Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood

Silva's Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood collects two discs' worth of excerpts from the scores of the famed horror movie studio's films, as performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Though these versions don't have quite the same feel as the original recordings, for the most part they do manage to capture most of the dramatic, eerie feel of Hammer films' music. The studio's main composers are represented, including James Bernard and David Whitaker; Bernard's works, in particular, dominate the collection. Indeed, suites of his music for films like The Scars of Dracula, Taste the Blood of Dracula, The Devil Rides Out, and Dracula Prince of Darkness make up the first disc of this set. Disc two is more eclectic, featuring music from Hammer's sci-fi and monster movies as well as its many vampire and horror films. Excerpts from Mario Nascimbene's scores for One Million Years B.C., Creatures the World Forgot, and When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth are among the highlights of the second disc, along with Whitaker's "Vampire Circus: Prologue," Humphrey Searle's "Main Title" for The Abominable Snowman, and excerpts of Christopher Gunning's score for Hands of the Ripper. While it's a slightly unfocused collection, Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood still offers enough for horror movie geeks and soundtrack buffs to sink their teeth into.