Fanex Files: Hammer Films on AllMovie

In the 1950s and '60s, American film studios became enamored with flying saucers, extraterrestrials, and atomic mutants, making Hammer Films the last refuge for movie fans with more macabre tastes. Their lavish and lurid chillers appeared at precisely the right time, effectively filling the gap between the Universal Studios creature classics of the 1930's and '40s, and the big-budget horror revival sparked by The Exorcist and A Nightmare on Elm Street in the 1970s and '80s. As a result, horror fans embraced Hammer Films and the studio flourished. In this documentary Hammer luminaries such as Christopher Lee, Ingrid Pitt, Val Guest, and Caroline Munro are captured during appearances at Fanex Film Conventions, which were held in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. from 1984 to 2004. Their ability to remain cheerful and cordial despite enduring exhausting transatlantic flights endeared them to fans, and now horror hounds who weren't able to attend the conventions can still witness their favorite stars interacting with fans as they reflect on their favorite roles.