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Horror of Dracula  (1958) Directed by Terence Fisher   Although Horror of Dracula is based on Bram Stoker's novel the story is very different. In the novel Jonathan Harker visits Castle Dracula in order to help the Count purchase some property abroad. In Horror of Dracula though, Harker arrives at the castle under the pretence of wanting to work as the Count's new librarian, while in actual fact he is a close friend of Dr Van Helsing and has every intention of driving a stake through the Counts heart at the earliest opportunity. Harker might have been better sticking to his books because things don't exactly go to plan. By the time Van Helsing comes looking for his friend even Harker's own Dentist wouldn't recognize him and the doctor is forced to resolve the situation the only way that he knows how: with a large hammer and a wooden stake. Before Harker gained his fatal smile he succeeded in hammering a stake through the heart of the Count's only companion, a female vampire who was sleeping in the coffin beside him. Because of this Dracula decides that it is only fair that he should claim Harker's fiancee, Lucy Holmwood, as a replacement, and even as Van Helsing arrives at Castle Dracula the Count's carriage is speeding out through the gates. When Van Helsing goes to break the bad news of Harker's death to Lucy he discovers that she is very ill. He only has to check her neck to see the reason why and he does his best to protect her from the Count by filling her room with garlic. Unfortunately though, Lucy, who is totally under Dracula's spell, persuades her maid to remove the offensive plants.  After Lucy's death her brother Arthur blames Van Helsing for bringing them bad luck and it is only when he sees his undead sister strolling through the graveyard that he believes the doctor's story and decides to help him bring an end to Dracula once and for all. Horror of Dracula was Christopher Lee's first Dracula film. Many more followed and a lot of people consider him to be the best Dracula to ever plague a person's nightmares. They may have a point. Christopher Lee with blood shot eyes and a vampire smile is a very impressive sight indeed. The blood around his mouth is less impressive, but when the film was made (1958) fake blood tended to look more fake than it did blood, and it is Dracula's eyes that draw the attention anyway. The part of Van Helsing is played by Peter Cushing and it is always good to see any film where these two great acting talents got the chance to work together. Carol Marsh plays Lucy and Melissa Stribling is Lucy's sister-in-law, Mina. They make very convincing victims of the Count. The vampire is supposed to corrupt and both these girls put on a good show of being corrupted by Dracula. They are not ignorant of his visits, but keep them secret, almost as if he were a secret lover, which, in a way I suppose he is. Then when the Count comes for them their expressions fluctuate from apprehension to fear, to desire, and somewhere in that mix an added dash of uncertainty is thrown in for good measure. Good wins over evil in the end and the Count is turned to dust. The Related pages: Dracula (online text)  transformation scene is rather good as well. It isn't gory or messy, but it has (dare I say it) a charm all of its own and is fascinating to watch.     CAST  Christopher Lee     ...     Count Dracula   Peter Cushing        ...     Doctor Van Helsing  Michael Gough       ...     Arthur Holmwood  Melissa Stribling     ...     Mina Holmwood  Carol Marsh           ...     Lucy Holmwood  Olga Dickie            ...     Gerda  John Van Eyssen    ...     Jonathan Harker  Valerie Gaunt         ...     Vampire Woman    Janina Faye            ...     Tania  Barbara Archer       ...     Inga  Charles Lloyd Pack ...     Dr. Seward  George Merritt        ...     Policeman  George Woodbridge ...    Landlord  George Benson        ...    Frontier Official  Miles Malleson        ...    Undertaker  Geoffrey Bayldon    ...    Porter  Paul Cole                ...    Lad   DVD Information: Runtime 78 minutes Aspect Ratio 1.66:1 Language English Sound Mono Watch The Trailer HOME