Anyone who takes an interest in horror movies should instantly recognize Hammer Films as the great name in this genre.

Hammer Film Productions, Ltd., that famous independent ‘B’ production studio that gave us such cult favorites as The Curse of Frankenstein, Taste the Blood of Dracula, Vampire Circus, Vampire Lovers, and other fun family movies. The studio was very successful due to these and other horror and thriller staples. Much of their success can be attributed to the music, particularly to the work of one man, James Bernard.

James Bernard was born 1925 and is still alive today. He devoted much of his career to Hammer Films, composing and directing the music to a majority of its films. The most famous of which was the Dracula series.

There were others who composed scores for Hammer Films as well. Christopher Gunning, composer to Hands Of The Ripper, and David Whitaker, composer to the hit Vampire Circus, are also featured on this CD.

The music is dramatic, and thrilling. Many of the scores open up with a signature motif that is chilling when first heard, and is designed to chill us again and again when it is played a few more times later elsewhere in the score. Traditional orchestral instruments are used most often in the music, and there are other instruments as well, like the use of prepared piano? where the strings are hammered and plucked for a jarring unnatural effect.

Listening to Dracula: Classic Scores From Hammer Horror is fun. Those wanting to get into horror films should give this CD a listen. The only thing I did not like about it was its brevity. It merely combines the best cuts of some of the best horror scores squeezing them into one CD. Full soundtracks of Hammer horror films, however, can be obtained through Silva Screen Records, or GDI Records Ltd.

I listened to this right before I slept, and I did sleep soundly except for those damned mosquitoes! – I hate them, always bite in pairs.

Track 6, Hands Of The Ripper was made in 1971 and scored by Christopher Gunning. The story is about Anna who as an infant witness the murder of her mother by her father, Jack the Ripper. When she grows up, we find her working for Mrs. Golding as a spirit voice during one of Mrs. Golding’s many “fake” séances. One day Anna finds herself in a state of shock following the murder of Mrs. Golding after a session. A psychiatrist who hopes to study and treat Anna later brings her home but...

The main title music for Hands of the Ripper is terrifying with its urgent sounding cello and violins. The more we listen, the louder grows the music, and the more anxious we all become. It all crescendos with bludgeoning noises recreated on xylophone and amplified by terrifying sounding horns. Afterwards, the music cuts happily to Anna’s theme, a sentimental sappy piece played with flute and harp. The music is happy and carefree, and suggests of innocence. After a brief moment of silence, the cue jumps to Trance. Here we hear xylophone in the background pondering over a simple 3 note rhythm. The music is dream-like, but very tedious, we wait for something to happen, but nothing does. The trance continues with Anna’s theme filling the void quickly lulling us into a state of relaxation.

We barely even notice the ponderous rhythm of xylophones in the background becoming more impatient as they spiral up several octaves. Suddenly without warning, violins and horns mark a transition to evil with the same terrifying sounding horns and bludgeoning noises on xylophones. After the murder, Anna’s innocent theme plays once again, but not for long…


Track 7 is taken from the “Dracula has Risen from the Grave” (1968).
The movie is about a monsignor who visits the town where Dracula was killed. He is outraged to find everyone still frightened, so he and the priest go perform an exorcism at the castle to allay everyone’s fears. In this cue, the monsignor is sealing the doors of the castle with a crucifix, when suddenly the priest accompanying him falls and cracks his head on the ice entombing Dracula. His blood leaks and falls through the cracked ice and into Dracula’s lips thus awakening him.

The music has a real sense of urgency here. The music is tension filled pitting violins with horns. A whirlwind of instruments grows in strength as the priest falls breaking his head, his blood slowly trickling toward Dracula. The tension is broken, however, and the music eventually subsides like the clearing of a storm to the sound of church bells and violins perverted only by evil sounding horn undertones.


Track 8, Vampire Circus composed by David Whitaker
Vampire Circus (1971) has an original storyline. Townsfolk band together and kill the vampire inhabiting the local castle. The vampire curses the town before he dies prophesizing its children will die to bring him back to life. The curse begins to take shape in the form of plague killing many people. The grisly scenario is made worse when a traveling circus comes to town, not to uplift the townsfolk, but to take away their children.

The first few bars to the music are terrifying and dramatic, leaving its signature to be recognized later on. The rest of the piece is richly textured and suspense filled and features what sounds like prepared piano where the strings are hit and strummed to create a quirky unnatural feel to the music.


Track 9, Taste the Blood of Dracula (1969) was about a shady salesman who witnesses the death of Dracula, then collects his blood to sell at his shop. The blood is eventually sold to several depraved Victorian societal elites who use it in a Satanic ritual.

The music has a dramatic and heroic feel to it. The music is thrilling but somewhat polished cutting away some of its raw energy. The opening bars of the main theme, of course, leave its mark on the listener to be recognized later on, much like Pavlovian conditioning. There are so many parts to this suite that suffice it to say, makes it enjoyable listen.

Track Listing:
The Dracula Suite - James Bernard
01 Main Theme
02 Inside Castle Dracula
03 The Kiss Of Living Death
04 Funeral In Carpathia
05 Confrontation and Climax

06 Hands Of The Ripper - Christopher Gunning
- Main Title
- Trance
- Mrs. Golding's Murder
- Anna's Theme

07 Dracula Has Risen From The Grave - James Bernard
- Dracula And The Crucifix

08 Vampire Circus - David Whitaker
- Prologue

09 Taste The Blood Of Dracula - James Bernard
- The Blood Of Dracula
- Romance: The Young Lovers/Shadow Of The Tomb
- Ride To The Ruined Church
- Romance: At Dusk
- Dracula Triumphant/Pursuit/The Death of Lucy
- The Victory Of Love


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Going to Sleep