"There was a time when aficionados of Hammer Films’ memorable film scores had to make do with the odd scrap recorded here and there. That, however, is a situation that has thankfully been remedied over the years, with most of the striking orchestral scores now available in some form or other — particularly those composed by the man who was the doyen of the field, and who might be called its most significant practitioner (in much the same way that Terence Fisher is recognised as Hammer’s key director): the late James Bernard. But Bernard was not alone in his noteworthy endeavours, and several extremely creative musicians supplied suitably unsettling music for many of the classic Hammer films, including one of the very best (in terms of both the film and its score): Curse of the Werewolf, which was scored by Benjamin Frankel. Another memorable contributor was a composer that this writer had the good fortune to know – and who was more than ready to discuss his work, the late Richard Rodney Bennett. While Hammer films are currently undergoing a series of deluxe presentations as part of the company’s latest iteration, what better time for the publication of The Symphony behind the Screams: Hammer’s Musical Heritage by John Mansell, a concise but comprehensive examination of the music that finessed the frissons of our favourite Hammer films. The book arrives with an encomium from Steve Rogers (the man guiding the ambitious reissue programme for many of the classic Hammer films). Rogers notes Mansell’s admirable balancing of composer interviews with in-depth commentary. The encomium is full justified, and – needless to say – Hammer enthusiasts need not hesitate."
- dvdchoices.co.uk
