Horror Of Dracula (1958)

Nick from England , 21/12/2004

Often regarded as the highlight of Hammer horror's oeuvre, The Horror of Dracula stands up today as a fresh and inventive take on what is maybe the best story ever written. Hammer is a studio that has had many a fine hour, and although this is one indeed; I think that there are several other films from their ranks that just top it. Just, being the operative word as this is certainly up there with the best of them. As you might expect, the story follows that of Bram Stoker's original novel; with a young man travelling to Dracula's castle, and not returning. This attracts the attentions of Professor Abraham Van Helsing; an authority in the field of vampirism who then sets out to slay the malevolent fiend that is the source of all the foul play in the movie; Dracula himself.

Although this is based on the classic story, Hammer very much makes it their own. Of course, the campy horror styling that that the studio has become famous for features strongly in the movie and serves in giving it that classic Hammer feel. Furthermore, this movie features both of Hammer's greatest stars; Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. Christopher Lee may be no Bela Lugosi, but if there was anyone other than Bela Lugosi that I would want to play Dracula; Christopher Lee is that man. He isn't actually in it that much, but the moments when he is are the best in the movie. He has an incredible amount of screen presence, and all of that is transferred into the character of Dracula. In a similar way, Peter Cushing plays Van Helsing. Like Lee, Cushing has buckets of screen presence, but it's all in a very different style. While Lee is a defined evil, Cushing is more subdued, which allows him to adequately play the hero as well as well as he plays the villain. I've got to be honest, I prefer Cushing in the bad guy role; but he still makes an excellent hero.

Terence Fisher, one of Hammer's premier directors, directs the film and does a great job with it. The atmosphere of the Gothic period setting is spot on, and a constantly foreboding, and intriguing atmosphere is created throughout. The way that the smoke drifts across the graveyard in the movie is among the most atmospheric things Hammer ever shot. Dracula is a great story, and this Hammer yarn more than does it justice.

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

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* * * This review contains spoilers * * *

Halliwelll from Harlow , 17/07/2007

One of The Guardian's '1000 Films to See Before You Die' - Fisher's recently restored DRACULA, had one of its first UK outings on Sunday night at a special open air screening on Cambridge's Parker's Piece. Widely regarded as the feature that revolutionised the British Gothic horror genre and established Hammer's blood-curdling reputation, this first full colour reworking of Bram Stoker's novel, is legendary among horror fans for introducing Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing on screen for the first time.

Although he inherited the swirling cape from Bela Lugosi (The American release was retitled THE HORROR OF DRACULA to avoid confusion with the 1931 black and white classic), Christopher Lee's inspired blend of aristocratic charm and animal magnetism (not to mention those blood-red contact lenses) made the role all his own. He still holds the record for the most film performances of the Count.

An energetic and intense experience, from the blood-drenched title credits, through an astonishingly zealous piece of improvisation by Peter Cushing, as Dr Van Helsing breaks free from the Count and desperately runs the length of the table in the Great Hall, before leaping to tear down the curtains and reach for that makeshift candlestick crucifix. The much-emulated climactic disintegration scene, seen here in its entirety for the first time, influenced the ending of GREMLINS and the disintegration of Voldemort in the first Harry Potter film.

With an interesting cameo from Michael Gough (Alfred in the Batman films playing Holmwood), lavish cinematography and James Bernard's frenetic musical score, this is a treat for horror fans and the cineaste.

  3 out of 4 people found this review helpful

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A customer from Heswall, Wirral , 26/09/2005

You may not find this film particularly scary by today's standards, but it's important in the context of being the first outing in a genre Hammer were to make all their own - featuring their standard trademarks of insanely stylised sets, costumes and colours (don't adjust your tv - it's meant to look like that), with homoeopathic doses of sex and sadism. Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee push 10 years ahead of 1958 in the title roles, with Cushing (once complimented on delivering a degree of absolute conviction in all of his performances), absolutely on the button as Van Helsing. The supporting roles are sometimes played more 'Hammy' than 'Hammer', but to good effect - in creating an atmosphere of stagey, dreamlike, unreality - which only heightens the sense of doomy decay and claustrophobia.

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Robin Jones from Chelmsford, Essex. , 29/06/2006

I had,nt seen this since i was a teenager way back in the seventies,forget all your CGI rubbish and rent this pure Hammer classic and tell me the modern shock and gore slashers are superior to Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee when they get thier teeth into roles like this....just ordered Dracula Prince of darkness,canine-t wait.

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A customer from Swindon , 07/12/2007

Is it that old ? If you like this sort of stuff which i do, then watch this Brilliant.

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Robin Jones from Chelmsford, Essex. , 29/06/2006

I had,nt seen this since i was a teenager way back in the seventies,forget all your CGI rubbish and rent this pure Hammer classic and tell me the modern shock and gore slashers are superior to Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee when they get thier teeth into roles like this....just ordered Dracula Prince of darkness,canine-t wait.

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