RARE CHRISTOPHER LEE DRACULA VINYL ALBUM RELEASED FOR HAMMER FILMS 80TH BIRTHDAY

I am sure many of you will remember the original release of this gatefold vinyl Hammer films album back in 1974, 40 years ago?..Well it's back, for a limited time, in a limited 500 pressing....in Hammer films 80th year!

Here is their press release

HAMMER PRESENTS DRACULA WITH CHRISTOPHER LEE

Unavailable on vinyl since its release in 1974, Dust Bug Records is proud to present this special Limited Edition 40th Anniversary 180 g vinyl pressing of Hammer Presents Dracula with Christopher Lee.

Side one features the horrifying story of vampirism with spine- chilling sounds, and music composed by James Bernard and narration by Christopher Lee. Side 2 features The Four Faces Of Evil music suite: Fear In The Night: She: The Vampire Lovers; and Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde. Music arranged and conducted By Philip Martell.

We've gone back to the original 1/4 inch tapes to bring you the best sound possible.

100% analogue- Dust Bug Records is proud to confirm that this record has been cut on vintage analogue equipment. A DIGITAL- FREE PROCESS.

The signal path is Studer A80 Mk1 tape recorder > RCA BA 6A limiter> EMI RS56 Curvebender EQ> Pultec EQP 1A> EMI REDD series valve disc cutting desk> Neumann VMS 70 cutting lathe with SX74 stereo cutter head.

Cut at midnight by candlelight for maximum enjoyment.

180 g vinyl

100% Analogue

Gatefold sleeve

Mist enshrouded blood infused virgin vinyl.

Limited to 500 numbered copies only!

Catalogue Number DBVR001

Barcode: 5060124571614

Available to order now from: www.dustbugrecords.com

Don't miss out. When the sun comes up the 500 will be gone.

SHOCK ENTERTAINMENT CREATES BLU RAY WINNER : FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN

Frankenstein Created Woman was not the easiest of Hammer's Frankenstein films to see throughout the 1980s and 90s, but it eventually was released to laser disc, VHS and DVD through Elite Entertainment and Anchor Bay.  The old transfer was washed out and soft, but looked pretty good to viewers at the time who had been waiting to see the film.  Happily, the new transfer available on blu ray through the Shock label in Australia corrects all of that.  Their new transfer looks quite good, with accurately rendered colors and strong detail.  The image is framed at 1.77, which is a little tighter than the 1.66 ratio used in the previous DVD release, but it does not significantly affect the compositions in one way or another.  Suffice it to say, if the new ratio is wrong, it doesn't look it.

The film is completely uncut (not that cuts were ever much of an issue, though some gore was trimmed from the version aired on TNT in the US) and the print is in very good shape, with only some minor speckling to indicate the film's age.  The mono English soundtrack is in good shape, too, which greatly benefits James Bernard's lilting score and Peter Cushing's clipped delivery; it does show up how obvious it is that Denberg and Alan MacNaughton were dubbed, however... but more on that in a minute.

Extras include a documentary titled Hammer Glamour, which assembles interviews with such Hammer beauties as Caroline Munro and Madeline Smith, among others, as they discuss their feelings on being part of the Hammer exploitation machine.  It's an interesting featurette though it could have benefitted from better editing.  Best of all is a new commentary with co-stars Derek Fowlds and Robert Morris, moderated by Hammer historian Jonathan Rigby.

Rigby does a terrific job of keeping the two actors on task and the track is loaded with great information.  The two men were in their late 20s when they appeared in the film and it's fun to hear them reminisce about their youth and experiences on the film.  Among the many topics addressed include their feelings on Peter Cushing, their observations on the beautiful Denberg (whom Fowlds claims to have gotten rather close to during filming, if you catch my drift) and their memories of being directed by Terence Fisher.

 

They also discuss the fact that the German setting inspired Alan MacNaughton to affect a German accent, which seemed a totally appropriate choice at the time; however, he was the only one to go to such extremes, and he ended up having to go back and redub his role with his "normal" accent!  It's a lively and informative track, well worth listening to.

Review: Troy Howarth.

Blu Ray Screen Captures: Here