1968
Director- Freddie Francis
Cast- Christopher Lee, Veronica Carlson, Rupert Davies,
Barry Andrews, Ewan Hooper, Barbara Ewing, Michael Ripper
This is
the 4th installment in the Hammer Dracula franchise. At the end of
the last film, Dracula, Prince of Darkness, the Count met his end at the hands
of running water. In a series of events too convoluted to get into, the Count
is brought back to life. In the last film, his nemesis was a gun toting Father
from a monastery. Here, he is seeking revenge on a different clergyman. Monsignor Muller (Rupert Davis who also
starred in Witchfinder General) has performed an exorcism on Dracula’s castle
and mounted a giant cross on the doors in order to convince the townsfolk that
the Count is dead (joke’s on him I guess). The Count wants revenge for this and
follows the Monsignor across the country.
The
Monsignor has a beautiful niece, Maria (Veronica Carlson who also starred in Hammer’s
Frankenstein franchise). She is dating the Victorian equivalent of a frat boy,
Paul (Barry Andrews who starred in the excellent Blood on Satan’s Claw). Paul
is an atheist so he immediately incurs the scorn of Maria’s uncle the
Monsignor. Paul lives above a pub and often flirts with the local tavern tramp,
Zena (Barbara Ewing).
Dracula
sinks his fangs into Zena, and after some emotional abuse, kills her. He is
aided in his quest for revenge by a spineless priest (Ewan Hooper) who has
succumbed to Dracula’s influence. Of course, we all know that killing Zina does
nothing for Dracula. If he wants revenge he’s going to have to hurt the
Monsignor’s niece, Maria.
He bites
Maria, beginning the process of turning her. The Monsignor figures out what is
happening but the fallen Priest kills the Monsignor with a bop on the head.
Before he can die he calls for Paul’s aid in protecting Maria and killing
Dracula. Paul actually does a good job and gets as far as running a huge stake
through Dracula. However, since he’s an atheist and doesn’t pray, Dracula is
able to pull the stake out and is as good as new.
The
Count takes Maria back to Castle Dracula and has her remove the giant metal
cross that the Monsignor mounted on the door. She tosses it off of the balcony
where it lands (conveniently sticking up) like a lawn dart. Paul arrives and
after a very brief tussle, Dracula falls off the balcony and is impaled on the
lawn dart, I mean cross. The fallen Priest, apparently finally summoning up a
pair of cojones, prays and Dracula dies (kind of a lame death if you ask me).
I think
this was one of the weaker installments in the franchise, due mainly to its
lack of interesting or likable characters. Dracula is more of an abusive jerk
than anything else (which, I have to say, is probably what he would really be
like). The priest is so spineless he’s not even a hissable villain. The
Monsignor is arrogant. Paul is OK but hardly the devoted lover. Zena might have
made for an interesting character but her part is too small.
The film
has 3 saving graces. First is Veronica Carlson who is beautiful and the only
likable character in the film. The second is the cinematography. There are some
beautiful colors and some of the film takes place across the roof tops of the
village, which is an interesting change of scenery. The director, Freddie
Francis, actually won 2 Oscars, not as a director but as a cinematography,
which I guess explains it. The 3rd saving grace is the bevy of cool
posters that were produced. The art was better than the film, I think.
Not the
best volume in the franchise (but not the worst either). Not to worry though.
Dracula would be back soon.
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