By James Whittington, 30th December 2022
The Legend Vintage Vault in January has double-bills packed with tension, thrills and good old-fashioned scares. Here's what we have lined-up for you:
New Year's Day has the first showing of THE ASPHYX at 9pm. Utilising an experimental photographic device, a scientist (Robert Stephens) captures what appears to be the image of the Asphyx-the ancient Greek spirit of the dead. With the help of his adopted son (Robert Powell), he discovers a way to harness the Asphyx and gain immortality, unleashing dreadful consequences. Blending elements of Gothic horror with the more contemporary ingredients of steampunk, The Asphyx has emerged from obscurity to become a cult favourite of the sci-fi/fantasy genre. This is followed at 10.45pm by the Hammer classic TWINS OF EVIL . After being orphaned, two beautiful identical twins move from Vienna to the village of Karnstein. There they are to live with their Uncle, a fanatical Puritan (Peter Cushing). Nearby, the Count of the village is performing a sacrificial rite which raises his ancestor, the vampire Countess. He turns his attention to the twins. One of them is destined to fall under the castle's spell, but which one?
On the 8th we start off at 9pm with a stroll down the corridors of a mental asylum where your mind will not believe what your eyes in TALES THAT WITNESS MADNESS. In the tradition of Tales from the Crypt and Creepshow, this anthology of pulp horror stories is helmed by horror master Freddie Francis and the legendary cast includes Donal Pleasance, Joan Collins, Kim Novak, Jack Hawkins and Suzi Kendall. The channel premiere of HORROR HOSPITAL follows at 10.50pm. Jason Jones, a disillusioned songwriter (played by Robin Askwith) decides a change of pace is needed and checks into Brittlehouse Manor, a 'health resort' where young people are supposedly cured of all their hang-ups. It is run by the sinister Dr Storm (Michael Gough) a crippled, demented genius who performs lobotomies on his young patients. It isn't long before Jones realises that his life is in danger, and with the help of Strom's assistant (Skip Martin), he tries to escape...
A TV classic starts of the double-bill on the 15th, DOOMWATCH. Dr Del Shaw (Ian Bannen), part of the government's investigative environmental organisation Doomwatch, travels to the island of Balfe to examine the potentially adverse effects of a recent oil spill. The villagers are all suspicious of Shaw, especially the menfolk, who seem to have transformed into near-Neanderthals. After teaming up with a local teacher, Shaw discovers that the transformation of the men is due to a disease called acromegaly. Hammer's final horror of the 1970s is at 10.50pm, TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER. Henry Beddows (Denholm Elliott) asks occult novelist John Verney (Richard Widmark) to protect his 18-year-old daughter, Catherine (Natasha Kinski). She has attracted the attention of ex-communicated priest Father Michael Rayner (Christopher Lee), who wants Catherine to become the incarnation of one of the crowned princes of Hell, Astaroth. Pitted against black magic, ancient rituals and a clan of Satanists, Verney battles to save the young girl from a diabolical fate.
A pair of monochrome masterpieces are waiting for you on the 22nd starting at 9pm with THE INVISIBLE MAN. Claude Rains plays a mysterious doctor who discovers a serum that makes him invisible. Covered by bandages and dark glasses, Rains arrives at a small English village and attempts to hide his amazing discovery. But the same drug that renders him invisible slowly drives him to commit acts of unspeakable terror. Based on H.G. Wells' classic novel and directed by the master of macabre James Whale, The Invisible Man not only fuelled a host of sequels, but also features some special effects that are still imitated today. The celebrated sequel, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN follows at 10.25pm. Once again James Whale is in the director's chair as we discover Mary Shelley's monster alive and well and forcing the good baron to create a mate. Horror film icon Boris Karloff reprises his role as Dr Frankenstein's fabled creation and Elsa Lanchester co-stars as his monstrous lady love.
We've another pair from of Universal classics on the 29th, the first being THE MUMMY'S HAND. Two broke archaeologists, Steve Banning (Dick Foran) and Babe Jenson (Wallace Ford), head to Egypt to uncover the legendary sarcophagus of Princess Ananka. Not only is the tomb cursed, it has its own guard - an eternal mummy named Kharis! When expedition members start dying at the mummy's hand, it'll take wits and courage to survive the undying horror uncovered under the sands. FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN at 10.20pm is our final movie from the Vintage Vault. Two of the silver screen's most fearsome creatures battle it out when the Wolfman (Lon Chaney Jr. reprising his role) seeking to end his curse, looks to the notorious Dr Frankenstein for a cure. However, his mission pus him on a collision course with Frankenstein's monster, played by Bela Lugosi. Directed by Roy William Hill, this was the first of a series called "monster rallies" combining characters from several film series.
Related show tags: DOOMWATCH, TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER, TWINS OF EVIL, TALES THAT WITNESS MADNESS, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN, THE INVISIBLE MAN, THE MUMMY'S HAND, THE ASPHYX, HORROR HOSPITAL MORE FEATURES Legend brings the heat this June Posted on 27th May 2026
There are ten thrilling channel premieres in June as LEGEND continue to offer a popular mix of nostalgic favourites and modern, star-studded premieres, including Joel Schumacher's gripping legal drama A TIME TO KILL, Jon Amiel's psychological thriller COPYCAT and both RISE OF THE FOOTSOLDIER and RISE OF THE FOOTSOLDIER: PART II - the first two films in the brutal British gangster saga that has been engaging its millions of fans since 2007.
Then there is Ted Kotcheff's gritty action-drama UNCOMMON VALOR, starring Gene Hackman, Robert Benton's much-praised revisionist Western BAD COMPANY, starring Jeff Bridges and Barry Brown, an...
A line-up not to be missed this May on LEGEND Posted on 28th April 2026
May on LEGEND sees an action-packed mix of classic and contemporary thrillers, headed by Sergio Leone's brilliant ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA, starring Robert De Niro and James Woods on top form, Joel Schumacher's tense legal drama THE CLIENT, starring Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones, Spike Lee's Neo-noir remake of Park Chan-wook's 2003 South Korean cult masterpiece OLD BOY, and Sydney Pollack's political spy thriller THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR, widely regarded as a quintessential example of the 1970s "paranoia" cinema.
Then there is IMMORTALS, Tarsem Singh's epic, visceral retelling of Greek mythology, starring Henry Cavell and Mickey O'Rourke, Andrew Nicol's IN TIME, a dystopian science ficti...
Connery, Caine and Curry are starring in Channel Premieres this April on LEGEND Posted on 29th March 2026
It's action, suspense and high-stakes drama all the way as LEGEND presents eleven star-studded Channel premieres in April, spearheaded by Brian De Palma's brutal crime classic CARLITO'S WAY, starring Al Paciino, high octane action comedy MR. AND MRS. SMITH, starring Bratt Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Spike Lee's critically acclaimed heist thriller INSIDE MAN, and Timor Bekmambetov's all guns-blazing WANTED, starring James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Terence Stamp.
Then there is the cold war spy thriller BULLET TO BEIJING, starring Michael Caine as a retired Harry Palmer, buddy-cop film MONEY TRAIN, starring Wesley Snipes, and Jennifer Lopez, and two murderous action thrille...
Reynolds, Washington and Schwarzenegger join the LEGEND line-up for March Posted on 25th February 2026
An action-packed mix of cult classics, popular remakes and contemporary thrillers headline LEGEND's selection of eleven Channel premieres in March, spearheaded by Kathryn Bigelow's gripping, suspenseful, and brilliantly crafted, ZERO DARK THIRTY, which dramatises the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Then there is the 2005 action-packed remake of ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13, starring Ethan Hawke and Laurence Fishburne, Clint Eastwood's high-stakes assassination thriller THE EIGER SANCTION. and Frank Mitchell's survival drama ALIVE, the true story of a Uruguayan rugby team forced to eat the flesh of their dead companions following a plane crash.
Further Channel premieres include grindhouse-inspired exploitatio...
De Niro, Pacino and Eastwood are starring on LEGEND in February Posted on 27th January 2026
De Niro, Pacino and Eastwood give us powerhouse performances as LEGEND celebrates the work of legendary directors this month, spearheaded by the Channel premieres of such cult classics as Brian De Palma's SCARFACE, Martin Scorcese's CAPE FEAR, Donald Seigel's THE BEGUILED, and John Frankenheimer's BLACK SUNDAY.
Other notable Channel premieres this February include Keanu Reeves' directorial debut, MAN OF TAI CHI. Leigh Wannel's tech horror thriller UPGRADE, Doug Liman's action comedy, AMERICAN MADE, starring Tom Cruise, Gary Fieder's quirky crime drama THINGS TO DO IN DENVER WHEN YOU'RE DEAD, which stars Andy Garcia, Christopher Walken and Steve Buscemi, and Kevin McDonald's blistering politi...
LEGEND announces January 2026 premiere line-up! Posted on 23rd December 2025
LEGEND ushers in the new year with ten adrenaline-fuelled channel premieres, including Peter Weir's much acclaimed war drama GALLIPOLI, which solidified Mel Gibson’s stature as a leading man. Other well-known directors featured this month are The Fast and Furious helmer Rob Cohen with military science fiction action thriller STEALTH, Mike Figgis, who teams up with an outstanding Richard Gere for psychological crime thriller INTERNAL AFFAIRS, and Saturday Night Fever director John Badham, with American political thriller NICK OF TIME, starring Johnny Depp and Christopher Walken.
Other channel premieres include the box-office smash MECHANIC: RESURRECTION, the sequel...
LEGEND unwraps nine channel premieres this December Posted on 30th November 2025
It's seasonal thrills all the way as LEGEND unwraps nine channel premieres this December, including three 90's cult classics - Mike Hewell's classic crime drama DONNIE BRASCO, starring Al Pacino and Johnny Depp, Paul Verhoeven's futuristic alien invasion thriller STARSHIP TROOPERS, and Robert Rodriguez's action-packed DESPARADO, with Antonio Banderas, Quentin Tarantino and Salma Hayak.
Favourite LEGEND action heroes showcased this month are Steven Seagal in crime vengeance thriller THE ASIAN CONNECTION, Jason Statham in gangster actioner WILD CARD, and Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg in boxing drama THE FIGHTER.
Other crackers include Gerard Bulter in heroic fantasy GODS...
LEGEND line-up for November brings Stone, Gibson, Willis and Van Damme Posted on 23rd October 2025
It's thrills, kills and spills all the way on LEGEND this November with sixteen channel premieres, including Sam Raimi's comic-book Western THE QUICK AND THE DEAD, starring Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio, Walter Hill's buddy action comedy RED HEAT, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Belushi, Roland Emmerich's epic historical drama THE PATRIOT, starring Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger, Robert Harmon's cult classic THE HITCHER, starring Rutger Hauer, and Barbet Schroeder's outstanding crime thriller KISS OF DEATH, starring David Caruso, Samuel L. Jackson and Nicolas Cage. Samuel L. Jackson also stars in disturbing psychological thriller, UNTHINKABLE...
Heroes, assassins, warriors and rogues descend on LEGEND in October Posted on 27th September 2025
Heroes, assassins, warriors and rogues descend on LEGEND in October, with thirteen channel premieres, including Xavier Gens’ exuberant computer game adaptation HITMAN, sci-fi bad-ass action movie RIDDICK, starring Vin Diesel, historical action-adventure THE 13TH WARRIOR, based on Michael Crichton's 1976 novel Eaters of the Dead and Sylvester Stallone’s Veteran warrior John Rambo returns for one final battle as he seeks ferocious vengeance on a drug cartel targeting his family in the Channel premiere of RAMBO: LAST BLOOD.
Other favourite LEGEND action heroes are out for revenge this month, including Dwayne Johnson in FASTER, Craig Fairbrass in LONDON HEIST, Eric Roberts in...
PICK OF THE WEEK
