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Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

post #1 of 34
4/3/08 at 10:59am
Thread Starter 
From the 'Classic Horror Film Board': Sony's "Icons of Adventure" (Hammer) set officially announced - Classic Horror on DVD - Classic Horror in Other Media - Classic Horror Film Board - Message Board - Yuku
"Icons of Adventure" (US - Region 1) contains the following Sony/Columbia Hammer Films:
1) Terror of the Tongs
2) Stranglers of Bombay
3) Pirates of Blood River
4) Devil-Ship Pirates
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post #2 of 34
4/3/08 at 4:47pm

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Very cool. 6/10 is the release date
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post #3 of 34
4/9/08 at 3:52am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

The 'Icons of Adventure' 2-disc set details from digitallyobsessed.com:

Four classic action-adventure films from the legendary Hammer Studios make their DVD debuts when Sony Pictures Home Entertainment releases Icons of Adventure on June 10. The must-have collection for action-craving fans includes The Stranglers of Bombay (1960), and three films featuring legendary horror icon Christopher Lee: The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964), The Terror of the Tongs (1961) and The Pirates of Blood River (1962). The extensive bonus features including the 1935 short subject Hot Paprika, the 1936 color cartoon The Merry Mutineers and the first chapter of the action-packed serial The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd. The two-disc DVD will be available for $24.96 SRP.

The Pirates of Blood River (1962) stars Glenn Corbett, Kerwin Mathews (The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad), Christopher Lee, Oliver Reed (Tommy, The Three Musketeers), Andrew Keir, and Peter Arne. This swashbuckling adventure features an invasion of pirates on an island reputed to have buried treasure. The salty English refugees who inhabit the island have other plans for the scoundrels, however, and proceed to kick them off the island.

The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964) stars Christopher Lee, Guy Rolfe, Allen Cuthbertson, Andrew Cruickshank, and George Pastell. In the 16th century, the pirate ship „Diablo‰ joins forces with the Spanish Armada until it becomes evident that the Armada will not win. Fleeing the battle, the pirate ship sails into an isolated port where the villagers conclude that the Armada has won and the ship is part of the Spanish invasion forces. Brutal pirates take full advantage of this situation until a band of villagers rise up and destroy the evil pirates and their Devil-Ship.

The Stranglers of Bombay (1960) stars Guy Rolfe, Allen Cuthbertson, Andrew Cruickshank, and George Pastell. In 1820's India, followers of a religious cult, who worship Kali, goddess of destruction, murder hundreds of travelers each year by strangling them with silk cloth, robbing them and interring their bodies in mass graves. Captain Lewis (Rolfe) finally solves the mystery, but loses a fellow officer in the process.

The Terror of the Tongs (1961) stars Geoffrey Toone, Christopher Lee, Barbara Brown, and Marie Burke. British merchant sea captain Toone sets out to crush the Red Dragon Tong, a secret society terrorizing Hong Kong in 1910. Toone goes on a rampage when his daughter and servant are murdered by Lee's henchmen. He hooks up with a former slave, and together they incite a riot which destroys Lee and his group of bandits.

DVD Special Features Include:
* Digitally Remastered Audio and Video
* Full Screen Presentation*
* Audio Commentary for Each Film
* Original Theatrical Trailers
* Cartoon: The Merry Mutineers
* Chapter One of the Serial: The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd (1951)
* Short Subject: Hot Paprika

The Pirates of Blood River has a running time of 87 minutes and is not rated. The Devil-Ship Pirates has a running time of 89 minutes and is not rated. The Stranglers of Bombay has a running time of 80 minutes and is not rated. The Terror of the Tongs has a running time of 80 minutes and is not rated.

DVD Catalog #24315
UPC Code: 043396243156
Order Date: 5/8/2008
SLP: $24.96

*I hope that's wrong...
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post #4 of 34
4/9/08 at 7:47am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Quote:
Originally Posted by John Hodson
The 'Icons of Adventure' 2-disc set details from digitallyobsessed.com:

Four classic action-adventure films from the legendary Hammer Studios make their DVD debuts when Sony Pictures Home Entertainment releases Icons of Adventure on June 10. The must-have collection for action-craving fans includes The Stranglers of Bombay (1960), and three films featuring legendary horror icon Christopher Lee: The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964), The Terror of the Tongs (1961) and The Pirates of Blood River (1962). The extensive bonus features including the 1935 short subject Hot Paprika, the 1936 color cartoon The Merry Mutineers and the first chapter of the action-packed serial The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd. The two-disc DVD will be available for $24.96 SRP.

The Pirates of Blood River (1962) stars Glenn Corbett, Kerwin Mathews (The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad), Christopher Lee, Oliver Reed (Tommy, The Three Musketeers), Andrew Keir, and Peter Arne. This swashbuckling adventure features an invasion of pirates on an island reputed to have buried treasure. The salty English refugees who inhabit the island have other plans for the scoundrels, however, and proceed to kick them off the island.

The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964) stars Christopher Lee, Guy Rolfe, Allen Cuthbertson, Andrew Cruickshank, and George Pastell. In the 16th century, the pirate ship „Diablo‰ joins forces with the Spanish Armada until it becomes evident that the Armada will not win. Fleeing the battle, the pirate ship sails into an isolated port where the villagers conclude that the Armada has won and the ship is part of the Spanish invasion forces. Brutal pirates take full advantage of this situation until a band of villagers rise up and destroy the evil pirates and their Devil-Ship.

The Stranglers of Bombay (1960) stars Guy Rolfe, Allen Cuthbertson, Andrew Cruickshank, and George Pastell. In 1820's India, followers of a religious cult, who worship Kali, goddess of destruction, murder hundreds of travelers each year by strangling them with silk cloth, robbing them and interring their bodies in mass graves. Captain Lewis (Rolfe) finally solves the mystery, but loses a fellow officer in the process.

The Terror of the Tongs (1961) stars Geoffrey Toone, Christopher Lee, Barbara Brown, and Marie Burke. British merchant sea captain Toone sets out to crush the Red Dragon Tong, a secret society terrorizing Hong Kong in 1910. Toone goes on a rampage when his daughter and servant are murdered by Lee's henchmen. He hooks up with a former slave, and together they incite a riot which destroys Lee and his group of bandits.

DVD Special Features Include:
* Digitally Remastered Audio and Video
* Full Screen Presentation*
* Audio Commentary for Each Film
* Original Theatrical Trailers
* Cartoon: The Merry Mutineers
* Chapter One of the Serial: The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd (1951)
* Short Subject: Hot Paprika

The Pirates of Blood River has a running time of 87 minutes and is not rated. The Devil-Ship Pirates has a running time of 89 minutes and is not rated. The Stranglers of Bombay has a running time of 80 minutes and is not rated. The Terror of the Tongs has a running time of 80 minutes and is not rated.

DVD Catalog #24315
UPC Code: 043396243156
Order Date: 5/8/2008
SLP: $24.96

*I hope that's wrong...


I hope thats wrong too. That would be horrible after so long for these to be released and then to get butchered versions.
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post #5 of 34
4/9/08 at 12:41pm

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Quote:
Originally Posted by John Hodson
* Short Subject: Hot Paprika

Note: a 1935 Andy Clyde comedy
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post #6 of 34
4/9/08 at 3:51pm

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Buy.com has it as:

Keep Case
2-Disc Set
Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85
Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio:
Mono - English
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post #7 of 34
4/10/08 at 1:02am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Time to relax. DVD Drive-in has the art and specs:

Sony will be releasing a set of adventure epics from Hammer Films, but here are some more details, as well as the final cover art (above). On June 10, Sony will release a 2-DVD set called “Icons of Adventure: The Hammer Films Collection Vol. 1”. The set will include THE STRANGLERS OF BOMBAY, THE TERROR OF THE TONGS, PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER and DEVIL SHIP PIRATES. According to Sony’s publicity site, all four titles will be presented in their original aspect ratios with anamorphic enhancement. All four titles will have audio commentaries (some of them with legendary Hammer screenwriter Jimmy Sangster), and other extras will include original theatrical trailers, the cartoon: “The Merry Mutineers” (1936), Chapter One of the Serial: “The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd” (1951) and the short subject: “Hot Paprika” (1935) starring Andy Clyde. The SRP is $24.96. Note that this is “Vol. 1” of a “Hammer Films Collection.”
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post #8 of 34
4/13/08 at 7:57am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

I see this is volume 1 of a series. Does anyone know if Sony will release another set for Halloween? if so which titles do they own the US rights to?
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post #9 of 34
4/13/08 at 9:01am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Speculation is that it's a Peter Cushing / Christopher Lee themed set with 'The Gorgon' and 'The Creeping Flesh', plus others; maybe 'Corruption', 'Scream of Fear'?
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post #10 of 34
4/13/08 at 9:02am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Quote:
I see this is volume 1 of a series. Does anyone know if Sony will release another set for Halloween? if so which titles do they own the US rights to?

Aside from Revenge of Frankenstein which has already been released they have enough Hammer Horror to make for an interesting set.

Off the top of my head

The Gorgon
The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll
Maniac
The Old Dark House
Taste of Fear
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post #11 of 34
4/13/08 at 1:10pm

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

there is also Camp on blood island too although this could join a hammer war set The Snorkel and yesterday's enemy etc
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post #12 of 34
4/13/08 at 2:07pm

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

They gotta throw CASH ON DEMAND into the next set...please please PLEASE. One of Peter Cushing's best performances, and ditto for costar Andre Morell.
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post #13 of 34
4/14/08 at 3:40am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_K

Aside from Revenge of Frankenstein which has already been released they have enough Hammer Horror to make for an interesting set.

Off the top of my head

The Gorgon
The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll
Maniac
The Old Dark House
Taste of Fear


They should spruce up the transfer of REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN and include it in the Hammer Horror Collection. The individual DVD looks murky.
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post #14 of 34
4/15/08 at 8:08am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Curse of the Mummy's Tomb is another one that I would think would definately be included since it has never had any video release in the U.S.
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post #15 of 34
4/16/08 at 10:08am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

I'd sure like THESE ARE THE DAMNED to fit in here somewhere.
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post #16 of 34
4/20/08 at 11:40am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

cashvon demand is a thriller so that would make stand alone release..... still need to see it released though at some point...
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post #17 of 34
4/30/08 at 9:07am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Oh dear... How public domain looking is this cover art!?

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post #18 of 34
4/30/08 at 9:49am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Blimey, first 'The Man Who Could Cheat Death' and now this; 'Hammer' still means something, you'd think they'd see it as a plus and slap it on the cover. Not THAT cover of course, something better, let's say, that wasn't Photoshopped in under five minutes...

Hey ho, at least we are going to get the films.
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post #19 of 34
4/30/08 at 12:40pm

SUGGESTIONS FOR A COLUMBIA-RELEASED HAMMER 'HORROR' FILMS DVD COLLECTION!!!!!

THE TERROR OF THE TONGS (1961) should have been saved for a possible Hammer Films horror film DVD collection along with THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL (1960), THE GORGON (1964) and THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB (1964).

In its stead for the Hammer Films adventure films DVD collection THE SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST (1961) should have been included. Anyway it's certainly great to see some of these rarities being made available finally!

These were all released through Columbia Pictures incidentally...I say so that it's understood that all these aforementioned titles were not arbitrarily suggested!

Jeff T.
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post #20 of 34
4/30/08 at 1:52pm

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon Howson
Oh dear... How public domain looking is this cover art!?

My God! That's.... hideous! It makes the discs looks like they should have a retail of $2.99 in a Wal-Mart bin.

Where the hell is "HAMMER"? That means something to some of us - who might buy the thing.
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post #21 of 34
4/30/08 at 4:13pm

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Well let's hope the discs look good!
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post #22 of 34
4/30/08 at 4:29pm

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Quote:
Originally Posted by Billy Batson
Well let's hope the discs look good!
I see cover art like that and lose confidence in what the transfers will look like.

Is someone in Sony trying to sabotage this release?
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post #23 of 34
5/1/08 at 5:42am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

That cover art is unfortunate. It makes the films look like cheap public domain stuff and isn't going to help sell this collection.
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post #24 of 34
5/1/08 at 5:53am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Eeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaggggggghhhhhhh!!! Now that is hideous. I don't think you could make the artwork more unappealing if you tried.

If I were to come across this while browsing in a store my first (and only) thought would be this is a PD release and I probably wouldn't have given it a second glance to see what the titles were.
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post #25 of 34
5/1/08 at 6:14am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_K
Eeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaggggggghhhhhhh!!! Now that is hideous. I don't think you could make the artwork more unappealing if you tried.

If I were to come across this while browsing in a store my first (and only) thought would be this is a PD release and I probably wouldn't have given it a second glance to see what the titles were.

I don't know what aspect of it is worse: the fact it uses three different fonts, or the silly border with skulls at the corner!

The set contains four films, they could've just divided the cover into quarters with a small replica of the original cover art in each corner, then a "Hammer Icons of Adventure" title at the top, and a reference to the bonus features at the bottom.

I am a hopeless graphic designer, but I did this in MS Paint in about 15 minutes:



My guess is that the back will have pan and scan VHS sourced frame captures next to the blurbs.
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post #26 of 34
6/5/08 at 6:03am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bleddyn Williams
My God! That's.... hideous! It makes the discs looks like they should have a retail of $2.99 in a Wal-Mart bin.

Where the hell is "HAMMER"? That means something to some of us - who might buy the thing.
Yeah. I just bought the Hammer House of Horror TV series and it's gotten me in the Hammer mood big time! Searching on amazon for stuff I don't have was disappointing. Then I came across this and thought it was a bootleg or something. Horrible cover. They do actually want to sell this stuff to everyone, not just fans right?

Well, I'm just glad this is Hammer and it's affordable. I'll be buying it. Can't wait, actually. Are these films pretty good? I haven't even researched them.
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post #27 of 34
6/5/08 at 9:22am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jonathan-S
Someone who apparently works in Sony's DVD division has posted details of follow-ups to this set on the Nitrateville forum:

"In October: a horror set with THE GORGON, CURSE OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB, THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL and SCREAM (TASTE) OF FEAR.

Next year, hopefully there will be a Joseph Losey Centennial edition of THESE ARE THE DAMNED."

Excellent news. I knew this had to be coming sometime. I just hope they found a better copy of or did some work on Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll as the VHS release from about 10 years ago was horrible with very washed out color.
Hard to believe that Curse of the Mummy's Tomb is just now getting its US Home Video debut. I wonder where this will leave Maniac now that they are including Scream of Fear in this set. It would have been nice to include it in this set as well.
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post #28 of 34
6/5/08 at 11:01am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Some very positive reviews are coming out:

DVD-Drive-In
DVD Savant

I'm really looking forward to this now!
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post #29 of 34
6/11/08 at 8:19am
Thread Starter 

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

Received my copy on Monday. The transfers have great picture and sound. Hammer fans will not be disappointed. "Terror of the Tongs" is anamorphically enhanced at 1.66 while all the others are in their original aspect ratios of 2.35:1.
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post #30 of 34
6/11/08 at 9:30am

Re: Hammer Box-set: Icons of Adventure available June 10th

'Pirates of Blood River' is a little softer than 'Devil-Ship Pirates' but both look great - 'Terror of The Tongs' shares similar sumptuous production values as 'Brides of Dracula' and Sony's transfer is probably as good as Universal's slice of eye candy. Only 'Stranglers' to go - terrific set.
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