Hammer Glamour (Book)
Reviewed by Morgan Elektra
Written by Marcus Hearn
Published by Titan Books
Fear and passion are, physiologically speaking, not very different. They both make your heart race, your pupils dilate, and your breath quicken. So it really is only natural to pair the two together, as horror movies often do. Horror movies are well known for their tendency towards good-looking cast members and titillating storylines. Though in modern movies this is frequently more pronounced, it is by no means a new phenomenon.
Take, for example, our beloved Hammer Studios. While Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing may be the faces that automatically come to mind when you think of the English studio, those two well known male actors (as well as others) starred with a veritable bevy of beautiful babes like Ursula Andress, Raquel Welch, Ingrid Pitt, and Caroline Munro, just to name a very few. And now, thanks to Marcus Hearn and Titan Books, you can see many of them in all their glory.
Hammer Glamour is 159 pages dedicated to over 50 comely actresses that worked for Hammer throughout their distinguished reign. Each woman gets a page or two, or more for the more prolific or well known Hammer leads, that detail how she came to work for the studio and her contribution to their legacy, as well as pictures from photo shoots, movie stills, and various other events.
Hearn’s writing is entertaining and informative and flows really well. Though each woman’s entry is fairly brief, he manages to give a good overview of the actresses’ experiences at Hammer, whether positive or negative. Quotes from both the actresses themselves, when available, and others who worked with them make for a very quick and enjoyable read. I have to admit I especially enjoyed the numerous mentions of the actresses’ experiences with and remembrances of Peter Cushing. And the myriad glossy photos are, of course, a treat to look at.
The over-sized hardcover itself is just as sexy as the ladies between its pages. Much like with their Sweeney Todd movie companion book (review here), Titan Books delivers another scrumptious delight for fans that would look good gracing any coffee table or bookshelf – I vote for the coffee table, so you can show it off. Hammer Glamour would be a great gift for the film buff or diehard horror fan … or anyone who likes to admire attractive scantily (if at all) clad women.
Basically, if you fall into any of the above categories, then you need this book!
5 out of 5
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