Post by Zone Fighter on Oct 31, 2006 20:29:43 GMT -8
Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
Christopher Lee - Count Dracula
Barbara Shelley - Helen Kent
Andrew Keir - Father Sandor
Francis Matthews - Charles Kent
Suzan Farmer - Diana Kent
Charles Tingwell - Alan Kent
Thorley Walters - Ludwig
Philip Latham - Klove
Walter Brown - Brother Mark
George Woodbridge - Landlord
Jack Lambert - Brother Peter
Philip Ray - Priest
Joyce Hemson - Frau Koenig
John Maxim - Coach Driver
Peter Cushing - Doctor Van Helsing (archive footage) (uncredited)
The movie begins with Van Helsing's defeat of Count Dracula from the end of "Horror of Dracula," this is the only time Van Helsing is in the film.
Ten years after the destruction of the evil Count Dracula, the local citizenry still blame any sudden death on vampires. Warned by a monk to stay away from the castle four English travelers (two brothers and their wives) try to heed his advice but find themselves taken to the castle by a horse driven carriage pulled by two horses they are unable to control. Of the four only Helen Kent, the oldest female, wife of Alan Kent, senses danger but her warnings are ignored by the others when the late Count Dracula's servent Klove tells them his late master left instructions that travelers should always be welcome, and provides them with a warm meal and clean beds to sleep in. Helen's fears proof all to true when her husband is murdred, his blood poured over the ashes of Dracula and the revived Count chooses her as his first victim.
Charles Kent sounds like Cary Grant or like the original Captain Scarlet (whom Francis Matthews provided the voice for).
Originally shown in London as a double billing with "The Plaque of the Zombies". The pair made double the money as usual for a horror movie opening night (January 9, 1966).
The most interesting thing about this film is that as Count Dracula, Christopher Lee speaks no lines. The count does hiss like an angry cat a couple times and screams when he dies but he has no dialogue.
There's a major plot hole in this film. Father Sandor places crosses in the two vampires' coffin so they will not be able to return to them, but Dracula does return to his. It is possible that Dracula's human servent Klove removed the crosses but this is not shown to happen.
I didn't think this was as good as Horror of Dracula but its much much better than the later Satanic Rites of Dracula.
I have this on a VHS tape titled Dracula: Prince of Darkness Special Edition. What makes it special is the inclusion of behind the scenes 8mm home movies shot by Francis Matthews's brother Paul Shelley. Dubbed onto the video are comments recorded February 23, 1997 by Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley, Suzan Farmer and Francis Matthews. Its a short sequence and the best part is when Dracula is standing on the ice looking for a way to escape and even though its actually his stunt double Christopher Lee says "I'm looking for my agent". After the behind-the-scenes video there is a trailer for Dracula: Prince of Darkness and a trailer for the double billing of Dracula: Prince of Darkness and The Plaque of the Zombies, which includes a notice that boys entering the theatre will receive free vampire teeth and girls entering the theatre will receive free zombie eyes.
Christopher Lee - Count Dracula
Barbara Shelley - Helen Kent
Andrew Keir - Father Sandor
Francis Matthews - Charles Kent
Suzan Farmer - Diana Kent
Charles Tingwell - Alan Kent
Thorley Walters - Ludwig
Philip Latham - Klove
Walter Brown - Brother Mark
George Woodbridge - Landlord
Jack Lambert - Brother Peter
Philip Ray - Priest
Joyce Hemson - Frau Koenig
John Maxim - Coach Driver
Peter Cushing - Doctor Van Helsing (archive footage) (uncredited)
The movie begins with Van Helsing's defeat of Count Dracula from the end of "Horror of Dracula," this is the only time Van Helsing is in the film.
Ten years after the destruction of the evil Count Dracula, the local citizenry still blame any sudden death on vampires. Warned by a monk to stay away from the castle four English travelers (two brothers and their wives) try to heed his advice but find themselves taken to the castle by a horse driven carriage pulled by two horses they are unable to control. Of the four only Helen Kent, the oldest female, wife of Alan Kent, senses danger but her warnings are ignored by the others when the late Count Dracula's servent Klove tells them his late master left instructions that travelers should always be welcome, and provides them with a warm meal and clean beds to sleep in. Helen's fears proof all to true when her husband is murdred, his blood poured over the ashes of Dracula and the revived Count chooses her as his first victim.
Charles Kent sounds like Cary Grant or like the original Captain Scarlet (whom Francis Matthews provided the voice for).
Originally shown in London as a double billing with "The Plaque of the Zombies". The pair made double the money as usual for a horror movie opening night (January 9, 1966).
The most interesting thing about this film is that as Count Dracula, Christopher Lee speaks no lines. The count does hiss like an angry cat a couple times and screams when he dies but he has no dialogue.
There's a major plot hole in this film. Father Sandor places crosses in the two vampires' coffin so they will not be able to return to them, but Dracula does return to his. It is possible that Dracula's human servent Klove removed the crosses but this is not shown to happen.
I didn't think this was as good as Horror of Dracula but its much much better than the later Satanic Rites of Dracula.
I have this on a VHS tape titled Dracula: Prince of Darkness Special Edition. What makes it special is the inclusion of behind the scenes 8mm home movies shot by Francis Matthews's brother Paul Shelley. Dubbed onto the video are comments recorded February 23, 1997 by Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley, Suzan Farmer and Francis Matthews. Its a short sequence and the best part is when Dracula is standing on the ice looking for a way to escape and even though its actually his stunt double Christopher Lee says "I'm looking for my agent". After the behind-the-scenes video there is a trailer for Dracula: Prince of Darkness and a trailer for the double billing of Dracula: Prince of Darkness and The Plaque of the Zombies, which includes a notice that boys entering the theatre will receive free vampire teeth and girls entering the theatre will receive free zombie eyes.
