Stop! Hammer time!

Hammer Films brought Dracula bang up to date by going back to the story’s roots, adapting Stoker’s novel – with a few twists – and bringing the famed Count back to life in all his technicolour glory. When Jonathan Harker (John Van Eyssen) accepts a position as Librarian at Count Dracula’s castle, his subterfuge is quickly discovered by the vampire (Christopher Lee), who sets out to avenge the deception by attacking Harker’s nearest and dearest. It’s up to Professor Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) to protect the Count’s would-be victims and destroy Dracula once and for all.

Christopher Lee’s imperious Count Dracula instantly manages to redefine the character for a new generation – and became the first to grin and bare the now-obligatory pointed canines which have become inextricably linked with the character. He’s matched (and some might say bested) by a dynamic and swashbuckling Peter Cushing as Van Helsing, bringing a steely-eyed intensity to the role of Dracula’s nemesis.

The production itself is lavish and indulgent, director Terence Fisher making full use of the chance to bring the timeless tale to live in technicolour and he really goes for it. Working with cinematographer Jack Asher, the mock-gothic Victoriana is exquisite in its detail and the colours are bold and bright and beautifully lit. Okay, so the blood never once looks like actual blood, but it’s such a shockingly bright shade of scarlet it achieves a sort of hyper-realness and thanks to the chilling charisma of Lee’s suave and seductive Count, the dazzling colour palate still manages to create a dark and foreboding atmosphere. The special effects are excellent too, especially during the final dramatic showdown between Van Helsing and Dracula in the castle library.

There’s a sinister score and an excellent supporting cast, headed by Michael ‘Alfred to three Batmen’ Gough making this a real Halloween treat that can be enjoyed at any time of the year, just not when the sun’s up. It infused new lifeblood into the tired cinematic legacy of the character of Dracula and ensured the venerable Count of cinematic immortality.

dracula 1958 review
dracula 1958 review


Hi there! If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up to get new posts sent straight to your inbox?

Sign up to receive a weekly digest of The Craggus' latest posts.

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

logo

Related posts

Free Guy (2021) Review

Free Guy (2021) Review

Free Guy manages to find soul in the soullessly corporate Logging in to Free Guy, a sensation of corporate synergy that exploits the charm of The Lego Movie (while also borrowing its basic plot structure), updates the digital worldbuilding of Tron, and commercialises the...

Doctor Who: Nikola Tesla’s Night Of Terror Review

Doctor Who: Nikola Tesla's Night Of Terror Review

  It's shock therapy for Doctor Who as Nikola Tesla's Night Of Terror electrifies after last week's lecture Despite the wincingly bad title of “Nikola Tesla’s Night Of Terror” – bed enough to rival “Let’s Kill Hitler” and nearly enough to make me long for one of...

Werewolf By Night (2022) Review

Werewolf By Night (2022) Review

Werewolf By Night sees the MCU sharpen the claws of its horror credentials. Ditching the tights and flights fare of the MCU to date, WEREWOLF BY NIGHT sees the comic book titan embrace its pantheon of horror characters and bring some real darkness into their sprawling cinematic...

Assassin’s Creed (2017) Review

Assassin's Creed (2017) Review

Don’t hate the player or the game, hate the adaptation. The last collaboration between Director Justin Kurzel and Michael Fassbender left me feeling cheated that they’d cut too much out of the Scottish Play, rushing through it for the film adaptation, so it’s with not a little irony that...

Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) Review

Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) Review

Hotel Transylvania 2 is fun but lacks bite. If you’re a little surprised that “Hotel Transylvania” got a sequel you’re not alone. The makers themselves seem a little bit taken aback. Even the title card of the movie itself has the ‘2’ only appearing after the ‘Hotel Transylvania’ has...

Shadow Of The Vampire (2000) Review

Shadow Of The Vampire (2000) Review

Truth is stranger than fiction in Shadow Of The Vampire A blackly comic metafictional account of the making of “Nosferatu”, positing the idea that F W Murnau was prepared to go to any lengths in order to capture his masterwork, even turning a blind eye to the real-life vampire he has...

The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024) Review

The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024) Review

Guy Ritiche assembled a dirty dozen action movie homages to staff up The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare It's said that time heals all wounds, but there are some wounds that cinema can't help picking at, and the Second World War is one of the biggest. And who can blame Hollywood...

Muppets Most Wanted (2014) Review

Muppets Most Wanted (2014) Review

I enjoy the great Muppet caper that is Muppets Most Wanted. You always know what to expect when a new Muppet movie comes around: there'll be spectacle, there'll be fantasy, there'll be derring-do and stuff like you would never see. There'll be heroes bold, there'll be comedy, and a lot...

1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
The Telltale Mind
6 years ago

Beautiful movie. One of my favs.