Horror Channel to air Hammer season for Halloween

The Horror Channel has acquired a selection of Hammer Horror classics from Studio Canal to run a season devoted to the golden age of British gothic filmmaking this Halloween.

The channel, part of a joint venture between CBS Studios International and Chello Zone, has today announced its Hammer Horror Halloween Season, featuring classics such as Dracula, Frankenstein and The Mummy airing every Saturday night in October.

The season has been made possible after The Horror Channel secured a deal for 30 classic horror movies from Studio Canal, previously Optimum Releasing.

The deal includes The Scars of Dracula and Frankenstein Created Woman starring Christopher Lee, Blood From The Mummy's Tomb with Peter Cushing and influential zombie favourite Plague of the Zombies.

Each film will be accompanied by an exclusive introduction by horror aficionado, author, broadcaster and critic Kim Newman.

The season will also be covered by a two-week, on-air sponsorship campaign from Sega for its new Xbox Kinect game Rise of Nightmares. The deal starts next week.

Adam Robinson, the director of programming for Chello Zone, said: "We are proud to bring classic Hammer Horror, representing the best in British gothic, to UK audiences this autumn. The collection will offer a brilliantly bloody run-up to Halloween.

"The Sega deal, in the meantime, celebrates our search for new innovations in horror and represents our dedication to the genre, both film-based and beyond."

Watch the Rise of Nightmares controls trailer below: