well, because that is what witches do? Unintentional tone issues aside, director Cyril Frankel, (in one of his few Hammer productions), still manages to create a wonderfully foreboding sense of dread. Former Alfred Hitchcock leading lady Joan Fontaine is great as well, also making a rare appearance in a straight horror movie.
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