HEADS UP! SPOILERS! YEARS AGO, there was a trend, sometimes fuelled by the ad's in the back of
#FamousMonsters magazine from the US, that sent Brit #Hammerfilm fans
into tizz and tap-dance when seeing a column of 8mm, Super 8 short
digest versions of classic Hammer films, were available to anyone with a
8mm projector for the price of four weeks pocket money, but in the
USA!! Brit fans, steamed over the fact, that for US fans, many of their
much loved classics were there for the taking and then owning, to view
at ones leasure, while they in dear ol Britty had to wait until their
regional ITV television station or Aunty BBC might screen a Hammer,
Tyburn or Amicus film, once in a blue moon! Until the BBC Double Bills
appeared in the 80's. Later, it happened with a few desired lazer discs
and VHS releases, just a US release, I knew NON ONE who actually owned a
laser disc player! Fans felt double thwarted, when they gambled all and
got granny to invest her Christmas gift money that year, and bought
them a US video release, only to be fuming when sticking the cassette in
their VHS player to find... it DIDN'T play! Wrong region! Region? But my
Gran lives in Long Island!
PCASuk Knowledgeable Nugget: At 1:12:00 in 'Night creatures' as the wedding ceremony ends, the bride and groom say "I
pledge thee my troth." The English caption sub-title incorrectly has "truth"
rather than "troth".
MY HOW THOSE frustraiting and challenging times have changed. Just about
ANY Hammer, Amicus, #PeterCushing and #ChristopherLee fantasy film is
now there, in multiple formats, regions and quality. Ironically, when
the Blu Ray releases came around, an act of fate made it so, that many
of the 'marque class Hammer titles' were available in the UK and Europe
first. After many mishaps, badly synced, incorrect filter work releases
later, we seem to have now reach a plateau as many of the duff and
flawed Hammer releases are getting another 'go', as Hammer, after a
little trumpet fanfare via press and trade sites, has passed some their
masters of the classics, to the UK company, Network for a re-package,
re-mastering for a new genertaion of blu ray viewers and maybe new
fans.. or maybe irrate customers, rebuying a title to get a decent copy!
Sound unfair? Well, you are right, it is....
BACK IN 2010, Brit blu ray / DVD distributors, started a release of several
titles on as a remastered blu ray series. 'The Brides of Dracula' 'Curse
of the Werewolf' 'Evil of Frankenstein', all great releases but what
made them extra value were the EXTRAS! The were lots and very well
produced too! Fans will moan, groan and snipe about ratios, tones of
colour and more, but I say, if you are shopping with THAT wish list of
specfics, you are purchasing the wrong format. What you need is a
vintage 35mm print and an arc-carbon Ashcraft projector! Final Cut, were
not the first in the UK Blu Ray race though, Lionsgate, Studio Canal
both invested in remastered releases of the Hammer classics, 'Dracula'
'The Curse of Frankenstein' and others. All in REGION B and locked,
which made many a US fan waiting with their dollar, unable to purchase
the titles, unless they snagged their copy from overseas retail and had a
NON REGION player, to watch their blu ray....
ONE OF THE TITLES that Final Cut rolled out on blu ray was NIGHT CREATURES. Ever being the perfectionists, the print they remastered was a US print
and carried the US title under which it was released overseas, 'NIGHT
CREATURES'. Final Cut took a 'CAPTAIN CLEGG' text title from a UK
trailer, and welded it, seamlessly to the begining of their print!
Brilliant! The quality was great, but the extras REALLY made the whole
package, as with most Final Cut releases, VERY worth while...
I
MENTION all this because, I am very happy to see two of
the of Final Cut extras, making up the extras on the now available US SCREAM blu
Ray release of the film in the US, under their appropriate title, 'NIGHT
CREATURES'. The 2K quality is a step up from the Universal DVD.The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from a 2K scan of the interpositive. So, skin colours and the texture of the visuals are good, with losing the quality, of a vintage 35mm film.
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I WON'T bore you with the detail of the synopsis, and spoil the plot for you.Why do reviewers do that? Basically, I guess you want to know, is it a good film and are the extras, fillers, sparse or repetative? Well, it's a great great Cushing film and role. Hammer jumps away from their sometimes predictable plots of Dracula and some Frankentstein outings.
PCASuk KNOWLEDGEABLE NUGGET: Hammer films was originally due to film "I Am Legend" (the Richard Matheson
novel) under the title "Night Creatures", but this was abandoned when
the BBFC informed them that they would not pass the film. As "Hammer"
had promised the U.S distributors a film called "Night Creatures" the
title was passed on to the already completed "Captain Clegg (1962)" instead.
IT'S PIRATES, but this tale has no doubt been struck not by rocky shores, and ship wreck, but rather been given a tight bag of doubloons, and even though it doesn't comprimise the production values of a Hammer film, this voyage, is land locked, for the greater part. And THAT is why all pirate vibes, sea-shanties and other needed pirate like me - hearties and swashing is provide by a very capable character cast, Michael Ripper : Undertaker, Patrick Allen : lantern jawed, Crown Customs Royal Navy Captain Collier, Oliver Reed : fresh from first hammer starring role in 'Curse of the Werewolf, all hunk and busting definding his 'local vicar' played by, Peter Cushing. Watch the extra's documentary made by Hammer champion doco producer Donald Fearney, who took a lot of time to detail Cushing's real passion for this film. Cushing actually wrote and served Hammer producer Anthony Hinds, with a treament and synopsis for a 'Clegg Sequal'! See the script, feel the passion, grit your teeth at another missed Hammer oportunity!
PCASuk KNOWLEABLE NUGGET : 'NIGHT CREATURES' is the second of two Hammer films featuring both Oliver Reed and Yvonne Romain where a desperate and ruined man is forced to dance for a drink. Here it involves the large tongueless slave played by Milton Reid, and in The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) it's The Beggar, layed by Richard Wordswoth
SO WE HAVE TO MAKE DO with this solo Clegg tale and maybe just as well when one considers, the problems experienced in production from fighting Disney over the author 'Russell Thorndike "Doctor Syn - A Tale of Romney Marsh" rights and changing Cushing's Syn character to Clegg, to also juggling the title, Hammer I feel presents a very cool film. Reed gets a role that is likeable, even loveable rogue who also gets to marry Yvonne Romain, who played his mother just months ago, in 'Curse of the Werewolf'. Michael Ripper gets a prize role, as Mipps, who will pull at your heart strings and Peter Cushing gets to play a role, he had passionately coveted, craved and desired, since he was a young boy. . . and on that, I'll say no more...
EXTRAS: SHOUT: 2K BLU RAY 'NIGHT CREATURES'
If I am purchasing a title I already own, it is usually upgrading to a better format OR the extra's on that release potentially qualify to some Grade A entertainment, education on the feature or interviews with cast or director or crew. As this SCREAM release not only has the extras that were first provided on my Final Cut Blu Ray, which includes Donald Fearney's 'Making of Captain Clegg' half hour documentary, it also carries an audio commentary by historain Bruce Hallenbeck. I own and have read Bruce's books and was first up, to have an opportunity to listen to his take on Night Creatures. A committed Hammer and Peter Cushing devotee, Bruce delivers a knowledgable commentary, entertaining with a few nuggets and connections, that were new to me. I am not a fan of talking heads that deliver dry and just info check list appearances, obvious almost acadmic delivery that remaind me of my chemistry teacher! Contributors, who are mature and old enough to remember the public reaction to the film in question or who once had the opportunity, to have met cast members! I know, it's more of a tall order these days, as many with connections with the cast or the production are sadly leaving us, or gone. Fortunately, Fearney's docmentary produced in 2015 has a narration provided by the late John Carson, of Hammer films, The Plague of the Zombies (1966) Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970); and Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter (1972) sadly Carson died in 2016.
ABOVE: How PCASuk reported the news that the US were atlast about to get their BLU RAY in 2K no less, of the Hammer films / Peter Cushing movie, 'NIGHT CREATURES' back in January 2022
The Mossman Legacy (6:55)
ANOTHER DONAL FEARNEY documentary included on the final Cut release, is a short, but interesting side to a such a regular part of many of Hammer period films, that I have never given much thought to, but without them, the Baron would have no way to race to the castle in the climax of 'Evil of Frankenstein' Marrie-Anne would never have turned up to meet Baroness Meinster and Van Helsing would never have got to the castle, to fight and destroy Christoper Lee's 'Dracula' in the 1958 classic! Horses, coaches and carts, were the mainstay of many Hammer film plot climaxes. The man who provided the stock of vehicles and teams of trained horses and livestock was for Hammer, George Mossman. The Mossman Legacy covers his
commitment to the preservation of horse-drawn carriages, and the working museum which still provides services today. It was very entertaining to see coaches and carts in clips from their Hammer appearances and cut to that same vechicle still looking impressive and working today! many of these vehicles were used in Hammer productions.
NEW EXTRAS are featured on this release, 'Peter Cushing's Changing Directions' (28:09, HD) is an interview with film historian Jonathan Rigby, 'Brian with Bowie' (7:56, HD) is an interview with special effects assistant Brian Johnson and 'Pulp Friction' (22:07, HD) is an interview with film historian Kim Newman. The Stills Gallery, is the contents used on the previous Final Cut release with BTS snaps, publicity shots, poster art, lobby cards, and a newspaper ad.
SUMMING UP:
US HAMMER and Cushing fans have been waiting and wanting to fill that gap on the Hammer Blu Ray shelf with this release, for quite a while. It's a worthy of it's 'Collectors Edition title, there's looks to enjoy! It's great to see the UK extras are included too! Because, without their inclusion, I would feel a little, a little short. Which like many an olde worlde pirate, is about 5 foot, four inches.
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