The Men of Sherwood Forest 4K UHD Limited Collector’s Edition from Hammer Films
Hammer Films’ first color feature, The Men of Sherwood Forest (1954), is returning in a newly restored 4K UHD limited collector’s edition. The release celebrates Hammer’s initial venture into both Eastmancolor and the Robin Hood legend, marking an early milestone in the studio’s history. Alongside the main feature, the set includes the rarely-seen Wolfshead (1969), plus an expansive lineup of extras and essays.
Hammer’s first color feature
Directed by Val Guest, The Men of Sherwood Forest brought Hammer into the color era. The film stars Don Taylor as Robin Hood, with support from Reginald Beckwith, Eileen Moore, and David King Wood. Produced by Michael Carreras and written by Allan Mackinnon, the swashbuckling adventure introduced audiences to a vibrant Sherwood Forest captured in Eastmancolor. The film also marks Hammer’s earliest depiction of the Robin Hood mythos.
Story set in 1194
The film unfolds against the backdrop of 1194. King Richard the Lionheart is imprisoned in Germany, while his brother Prince John schemes to seize the English throne. When a courier carrying plans for Richard’s return is murdered in Sherwood, suspicion falls squarely on Robin Hood. This narrative blends political intrigue with outlaw heroics, setting the stage for Hammer’s colorful foray into historical adventure.
4K restoration
Hammer has painstakingly restored The Men of Sherwood Forest in 4K from the original negatives. The restoration highlights the richness of Eastmancolor photography and the rousing score by composer Doreen Carwithen. The companion feature, Wolfshead, has also been restored in 4K, ensuring both productions can be seen in the best possible quality.
Special features
This limited collector’s edition is presented across three discs—one UHD and two Blu-rays—housed in a rigid box with a digipak. Subtitles are offered in English, French, Italian, Spanish, and German, with optional French and German audio tracks on The Men of Sherwood Forest.
Highlights include:
- Wolfshead (1969): unaired TV pilot later purchased by Hammer and released theatrically as a supporting feature.
- Audio commentaries:
- David Huckvale on The Men of Sherwood Forest
- Tim Worthington on Wolfshead
- Featurettes and documentaries:
- Sherwood’s Secret Weapon explores Doreen Carwithen’s score and career.
- Swashbuckler revisits Hammer’s broader swashbuckling output of the 1950s and 1960s.
- A Welcome Guest by Neil Sinyard examines the film’s use of color and Val Guest’s direction.
- And Then There Was Colour! with Keith M. Johnston and Melanie Williams on the rise of color in British cinema.
- Archival materials: John Hough interview from 2007, Wolfshead VHS version for comparison, galleries of stills and publicity material with Carwithen’s music.
The set also includes a booklet with new essays from Bruce G. Hallenbeck, Philip Kemp, Miriam Balanescu, Andrew Pixley, Denis Meikle, and Wayne Kinsey, covering Hammer’s first Robin Hood film, Don Taylor’s acting and directing career, the role of color in the production, and John Hough’s path from adventure to horror.
Technical specifications
- Format: 4K UHD + 2 Blu-rays
- Region: ABC (all regions)
- Audio: 5.1 / Mono (English, French, German)
- Runtime: 78 minutes
- Certification: PG
- Subtitles: English, French, Italian, Spanish, German
- Cast: Don Taylor, Reginald Beckwith, Eileen Moore, David King Wood
- Produced by: Michael Carreras
- Written by: Allan Mackinnon
- Directed by: Val Guest
- Release year: 1954
Head over to Hammer's website to be notified when pre-orders open.