Amazon.co.uk: Dracula Prince Of Darkness [1966]: Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley, Andrew Keir, Francis Matthews, Suzan Farmer, Charles 'Bud' Tingwell, Thorley Walters, Philip Latham, Walter Brown (II), George Woodbridge, Jack Lambert (II), Philip Ray, Joyce Hemson, John Maxim, Peter Cushing, Terence Fisher: Video

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
As the third in what became a series of eight, Prince of Darkness was distinguished among the Hammer Dracula movies for several reasons. It was the third and last directed by Terence Fisher and his familiarity with the mythos and studio practices meant the rushed production still came out looking spectacular in places. Moving into the tail end of the 1960s, Hammer looked for ways of cost cutting: the film's dramatic finale on a frozen river takes place on a two-for-one set being used simultaneously for another shoot. This was also the series entry that included a substitute for the Renfield character missing from the first movie. Thorley Walters as Ludwig is a colourful cameo and that's also all that can be said of Christopher Lee. Despite top billing, the mute monster occupies but a fraction of the overall on-screen time. The real frights come from gaunt butler Klove who scares the life (literally) out of hapless travellers Alan, Charles, Helen and Diana. Surely their fate would ensure no-one else took the mountain pass to Carlsbad? But only two years later, audiences discovered Dracula Has Risen from the Grave.

On the DVD: apart from scene access there's nothing making use of the DVD format here. The 2.55:1 presentation is certainly welcome, and the mono audio somehow feels appropriate. --Paul Tonks

Synopsis
A group of lost tourists are escorted to a local castle where a nightmare awaits them.

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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

Dracula - Prince of Silence, 21 Mar 2002

By	D. De Gruijter "heideggerus" (Leiden) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dracula - Prince Of Darkness [1966] (DVD)

This is a competent third entry in Hammer's Dracula Saga, but it has a few drawbacks. First, there is no dialogue for Christopher Lee, which is just a darn shame. Second, it takes an awful long time for Dracula to make his entrance. Where "The Horror of Dracula" was fast-paced, DpoD is slow in building up the climax (I can't comment on its relation to preceding "Brides of Dracula"). Some stunning visuals and good acting, most notable Van Helsing-representant Andrew Keir, later to star in the excellent "Quatermass and the Pit".

The DVD edition, however, is an utter disappointment. The screen quality is on a par with the VHS version, and the only addition is a scene selection. Absolutely no use has been made of the DVD possibilities. This is a shame, for the same Hammer titles are also issued on Region 1 and 0 discs, which contain commentaries, trailers, interviews, and 'World of Hammer' episodes. I see absolutely no reason why we can't see these versions on Region 2 discs. Hammer Horror is a part of our European cinema legacy, and thus it is not only a shame, but a plain crime that the Europeans have to go without restored and updated DVD editions.

I give "Dracula - Prince of Darkness" three stars, the DVD edition only one. I hope someone gets the message and starts rectifiying this shoddy business.

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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

'But there isn't a castle on the map...', 3 Nov 2001

By	Lord December (Cambridge, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dracula - Prince Of Darkness [1966] (DVD)

Hammer's first 'proper' sequel to 'Horror of Dracula' is great fun and suitably atmospheric -Beautifully shot in a wide aspect ratio, the colour photography is excellently preserved on this DVD, telling the tale of four hapless English tourists who ignore warnings not to go to THAT castle, and end up straying far from their Victorian sensibilities. Christopher Lee is, despite having no dialogue at all, probably at his most menacing and predatory in this one. There are fine performances from all: Gentlemanly heroic Francis Matthews, quite rationally accepting the notion of vampires from barking mad priest Andrew (Quatermass) Kier; Philip Latham as murderous manservant Klove; and Barbara Shelley transforming from prudish Victorian to wanton vamp seductress. The pacing is taut, James Bernard's score is as literal as always ('Drac - Ul - Ahh!'), and the whole thing is a joy to behold. One of Hammer's very best offerings, and nicely presented on this disc (although the original trailer would have been nice).

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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5 star film, shame about the presentation, 20 Dec 2001

By	sewelljohnr@aol.com - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dracula - Prince Of Darkness [1966] (DVD)

I for one greeted the news of region 2 Hammer dvds with some excitement, but I have to say that I'm a wee bit disapponted with this release.

Presented in widescreen (but not anamorphic), with nothing in the way of extras save chapter access, the film is one of Hammer's best, though as usual Christopher Lee has little to do save the usual lurking around, hissing and biting. Andrew Keir makes a decent Van Helsing substitute, and Barbara Shelly makes a fantastic transformation from buttoned-up, repressed, Victorian madam to sensual nightie-clad vamp. Her staking by a group of monks is probably the film's great set piece, along with the resurection of Dracula himself.

Fantastic film (and it looks good too), but surely Warners could've put some more extras (trailers, commentaries etc.) on this disc? Hopefully the next batch of releases will remedy this...

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