Saturday, August 6, 2016

Horror of Dracula 1958


     Dracula has his castle near Klausenburg.  Jonathan Harker has to see Dracula come under the guise of working on the library owned by Dracula.  He has actually come to drive a wooden stake into the heart of Dracula.  What Jonathan doesn’t know is that the woman living in the castle with Dracula is also a vampire.  She bites him and he is able to put the stake into to her heart.  Dracula escapes and he travels to a nearby city to prey on Jonathan’s fiancée Lucy for revenge.  The only one who can help destroy Dracula is Dr. van Helsing.  He is Harker’s friend and a fellow student of vampires.  The next victim of Dracula is Mina the sister-in-law of Lucy.
     Christopher Lee is Dracula in this film and he was also in Dracula has Risen from the Grave.  One thing I particularly noticed about this actor is that his lower front teeth are crooked?  I noticed this in both of the films.  You can see them when the camera is focusing on his larger vampire teeth.  Lee was born 27 May 1922 in Belgravia, London and died 7 June 2015 in Chelsea, London.  He was 93 years old when he died.  I think it is common in the UK for less orthodontia work to be done than in the US.  I also didn’t find this film frightening like the Dracula has Risen from the Grave film.  His eyes with blood in the veins were not shown here.  3* (This movie is OK)
92 min, Horror directed by Terence Fisher with Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Michael Gough, Melissa Stribling, Carol Marsh, Olga Dickie, John Van Eyssen, Valerie Gaunt, Janina Faye, Barbara Archer.

Note:  Imdb 7.4 out of 10, 91% critic 80% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4.6* out of 5* with 268 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire and the country roads of Bray, Berkshire, England, UK by Hammer Films.  This movie is included in the list of 1001 Movies You Must See Before you Die.  There is a mistake too, when Van Helsing repels Lucy with a crucifix her reflection can be see in the surface.  Vampires don’t cast a reflection.

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