A great double-feature from the House of Hammer!

As the bar on what is now considered frightening has been raised considerably in the decades since these films were made, Director John Gilling, being unable to rely on computer generated fiends or immersive surround sound, uses suspense to great effect; employing clever music and compelling dialogue, to create a scene. Although the sets, blue-filter night shots and average make-up may have lost their cutting edge, the movies seem to have lost little of the well-constructed drama. And it was more than once that I found myself holding my breath and listening for the inevitable scream that would break the crescendoing score.

Hammer Productions is remembered for the countless horror films released during the 50s, 60s and 70s. They are not remembered for their generous budgets, a fact made evident by the obvious re-use of locations and actors in this 1966 classic double-feature.

There is, however, an abundance of wonderful acting by Andre Morell as Sir James Forbes, Jacqueline Pearce as Anna/Alice, and Hammer veteran Michael Ripper as Tom Bailey/Sergeant Swift, carry this double feature to nostalgic heights.

If you have not seen these movies already I suggest watching the Reptile first as I was drawn by the smell of brains to the undead tale, The Plague of the Zombies, and found that my appreciation of The Reptile was dulled by its superior sister feature.

The Reptile - Plot Summary:
Following the mysterious and untimely death of his brother, Captain Harry Spalding (Aussie, Ray Barrett) and his new wife Valerie (Jennifer Daniel) inherit his brother's cottage and move to Cornwall. Shunned by the villagers, they are befriended by barman Tom Bailey (Michael Ripper) and are told of the several unexplained deaths within the town. Together they explore the mystery of the "Black Death" and, as they look to the secluded Manor, they are confronted by the cold Doctor Franklin (Noel Willman) and his peculiar daughter Anna (Jacqueline Pearce, "Blake's 7") who protect the secret of The Reptile...

From 1966, The Reptile begins a little confusingly and, unfortunately, tends to continue this way as the thin plot is slowly meted out. Good performances by Ray Barrett and Michael Ripper carry the story through an often jumbled plot, before the entire back-story is coughed up in a flurry of confusion. This revelation ultimately leaves the audience unsure of their feelings towards the Reptile and, disappointingly, to the movie as a whole.

The Plague of the Zombies - Plot Summary:
Doctor Sir James Forbes (Andre Morell) and his daughter Sylvia (Diane Clare) receive a confused letter from friend Doctor Peter Tompson (Brook Williams) regarding several unexplained deaths in a small Cornish village. Hoping to help his favourite pupil, Sir James and Sylvia head for Cornwall but are met by a group of young hooligans who are terrorising the town. These men live in the Manor with the Squire, Clive Hamilton (John Carson), who has recently returned from Haiti - the home of Voodoo. When Peter's wife Alice (Jacqueline Pearce) is found dead, Sir James is determined to do an autopsy, if he can find her body..?!

Also from 1966, The Plague of the Zombies is a wonderful, wonderful movie. The story is excellently driven and even has a few unexpected twists. Andre Morell adds a touch of class with an excellent performance as Sir James, and John Carson conveys a Machiavellian air as The Squire. Michael Ripper (Sergeant Swift) and Jacqueline Pearce (Alice) deliver great supporting performances. Finally, it is worth mentioning that James Bernard weaves his voodoo magic and his music score melds seamlessly with John Gilling's story.

A classic double-feature from the masters of early horror.

Filmed in Panavision Deluxe Color, the hues are a little odd, and as for the sound, mono will just have to do. However, as I watched I found that these issues became less and less relevant.

Both widescreen transfers are excellent quality, with only a few black degradation scratches streaking through the starting credits, and in one quiet scene, during Zombies.

The high-quality transfer to DVD comes at a price, and the extras are just like the zombie-corpses buried in the graveyard - there just aren't any!!

There are no menus, apart from the ability to select feature A or B, and a very clunky scene-selection tool.

Similarly, there are also no subtitles or language selection. This is a bit of a quandary, as I think subtitles would detract from the feature but, on the other hand, I know that my dad might have trouble without them unless he cranks up the mono sound - but then the voodoo drums will shake the windows!

Overall, the movies are great but the lack of any additional features or extras is a little disappointing.