Monday, February 10, 2020

Dracula has Risen from the Grave




 
Dracula Has Risen From the Grave
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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