Hammer turns 92 years old this week. That’s a lot of decades and a lot of films, but there’s never been a better time to step into the house of Hammer, kick off your shoes and enjoy everything it stands for.

This is our birthday blog. A moment to pause the party, stand by the table of vol-au-vents and marble cake and say a few words to friends. Don’t worry. We won’t make it a long one. It’s just about where we’ve been, where we’re going and why we hope that you – whoever you are - will come with us, and that you’ll love being on the trip.

There’s a famous scene at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). You know the one. Indy’s brought back the Ark of the Covenant, handed it over to supposedly top men but actually it’s simply wheeled into a vast warehouse where, boxed up and unseen, it’s stored away amongst hundreds of other crates which presumably hold similar treasures. Cue John Williams’s stirring music and we all go away happy.

That final image, in a sense, remains many people’s view of what an archive is. Dusty, dark and dead. A cradle of neglect.

But Hammer, of course, likes to do things differently. Our archive, with its rich variety of genres, is the exact opposite of that idea. The antithesis of a mausoleum. We’re proud of the fact that since becoming part of John Gore Studios in 2023, the Hammer archive has become a palace of possibilities. It is Frankenstein’s laboratory. Crackling with energy. Exciting, dynamic and alive! A place where the past gives rise to newness and the unexpected.

And so, as Hammer greets another birthday we can wholeheartedly celebrate achievements of the past because they’re a part of our future, and we hope, yours, too.

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) is one of the films that’s recently played in cinemas across the UK and overseas, allowing fans and new audiences to enjoy Hammer movies on the big screen.

An obvious question presents itself: how does the realisation of this ambition work in practice?

Well, there’s the obvious stuff. The Limited Collector’s Edition range seeks to share Hammer feature films delivered in the highest possible quality, meaning the chosen works are assiduously restored in 4K, allowing fans to re-appreciate old favourites anew. Previously missing footage is found and reinserted in the movie, and every possible iteration of the title is made available. For example, with Dracula (1958), we restored newly discovered moments to ensure this classic was finally presented as director Terence Fisher intended. And with The Quatermass Xperiment Limited Collector’s Edition the existing episodes from the original BBC television series are included in the same set as the film for the very first time. We’ve also become raiders of our own (hitherto) lost archive, enriching each release with interviews and featurettes that showcase the filmmakers discussing their creations.

But another element of these releases remains equally important. The new programmes that accompany them give a contemporary take on all aspects of the production, hauling each one into the here and now. Modern experts reflect on the importance of Hammer’s output, fans enthuse and illuminate, and specially written, accompanying books go into extraordinary detail, revealing networks of facts that help give new context to old classics.

Pick up any title in the Limited Collector’s Edition range and you’re not just getting a film. You’re getting a ticket into the world of that film, and the world of Hammer.

This desire to ensure fans can get the best versions of the finest works informs every range. For example, the relatively new line which sees restored original soundtracks released for the very first time means the music of Hammer can be relished as never before, on gorgeous vinyl records with new artwork and bespoke, extensive notes.

But we recognise that Hammer is much more than its films. It always was. Since audience members first shuddered at the evocative posters on their way to ‘the pictures’, or settled down at home to read the fantastically gruesome and gripping novelisations by John Burke, the spirit of the stories has transcended cinema and the small screen. They can be enjoyed in dozens of different ways, and these days Hammer is resolved to make each of them as rewarding as possible. Those books by Burke? Reprinted with – of course! – great new material added. The posters? Oh, we cherish them, celebrate them and make them available for you to own.

There’s stylish merchandise, so if you want to demonstrate your love of Dracula – no problem. But if you feel like saluting one of the twentieth century’s finest directors, we’ve got you covered with Terence Fisher tees.

‘This is wild…. This is pretty damn incredible… it’s beautiful… If you’re a fan of this movie, this is everything you could have hoped and dreamed for…’ - Kenny Levels of Mid Level Media discussing Hammer’s release of the restored Dracula.

Make no mistake, this variety is absolutely key, because it means everyone can feel at home in the house of Hammer. Been a fan since catching The Quatermass Xperiment on BBC Two when you should have been in bed hours earlier? Step this way! You’re gonna love revisiting old memories and making a bunch of new ones.

Never even heard of Hammer before you recently watched Dracula in the cinema, and now you want to walk into the crypt and see what else will chime with you? Great! We’ve pushed the door wide open and we’re trying to make it as easy as possible for you to find what you’ll enjoy and immerse yourself in it.

And we haven’t forgotten anyone who adores Hammer noir and the femme fatales that smouldered their way through so many of the studio’s thrillers. They’re all here. Still holding their guns and our interest. Got a soft spot for the comedies? So do we! We’re totally on board with On the Buses (1971) and we’re as passionate about PC 49 as we are Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972).

Here on the official site we regularly cover non-horror titles, celebrating and investigating the full range of Hammer’s output.

Something else hasn’t changed since Hammer’s first production, The Public Life of Henry the Ninth (1934) premiered: the fact film fans retain a joyous compulsion to talk about and debate movies. We get it. We’re fans too. Why else would we do this? And that’s why we’re attending more conventions so we can chat to fellow enthusiasts, hear what you’ve liked, what you’ve not been so keen on, and to get an idea of what you’re desperate to see in future.

Talking about making connections, we’re aware the internet can be an unwelcoming place, but we try to make our socials, well, sociable. You can connect and savour a ton of free content on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and on Hammer’s YouTube channel. Even if you’re not normally a follower, or you don’t fancy leaving messages and getting involved in the conversations, why not give at least one of them a go? We guarantee eye-catching photos, great videos and plenty of interesting facts and updates.

Don’t think of these platforms as social media. They’re just more ways to step into and enjoy the vast and evolving Hammer archive.

We started by referencing one film. Let’s end by harking back to another. Moments after Christopher Lee makes his entrance as the most famous bloodsucker in history, he says to Jonathan Harker, ‘I am Dracula, and I welcome you to my house.’

Our greeting is wider, and we hope, warmer!

We are Dracula. And Frankenstein and Quatermass and Raquel Welch in One Million Years B.C. We are zombies and mummies and glamorous manipulators. Bus conductors and vampire killers. We’re heroes you haven’t met yet. We are Bray and we are adventures in outer space. Peter Cushing and Peter Sellers. Doctor Jekyll and Song of Freedom. Horror, humour and everything in between. We are 1934 and we are 2026, and far, far beyond. We are films and fun and exploration.

We are Hammer, and we welcome you to our house.

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