Dracula, Prince of Darkness
directed by Terence Fisher
directed by Terence Fisher
This sixties Hammer film was a direct sequel to Hammer's initial Dracula film though there had been a Dracula film before this one that actually didn't have the titular character included. Although this film was made in 1966 it was still very much of a piece with Hammer's more sedate fifties gothic movies. There wasn't much cleavage (actually one of the lead actresses was famous for always refusing to show much flesh on camera) or any nudity.
By the standards of today and even the standards of what Hammer would permit in just five years or so there wasn't even that much violence. Christopher Lee, who played the eponymous villain, was allegedly already starting to lose interest in the character and supposedly refused to say any of the dialogue written. The director and writer disputed Lee's assertion, saying that no dialogue had been written for Dracula anyway.
The special effects were minimal, being limited to fangs, contact lenses, and a vampire being brought back from Hell. Still, although by today's standards this film would be rated a mild PG at worst, it still managed to be scary through judicious use of lighting, anticipation, music, quiet, space and settings.
Two British brothers , Alan Kent (Charles Tingwell) and Charles Kent (Francis Matthews) are married to a pair of sisters, Helen (Barbara Shelley) and Diana (Suzan Farmer). Because someone has to be stupid in these types of movies, the foursome have decided to go on vacation to the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe, where impossible rumors of supernatural events still circulate.
An earthy boisterous monk, Father Sandor (Andrew Keir) runs across the group in an inn full of surly unhelpful locals (Every inn in a Hammer film is always full of surly unhelpful locals). Father Sandor says that most of the rumors are bs.
But the priest still specifically warns the group to stay away from Karlsbad. Father Sandor also says even if they ignore that warning, at least stay away from the castle. Obviously the next morning the group takes off for Karlsbad. It takes too long to get there. Their coachman unceremoniously dumps them off at a crossroads, claiming it's getting too close to dark.
Trying to decide what to do, the group finds a driverless carriage, which takes them to the very castle Father Sandor warned them against. And wouldn't you know the dinner table in the castle dining hall is set for four people. But no one else is there.
This is all too much for Helen, who pleads with her husband Alan, sister, and brother-in-law to leave the castle immediately. Something isn't right. But the other three people don't listen to her, acerbically pointing out that Helen has been a wet blanket since they stepped two feet out of London. The castle isn't empty.
A strange man named Klove (Phillip Latham) states that his deceased master had insisted that the castle always be kept ready for visitors. Klove has fixed dinner and made rooms ready. Klove doesn't explain how he knew they were coming or how the horses knew where to stop. And the deceased castle owner's name? Why it's Count Dracula.
The two Kent couples settle in for the night. But Klove has some plans. I enjoyed the luxurious and colorful settings. This film may lack the explicit sex and gross out violence we've come to expect from modern horror films. But it has a creepy atmosphere and good acting. TRAILER
