The Brides of Dracula (1960)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

Peter Bryan (screenplay)
Edward Percy (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

5 September 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

He Turned Innocent Beauty Into Unspeakable Horror.

Plot:

Vampire hunter Van Helsing returns to Transylvania to destroy handsome bloodsucker Baron Meinster, who has designs on beautiful young schoolteacher Marianne.

Plot Keywords:

Van Helsing | Vampire | Undead | Boarding School | Cross

Cast

Peter Cushing	...	Dr. J. Van Helsing
Martita Hunt	...	Baroness Meinster
Yvonne Monlaur	...	Marianne Danielle
Freda Jackson	...	Greta
David Peel	...	Baron Meinster
Miles Malleson	...	Dr. Tobler
Henry Oscar	...	Herr Otto Lang
Mona Washbourne	...	Frau Helga Lang
Andree Melly	...	Gina
Victor Brooks	...	Hans, a Villager
Fred Johnson	...	The Cure, Father Stepnik
Michael Ripper	...	Coachman
Norman Pierce	...	Johann, Landlord
Vera Cook	...	Landlord's Wife
Marie Devereux	...	Village Girl (as Marie Deveruex)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Susan Castle	...	Elsa, School Maid (uncredited)
Michael Mulcaster	...	Latour, The Man in Black (uncredited)
Harry Pringle	...	Karl (uncredited)
Harold Scott	...	Severin (uncredited)
Stephanie Watts	...	Foxy Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Terence Fisher

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Peter Bryan		screenplay
Anthony Hinds		uncredited
Edward Percy		screenplay
Jimmy Sangster		screenplay

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

Original Music by
Malcolm Williamson

Cinematography by
Jack Asher

Film Editing by
Alfred Cox

Casting by
Dorothy Holloway

Production Design by
Bernard Robinson

Art Direction by
Thomas Goswell		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Roy Ashton	....	makeup artist
Frieda Steiger	....	hair stylist (as Freda Steiger)

Production Management
Don Weeks	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Peverall	....	assistant director
Hugh Harlow	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Eric Hillier	....	props buyer (uncredited)
Don Mingaye	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Tom Money	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jim Groom	....	sound editor (as James Groom)
Jock May	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Sydney Pearson	....	special effects

Stunts
Peter Diamond	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Len Harris	....	camera operator
Tom Edwards	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Molly Arbuthnot	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
James Needs	....	editorial supervisor

Music Department
John Hollingsworth	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Tilly Day	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Hammer Film Productions
• Hotspur Film Productions Ltd.

Distributors

• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1960) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1960) (USA) (theatrical)
• Talma Filmes (1960) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• MCA Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Net5 (2003) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• LW Editora (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Norway:16 (1960) | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:PG | Finland:(Banned) (1960) | Portugal:17 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

The ending was to have originally had the vampires destroyed by a swarm of bats. This ending proved too expensive to stage and shoot. The concept of this ending was recycled three years later for the climax of Hammer's The Kiss of the Vampire (1963).

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Van Helsing stakes the Countess, the blow falls well below where her heart ought to be.

Quotes:

Hans, a Villager: Why can't she lie in peace, like all the rest?
The Cure, Father Stepnik: Because she is not *like* all the rest!

Movie Connections:

References Frankenstein (1931)

Love is where you find it.

A disciple of the famed blood sucker seeks new life extending elixir in a private school for girls. Very entertaining. Great atmosphere. Outstanding performances from David Peel, Martita Hunt and the always impressionable Peter Cushing. Above average vampire flick.