Dracula (1958)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

Jimmy Sangster (screenplay)
Bram Stoker (novel)

Release Date:

8 May 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Don't Dare See It...Alone!

Plot:

After Jonathan Harker attacks Dracula at his castle (apparently somewhere in Germany), the vampire travels to a nearby city...

Plot Keywords:

Dracula | Count | Vampire | Castle | Evil Power

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Peter Cushing	...	Doctor Van Helsing
Christopher Lee	...	Count Dracula
Michael Gough	...	Arthur
Melissa Stribling	...	Mina
Carol Marsh	...	Lucy
Olga Dickie	...	Gerda
John Van Eyssen	...	Jonathan
Valerie Gaunt	...	Vampire Woman
Janina Faye	...	Tania (as Janine Faye)
Barbara Archer	...	Inga
Charles Lloyd Pack	...	Doctor Seward
George Merritt	...	Policeman
George Woodbridge	...	Landlord
George Benson	...	Official
Miles Malleson	...	Undertaker
Geoffrey Bayldon	...	Porter
Paul Cole	...	Lad
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stedwell Fulcher	...	Man in Coach (scenes deleted)
Humphrey Kent	...	Fat Merchant (scenes deleted)
Judith Nelmes	...	Woman in Coach (scenes deleted)
William Sherwood	...	Priest (scenes deleted)
Guy Mills	...	Coach Driver (uncredited)
Richard Morgan	...	Coach Driver's Companion (uncredited)
John Mossman	...	Hearse Driver (uncredited)

Directed by
Terence Fisher

Writing credits
Jimmy Sangster		(screenplay)
Bram Stoker		(novel)

Produced by
Michael Carreras	....	executive producer
Anthony Hinds	....	producer
Anthony Nelson Keys	....	associate producer (as Anthony Nelson-Keys)

Original Music by
James Bernard

Cinematography by
Jack Asher

Film Editing by
Bill Lenny

Production Design by
Bernard Robinson

Art Direction by
Bernard Robinson

Costume Design by
Molly Arbuthnot

Makeup Department
Philip Leakey	....	makeup artist (as Phil Leaky)
Henry Montsash	....	hair stylist
Roy Ashton	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Don Weeks	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Lynn	....	assistant director (as Bob Lynn)

Art Department
Arthur Banks	....	master plasterer (uncredited)
Charles Davis	....	master carpenter (uncredited)
Eric Hillier	....	props buyer (uncredited)
Mick Lyons	....	construction manager (uncredited)
Don Mingaye	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Tom Money	....	property master (uncredited)
Lawrence Wren	....	master painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jock May	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Sydney Pearson	....	special effects
Les Bowie	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Peter Diamond	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Len Harris	....	camera operator
Jack Curtis	....	chief electrician (uncredited)
Tom Edwards	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Harry Oakes	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Molly Arbuthnot	....	wardrobe
Rosemary Burrows	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
James Needs	....	supervising editor

Music Department
John Hollingsworth	....	conductor

Other crew
Doreen Dearnaley	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Hammer Film Productions

Distributors

• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1958) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1958) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Films S.A. (1958) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Goldstone Film Enterprises (1963) (USA) (theatrical) (a Seven Arts Reissue) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Hispamex (19??) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• SBS6 (2003) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Universal International Pictures (UI)  us releasing agent

Also Known As:

Dracula 1958 (USA)
Horror of Dracula (USA)

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:12A (re-rating) (2007) | Norway:16 (1958) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | USA:Approved (PCA #18981) | UK:15 (video rating) | UK:X (original rating) | Argentina:16 | Finland:(Banned) (1958) | West Germany:12 | Sweden:(Banned) (1958-1970)

Filming Locations:

Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

The cape worn by Christopher Lee was discovered in 2007 in a London costume shop during its annual inventory-taking. It had been missing for 30 years, and is believed to be worth around $50,000 (US$). Lee was contacted to verify its authenticity.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Van Helsing says the little girl looks like a teddy bear. The movie takes place in 1888 and the term "teddy bear" was not coined until 1902.

Quotes:

Count Dracula: Sleep well, Mr. Harker.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Beloved Count (2007) (V)

First Color Version Of Dracula Is An Excellent Horror Film

Hammer's Dracula is an energetic, intense, very cinematic adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic tale. The film does not waste a second, condensing the original story in a very effective manner, and inventing a few new twists in the process. Many years ago, when I first watched the film, it disappointed me. A second viewing did the trick and the movie's exuberant (if a bit simplistic) approach grabbed me by the neck (pun intended). It is not without flaws (I still think Christopher Lee's Dracula is a mere cipher), but essentially, this is a story told with passion. Peter Cushing is definitely the best movie Van Helsing we have (resolute, intelligent, compassionate, fearless, etc.). You can sense Cushing's intensity even when he is sitting quietly on a chair! Not sure why I did not like it the first time, but now I love it and I think it is one of Hammer's best movies, somewhere between "The Devil Rides Out" and "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter."