The Curse of Frankenstein 4K UHD (1957) Hammer Pre-order

[brainofj72]

The Curse of Frankenstein 4K Blu-ray Hammer LCE

The Curse of Frankenstein 4K Blu-ray Hammer

LCE:


https://hammerfilms.com/products/the...ctor-s-edition

Directed by Terence Fisher and starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, The Curse of Frankenstein is brought to you in 4K, carefully restored from original film elements by the Hammer team in collaboration with The Warner Archive Collection.

Driven by obsession and defying the laws of nature, Baron Victor Frankenstein dares to reanimate the dead, creating not just life, but a monstrous force beyond his control. As his experiments spiral into madness, Frankenstein must confront the consequences of playing God in a world unprepared for the horrors he unleashes.

A milestone in cinema, The Curse of Frankenstein launched Hammer’s iconic Gothic horror cycle and redefined the genre with shocking colour, psychological intensity, and unforgettable performances.

This release is a UK release only. US and ROW release available from The Warner Archive Collection.

This limited collector's edition comprises:

-Six discs in a stylish digipak: two UHDs and four Blu-rays, with the film and new special features content duplicated on both UHD and Blu-ray.
-Disc six is only featured in the Limited Collector's Edition and will not be available in the retail versions of this film.
-The Curse of Frankenstein is available in the three aspect ratios: widescreen 1.66:1 UK Theatrical, fullscreen 1.37:1 As-Filmed and widescreen 1.85:1 US Theatrical
-Brand-new 5.1 mix for all three iterations alongside the original mono film soundtrack.
-English, French, Italian, Spanish and German subtitles on all versions of the film.
-Packaged in a high-end, leather-feel slipcase with debossed red and green foil titling.
-Rigid inner box featuring new artwork by fan favourite artist Greg Staples.
-Double-sided poster of original one-sheets.
-Eight art cards featuring facsimiles of the original UK cinema lobby cards.
-168-page booklet featuring new and reprint articles.
-68-page comic featuring a reprint of the comic strip from legendary 1970s magazine The House of Hammer.

The disks feature:

-Commentary with author and critic Kim Newman, horror anthologist and writer Stephen Jones and Barry Forshaw, author of British Gothic Cinema.
-Commentary with Heidi Honeycutt, writer, filmmaker and film programmer, and cult movie expert Toby Roan.
-Archive commentary with Hammer experts Marcus Hearn and Jonathan Rigby.
-Archive commentary with writer/producer Dr Steve Haberman and film-maker and film historian Constantine Nasr.
-Recreating the Creature: Phil Leakey’s Creature make-up is the stuff of legend and an inspiration to generations of budding make-up artists. Academy Award-winner Dave Elsey, from make-up/FX wizards Igor Studios, creates his version of this iconic make-up on actor James Swanton alongside comments from Phil himself courtesy of a previously unheard audio interview and a newly-recorded interview with Phil’s son Peter.
-A Fitting Vocation/Topped and Tailed: A two-part programme that looks at Molly Arbuthnot’s contribution to Hammer’s gothics, which is often overlooked but cannot be underestimated. Professor Melanie Bell and the bfi’s Jo Botting discuss Molly and her work alongside contributions from actor Melvyn Hayes, who was costumed by Molly at Bray for his role as young Victor.
-Good or Tuesday?: Jimmy Sangster rose through the production ranks at Hammer to become one of their key creatives and an influence on many who followed. Writer/actor Mark Gatiss, writer/publisher Dick Klemensen, author Stephen Laws, screenwriter/novelist Stephen Gallagher, screenwriter/producer David Pirie and writer/publisher Wayne Kinsey discuss the man and the impact of his work.
-Painting with Fine Brushes: Little Shoppe of Horrors’ Dick Klemensen introduces this previously unheard audio interview with cinematographer Jack Asher, who gives a personal insight into one of his best-known works.
-Beside the Seaside: Actor Madeline Smith visits Peter Cushing’s beloved home town of Whitstable in the company of Hammer expert Wayne Kinsey, to learn more about the man behind the actor.
-A Gothic History of Frankenstein: Scriptwriter and novelist Stephen Volk discusses Shelley’s original novel, its adaptation to cinema and the legacy of Hammer’s genre-defining 1957 film.
-Reviving The Curse of Frankenstein: A look behind-the-scenes at how the new 4K restoration of The Curse of Frankenstein was made.
-Hammer Horror for Hugh Harlow: In this brief archive interview, 3rd assistant director Hugh Harlow reflects on Cushing, Lee and his time working on The Curse of Frankenstein.
-Jimmy Sangster 1997 Interview: Manchester’s Festival of Fantastic Films interview with writer Jimmy Sangster from 1997.
-Frankenstein Reborn: Archive featurette that looks at the making of this iconic film with actor Melvyn Hayes, Hammer experts Denis Meikle and Jonathan Rigby and James Bernard's biographer David Huckvale. Also includes archive footage of Michael Carreras and Jimmy Sangster.
-Life With Sir: Archive featurette that gives a gentle and heartwarming portrait of Peter Cushing by Joyce Broughton, his secretary and friend.
-The Resurrection Men: Archive featurette where Little Shoppe of Horrors' Dick Klemensen explains the revolutionary nature of The Curse of Frankenstein and how it gave birth to a new type of horror.
-Hideous Progeny: Archive featurette where Christopher Frayling discusses the transgressive nature of the English gothic literary tradition and its monstrous offspring, gothic cinema.
-Torrents of Light: Archive featurette where cinematographer David J. Miller examines Jack Asher's artistry as a lighting cameraman on the Hammer gothics.
-Diabolus in Musica: Archive featurette where composer Christopher Drake reflects on the skill and talent of James Bernard and his ongoing influence as the sound of Hammer Horror.
-Alternative Eyeball Scene: The alternative, censored version of the eyeball scene, as featured by Warners Bros. in the US theatrical version.
-Promotional materials: Trailer materials were compiled (and restored where possible) as part of the 4K restoration process of the main feature. Also featured is one of the 8mm cutdown versions of the film that were commercially available in the 1960s.
-Image Gallery: An image gallery, including behind-the-scenes shots, alongside tracks from James Bernard’s iconic score.
-Flesh and Blood (LCE exclusive): Made in conjunction with Hammer and first transmitted on TV in 1994, Ted Newsom’s fascinating feature-length documentary features a wealth of interview material and joint narration by Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.
-Mr Cushing and Mr Lee (LCE exclusive): A behind-the-scenes recording made during the narration sessions for Flesh and Blood. It was Peter Cushing’s last work for Hammer and is a unique record of a strong friendship between himself and Lee that lasted four decades.
-Flesh and Blood Narration Outtakes (LCE exclusive): During the recording of the narration, not everything went to plan... twenty minutes of audio outtakes alongside candid pictures taken on the day.
-Tales of Frankenstein (LCE exclusive): The success of The Curse of Frankenstein saw Columbia entering into a production deal with Hammer to create a pilot for a new anthology series starring Anton Diffring as Frankenstein. The pilot did not go to series and ultimately lapsed into Public Domain.
-Tales of Frankenstein Commentary (LCE exclusive): 2001 commentary with Ted Newsom, Gary Smith and Stuart Galbraith
-The Tale of Tales of Frankenstein (LCE exclusive): An examination of the circumstances surrounding the production of Tales of Frankenstein by Hammer expert and documentarian Ted Newsom.

The booklet features:

-New article on the making of the film that put Hammer on the map by Bruce G. Hallenbeck.
-Archive interview: Peter Cushing reflects on his time as the villainous Baron.
-Archive article: Christopher Lee reminisces about his time as the Creature in this article from The Christopher Lee Fan Club Journal.
-New article on Christopher Lee's film work prior to The Curse of Frankenstein by Barry Forshaw.
-New article on set designer Bernard Robinson, a key figure in Hammer’s global success but who often goes unnoticed, by Sarah Morgan
-New article examining the BBFC’s long-standing issue with combining sex and violence by Sarah Appleton.
-Archive interview with director Terence Fisher in this wide-ranging discussion from 1973.
-New article on the film's script development by Wayne Kinsey: the Subotsky drafts (part 1 of 2)
-New article on the script development by Wayne Kinsey: the Sangster screenplay and revisions (part 2 of 2)
-Archive article by 3rd assistant director Hugh Harlow about his time working on The Curse of Frankenstein.

The features, packaging and specification on this page are not final and are subject to change

[dallywhitty]

I thought I'd seen this one but I was thinking of The Revenge of Frankenstein, lmao.

[DR Herbert West]

A little light on extras.

[brainofj72]

This is, for me, Hammer’s greatest work, and one of the best films ever made. I know there’s gonna be a cheaper US option from Warner Archive…but I gotta have all these features, so this is the edition I want.

[MifuneFan]

Wow, this looks like an incredible release. Great film too; I watched it for the first time last October. Here's my brief impressions / write-up from the 31 Days of Halloween thread:

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

[Show spoiler]

(possible minor spoilers below)

10/12 - The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) (First-Time Viewing) - - My first Hammer horror of this Halloween season has many firsts of its own. It was Hammer's first color film, its first Frankenstein film, and most importantly, the first Hammer film that Peter Cushing, and Christopher Lee starred in. Its success led to dozens more in the years to follow, and made the actors big stars.

The Curse of Frankenstein puts a much greater emphasis on the life, and ambitions of Victor Frankenstein. We see him early on as a teenager, hiring a tutor named Peter Krempe, who would not only nurture his intellect, but eventually become his partner in their scientific endeavours. Not satisfied with simply bringing something back to life, Victor wants to create life himself. He becomes completely obsessed with this goal, and as the film progresses, you see his character transform from mere scientist, to someone trying to play God, no matter the costs. This creates a rift between him, and Krempe, and becomes a major conflict seen throughout the film.

We don't get our first real glimpse of the "monster" until about 50 minutes in. I won't go into detail, but I thought they did a great job with how they first revealed him. He doesn't have the same huge, and menacing presence as Karloff's 1930's iteration, but I think he might be the creepier looking of the two. His look, and strange movements reminded me quite a bit of the sleepwalker character from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920).

Combined with a strong narrative, The Curse of Frankenstein features a great gothic atmosphere, vivid colors, and excellent production design; all of which became synonymous with the Hammer Horror name. As much as I enjoy the storylines in the films, I think I love the visuals of them even more, and I find myself getting lost in their lush, and richly-detailed settings. Reading up on the film, I learned this film was actually the first time that Cushing, and Christopher Lee ever met, and they became lifelong friends after. Suffice to say, Curse of Frankenstein was hugely influential on the horror genre.

[Phibes]

'Not Available in Your Territory'???

So will boutique stores not carry it as well?

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Phibes

'Not Available in Your Territory'???

So will boutique stores not carry it as well?

I believe places like Diabolik DVD and Orbit DVD have carried most, if not all of these Hammer releases.

[Ben_C]

A pretty incredible looking set.
I imported the US WA Blu-ray a couple of years ago, but think I’ve only watched it the one time so far, but may well grab this.

[Keoma]

Does Hammer normally put out standard editions of these? I would love to own such a classic in UHD, and I am particularly interested in the multiple apsect ratio choices, but I am not a fan of the extra large boxes, nor do I need all the fancy cards, books, etc. Shelf space is at a premium and weight is always a concern these days... I also dislike cardboard disc holders with a passion, as the glue keeping them in one piece often comes off. Give me the discs in a standard box or scanavo case and I am happy.

[brainofj72]

Originally Posted by Keoma

Does Hammer normally put out standard editions of these? I would love to own such a classic in UHD, and I am particularly interested in the multiple apsect ratio choices, but I am not a fan of the extra large boxes, nor do I need all the fancy cards, books, etc. Shelf space is at a premium and weight is always a concern these days... I also dislike cardboard disc holders with a passion, as the glue keeping them in one piece often comes off. Give me the discs in a standard box or scanavo case and I am happy.

Yes, they typically release standard editions later.

[Deadend45]

One film, 6 discs. lol

Did Hammer send out an email about this? I used to get emails from them.

[Phibes]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I believe places like Diabolik DVD and Orbit DVD have carried most, if not all of these Hammer releases.

Hope so, but the other releases don't have the 'terror-tory' warning...

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by brainofj72

Yes, they typically release standard editions later.

Well, they did for the first two, then they've stopped so far.

[MifuneFan]

For those that haven't seen the film yet I'd advise not watching the new trailer posted at Hammer, as I feel it's very spoilerish.

edit: Here's the trailer embedded.

The Curse of Frankenstein | 4K Restoration | Official Trailer - YouTube

[Rizor]

This sounds great and gives me hope they can collaborate with WB on (The Horror of) Dracula (1958)!

I've been hesitant to get some of the other big boxes like the Quartermass films just because of shelf space. But this is an A-title from Hammer and a no-brainer! I'll try to get this one if guys like Orbit or Diabolik carry it.

[Tchotchke]

Atomic is another excellent option and my personal choice!

[Mr. Thomsen]

Dammit! So Hammer will only be selling this in the UK?

I get the same "not available in your territory" message here in the EU as the American above.

I sincerely hope this restriction only pertains to Hammer themselves, and that it will be available to order through the various distributors and specialty shops like the rest of the line. Otherwise my collection of the boxed Hammer releases ends here.

I have a hard time imagining Warner doing a Rubinstein and actively pursue any shop outside the UK selling this, so for now I will just trust that it will be available.

I mean, I know they own the international rights to it. But it's not like they have made it available in the EU so far ...

[The Hornets]

Originally Posted by Phibes

Hope so, but the other releases don't have the 'terror-tory' warning...

It depends what rules Warner have applied if they allow retailers outside the U.K. to sell it or if they can only sell the WAC version.

Also because of the restrictions it says the BD discs including the limited edition one with the documentaries will be RB locked and only the UHD discs will be region free.

[The Hornets]

Originally Posted by Mr. Thomsen

Dammit! So Hammer will only be selling this in the UK?

I get the same "not available in your territory" message here in the EU as the American above.

I sincerely hope this restriction only pertains to Hammer themselves, and that it will be available to order through the various distributors and specialty shops like the rest of the line. Otherwise my collection of the boxed Hammer releases ends here.

I have a hard time imagining Warner doing a Rubinstein and actively pursue any shop outside the UK selling this, so for now I will just trust that it will be available.

I mean, I know they own the international rights to it. But it's not like they have made it available in the EU so far ...

Places like Amazon U.K. and Rarewaves may allow exports out of the U.K. It depends how restrictive they are will U.K. retailers.

Easier for them not to supply stock to any overseas retailers.

[Hammerlover]

This set looks incredible. However, I may need to sell a few organs to the Baron in order to get it! Hopefully box sets of DRACULA, THE MUMMY, and FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL will follow next year.