The Brides of Dracula (1960)

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

Peter Bryan (screenplay)
Edward Percy (screenplay)

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 | Windmill | Coffin

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)

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:

Baroness Meinster: Who is it that is not afraid?
Dr. J. Van Helsing: Only God has no fear.
Baroness Meinster: Why have you come here?
Dr. J. Van Helsing: To find your son.
Baroness Meinster: Then you know who I am?
Dr. J. Van Helsing: I know who you were.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror (1994) (TV)

Very entertaining entry in Hammers' Dracula series.

On her way to a teaching job, Marianne Danielle (Yvonne Monlaur) is persuaded to spend the night at the mansion of Baroness Meinster (Martita Hunt). There she finds that the Baroness's son (David Peel) is kept chained up. She takes pity on him, and frees him. Little does she know what a mistake she is making. Fortunately for her, the indomitable Dr. Van Helsing (the always wonderful Peter Cushing) arrives on the scene...but will he be able to save her?

This enjoyable shocker, sandwiched in between "The Horror of Dracula" and "Dracula: Prince of Darkness", goes to show that the Count himself need not be present for the sake of a good show. The story here is interesting in its own right, and the performances are quite good. The handsome Peel makes for a charismatic bloodsucker, the striking Freda Jackson a real scene stealer as old crone housekeeper Greta, and stalwart old genre pros such as Miles Malleson and Michael Ripper are fun as usual.

It's colorful, with typically fine mood and atmosphere, a superb score by Malcolm Williamson, and efficient pacing and meticulous direction by Terence Fisher; standout scenes include a shot of Greta on top of a grave urging the victim to rise, and especially Van Helsings' impromptu healing of a neck wound. It all leads to a nicely rousing conclusion.

Another solid outing from the fine folks at Hammer Studios.

8/10