Iconic Horror Film Props to Feature in New West Yorkshire Museum Exhibition

Fangs utilized by actor Christopher Lee in a 1950s film adaptation of Dracula, along with the head of a renowned cinematic alien, are among the prominent items slated for permanent exhibition at a West Yorkshire museum. These artifacts will be featured in the new “Behind the Screams” exhibition, scheduled to launch in 2025 at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford. Curators indicated the exhibit will explore the “shock and thrills” associated with celebrated horror movies. Lee’s fangs incorporate a concealed reservoir, engineered to enable the acclaimed actor to activate it using his tongue, thereby causing “blood” to flow down the teeth. The museum is anticipated to have a partial reopening in January, while the horror exhibit is slated for a summer debut. According to a museum spokesperson, a “key moment” within the “Behind the Screams” exhibit will recount the history of Hammer Films. The spokesperson stated that Hammer “launched their series of Gothic horror films in the 1950s, challenging standards and creating now-classic representations of characters like Dracula”. They further mentioned, “To bring the tiny object to life, the fangs will be displayed among a pool of ‘blood’ which was suggested by the museum’s Youth Forum, a panel of young people from across Bradford district being consulted on the new galleries”. The National Science and Media Museum, situated in Bradford city centre, ceased operations in the summer of 2023 to facilitate construction for two new Sound and Vision galleries, alongside a renovation of its entrance and the addition of a lift. Its partial reopening in January is planned to align with the commencement of Bradford’s tenure as UK City of Culture. Nevertheless, construction delays have postponed the completion of the two new galleries until the summer. A museum spokesperson indicated that the £6m Sound and Vision galleries are intended to exhibit “the museum’s world-class collections of photography, film, television, gaming and sound and image technologies”.