Hammer Volume Seven: Ships & Giggles (1959-1961) (Blu-ray) (UK Import)

THE UGLY DUCKLING (Lance Comfort, 1959, 84 mins)
DON’T PANIC CHAPS (George Pollock, 1959, 85 mins)
A WEEKEND WITH LULU (John Paddy Carstairs, 1961, 85 mins)
WATCH IT, SAILOR! (Wolf Rilla, 1961, 81 mins)

Hammer Volume Seven: Ships & Giggles takes a look at the lighter side of the legendary film studio’s diverse output, with a quartet of comic classics starring a roll-call of British comedy greats.

In The Ugly Duckling, Carry On legend Bernard Bresslaw develops a split personality in this outrageous take on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, also starring future Doctor Who Jon Pertwee (Adventures of a Private Eye). Dennis Price (Fortune Is a Woman) and George Cole (A Prize of Gold) play feuding officers in the military farce Don’t Panic Chaps. Bob Monkhouse (Carry On Sergeant), Leslie Phillips (You Must Be Joking!), and Shirley Eaton (The Blood of Fu Manchu) are stranded in France during a disastrous holiday in A Weekend with Lulu. Finally, Price returns as a seaman who is late for his own wedding in the marital farce Watch It, Sailor!, which also stars the legendary Liz Fraser (The Smallest Show on Earth) and Irene Handl (Confessions of a Driving Instructor).

This collection of long-overdue UK and world Blu-ray premieres contains a wealth of new and archival extra features, including appreciations, and interviews with members of the cast and crew, and extensive booklets. Strictly limited to 6, 000 numbered units.

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION 4 x BLU-RAY BOXSET SPECIAL FEATURES

High Definition masters of The Ugly Duckling, Don’t Panic Chaps, A Weekend with Lulu, and Watch It, Sailor!
Original mono audio
Interview with Vera Day (2016): the Watch It, Sailor! actor in conversation with filmmaker Derek Pykett
Jonathan Rigby on Hammer Comedies (2026): the author of English Gothic: Classic Horror Cinema 1897–2015 provides a wide-ranging history of Hammer’s forays into comedy
Robert Shail on Lance Comfort (2026): the film historian discusses the director of The Ugly Duckling and his impressive career
Introductions by Stephen Laws (2026): appreciations for all four films by the acclaimed horror author
The BEHP Interview with Len Harris (1991): archival audio recording, featuring The Ugly Duckling’s camera operator in conversation with Alan Lawson and Manny Yospa
The BEHP Interview with Alfie Cox (1992): archival audio recording, featuring the editor of Watch It, Sailor! in conversation with Alan Lawson and Syd Wilson
The BEHP Interview with Tilly Day (1988): archival audio recording, featuring the Watch It, Sailor! continuity supervisor in conversation with Alan Lawson and Sidney Cole
David Benson on Frankie Howerd (2002): archival audio recording of a presentation by the actor, comedian, and author of To Be Frank, staged at BFI Southbank, London
Leslie Phillips Asks… (1960): charity appeal film for the Royal National Institute of Blind People featuring the A Weekend with Lulu star
Up in the Air (1969): feature-length Children’s Film Foundation production set in a Victorian boarding school and guest starring The Ugly Duckling’s Jon Pertwee
Don’t Panic Chaps theatrical trailer
Image galleries
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Limited edition exclusive booklets with new essays by Josephine Botting, Melanie Williams, David Cottis, and Mark Fryers, an archival article on The Ugly Duckling, extracts from the original pressbooks, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits