365+ movies in 365 Days: Day 154 - Horror Of Dracula

It's October and that means it's time for my second Mystery, Murder, Monsters and Mayhem Film Festival.

First up is the 1958 Hammer Film Studios Horror Of Dracula. Released in England as simply Dracula, the title was changed in the U.S. to avoid confusion with the Universal classic Dracula. Hammer Films had been a struggling studio, until it started making updated versions of the classic horror movies. Their first success was The Curse Of Frankenstein released in 1957.

The Hammer films were made in brilliant technicolor, the better to show off the blood. The films were made on low budgets but appeared expensive. They focused more on the Gothic elements of horror rather than the sudden shock or gore. the early ones had few special effects. The same cast, namely Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee appeared in most of the films.

Horror of Dracula sticks to the story of Bram Stoker's Dracula about as much as every other adaptation. Based on the names of towns and the distance traveled by carriage, Dracula never makes it to England in this version. Unlike modern interpretations the film does stick to the strict folklore of the Dracula tale. garlic and crosses to ward off the vampire; Dracula sleeps by day and is destroyed by sunlight.The movie has some chills and suspense, but mostly relies on atmosphere for effect. Christopher Lee as Dracula and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing take their roles seriously and give the film heft. The movie was quite shocking for it's time. When the film was released the British Board Of Film Classification (BBFC) rated the film an X; suitable for ages 16 and older. By today's standard the film is very tame and suitable for slightly younger audiences. It could be a fun film to watch with the kids on Halloween!

Both Frankenstein and Dracula were panned by critics but loved by audiences around the world. Between 1957 and 1974 the studio made six sequels to the Frankenstein film and eight sequels to the Dracula film. Along with a series devoted to The Mummy. The series and the studio died out as popular taste changed.

At The Movie House rating *** stars

Other Films of note:

Dracula (1931)

Dracula (1979)

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

Dracula : Prince Of Darkness (1966)

Dracula Has Risen From The Grave (1968)

Nosferatu (1922)

Dracula (Spanish version) (1931)

Salem's Lot (1979)