Hammer Volume Seven: Ships and Giggles on Blu-ray from Indicator in May
Having made us smile cheekily at Stanley Long’s Adventures and prompted us to titter at Robin Askwith in The Complete Confessions, 1974-1977, Indicator continues to lighten our mood in a very British manner with the May release of Hammer Volume Seven: Ships and Giggles, the next, much-anticipated entry in its acclaimed series of Hammer box sets, this time focusing on the lighter side of the legendary film studio’s diverse output.
The Ugly Duckling (Lance Comfort, 1959, 84 mins) sees Carry On legend Bernard Bresslaw develop 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 (George Pollock, 1959, 85 mins). 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 (John Paddy Carstairs, 1961, 85 mins). Finally, Price returns as a seaman who is late for his own wedding in the marital farce Watch It, Sailor! (Wolf Rilla, 1961, 81 mins), 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.
Hammer Volume Seven: Ships and Giggles will be released as a Limited Edition Blu-ray box set by Indicator on 18 May 2026 at the pre-order price of £54.99.
INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION 4 x BLU-RAY BOXSET FEATURES:
- High Definition masters of The Ugly Duckling, Don’t Panic Chaps, A Weekend with Lulu, and Watch It, Sailor!
- Original mono audio
- Archival 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 1897–2015provides a wide-ranging history of Hammer’s forays into comedy films
- 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
- World premieres on Blu-ray for Don’t Panic Chaps and Watch It, Sailor!
- UK premieres on Blu-ray for The Ugly Duckling and A Weekend with Lulu
- Limited edition set of 6,000 individually numbered units for the UK
All extras subject to change