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Brides Of Dracula
[VCA]
1960; color
Directed by Terence Fisher
Starring: Peter Cushing, Martita Hunt, Yvonne Monlaur & Freda Jackson
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Having theoretically killed off Count Dracula in a film released a few years prior, one may wonder what Jason Voorhees-esque form of recitation Hammer films will employ in order to reappear to get the party started in Brides Of Dracula. Surprisingly, none; in other words, there is no Count Dracula per se in this Dracula movie. So, to that end, you may wonder how they go about explaining the sudden permanent death of this seemingly unkillable force? Apparently all that's needed is a brief appropriately ominous sentence long overdub gently explaining how although Count Dracula is in fact dead, his semi-vast crop of disciples live on to "spread the cult and corrupt the world." Then it's cue star wipe and we're off to the ever present bumpy ride in a rickety carriage through a foggy forest path. (Just kidding about the star wipe part. Everything else was fairly accurate.) Inside said rickety carriage we find a lovely young lady with a funny accent and, much to her dismay, watch her bump along until the ever-so-quickly quickly galloping horses suddenly stop at the sight of a tree trunk in the road. Our heroine is for some reason is completely shocked by the sudden cease in forward momentum (I guess she's never seen one of these movies) and peeks her wee little head out the window so as to see what's afoot, offering just enough time for a tall creepy looking guy to emerge from the foggy trees. As the carriage again begins it's jaunty jaunt again the fella sneaks up and - a la many of the stoner boys I went to middle school with - jumps on board, hitching a ride standing on the carriage's bumper. (Except the guys I went to school with used Septa buses for this purpose and one of them literally fell off, cracked his head open and died. True story.) Then, just as quickly as he appeared, the fair lady's chariot pulls into town square and he leaps off, scurrying into the darkness, while the lady enters the local pub to dine on the Running Boar's fine menu of hot goulash, delicious sauerkraut, their own red wine from the valley and curious looks from the townfolk. The driver elects to stay outside for a wee nip from his flask. Oh that and to exchange money but not words with creepy shadow lurking guy. And if you think the local townsfolk give the pretty young stranger odd looks wait until you see their reaction to something so seemingly innocent as the guy walking into the room, saying nothing, turning around and leaving. At this point it's clear to anyone who's ever seen a horror movie our schoolteacher-to-be's journey to the academy is about to be derailed and her fate suitably altered. And based on the name of the movie we can pretty much figure out what that fate might be; but it's a fun movie so you should watch it anyway. Although I do normally prefer to my Hammer Dracula films to be of the "Starring Christopher Lee" variety this one has a really fun Saturday afternoon or late night UHF channel vibe, fabulous sets and costumes (honestly I think I may have been just as entertained watching it with the sound off), and enough of a twist on the classic Dracula lore to make it interesting.
—Bunny
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