Hammer Films Unlocks Sci-Fi Shocker from the Vault

Hammer Films is set to breathe new life into one of its earliest science fiction ventures with the upcoming 4K release of Four Sided Triangle. A lesser-known but quietly pivotal entry in the studio’s expansive back catalogue, the 1953 film returns on 31st March 2025 in a meticulously restored Limited Collector’s Edition, reaffirming Hammer’s commitment to restoring and celebrating its genre-defining heritage.

Directed by Terence Fisher, who would later become a lynchpin of Hammer’s horror success with Dracula and The Curse of Frankenstein, Four Sided Triangle marks one of the studio’s earliest forays into science-horror. At the centre of its bizarre premise is a love triangle made more complex by science itself. Two scientists develop a machine capable of duplicating matter and use it to clone the woman they both love. But as with all morally murky experiments, things do not go to plan. Featuring Barbara Payton, whose own life would become a cautionary tale in the Hollywood press, the film takes a dark and contemplative turn that veers between romance, regret and hubris.

The newly restored 4K edition arrives as a two-disc UHD/Blu-ray collector’s set, housed in a slipcase with new artwork by illustrator Tommy Pocket. Supplementary content is rich and thoughtfully curated, offering a deeper dive into the film’s production, themes and legacy. There are two newly recorded audio commentaries—one by film historians Melanie Williams and Thirza Wakefield, and another from English Gothic author Jonathan Rigby with Kevin Lyons of The Encyclopaedia of Fantastic Film and Television.

Also featured is I Am Not Ashamed, a featurette focused on Barbara Payton’s tumultuous career, and Things to Come, where Neil Sinyard offers critical reflections on the film’s storytelling and subtext, including its depiction of consent and obsession. Additional insight comes from In the Sticks Sci-Fi!, an exploration by William Fowler and Vic Pratt of the BFI’s Flipside series. An extensive image gallery and selections from Malcolm Arnold’s score round out the package.

The restoration is a key part of Hammer’s ongoing efforts to preserve and reintroduce its legacy titles under the banner of John Gore Studios. The company’s renewed focus on archival projects has already seen recent restorations like The Curse of Frankenstein and The Abominable Snowman, and Four Sided Triangle adds another title to its evolving roster of cinematic resurrections.

While Four Sided Triangle may not have achieved the cult status of Hammer’s later output, its significance lies in what it prefigured. Themes of scientific overreach, fractured desire and the moral decay of unchecked ambition would become trademarks in Hammer’s future output, and this release offers a rare opportunity to revisit those early sparks of creative experimentation.

More than just a curio for completists, the re-release offers a fully-fledged collector’s experience that positions Four Sided Triangle as a worthy addition to the science fiction canon, and an early signpost toward Hammer’s enduring impact on genre cinema.

Four Sided Triangle trailer