Hammer Studios made a lot of horror movies in the 1960’s. Their versions of Dracula, Frankenstein and the Mummy (along with multiple sequels) filled the screens but they also made some really cool horror movies based on other legends. The Gorgon from 1964 was one such film.
Starring Hammer’s two most iconic actors Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing and directed by Hammer’s most prominent horror director Terence Fisher, The Gorgon takes place in the early 20th century. Several people have been murdered in a small German town and all the bodies have been turned into stone. Legend has it that the remaining Gorgon sister Megaera has survived and haunts the town.
Cushing plays a doctor who knows what is happening and is covering it up. Lee plays a professor who has come to town to save the day. The effects do look cheap but it’s Terence Fisher’s direction that makes up for the film’s low budget origins. He creates a sense of dread that’s haunting and eerie. The film isn’t for everyone. But those looking for something different than the usual monster movie might be pleasantly surprised by this film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he7XF2ynycs