#1 - The Brides of Dracula (1960)
I kind of have a thing for Dracula movies. I own at least 20 different ones on DVD and Blu-ray, and have seen considerably more than that, but I never get sick of them. Maybe it's the gothic atmosphere, or the fact that the Count himself is such a classic and charming villain. I also like comparing the wide variety of interpretations of the story and the characters. Out of all the dozens of versions that have been made over the years, though, the films that Terence Fisher directed for Hammer are my absolute favorites.
This is the second film in Hammer's Dracula series, but ironically Dracula is nowhere to be seen here, having died at the end of the first film (1958's Horror of Dracula). The real star of this series is Peter Cushing as Dr. Van Helsing, and he is as fantastic as always here. Now devoted to fighting the cult of the undead, Van Helsing is called to a remote village in Transylvania with a bit of a vampire problem. He arrives to find the townsfolk living in fear of the local Baroness, who may be hiding a deadly secret...
This wasn't the best entry in the series, but it's still a really wonderful film. It features all of the classic Hammer trademarks - lavish set design, creepy gothic atmosphere, and a cast of terrific British actors. Even though Christopher Lee is nowhere to be seen, David Peel is great as the evil Baron Meinster and is an admirable substitute for the Prince of Darkness. There are some elements that fall a little flat, like the goofy-looking female vampires or the hilariously fake bat, but overall this is a really solid film. Highly recommended for fans of Hammer films and gothic horror.
Comments
Post a Comment