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The Many Faces of Hammer – Free Zoom Talk
Tue, November 23, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EST
FREE, donations appreciated
Online Talk: The Many Faces of Hammer
Instructor: Tom Birkhead
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 23 from 7-8pm
Class size: 1-98 participants
(Register by 6pm on November 23)
In this talk Tom Birkhead will consider a variety of work from the classic era of the British studio Hammer Film Productions. He aims to shed some light on Hammer films, illuminating their interest and vitality as something that can still stand alongside more acclaimed works. He will discuss traditional Gothic films such as The Curse of Frankenstein and Dracula: Prince of Darkness, and others that share in old fashioned evils.
This talk will also highlight aspects of performance or plot or direction that offer more refined quality and include films of more contemporary concerns. Tom will look at the enduring pseudo-science of Quatermass and the Pit, the feminist critique that underpins The Nanny and the changing society and Cold War paranoia of These Are The Damned. Finally, he will address some films that joined in some fashion with other horror cinema of their era but in their own curious way—namely Hands of the Ripper and Straight on ‘til Morning, comparable to the proto slasher serial killer exploitation of the US, Lust for a Vampire with its European style lewdness, Twins of Evil’s contrast of brutal religious man a la Witchfinder General with honest vampiric devilishness and Captain Kronos with its modish swashbuckling titular hero.
Tom hopes to inspire some fresh appreciation and thought about Hammer, and encourage people to return to their films which he holds quite dear. Enjoy this academic talk as a part of Del Ray Artisans’ Groovy Movies exhibit.
The talk will be online through the Zoom platform. Registered participants will be sent the connection information via email two days before the talk, and again one hour before the talk. You may attend on a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
View other upcoming workshops, information about the facility, and policies on the Upcoming Workshops page.