The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964)

Plot Outline: In 1588, a Spanish ship from the defeated Armada puts into a small British port for repairs. Captain Robeles and his men convince the villagers that the Spanish won the battle and are now rulers of England in order for them to repair the ship. When the ruse is eventually found out, Robeles takes even more drastic action to make sure that his ship is repaired before help arrives.

The Review: One of Hammer's few forays beyond the horror genre, The Devil-Ship Pirates is a decent action romp done on a shoe-string budget but with all of the usual Hammer flair. Those expecting a rousing sea yarn won't find it here - most of the film takes place on land for obvious budget reasons. However since Hammer was adept at creating something out of nothing, the film is full of the traditional Hammer strongholds - notably the lavish period sets, the costumes and a solid cast of British talent. In fact one could argue it's basically one of Hammer's horror efforts, with Christopher Lee's Captain Robeles as the "Dracula-esque" villain based in his own lair with henchmen, a dashing hero to save the day and a wench for both to fight over. The sets are great as always with the creation of the period almost perfectly replicated including the village square - even the replica ship they created. Christopher Lee makes for an excellent villain once again and his Captain Robeles is suitably nasty. He also gets to show off his more-than-capable fencing skills numerous times throughout the film. Clearly Lee is enjoying himself without the need for a set of fangs and a cape! The rest of the cast is solid, with Andrew Kier and and Philip Latham providing excellent back-up and Hammer regular Michael Ripper getting arguably the meatiest role I've ever seen him in! If there is one problem to the film, it's that it's just not really that exciting, even during the finale when the villagers assault the ship. The most enthralling sequence comes during the "flogging" moment where one poor villager is sentenced to twenty-four lashes of the whip. Even though the whole flogging isn't shown, the effect on the film is powerful enough to make us realise the Spanish mean business here.

Final Verdict: The Devil-Ship Pirates is a quality Hammer film and for those like me who've become accustomed to their brand of horror, it's a breath of fresh air. However those without the Hammer interest may find less to cheer about.

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