- Actors: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Yvonne Furneaux, Eddie Byrne, Felix Aylmer
- Directors: Terence Fisher
- Writers: Bram Stoker, Jimmy Sangster, Mary Shelley
- Producers: Anthony Hinds, Anthony Nelson Keys, Max Rosenberg, Michael Carreras
- Format: PAL
- Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Number of discs: 3
- Classification: 15
- Studio: Warner
- DVD Release Date: 21 Oct 2002
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00006JY20
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 59,866 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details |
Reviews
Special Features
English
Region 2
Region 2
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
54 of 55 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Far and away the best Dracula movie yet made, Hammer's 1958 take on Bram Stoker's novel is a classic piece of cinema that in my view ranks as the finest gothic horror film of all. If the famous company hadn't made any more Dracula movies after this one, these days it would be thought of as equalling David Lean's Great Expectations and Oliver Twist in the rankings of British cinema's great literary adaptations. Instead, it is simply regarded as the first film in a fondly-remembered, though essentially campy series of genre pics that took a dip in quality with every subsequent episode, ending with some real dreck in the early 1970s. But Terence Fisher's movie, only his second gothic horror, did justice to the story in a way that no other filmmaker has been able to repeat. It's scary, sexy, action-packed, laced with atmosphere, and shows no signs at all of the low budget it was made under. The photography is gorgeous, the sets even better, and the music just perfect. The ending, a violent piece of hand-to-hand combat between Count Dracula and his nemesis Dr. Van Helsing, was unlike anything else seen in British cinema up to that point, and the special effects still impress today. But what really makes the film work are the performances of Christopher Lee and (especially) Peter Cushing in the lead roles. Lee's star-making turn as Dracula ensured his status as one of the great cinematic villains, and has typecast him for the rest of his career. Cushing meanwhile, enjoys one of his two signature roles (the other of course being Baron Victor Frankenstein), and he provides us with by far the strongest and most impressive Van Helsing on film. His vampire hunter is a dangerous, Christian fanatic, and a celibate, lonely scientist who battles Dracula not for personal reward but because he knows he is the only man strong and wise enough to be able to do so and survive. This Van Helsing doesn't provide comfort and advice to violated women and their weak husbands; he simply gets on with the job of hunting down and destroying the vampire, and is utterly merciless in doing so.
Whilst this movie's classic status makes it a must-have for Hammer fanatics, and for fans of British cinema in general, it must be said that Warner Bros' DVD of the film does not exactly go nuts in the extras department. Indeed, this is an almost bare bones release, with the original trailer as the only extra feature worth a mention. Considering this movie's status as possibly the best and most influential horror film of the 1950s, it would have been nice if Warner Bros had considered setting up the recording of a commentary from the likes of Lee, Jimmy Sangster, and Anthony Hinds whilst, if you will pardon the remark, the gentlemen in question are still with us.
Whilst this movie's classic status makes it a must-have for Hammer fanatics, and for fans of British cinema in general, it must be said that Warner Bros' DVD of the film does not exactly go nuts in the extras department. Indeed, this is an almost bare bones release, with the original trailer as the only extra feature worth a mention. Considering this movie's status as possibly the best and most influential horror film of the 1950s, it would have been nice if Warner Bros had considered setting up the recording of a commentary from the likes of Lee, Jimmy Sangster, and Anthony Hinds whilst, if you will pardon the remark, the gentlemen in question are still with us.
29 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Often regarded as the highlight of Hammer horror's oeuvre, The Horror of Dracula stands up today as a fresh and inventive take on what is maybe the best story ever written. Hammer is a studio that has had many a fine hour, and although this is one indeed; I think that there are several other films from their ranks that just top it. Just, being the operative word as this is certainly up there with the best of them. As you might expect, the story follows that of Bram Stoker's original novel; with a young man travelling to Dracula's castle, and not returning. This attracts the attentions of Professor Abraham Van Helsing; an authority in the field of vampirism who then sets out to slay the malevolent fiend that is the source of all the foul play in the movie; Dracula himself.
Although this is based on the classic story, Hammer very much makes it their own. Of course, the campy horror styling that that the studio has become famous for features strongly in the movie and serves in giving it that classic Hammer feel. Furthermore, this movie features both of Hammer's greatest stars; Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. Christopher Lee may be no Bela Lugosi, but if there was anyone other than Bela Lugosi that I would want to play Dracula; Christopher Lee is that man. He isn't actually in it that much, but the moments when he is are the best in the movie. He has an incredible amount of screen presence, and all of that is transferred into the character of Dracula. In a similar way, Peter Cushing plays Van Helsing. Like Lee, Cushing has buckets of screen presence, but it's all in a very different style. While Lee is a defined evil, Cushing is more subdued, which allows him to adequately play the hero as well as well as he plays the villain. I've got to be honest, I prefer Cushing in the bad guy role; but he still makes an excellent hero.
Terence Fisher, one of Hammer's premier directors, directs the film and does a great job with it. The atmosphere of the Gothic period setting is spot on, and a constantly foreboding, and intriguing atmosphere is created throughout. The way that the smoke drifts across the graveyard in the movie is among the most atmospheric things Hammer ever shot. Dracula is a great story, and this Hammer yarn more than does it justice.
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is the greatest Hammer film ever made. Starring the two mainstays of British Horror Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.
Terence Fisher (the best Hammer director) directs with style and James Bernard produced a score that would be used in variations by many Hammer films over the years. For any musicians out there the chord Bernard uses to signal Dracula's presence is an augmented chord...
Christopher Lee is magnificent as Count Dracula. Bela Lugosi may have starred in the role first but Lee is vastly superior in every respect: He has more screen presence (helped by being 6' 5"), is better looking and most crucially unlike Lugosi he can act.
As Van Helsing Peter Cushing is mesmerising. Whether he is carrying out a blood transfusion or dictating into an early phonograph recorder, the script is delivered with absolute conviction. I always end up believing vampires exist after watching this film!
The ending to this film is perhaps the single greatest moment in the entire history of Hammer films. While the special effects look dated now the realisation of the ending is just a great piece of film making.
Terence Fisher (the best Hammer director) directs with style and James Bernard produced a score that would be used in variations by many Hammer films over the years. For any musicians out there the chord Bernard uses to signal Dracula's presence is an augmented chord...
Christopher Lee is magnificent as Count Dracula. Bela Lugosi may have starred in the role first but Lee is vastly superior in every respect: He has more screen presence (helped by being 6' 5"), is better looking and most crucially unlike Lugosi he can act.
As Van Helsing Peter Cushing is mesmerising. Whether he is carrying out a blood transfusion or dictating into an early phonograph recorder, the script is delivered with absolute conviction. I always end up believing vampires exist after watching this film!
The ending to this film is perhaps the single greatest moment in the entire history of Hammer films. While the special effects look dated now the realisation of the ending is just a great piece of film making.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Phenomenal
Difficult not to use superlatives on this one. This is probably the perfect horror movie, forever impossible to duplicate. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Autonome
fangs aint what they used to be
very few films today can match the atmosphere of this and other movies made all that time ago including the coppola version,it also outstrips any of the other dracula films made by... Read more
Published 3 months ago by jed
False information leading to the purchase from DVD delights
My 1-star rating does not mean that I 'hate' this DVD. I have not opened it. I know the film well and and a DVD reflecting the quality of the cinema film would be super. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Dr. Michael John Ford
I have been ripped off
So I have just paid nearly £17:00 for a classic DVD - no chance - do not buy this from Lakeland Express - they say it is the English version - what you get is a very poorly adapted... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Simeon
Dracula Lives Again and Again and---------- ?
The best in the series of films featuring the dreaded Count.When this film was first released it carried an X certificate(18 years and upwards)this seems ridiculous... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Range Rider
FIRST OF MANY GREATS
FIRSTLY I WILL SAY HOUSE OF HORROR WAS THE SECOND FINAL PURCHASE TO COMPLETE MY HAMMER HORROR DRACULA COLLECTION SINCE ITS WIDELY UNAVAILABLE IN HIGH STREET STORES IN MY AREA SO... Read more
Published 9 months ago by DR TERROR
These films started the new wave.
These were the films that put a new slant on those old Universal horror pics. I remember as a youngster the impact these titles had when they were first released, though due to the... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Allan Broadfield
THE HORROR OF DRACULA (HAMMER 1958)
This is by far the greatest ever Dracula film and a classic. I first saw this film back in 1961 when I was just a kid (I was tall for my age then) I have since saw the movie quite... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Michael Mullen
..."HE MUST BE FOUND.....AND DESTROYED"
They can make all the vampire movies they need to, but Dracula (aka Horror of Dracula 1958) will take some beating for this version from an early Hammer Horror Studios effort. Read more
Published 15 months ago by JIMBO (Dublin,)
X rated Hammer version
In 1951 the British Board of Film Censors introduced the X certificate, which restricted admission to the designated films to people over the age of sixteen. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Andrew Banks
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
