Hammer Films was more than just a studio that put out classic, cheesy horror movies — Hammer was an attitude, a gothic style factory, and a weird cultural icon. A new book, Hammer Vault, ventures into the heart of Hammer, with poster art, script treatments, and other rare Hammerobilia.
We've got an exclusive look at the Hammer Vault. Check it out below — including one NSFW image.
The cover of a mock newspaper offered as a promotion gimmick in America for The Abominable Snowman.
Val Guest (centre) directs Peter Cushing and Forrest Tucker on the snowscape set of The Abominable Snowman, at Pinewood Studios.
Twins of Evil issue of The House of Hammer comic magazine.
Pre-production art for Dracula A.D. 1972.
For more exclusive looks inside the Hammer Vault, go to Boing Boing. Here are all the details about Hammer Vault, which is also available in a fancy limited edition:
Packed with sensational, never-before-collected material, The Hammer Vault is a visual romp through the archives of Britain's most famous film studio.
For both die-hard fans, and those just discovering Hammer's rich cinematic legacy, this remarkable book provides an unmissable journey into the history of the company, as told through previously unseen treasures from the vault. Beginning with the company's incorporation documents from 1934, moving through the many unforgettable horror classics which cemented their reputation and made worldwide stars of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, and coming right up to date with a behind the scenes look at 2010's Let Me In and the 2011 release The Resident, The Hammer Vault presents original correspondence, lobby cards, script pages and scores of rare and previously unpublished photographs, alongside a commentary from Hammer archive consultant Marcus Hearn, and the people who made some of the company's greatest films.
The book also contains pages from press books and publicity manuals, letters to and from some of the company's stars, pages from managing director Michael Carreras and Peter Cushing's scrapbooks, pre-production artwork, trade advertisements and production designs. It is both a compelling visual history of the legendary film production company, and the greatest scrapbook of Hammer collectables ever assembled!