There is something entirely appropriate about the return from the grave of Hammer Films, given its 50-year history of bringing the undead in all manner of melodramatic, schlock-gothic glory to cinema screens around the world.

A new play based on The Wicker Man features a novel take on the cult film

He gave depth to the characters that was often missing in other productions by Hammer

"I went to see Dracula...ready to poke gentle fun at it. I came away revolted and outraged."

When doctor Juliet stumbles upon a cheap but stunning loft apartment in Brooklyn, it seems too good to be true. As she looks to overcome a painful break-up, she finds herself being drawn towards her charming landlord who slowly reveals a darker side.

For one-time stutterer David Seidler, the screenwriter of The King's Speech, it was the night he finally found his voice. His royal drama, telling the story of how King George VI overcame his stammer, picked up an extraordinary seven Baftas last night, suggesting there will be few impediments to the film romping home at the Academy Awards later this month.

A married US lawmaker who cultivated a family-values voting record in Congress resigned after a gossip website reported that he sent a shirtless photo of himself flexing his muscles to a woman he met on the Craigslist website.

Sir Christopher Lee, 88 years old and still 6ft 5ins in his slippers, is to be presented on Sunday with a Bafta Fellowship, the greatest honour the British film industry can bestow. This is splendid news, an overdue accolade for a man who, it is generally accepted, has appeared in more films than anyone alive, and rarely gets the recognition he deserves for being king of the franchises, the only common denominator between the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Star Wars films, the Bond movies and of course the Hammer horrors.

Sir Christopher Lee will receive the prestigious Bafta Fellowship at the academy's film awards on Sunday. In a career as varied as it is long, the 88-year-old is still probably best remembered for his title role in the 1958 film Dracula, one of many Hammer Horror films in which he starred.

It was not the best of omens for the big one on semi-final Friday.