The Brides of Dracula (1960)

Strong and Moving!

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Fresh and Exciting

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Solid Hammer Horror follow-up to their first Dracula picture, "Horror of Dracula." Christopher Lee is sadly absent from this sequel, but Peter Cushing is back as Professor Van Helsing. Instead of fighting Count Dracula, Van Helsing fights Dracula's many "brides" and his disciple Baron Meinster. Directed by Hammer regular Terence Fisher, he brings plenty of spooky atmosphere to the picture, as well as Hammer's usual dose of blood and heaving bosoms. SPOILER ALERT! I did quite enjoy the film's finale where The Count's disciple is killed by the shadow of a windmill that forms a cross, which was a terrific visual and also something of a nice nod to the finale of the original Universal version of "Frankenstein."

A sequel to 1958's seminal 'Dracula', without Christopher Lee as the main man, could very well have been doomed to failure. Initial signs weren't promising. When offered to return as Van Helsing, co-star Peter Cushing turned his nose up at the script. The subsequent various tweaks and three credited writers improved things sufficiently for him to agree to do it, but the re-writes resulted in a few flaws in an otherwise flawless film – just who was the Man In Black who ensured Marianne Danielle (Yvonne Monlaur) was abandoned at the inn (and where did he go)? Why did Marianne swiftly agree to marry Baron Meinster after previously being made very aware of his atrocities, and if Meinster could turn into a bat at will, then why was he shackled by the ankle unable to escape? Also, what happened to the vampire 'brides' at the film's close? I had, and have, the biggest crush on Yvonne Monlaur as Marianne. Her air of innocence, naivety and elegance (the character was playing a teacher of deportment after all) made a ridiculous impression on me when I first saw 'Brides' in 1980. This fact has no bearing on my opinion of the overall brilliance of this early Hammer success. Before we've begun proper, we've had stalwart Michael Ripper as a coach-master tearing through a classic, misty, desolate wilderness. We've had superstitious locals desperately afraid for their new guest, Marianne. We have the imperious, mighty Baroness Meinster (Martita Hunt) initially frightening everyone before revealing herself as a terrified, tragic figure – and her ward Greta (Freda Jackson) is wonderfully (and persuasively) deranged whilst showing unswerving loyalty to her mistress. The performances here drip with a genuine class and confidence that we actually don't actually miss Van Helsing, who doesn't appear until almost halfway through the film.In the absence of The Count, we need a nemesis for Peter Cushing's immaculate, masterly vampire Hunter. Whether Sir Lee was approached or not remains unknown, but David Peel, shorter and wearing a blond wig, more than makes up for his absence. Incredibly, Peel gave up acting after this, which is a shame. Here, he is noble and aristocratic, seductive and deadly, of imperious gaze and an intoxicating voice. Billed in America as a 'teenage vampire', Peel was actually 40 years old during filming. He is utterly brilliant in this, and his scenes are all electrifying. Only his eventual demise is slightly disappointing– no slow-motion disintegration effects here, but we do get a spectacularly over-the-top special effect when the sails of a windmill are turned (by Van Helsing in Errol Flynn mode, naturally) to form the shadow of a massive crucifix that finishes off the injured Baron.This remains a firm favourite of mine, and something I never tire of watching. The sets, the lighting, Terrance Fisher's uncluttered but inspiring direction, the cast (honourable mentions for Andree Melly and Miles Malleson), the story – it all offers something new every time. And let's not forget Meinster achieved something Dracula never did – he actually 'put the bite' on Van Helsing. His antidote to the curse still makes me wince.Lovely, stately horror from Hammer at their peak.

This movie begins with the short explanation that Count Dracula is dead--but his disciples live on. The film then shows a stagecoach being driven extremely fast over a dirt road and eventually coming to a stop at a nearby village where the lone passenger named "Mdm Danielle" is dropped off before the carriage speeds off again. It's at this time that an elderly woman walks into the inn and offers Mdm Danielle a place to stay for the night. She is then driven to a castle on the outskirts of the village. That night she meets a strange man by the name of "Baron Manster" who has been shackled inside a room within the castle and he convinces her to get the key and let him loose. Upon doing that what she doesn't realize is this particular person is no ordinary man--but a vampire who has now been set free to wreck havoc on the nearby countryside. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this particular film managed to continue the fine Hammer tradition of establishing a good, solid Gothic setting necessary for a movie of this type. Yet, even though it had a good story and more than adequate performances for the most part, I didn't particularly care for the ending or the selection of David Peel (as "Baron Meinster") for the role of the vampire. He just didn't seem to have the same sinister quality that actors like Bela Lugosi or Christopher Lee manage to convey on screen. But that's just my opinion. In any case, I liked this film in spite of the previously mentioned criticisms and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

It is a creepy movie in its own right. In some ways it had some better scenes than the original Dracula movie. For example the scene with one of the brides waking up from the grave. The first couple of minutes with the scenes in the castle were also quite atmospheric and set the tone for the rest of the movie. Yvonne Monlaur as Marianne is absolutely gorgeous. She carries the movie even if her character does do certain stupid things which may be avoidable. I was screaming at her "why don't you mind your own business!". But anyway that sets the movie into motion and then of course Baron meinster creates havoc in the village. Obviously only Dr.Van Helsing can save the day and he does in somewhat funny fashion towards the end. But there were some problems. First of course the fact that Marianne could have been told the whole story first itself and she could have been guarded better if she knew the truth. This could have avoided a whole host of problems. Then there is the issue of the ending. What the hell was that? That may have been one of the most ridiculous moments in vampire movie history. At first I didn't understand what was going on. Then I saw this lame attempt to kill the vampire and I was almost laughing at the end. It was also hilarious to watch the 2 vampire brides just standing there looking curiously while Van helsing tends to his wounds. I guess they were also curious to be cured. They were so transfixed by what he was doing that they didn't have the guts to go out I think. Even though they could fly like bats. The whole bat concept should not exist in my opinion. That makes vampire a little invincible. Anyway in the ending, their bat changing ways couldn't help them. The final third of the movie is just not satisfying enough for me so I can't give it a good rating. But it is still worth a watch because it is quite atmospheric for the most part.5/10