Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror (1994) (TV)

Director:

Ted Newsom

Writer:

Ted Newsom

Release Date:

6 August 1994 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary | Horror

Plot Keywords:

Horror Filmmaking | Independent Film

Cast

Peter Cushing	...	Narrator / Himself (voice)
Christopher Lee	...	Narrator / Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roy Ward Baker	...	Himself
James Bernard	...	Himself
Martine Beswick	...	Herself (as Martine Beswicke)
Veronica Carlson	...	Herself
Michael Carreras	...	Himself
Hazel Court	...	Herself
Joe Dante	...	Himself
Freddie Francis	...	Himself
Val Guest	...	Himself
Ray Harryhausen	...	Himself
Anthony Hinds	...	Himself
Andrew Keir	...	Himself
Francis Matthews	...	Himself
Ferdy Mayne	...	Himself
Caroline Munro	...	Herself
Christopher Neame	...	Himself
Ingrid Pitt	...	Herself
Jimmy Sangster	...	Himself
Yutte Stensgaard	...	Herself (archive footage)
Raquel Welch	...	Herself

Directed by
Ted Newsom

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ted Newsom

Produced by
Michael Baron	....	associate producer: stills
Tee Bosustow	....	producer
Joe Dante	....	associate producer
Bill Kelley	....	associate producer
Richard Nathan	....	associate producer
Ted Newsom	....	producer
Roy Skeggs	....	associate producer

Original Music by
James Bernard

Film Editing by
Tee Bosustow
Alexander Gittinger		(as Alex Gittinger)
Noriko Miyakawa
Sean Okin

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kevin M. Glover	....	assistant director: Los Angeles (as Kevin Glover)
Donald F. Glut	....	assistant director (as Don Glut)
Bruce G. Hallenbeck	....	assistant director: New York (as Bruce Hallenback)
Chrissie Hines	....	assistant director
Jane Hughes	....	assistant director: Canterbury (as Jane Herd)
Stephen Laws	....	assistant director: Manchester
Harry Nadler	....	assistant director
John Stoker	....	assistant director: London

Sound Department
Harvey Edwards	....	sound recordist
Matthew Harrison	....	sound recordist (as Matt Harrison)
David Lakin	....	sound recordist
Robert Meeker	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Tee Bosustow	....	lighting technician
Janis Erwin	....	lighting technician
Ron Hamill	....	camera operator
Robert Lloyd	....	camera operator
Anthony Penatta	....	camera operator
Andy Watt	....	camera operator

Animation Department
Gary Heilman	....	animator: main title animation

Editorial Department
Michael Costanza	....	off-line editorial assistant
Tom Reichlin	....	off-line editorial assistant

Music Department
Phillip Kimbrough	....	conductor: title music (as Phil Kimbrough)
Phillip Kimbrough	....	musician: title music (as Phil Kimbrough)
Philip Martell	....	conductor: archive music (as Phillip Martel)
Neil Richardson	....	conductor: archive music
Eric Tomlinson	....	music producer: archive music

Other crew
Ray Atherton	....	film clips: Wavelength Video
Daniel Berwick	....	on-screen talent
J'Aime Cohen	....	on-screen talent
Joe Dante	....	film clips courtesy of
Ernest D. Farino	....	film clips courtesy of (as Ernest Farino)
Bernard Gordon	....	film clips: Motion Picture Holdings
Marcus Hearn	....	archive source
Ken Kramer	....	film clips: The Clip Joint (as Ken Cramer)
Bill Longen	....	film clips: Trailers on Tape
Greg Luce	....	film clips: Sinister Cinema
Sterling Powers	....	on-screen talent
Mike Sizemore	....	on-screen talent
Woody Wise	....	film clips: Discount Video
George Stover	....	source: filmclips (uncredited)

Thanks
Lance Alspaugh	....	acknowledgment
Roy Ward Baker	....	special thanks
James Bernard	....	special thanks
Martine Beswick	....	special thanks (as Martine Beswicke)
David Booth	....	acknowledgment
Lori Broda	....	acknowledgment
Joyce Broughton	....	acknowledgment
Veronica Carlson	....	special thanks
Michael Carreras	....	special thanks
Hazel Court	....	special thanks
Colin Cowie	....	acknowledgment
Sue Cowie	....	acknowledgment
Joe Dante	....	special thanks
David Del Valle	....	acknowledgment
James Fitzpatrick	....	acknowledgment
Freddie Francis	....	special thanks
Val Guest	....	special thanks
Ray Harryhausen	....	special thanks
Anthony Hinds	....	special thanks
Sophie James	....	acknowledgment
Andrew Keir	....	special thanks
Russel Lister	....	acknowledgment (as Russ Lister)
William Lustig	....	acknowledgment
Francis Matthews	....	special thanks
Ferdy Mayne	....	special thanks
Mark Miller	....	acknowledgment
Caroline Munro	....	special thanks
Christopher Neame	....	special thanks
Ingrid Pitt	....	special thanks
John Robins	....	acknowledgment
Max Rosenberg	....	acknowledgment
Jimmy Sangster	....	special thanks
Roy Skeggs	....	acknowledgment
Yutte Stensgaard	....	special thanks
Steve Swires	....	acknowledgment
Robert Tinnell	....	acknowledgment (as Bob Tinnell)
Mark Verheiden	....	acknowledgment
Tom Weaver	....	acknowledgment
Raquel Welch	....	special thanks
Richelle Wilder	....	acknowledgment
Ron Wilson	....	acknowledgment

Production Companies

• Bosustow Media Group
• Hammer Film Productions
• Heidelberg Films

Distributors

• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1994-2002)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (1994) (UK) (TV)
• MRA Entertainment Group (2003) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Alpha Telecom  studio facilities
• B&W Digital Post  post-production facilities
• City Island Video  film clips courtesy of
• Eddie Brandt Saturday Matinee  archive source
• Eric Hoffman Archives  archive source
• FotoKem Laboratory  telecine and technicial facilities
• Gary Smith Archives  archive source
• Hart Video  telecine and technicial facilities
• Jerrry Olinger's Movie Materials  archive source
• John Redway Ltd.  acknowledgement
• Mark Haggard Productions  film clips courtesy of
• Peter Frankovich Productions  archive source
• QC Video  telecine and technicial facilities
• StarCom  telecine and technicial facilities
• Sunset Post  telecine and technicial facilities
• Talking Shop  narration recorded at
• The Transfer Station  telecine and technicial facilities
• Walshys  studio facilities

Also Known As:

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Bosustow Media Group

Trivia:

Although initially broadcast in two parts on British television in August 1994, the video/DVD release has a 1997 copyright.

Movie Connections:

Features The Brides of Dracula (1960)

A documentary history of Hammer Film Productions that is entertaining and informative.

Hammer Films was the most successful independent production company in the history of the British film industry. Starting in the 1950's, they produced a memorable series of low budget science fiction and gothic horror films. These films were marked by high production values, solid technical work, strong acting, and intelligent writing and directing.

Their breakthrough came in 1957 with the release of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN. This low budget film became one of the most profitable films in the history of British cinema, as well as the most influential genre film to be released since the end of the Second World War. Today, numerous film makers acknowledge Hammer Films as an influence on their work. They include, George Lucas, Stephen Spielberg, Martin Scorcese, Joe Dante, John Landis, and John Carpenter, to name only a few.

Ted Newsom, the writer and director of FLESH AND BLOOD, originally made it in 1994, when it was shown on British television. The Anchor Bay Video Edition is Copyright 1997. Ted Newsom has succeeded in capturing a moment in time when a number of the people who made these films were still with us. Now, a few short years later this is no longer the case.

This was the last project that Peter Cushing completed before his death in 1994. He is heard in the off camera narration and seen only in film clips. Cushing's old friend Christopher Lee joins him in the off camera narration and in an on camera interview, as well as in film clips. The other interviews are candid and informative. Most of these people remember working for Hammer with real affection.

The one drawback in this documentary is that the film clips are taken from trailers. This avoided paying fees to distributors, but limits the choice and quality of the footage. On the other hand, FLESH AND BLOOD is well organized and researched. It presents a view of a memorable era in British film production with clarity and insight. For anyone who is already a Hammer fan, this is a must. For anyone who is just getting acquainted with their films, this will serve as an excellent introduction.