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THE HORROR OF DRACULA 1958. (Hammer,Universal) Actors: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Michael Gough, Melissa Stribling, Carol Marsh, John Van Eyssen, Valerie Gaunt,. Director: Terence Fisher . Writers: Jimmy Sangster Music: James Bernard. |
Second in importance only to Universal�s Dracula (1931), The Horror of Dracula transformed actor Christopher Lee into an international star, second only to Bela Lugosi in terms of identification with the part of Dracula. The seventh film adaptation of Dracula also initiated a new cycle of vampire and horror movies characterized by their gothic setting, beautiful women in various stages of disrobe, and the use of color. By the end of World War II, Universal was, for all practical purposes, out of the horror film business, Hammer Films picked up Universal�s licenses for a song and made their new versions of the classic horror flicks. The tall and imposting Christopher Lee was chosen to be the new Dracula. he had played Frankestein�s monster beneath a wall of makeup, but he was now able to take center stage. Peter Cushing, who had played the scientist Victor Frankestein, returned to play Van Helsing. He would go on to assume numerous roles in which he was the knowledgeable professor/scientist, either creating the horror or helping to end it. The new film was helped immensely by Terence Fisher�s directing skills and the scripting of Jimmy Sangster.
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Color added a new dimension to horror movies and seems to be the major factor in their revival through the 1960s. New freedoms in what could be portrayed also helped. Lee donned fangs for the first time, and the extended toothy look became a popular toy with which vampire movie makers could play. The sensual nature of the vampire�s bite, never shown in the 1931 Dracula, was evident to all. Beginning with Horror of Dracula, Hammer would continually explore, in ever more literal presentations, the relationship between vampirism and sexuality. |
Hammers�s Dracula opens with the arrival of Jonathan Harker (John Van Eyssen) at Castle Dracula to assume the role of castle librarian. The first person he meets is a beautiful female (Valerie Grant) dressed in negligee. She bites Harker who becomes a vampire. (Thus spreading the idea that a single bite by the vampire turns the victim into a vampire. In the novel, one had to receive blood from the vampire to be transformed and it took more than one such incident. As is later revealed, Harker has come to Castle Dracula as part of a covert operation planned by Van Helsing to kill the vampire. However, Dracula flees, and when Van Helsing arrives, he discovers that his agent has been turned. Van Helsing kills Harker with the traditional stake.
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The scene now shifts to England, where still another rearrangement of the characters from the novel was to be found. Lucy (Carol Marsh) and Mina (Melissa Stribling) are sisters. Mina is married to Arthur Holmwood (Michael Gough) and Lucy was the fiancee of the late Jonathan Harker, John Seward, and Quincey Morris do not appear. Dracula turns his attention first to Lucy, whose picture he had taken from Harker before leaving the castle. Van Helsing arrives to the scene to thwart his plans. Angered, Dracula goes after the vulnerable Mina. he kidnaps her and heads for his castle. |
The men eventually overtake him and rescue Mina. While Holmwood stays with his trumatized wife, Van Helsing moves on to confront the Count in his lair. In one of the most famous scenes in vampire movies, Dracula defeats Van Helsing and is about to kill him, but pauses just a moment to enjoy his success to the fullest. That pause is his undoing. Van Helsing recovers, brushes Dracula aside, and rushes across the room. He has one last weapon, the morning sun. When he rips the drapes from the window, the sunlight catches Dracula by surprise. Using a cross, Van Helsing pushes Dracula into the deadly stresam of light. Dracula burns to ashes which blow away in a breeze. Only his ring is left on the floor. At the time, there was no particular thought of a sequel, but several years later, the manner of death would necessitate some creative thinking to resurrect a character so thoroughly destroyed. Sangster and others proved equal to the task.