It’s a deadly game of bat and mouse!!!
The steady beat. The blistering horns. That powerful theme of James Bernard’s pierces the walls of this cemetery; it is majestic even. It sounds like a procession as the camera marches us toward the tomb of Dracula. And then, because we’d not have it any other way, there is a sprinkling of blood on the crest of Dracula’s coffin. That is our triumphant introduction to Hammer’s version of Count Dracula as portrayed by Christopher Lee and it is damned memorable.
Any appreciation for what Hammer did for horror begins here with director Terence Fisher’s EXCELLENT The Horror of Dracula. From the lavish production to the somber tone, this gothic tale of horror is his second stab at the look, the tone, and the feel of Gothicism on the screen. And he nailed it, completely. Not that The Curse of Frankenstein was lacking in any way (because it’s not!!), but here so much of what was introduced there comes together in a crisp 81-minutes thanks to Fisher’s returning team of writer Jimmy Sangster, production designer Bernard Robinson, and cinematographer Jack Asher’s stellar work.
While the blu-ray release from Warner Archive is severely lacking, the movie is definitely not. It is, scene-by-scene, pitch perfect as John Van Eyssen as Jonathan Harker arrives at the castle of Count Dracula in order to bring about the end of this monster’s reign of terror.
Count Dracula keeps a lot of prisoners in his castle. And, upon leaving Harker’s room after a brief introduction, he has yet another prisoner of his raging bloodlust. But what a figure this Dracula strikes. That scene, Lee’s introduction, where he stands at the top of the stairs before soaring down them toward his new guest is one that still unnerves me. It is beautiful, memorable, and pretty damn frightening. Could Lee’s shadow be any more elongated? So ominous. So prescient. So damned unforgettable.
Minutes later, there is another scene where Dracula barges in on a female vampire (Valerie Gaunt) who is about to get Harker at the neck. NO! Dracula wants Harker for himself! The scene as he screams a ghastly cry and throws the woman across the room is shocking. Following that, of course, is the scene in which Harker finds their caskets in the daylight. He’s been bitten, but not yet turned; just enough time to kill these two. . .
. . . of course, he never finishes the second kill.
That must be left to someone else: enter Peter Cushing as Doctor Van Helsing. While obviously NOT the first pairing of Lee and Cushing; this is the movie that sealed their legacy as horror icons and basically sold the franchise for decades to come. The very dapper Cushing battling the steadfastness and stature of Lee. There is no substitute for these two legends together.
Co-starring Michael Gough as Arthur Holmwood, Melissa Stribling as Mina Holmwood, and Carol Marsh as Lucy Holmwood, The Horror of Dracula is expertly photographed, staged, and directed, showcasing much of the gothic standards that Hammer would follow for the next decade of moviemaking. Even the special effects, one showcasing the destruction of Dracula (edited out for North American audiences, but finally put back in thanks to the discovery of a rare print of the movie) are top-notch.
People are still talking about Hammer Films and for good reason. We are referring to, after all, a bedrock of lavish horror films that have withstood time and changing tastes. Uniquely antiquated in style and very, very British, this independent production company originally made a name for them shortly after the ending of World War II by cashing in on a series of cheap detective B-movies. It wasn’t until their success with 1955’s The Quatermass Xperiment that they began to open the tomb of horror and became Britain’s most successful independent movie production company.
With a series of madly popular Dracula and Frankenstein films, a new house of horror was constructed and single-handedly launched the longevity of the acting careers of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. They became icons in the genre and, with the release of their first pairing (The Curse of Frankenstein), found themselves a permanent spot in the hearts of millions.
Horror of Dracula is presented on blu-ray thanks to the Warner Bros Archive Collection.
Home Video Distributor: Warner Archive Collection
Available on Blu-ray - December 18, 2018
Screen Formats: 1.66:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Video: MPEG-4 AVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A
Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, Britain’s premier masters of the macabre, bring The Horror of Dracula to vivid, full-color death in this retelling of Bram Stoker’s spellbinding vampire tale. Dracula (Lee), a centuries-old Transylvanian nobleman damned to an eternal half-life, regularly finds new victims. He also finds Dr. Van Helsing (Cushing), a scientist who becomes the Count’s implacable foe in a deadly game of bat and mouse. The dread is here – as are the power and pathos of this genre landmark by which Hammer Studios ushered in a new era of screen chills from classic evildoers.
Video
Eastman Kodak might not be the cleanest looking print but Warner Bros delivers the goods with this spot-on transfer. It’s a nice 1080p transfer with a few impressive results. First, there’s no denying that this film, wiped clean of dirt and debris, has never looked better. Colors are bold and dynamic and that fake blood is more obvious than ever. That being said, there are a few problems with shading as most of the blacks bleed into other colors more often than they should. Obviously, there are some issues with the original film stock and while the sets are glorious under the restoration, it is more than obvious details aren’t exactly being picked up like one might expect. None of that can be helped, though, due to the budget of the time.
Audio
No pops, crackles, or hisses. The DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track is strong with absolutely no distortion. Simply put, The Horror of Dracula has never looked or sounded better.
Supplements:
Extras include an early Lon Chaney short entitled Alas and Alack from 1915. There is less than 2 minutes of silent footage of Chaney on the set and some stills but the best part here is the audio essay, running as an optional commentary, by the author of many books about Chaney, Michael F. Blake. In the liner notes there is a facsimile reproduction of the original souvenir program and another 4 pages of essay by Blake.
Commentary:
-
Sadly, there is none.
Special Features:
We get a theatrical trailer.
- Theatrical Trailer
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Composite Blu-ray Grade
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MPAA Rating: Approved.
Runtime: 82 mins
Director: Terence Fisher
Writer: Jimmy SangsterBram Stoker
Cast: Peter Cushing; Christopher Lee; Michael Gough
Genre: Action | Drama
Tagline: Sensational shock and thrill show
Memorable Movie Quote: "He would hide in the castle vaults for years! We would lose him there!"
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Brothers
Official Site:
Release Date: Ma8, 1958
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: December 18, 2018
Synopsis: When Jonathan Harker rouses the ire of Count Dracula for accepting a job at the vampire's castle under false pretenses, his friend Dr. Van Helsing pursues the predatory villain.
