What made the old Hammer horror films so enjoyable to watch?

I love the old Hammer horror films. The plots in these movies are told at just the right pace. The action is character driven and builds slowly throughout the film. If there is any blood and guts to be spilt it tends to happen in a flash. The camera rarely lingers, leaving the viewer to imagine the true horror. Good examples of this would be 'The Mummy,' with Boris Karloff and 'In the shadow of the cat.' This film in particular is a very rare old Hammer horror production. I've watched dozens of these old Hammer horror films recently and they all tend to follow this proven formula.

I understand that Hammer are making a comeback as a film production comapny. I hope they stay true to their roots and stick to great plots and steer away from CGI. Blood and guts have their place in horror of course, but never at the expense of a well-crafted, intelligent and character driven story. I hope we'll discover a new breed of Engish horror icons too. Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee were friends off-screen and shared a great chemistry on-screen. Its probably too much to expect we'll ever see a pair like them again but one can always hope.

I'll be taking a trip to my local cinema to watch the new Hammer offerings very soon. I believe The Lady in Black is going to be one of its first productions. I've seen the theatre production several times now. I'll keep an open mind and hope to be surprised. I understand Daniel Radcliffe will be playing the lead. Another Cushing in the making? We'll see. Radcliffe is a fine young actor but not on a par with Cushing just yet. I'd like to see a number of classic Hammer films remade. I think The Wolfman would be my favourite.