I loved monster movies as a kid, and Christopher Lee's Dracula has always been my favorite. Way back then I had read monster magazines showing still photos of "The Satanic Rites" and now that I've seen the movie (a 2nd time) I am convinced that it was a lot cooler to look at those pics and yearn to watch it back then than to have seen it. There probably won't be a third time, unless it is to view a better copy. The cheap DVD I bought looks like a 2nd generation VHS copy, and I have older movies in this Dracula series that are rendered beautifully on DVD. Why some of these commenters liked this movie puzzles me because I am the biggest Dracula/Lee fan and this was really bad. They must be Avengers/Dr. Who fans.
Yes, Lee portrays a Howard Hughes/Dr. No type of vampire in this one. He admitted to despising these later films because it went so far away from Stoker's novel it was ridiculous. Dracula was also given very little to do in most of these movies and in this one they decided to make him a recluse. Wow, one commenter even said that this added 'mystery' to the film! What bull. Just another bad story with Dracula in almost a cameo. Because of the outstanding way Lee portrays the Count we want to see him more, not less. No, we don't want him to break off in his own TV series like the Fonz, just more to say and do in these flicks. Another commenter says he is killed by a Hawthorne bush. Wrong! First, Dracula follows Van Helsing's shouts like a naive child. "Count Dracula...Over here!!!" He walks into the bush and is subdued, then Van Helsing stakes him. A Hawthorne bush, now? At this point vampires in general have become so weak that they can't handle daylight, garlic, running water, or thorny plants. Do they run away when you show the cross sign with 2 index fingers?
This movie is simply...bad! The evil biker guards were skinny wimpy looking British blokes with white fur lined jackets, and are neither intimidating nor effective. Van Helsing's granddaughter is unconvincing as her character meddles in his affairs for no good reason. "Why sometimes I think she knows more about the occult than I myself do..." says Van Helsing. Yeah.....riiiiiight. The opening sacrifice scene features the most skinny and unattractive nude female ever in movies. The choice is puzzling considering all the beautiful, voluptuous and talented Hammer Horror actresses they had. I'm thinking of going back to Borders and getting my $5.99 back for the bad quality of both the DVD and the content. Take it from a big Dracula/Lee expert....this one sucks! 3 stars thanks to Lee and Cushing, without them it would have been a 1.
Yes, Lee portrays a Howard Hughes/Dr. No type of vampire in this one. He admitted to despising these later films because it went so far away from Stoker's novel it was ridiculous. Dracula was also given very little to do in most of these movies and in this one they decided to make him a recluse. Wow, one commenter even said that this added 'mystery' to the film! What bull. Just another bad story with Dracula in almost a cameo. Because of the outstanding way Lee portrays the Count we want to see him more, not less. No, we don't want him to break off in his own TV series like the Fonz, just more to say and do in these flicks. Another commenter says he is killed by a Hawthorne bush. Wrong! First, Dracula follows Van Helsing's shouts like a naive child. "Count Dracula...Over here!!!" He walks into the bush and is subdued, then Van Helsing stakes him. A Hawthorne bush, now? At this point vampires in general have become so weak that they can't handle daylight, garlic, running water, or thorny plants. Do they run away when you show the cross sign with 2 index fingers?
This movie is simply...bad! The evil biker guards were skinny wimpy looking British blokes with white fur lined jackets, and are neither intimidating nor effective. Van Helsing's granddaughter is unconvincing as her character meddles in his affairs for no good reason. "Why sometimes I think she knows more about the occult than I myself do..." says Van Helsing. Yeah.....riiiiiight. The opening sacrifice scene features the most skinny and unattractive nude female ever in movies. The choice is puzzling considering all the beautiful, voluptuous and talented Hammer Horror actresses they had. I'm thinking of going back to Borders and getting my $5.99 back for the bad quality of both the DVD and the content. Take it from a big Dracula/Lee expert....this one sucks! 3 stars thanks to Lee and Cushing, without them it would have been a 1.