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NEWS : NEW HAMMER HORROR STARTS SHOOTING NEXT MONTH

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NEW HAMMER HORROR STARTS SHOOTING NEXT MONTH
Production News 27.08.
07

There has been much cynicism over the last twenty years over announcements that Hammer Films are coming back into production. The 2000 takeover which saw Hammer transferred from Roy Skeggs to a media consortium headed by Charles Saatchi resulted in at least two separate announcements of production slates, which came to nothing.

 

The takeover in May of this year by a new European consortium headed by John De Mol was marked out by the additional announcement of a £25 million seed fund which should ensure a return to active production before the end of the year. Just three months later and unofficialhammerfilms.com can reveal that Hammer are going back into production within the next few weeks, after details of a casting session held on August 16th and 17th were posted on the ConstantCasting website.

 

The first dramatic Hammer film production for over twenty years is a full-length vampire flick which will also see an episodic release over the internet and is being shot on 35mm film stock. The title of Hammer's new horror - BEYOND THE RAVE.

 

The title is a witty nod back to the horror films of the 1970s and also plays upon the popular Amicus title Beyond the Grave - itself an episodic portmanteau feature. With Amicus having recently announced a return to production as well, it looks as if the battle of the horror giants may once again be on.

 

From the descriptions provided in the agency release, the film will feature a wide range of cast members in what appears to be a reworking of the vampire-club scenario of Dracula A.D. 1972 with the vampire threat linked to the drug-addled rave culture. The release also confirms the casting of Rick Warden in the role of Strigioli. The 36-year old British actor has had key roles in Band of Brothers and Rome on television.

 

According to the BBC Film Network the art director for Beyond the Rave is Melanie Light - her profile suggests that the film will be cut into 20 separate segments for the net and mobile phones. Light's professional website is here.

 

Casting was conducted by Hannah Birkett on August 16 and 17. Production is due to start on 15 September and end 2 October 2007.

 

To date there has been no formal announcement or press release for the production, and it would seem that the production itself is surrounded in secrecy. We'll keep you up to date with any formal announcements.

 

 

For the sake of record the text that appeared on the ConstantCasting website is here.

 

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see also....

* Hammer Film Productions sold - press release (corporate news 20.05.07)

 

* Beyond the Rave casting call (production news 27.08.07)

 

* Ingrid Pitt Cast in Beyond the Rave(production news 04.09.07)

 

* Beyond the Rave - Extras Wanted (production news 10.09.07)

 

 

 

 

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House of Horror: The Unofficial Hammer Films Site © RJE Simpson 1999 - 2007
Site launched Sunday 8th August 1999