#MOMENTOFTERROR
MONDAY! Hammer films 'Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires' is another
one of Cushing's Hammer appearances, where despite HE going all out,
something within the production values, fall short of the feature. . .
If you ever get the chance to read the actual script, it ALL sounds
amazing and what could have been a imaginative and impressive departure,
from the standard set up, if only by location!
THERE ARE MANY THINGS, that are seen as not up to that Hammer standard... but you have to remember, even as far as John Forbes Robertson's 'make up' as Dracula, that were produced in the STYLE of the values of fantasy film in the country in which Hammer had joined forces with Hong Kong's SHAW BROTHERS.... Take a look at many of the 'fairy-tale-ghost-stories' produced there, and everything clicks and matches for that culture and audience. Maybe it's not what is expected by the audience in the high street Odeon in Bradford UK, but in Hong Kong, certainly. It probably helped and went someway to pulling in quite a box office smash within that culture. Sadly, missing the Kung Fu craze in the rest of the world, Seven Golden Vampires arrived a little too late.
THERE ARE MANY THINGS, that are seen as not up to that Hammer standard... but you have to remember, even as far as John Forbes Robertson's 'make up' as Dracula, that were produced in the STYLE of the values of fantasy film in the country in which Hammer had joined forces with Hong Kong's SHAW BROTHERS.... Take a look at many of the 'fairy-tale-ghost-stories' produced there, and everything clicks and matches for that culture and audience. Maybe it's not what is expected by the audience in the high street Odeon in Bradford UK, but in Hong Kong, certainly. It probably helped and went someway to pulling in quite a box office smash within that culture. Sadly, missing the Kung Fu craze in the rest of the world, Seven Golden Vampires arrived a little too late.
BUT WATCHING IT TODAY, there is much to appreciate. A cast that includes
Chinese actor David Chiang, very popular with fans of other Sahw Bros
karate fighting movies. Two UK TV popular's in Julie Ege, Robin
Steward and the reputation of one of Hammer's leading actors, Peter
Cushing, who plays Van Helsing for the fifth and last time, despite
production problems felt by director Roy Ward Baker, the film is full of
action, all 'horror visuals' have to be viewed with the understanding,
this is really a film produced with supernatural and vampire antics,
coming from a DIFFERENT culture.
MONEY DOES look tight, but then at this time, productions filmed in Hong Kong by the Shaw's ALL looked like this. Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires was another brave attempt by Hammer's manager Michael Carreras, to try another and different angle. Personally, I am glad he tried. What do you think?
MONEY DOES look tight, but then at this time, productions filmed in Hong Kong by the Shaw's ALL looked like this. Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires was another brave attempt by Hammer's manager Michael Carreras, to try another and different angle. Personally, I am glad he tried. What do you think?
