jamesraeburn2003 Three Victorian thrill seekers, Hargood (Geoffrey Keen), Paxton (Peter Sallis) and Secker (John Carson), make regular trips to an East End brothel disguised as charity work. They go to great pains to maintain a facade of respectability among their friends, family and community since they are well established in their professions and held in high esteem. They meet Lord Courtley (Ralph Bates), a depraved devil worshipper disowned by his aristocrat father, who arouses their curiosity by suggesting they sell their souls to the devil. At a black magic ceremony in a ruined church, the three men become terrified at what they are witnessing and batter Courtley to death before fleeing. However, Count Dracula (Christopher Lee), the lord of the undead, is revived through him since he had drank his blood prior to being murdered. "They have destroyed my servant", he says. "They will be destroyed" and he sets about corrupting the three men's children and turning them on them...One of the best of Hammer's celebrated Dracula cycle even though, as many have declared, it isn't really a Dracula film at all since the screenplay seems to have been conceived as a straightforward vampire yarn with the Count added in at the last minute. Indeed when one thinks about it any old ghoul would have done here since the Count is not the most important aspect of the film's plot. In a clever and sometimes thought provoking screenplay, Anthony Hinds (writing under his usual pseudonym of John Elder), the emphasis is on the corruption and hypocrisy of society in Victorian England, which is powerfully brought out by director Peter Sasdy here making his promising feature debut. In that respect his style mirrors very much that of the legendary Terence Fisher. There are a number of ironies in the script like Hargood telling his daughter Alice (Linda Hayden) not to "smile and flirt with that young man" meaning her boyfriend Paul Paxton (Anthony Corlan) whom he dislikes intensely. Banishing her to her room saying that her lunch and supper will be sent up on a tray he says "I will not have you displaying yourself in that provocative manner" and accusing her of behaving immorally in "god's house". Yet, he attends a brothel behind his wife and family's back and later defies god by dabbling in satanism with the view of selling his soul to the devil.Sasdy has a strong feeling for the period detail, which is greatly enhanced by the beautiful set design of Scott MacGregor and Arthur Grant's technicolor camerawork that is among the best he ever shot for a Hammer film. Sasdy assembled a fine cast here too with Geoffrey Keen, John Carson and Peter Sallis all shining as the three hypocritical and corrupt "pillars of the community" who pay the price for letting their curiosity get the better of them and dabbling with black magic and debauchery that is best left alone. Christopher Lee, as in most of his later Dracula films, gets precious little to do and is little more than a supporting character here as the source of evil that the three men unwittingly let upon their unsuspecting community. But, Lee was still the best actor to play Bram Stoker's character on the big screen and he makes the most of the acting opportunities that his limited screen time allows for. Roy Kinnear is in there too as a salesman who procures the remains of Count Dracula - his cloak, signet ring and his powderised blood - for Courtley that provide the basis for the ceremony in the ruined church. Even the juvenile leads Linda Hayden and Anthony Corlan are excellent here. Ralph Bates who was to become a regular leading man in latter day Hammer horrors is quite good as the depraved satanist Lord Courtley. There are some well delivered shocks - the most harrowing of them has to be Paxton's staking in the ruined church at the hands of his own daughter and Alice willed to do so by the vengeful Dracula. All in all, despite the disappointment of Lee having not very much to do, this is still front rank Hammer horror with its skilful depiction of the hypocrisy of the Victorian establishment and as a warning to us all not to allow our curiosity to get the better of us and meddle in things that are best left alone.

Uriah43 This movie begins essentially where its predecessor "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave" left off with Dracula (Christopher Lee) having been run through with a large crucifix and in the process of dying. It's at this time that a man named "Weller" (Roy Kinnear) comes along and takes what remains of a totally decomposed body--in particular his clothes and a vial of his blood. As it so happens, three men interested in adventure come upon a man named "Lord Courtney" (Ralph Bates) who is involved in black magic and Satanism. Intrigued at the prospect of a new diversion, they have supper with him and it is at this time that he convinces them to buy the relics from Weller with the secret intention of resurrecting "the Prince of Darkness". Unfortunately, something goes horribly wrong during this ritual and the three men kill Lord Courtney out of fear and then run off. Unknown to them, the evil forces at work had not yet completed and soon the soul of the vampire inhabits Lord Courtney's body and subsequently reconstitutes itself into Dracula's old image—and he vows vengeance upon those who killed his loyal servant. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this film was every bit as good as its predecessor mainly because of the dark, gloomy atmosphere which dominated every scene. Of course, that shouldn't be too surprising because that is what most Hammer films are known for in the first place. In any case, this is a pretty solid vampire film and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Scott LeBrun Decent entry in Hammer's Dracula franchise doesn't feature the famed bloodsucker very strongly, and in fact this feature didn't start its life as a Dracula sequel. Sir Christopher Lee was becoming very reluctant to keep playing the role, yet Warner Bros. - Seven Arts didn't want to help bankroll the production unless he was in it. The result is a story of Dracula recruiting other unfortunate people to help him get even with a trio of distinguished gentlemen. These three men were on the surface respected members of society, but got bored and starting doing decadent things in private. They were lured into performing a black magic ritual by young Lord Courtley (Ralph Bates), a disciple of the Count, only to change their minds and beat the Lord to death. So the Count seduces young Alice (Linda Hayden) and turns her friend Lucy (Isla Blair) into a vampire, while Alices' nice guy boyfriend Paul (Anthony Higgins) tries to save the day. As we can see, this is an intriguing enough set-up that didn't necessarily need the Dracula character. It's not too much fun to see Sir Christopher do so little; the Count just isn't as intimidating as he usually is. Those blood red eyes are always cool, though, and amid the expected excellent period recreation by Hammer's old pros are great sets and costumes, along with a fine and grandiose score by James Bernard. The cast is full of some excellent actors: Geoffrey Keen is the stiff William Hargood, Peter Sallis and John Carson his two associates, Roy Kinnear the dubious merchant Weller, and Michael Ripper the disinterested Inspector Cobb. Higgins is extremely likable as the hero, while Hayden and Blair are very easy to look at; in fact, Hayden is one of the loveliest young ladies ever to grace a Hammer film with her presence. Hungary born director Peter Sasdy, who does a capable job with the material, went on to do the Hammer films "Countess Dracula" and "Hands of the Ripper" (not to mention the TV series 'Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense'). All things considered, this is a good horror film that just isn't as effective or as satisfactory as the best films in this franchise. Seven out of 10.

Boba_Fett1138 It's funny how I really wasn't into this movie at first but still ended up really liking it! Thing that makes this movie a bit unusual and different is that it's being a part of the Hammer studios Dracula series but it really doesn't feel or look like a Hammer movie at all! Director Peter Sasdy did an handful of movies for the Hammer studios but only in its later years and he never impressed with any. He obviously wasn't that accustomed to its approach and style of film-making, or perhaps he simply really preferred to do his own thing. But anyway, if you're really into Hammer films, just prepare yourself for something totally different. You might end up disliking it at first, just as I did but don't give up on it! It's really a worthwhile and original enough little horror movie. I can also honestly say that this was the best movie I had seen, that got directed by Peter Sasdy.The movie and story all first starts out as something very simplistic and formulaic but as the movie goes along, you actually start to realize how great its premise is. It has a premise that really adds to the movie its tension and for once isn't all about Dracula and the horror that he does. It might very well be true that this movie would have a better reputation if it didn't featured the character of Dracula in it, since this movie really doesn't feel like a typical Dracula movie at all and its story and atmosphere perhaps called for something totally different, outside of the Dracula universe.And as often is the case with these late Hammer Dracula movies, Dracula himself is hardly in it at all. It was because Christopher Lee got fed up with the role and was also afraid he was going to get typecast because of it, for the rest of his life. He still needed a paycheck, so he kept on playing the character for a couple of years, under the condition that his role got limited down and in some cases he doesn't even have any lines. In this movie he does still speak however and once more shows why he was such a great and charismatic Dracula at the time.It's the more slower sort of horror movie, which doesn't really work out that great for the movie at first but about halfway through it picks up some more pace and things start to get far more interesting and original. It's then that the movie suddenly starts to take form and makes its intension clear. It also provides the movie with some really solid horror moments and the movie has a very constant horror like atmosphere to it as well, that really adds to the tension and mystery of the overall movie.Once you start to realize that this isn't being your average formulaic and simplistic Dracula production, the movie becomes surprisingly good, effective and original to watch!7/10 http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/