Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968) User Reviews

You Can't Keep a Good Vampire Down

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 1 November 2013]

Great Gothic Hammer horror. One of the better Dracula sequels and one of director Freddie Francis' best. It has a lot of the elements you expect and appreciate from Hammer: solid actors, great sets, quality direction, beautiful and vivacious young women. The plot is relatively simple: Dracula wants revenge and pretty blonde Veronica Carlson but her Monsignor uncle and loser boyfriend have a thing or two to say about that. There's also some interesting additions to the mythology where belief vs atheism is concerned. It all makes for a very entertaining sequel full of many familiar and proved effective Hammer staples, with several new ones as well.

Dracula is back!

[The_Void · 7/10 · 14 January 2005]

Sporting the ultra camp title - "Dracula Has Risen From the Grave", this is a solid entry in Hammer's Dracula series. What I love about Hammer is that they aren't afraid to take an existing story and play around with it to create something new. Even if the idea behind is less than brilliant and most studios would have shied away, Hammer approach it with gusto, and the results are always good natured, easy viewing that's hard to dislike. This film follows Count Dracula as he is resurrected shortly after the priest, Ernst Muller, exorcises his castle. Dracula doesn't take this sort of behaviour lightly, and so decides to take on revenge on the holy man - by taking his niece as his bride!

Dracula is one of the greatest characters ever to be written and portrayed on screen, and it's also one that Christopher Lee has become famous for playing. Unfortunately, Christopher Lee doesn't have a great deal of screen time in this flick; but every moment he is on screen is a highlight and, as usual, he does well with the role and proves that he is the only man other than Bela Lugosi to do it right. Freddie Francis (Dr Terror, The Creeping Flesh) directs this film and succeeds in creating a morbid and fascinating atmosphere that bodes well with the subject material on hand. The film is stylishly shot, and features some of the best use of lighting ever seen in a Hammer film. The camp style that the studio is famous for is here by the bucket load too, and that can only be a good thing. This is hardly Hammer's finest hour, however; the film is relatively slow to start, and the story isn't the most inventive ever to come from the studio - but Hammer fans will enjoy it, and I would have no qualms with recommending this as a decent waste of your time.

One of the best!

[estabansmythe · 7/10 · 6 November 2005]

The folks at Hammer Film Productions were nothing if not passionate and professional. This entry into the legendary series is only an itty-bitty notch below their inaugural effort, the great "Horror Of Dracula,' as the second best of the entire series.

Chrisopher Lee is at his menacing best. No one can drive a horse-pulled hearse with his fierce intensity. And those eyes, YIKES! What a great effect, one that still gets me 35 years after i first saw the film as a 14-year old in Los Angeles' San Gabriel Valley (and where I saw it on TV not 15 minutes ago).

Hammer vets Freddie Francis and Anthony Hinds create killer-diller fun with strong atmosphere; eerie, colorful lighting and a solid story. And the acting is great, too. Hammer staff composer James Bernard's exciting score adds to the enjoyment.

Hammer's films are for kids ... kids like me who loved then as a teenager and kids like me who are now over 50.

fairly good Hammer Dracula entry

[Jonny_Numb · 6/10 · 13 August 2005]

Early on, "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave" made me feel uneasy... From the scenes of a Monsignor (Rupert Davies) traveling with a priest to perform an exorcism on Castle Dracula in order to bring the superstitious (ha!) congregation back to church on Sunday, to the romantic subplot between a scholarly baker and the Monsignor's daughter, and a distinct lack of Drac, I began to wonder if I was being shortchanged by a title that looked to just capitalize on the success of the Hammer Dracula films. However, the more I kept with it, the more I enjoyed "Grave"--the above-mentioned plot threads, which at first seem corny, are interwoven with delicate skill by director Freddie Francis; the characters and their conflicts are surprisingly endearing (including an angle that brings atheism into the mix); and Christopher Lee is in fine form as the brooding, red-eyed Count (though the production suffers from the absence of frequent co-star Peter Cushing).

The Revenge of Dracula

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 3 September 2017]

One year after destroying Dracula (Christopher Lee), Monsignor (Rupert Davies) returns to his castle in the mountains with the local priest (Ewan Hooper) to exorcise his castle. However, the priest accidentally resurrects Dracula and becomes his slave. Meanwhile Monsignor returns home in Keinenberg on the day of the birthday of his niece Maria (Veronica Carlson), who lives with her mother Anna (Marion Mathie) in his house. Maria is in love with the atheist Paul (Barry Andrews), who works with the waitress Zena (Barbara Ewing) in the bar owned by his friend Max (Michael Ripper) where he also lives. Dracula decides to revenge on Monsignor and travels with the priest to Keinenberg. What will Dracula do next?

"Dracula Has Risen from the Grave" is the third film by Hammer featuring Christopher Lee in the role of Dracula. The film is still interesting almost fifty years later for fans of Dracula, but there are better ones. Paul staking Dracula that does not die because Paul does not pray is totally weird. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Drácula, o Perfil do Diabo" ("Dracula, The Profile of the Devil")

An atheist finds God by way of supernatural horror

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 3 April 2013]

Released in the USA in the Winter of 1969, Hammer's "Dracula has Risen from the Grave" was the fourth entry in the series and the third with Christopher Lee in the title role. Here's a list of the nine films for those interested:

Horror of Dracula (1958); The Brides of Dracula (1960); Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966); Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968); Taste the Blood of Dracula (1969); Scars of Dracula (1970); Dracula AD 1972 (1972); The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973); and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974).

"Dracula has Risen from the Grave" suffers from a weak prologue and first act. The prologue takes place a year prior to the main story. The first act involves two priests hiking up to Dracula's castle to exorcise it. One of the priests unwittingly resurrects the count and the vampire wants revenge on the other priest whom he discovers blessed his abode. The final hour involves Dracula going after his niece in a neighboring village. The niece's boyfriend and the priest must defend her.

Like I said, the whole first act isn't very promising, but things perk up with the introduction of the niece's boyfriend, Paul, and the pub his dad runs. Barbara Ewing plays Zena, the redhead waitress at the pub, and the film shows the close relationships between Paul, his father and Zena. The characters ring true and it draws the viewer into their world. Excellent job on this front.

A great scene takes place when Paul's girlfriend, Maria (played by the stunning Veronica Carlson), takes Paul to her home to introduce him to her mother and the priest, who's a Monsignor (whatever that is). Paul is cornered in a conversation and forced to reveal that he doesn't believe in God. The Monsignor is initially offended and rude, but this can be excused on the grounds that he's the father-figure to his beloved niece; besides there's a warmhearted scene later in the film where the Monsignor proves his loving nature.

Another unusual highlight of the film are the multiple scenes that take place on the labyrinthian rooftops of the Victorian village. I can't help but wonder how they accomplished this. Were they really filming on the rooftops of a village or is it an illusion accomplished through matte paintings or other effects? I'm sure it's the latter; regardless, it's excellent film work and a unique feature of this film.

Of course, Hammer films are renown for their curvaceous women and here we have two: Redhead Barbara Ewing as the very likable Zena, and Veronica Carlson, who can also be seen in the outstanding "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed".

As with most of Hammer's horror flicks, the movie possesses a beautifully lush, Gothic atmosphere.

Despite the weak first act, the positives noted above compel me place "Dracula has Risen from the Grave" as my second or third favorite of the series. My favorite being "Taste the Blood of Dracula."

The film runs 92 minutes and was shot at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire, England.

GRADE: B

Dracula has risen from the grave, the snooze button was broke and he's grumpy!

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 7/10 · 10 January 2004]

The third installment in the Hammer series, we have Dracula has risen from the Grave. The title along is awesome and sends chills down your spine. A new director is in the seat, Freddie Francis. The question is, what makes a sequel good? Well, not copying the original story is a start. Giving us characters that we can care about or relate too. And giving us much more blood and scares. All three categories are in check here. Christopher Lee is back as well and from what I understand not very happy. For some reason he didn't like playing Dracula and from what I read, it was because they would write the scripts and add Dracula in later so I can understand. However, given speaking lines compared to the last sequel, his whole presence is still terrifying as ever. You try to stake Dracula? He'll just grab it and throw it right back at you. You try messing with Dracula? He'll just go after your family members…partially the pretty one's. Dracula has risen from the Grave and he's ready to take on the world.

A year after Dracula has been destroyed, a Monsignor comes to the village on a routine visit. The villagers refuse to attend Mass at church because "the shadow of his castle touches it". To bring to an end the villagers' fears, the Monsignor climbs to the Castle to exorcise it. The Priest cannot follow him up the mountain and the Monsignor continues alone. As the Monsignor exorcises the castle, attaching a large metal cross to its gate, a storm strikes, and the Priest tries to run, but falls and is knocked out, cutting his head on rock. His blood trickles into a frozen stream; through a crack in the melting ice it trickles on to the lips of the preserved body of Count Dracula and brings it to life. The Monsignor goes back to the village believing that the Priest had already safely returned, and assures the villagers that the castle is sanctified to protect them from Dracula's evil. He returns to his home city of Kleinenberg. Unknown to the Monsignor, the Priest is under the control of the resurrected Count. Furious that the cross prevents him from entering his castle, Dracula demands that the enslaved Priest says who is responsible. The Priest leads Dracula in pursuit of the Monsignor and he discovers a new victim for Dracula's revenge - the Monsignor's beautiful niece, Maria.

For the first time we see Dracula being a little more gentle with the girl, I think because Maria is so beautiful, he treats her like a doll. Almost symbolic during the intense scene where he's biting Maria, she grabs her doll and throws it off the bed like her childhood had just been ripped from her. I like the twist of having her boyfriend Paul being an atheist, after all the whole thing of destroying Dracula is to have faith. It was an interesting take on religion vs. science and what Paul has always thought to be black and white isn't so when he realizes he has to fight for the woman he loves. The only flaw I find with the film is the beginning is there is a girl found in the bell hanging, fresh wounds and all. First off, why would Dracula hang her from a bell? Secondly, is this before or after his death in Prince of Darkness? I know the girl hanging from the bell was supposed to be for a good scare, it is effective but just didn't make any sense. However I would say that this is still a very good sequel and one of the better in the Hammer series. It's a good story with a still very effective Dracula.

7/10

the ultimate amalgamation of Hammer Film's conventions

[cinefool · 8/10 · 13 June 2005]

If a quintessential example of a Hammer Studio's exercise in Gothic Horror exists, it is probably this film. Not because it is a flawless piece of film-making, far from it. Rather because this film manages to squeeze just about all of Hammer's horror-show templates into it's 92 minute running time.

Here we have the unmistakeably distinctive set design and music score by Hammer mainstays Benard Robinson and James Benard; romantic leads transposing post Summer-of-Love sexual mores (and hairstyles!) to the film's indeterminate post Victorian location; two pub locales, one peopled with wary, hostile, superstitious East-Ender types, the other rollicking with high-spirited youthful inebriates; a pious religious figure (and a much less pious one); a cameo by Michael Ripper; day-for-night location shots; attractive women in low-cut bodices and nightgowns; yet another outlandish method of using trickling blood to revive the antagonist; an eventful screenplay that doesn't measure up to critical evaluation --- whew! I could go on and on.

But please understand, I do not necessarily regard all of the above negatively, just realistically. "D.H.R.F.T.G." is a fun watch if you leave your thinking cap off. Several of the most memorable set-pieces in the Hammer canon are here; the discovery of the girl in the belfry, the attempted staking of Dracula, the Count's seduction of Veronica Carlson, and his over-the-top demise (I won't reveal it here). These scenes lingered for decades in my mind after I saw the film in the early seventies. I was joyful to find the videotape in the '90's and yes, I now happily own the DVD.

One of the harshest critics of this film, incidentally, was it's star. Christopher Lee, who entered the project enduring serious back pain (stuntman Eddie Powell handled the more strenuous action), disliked the script intensely, especially the attempted staking of the Count. His performance, however, betrays none of his vexation; this is one of his best outings as Dracula. Director Freddie Francis coaxes serviceable performances from the rest of the cast. Rupert Davies and Barbara Ewing stand out, as a noble cleric and lusty barmaid respectively.

At the end of the day, I really like this movie, despite it's shortcomings. Heck, I feel like putting on right now. So should you.

Gorgeous visuals and sumptuous settings but a weak script...

[Doylenf · 31 October 2011]

A weak script doesn't hinder "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave" from being absorbing most of the way. It has a weak mid-section full of repetitious scenes of Dracula about to take a bite out of a voluptuous female, scenes that don't advance the plot the way they should.

For this reason, some may find fault with the slow pace of much of the film but there's no denying the impressive look of sets, costumes and the proper Gothic atmosphere. Technicolor captures every bit of the shadows and light, just the way effective B&W photography has always done in the past. And the close-ups of Christopher Lee's bloodshot eyes lingers in the mind long after his infrequent appearance has been made.

That's also part of the problem. The role of Dracula really takes a back seat to others in the cast, all of whom are competent performers. Particularly engaging are Veronica Carlson (as one of Dracula's most sought after victims) and Barry Andrews as her infatuated boyfriend. Andrews plays the role of Paul with a saucy cockiness and a twinkle in his eye, easily making what is essentially a cardboard role a standout among the supporting players by virtue of his earnest performance and personality.

Engaging enough as a typical Dracula thriller, but clearly not the best of the Hammer films in this series. James Bernard's music helps keep the suspense level vibrant enough.

Another good Hammer Dracula outing

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 14 June 2015]

As far as the Hammer Dracula films go, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave is one of the better ones. For me, Horror of Dracula is still the best of the series and one of Hammer's classics.

Hammer films are always well-made, and Dracula Has Risen from the Grave is not an exception at all. If anything, the production values are one of the film's biggest strengths, with the beautiful photography, wonderfully moody red colour filtering and lighting and sumptuously evocative Gothic sets(with some jaw-dropping rooftop scenes, an adventurous move for Hammer) Dracula Has Risen from the Grave looks great. It's not just that it looks good, but the production values create a great amount of atmosphere, the use of reds really give off a moody eeriness that was just perfect and a morbid tension and sense of dread is created throughout. Freddie Francis, despite being more successful as a cinematographer, does a more than competent job directing(much better and far more adventurous than in his previous Hammer directing effort The Evil of Frankenstein), he directs with excellent style and while the story is not always as engrossing as it should be he gets the atmosphere of the film down-pat.

James Bernard's music score booms thrillingly, without being too obvious or too much, and gives off a really creepy vibe. It does rouse the spirits as well and is beautifully orchestrated, so it is definitely more than just a loud-sounding score. The story is not the most consistently executed, but the atmosphere created is brilliant with an incredibly suspenseful and powerful final third. The film also starts off stirringly, and has a number of shocking moments, like the hanging girl, Dracula's visually striking and quite chilling if a little too easy resurrection, Dracula's reaction to the cross and Dracula's demise. The characters are not the most well-developed but they do maintain interest and enough is done to allow one to empathise with them. There are some great performances here too with not an obvious weak link. Barry Andrews is appealing as the hero and Barbara Ewing and Veronica Carlson are sexy and compassionate in their roles, Ewing especially brings a lot of fire and heart to a role that could easily have barely registered if not executed right. Rupert Davies is very memorable, bringing great authority and demeanour without being hammy and Ewan Hooper manages to bring depth to a purposefully weak-willed character. Christopher Lee dominates however, even with reasonably diminished screen-time and with not a lot of dialogue (more than in Dracula: Prince of Darkness, where he doesn't even speak) he is superbly chilling as Dracula, even the look of Dracula here is enough to induce goose bumps.

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave is let down by the script, which is very formulaic and vague with an over-reliance on turgid melodrama in the mid-section, there are some really interesting ideas here but the film doesn't do enough with some of them. The story does get a bit dull and repetitive in some of the middle act of the film. In fact a lot of the first half was in need of more momentum, there are a few sloppy continuity errors(i.e. Dracula's reflection in the water) and the attempted staking was a powerful and striking part but also got a little ludicrous at the same time.

All in all, a good entry in the Hammer Dracula series and one of the better sequels, but also could have been a little better. It has likened as 'a minor triumph of style over content'(not sure whether this is intended as praise or not), and while I do agree that the technical aspects fare much better than the writing, the latter while not the best is hardly disastrous either. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Dracula lowers in quality

[Coventry · 5/10 · 8 March 2006]

This is only the first installment that Terence Fisher (undoubtedly Hammer's best director) didn't direct himself, and already the whole Hammer Dracula franchise loses a lot of its power. "Dracula has risen from the Grave" certainly isn't a bad horror movie but, compared to the previous three films about the bloodsucking count, it seriously lacks a tense atmosphere and creative story elements. The first half hour is still very moody and vintage, but then the screenplay gets very tedious and sort of like a lame allegory on vampirism and sexuality. Monsignor Ernst Muller visits the little parish were the evil count Dracula was destroyed one year earlier but when he and the local priest want to make sure Dracula is really dead, they accidentally awake him from his watery grave. Now, instead of cocooning peacefully in his castle, Dracula pursues the monsignor to his hometown and assaults his beautiful niece. This movie surely features some eerie settings and scenery, but I quickly got the impression that they were leftover attributes from other Hammer productions. There are some giant holes in the plot and director Freddie Francis obviously didn't pay much attention to continuity or pace. Christopher Lee definitely has the unequaled charisma of a true horror icon, but he already seems a little fed up with his part. Poor Christopher… FOUR more sequels would follow, and some of them are even less good than this one. The supportive cast of "Dracula has risen from the Grave" is very interesting, with decent roles for Rupert Davies ("The Witchfinder General"), Veronica Carlson ("Frankenstein must be Destroyed") and the stunningly beautiful Barbara Ewing.

Lights off, a few beers and a Hammer Horror movie - my perfect Saturday night!

[Stevieboy666 · 8/10 · 26 January 2020]

Great opening for this installment, a deaf altar boy discovers a young woman hanging upside down from the church bell, blood dripping from her neck. Move forward a year and Count Dracula is accidentally revived. He goes on his usual round of terror and bloodsucking, his target of desire being the beautiful Veronica Carlson. He certainly has great taste in women! The sets are great, I felt like I was almost in the mountain village. Good cast, nice to see Hammer's most prolific actor Michael Ripper have a larger part than normal. No Peter Cushing here, which makes the vampire hunter aspect interesting. There is some debate within the film of faith versus atheism, apparently staking a vampire does not work if the person doing the staking lacks religious belief. Interesting. We have no nudity but there are sexual overtones. Thankfully we get plenty of blood, plus Hammer's trademark day for night scenes and swirling fog. Not one of the studio's best vampire movies but it's still a wonderful piece of Gothic horror, I grew up on watching these films and love immersing myself into them, over and over again.

Rock It, Christopher Lee

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 26 October 2013]

When his castle is exorcised, Dracula (Christopher Lee) plots his revenge against the Monsignor (Rupert Davies) who performed the rites by attempting to make the holy man's young niece his bride.

This film is scandalous. Sure it passed the censors, and that is great, and Lee gives another great Dracula performance (with Davies as a more than adequate nemesis). But what we have here is an atheist in the home of a clergyman! Can you be an atheist and still believe in vampires?

Apparently, this was the most commercially successful of the Hammer Dracula films. I am not surprised, as it is quite entertaining. And with all due respect to Terence Fisher, I think I tend to prefer Freddie Francis' direction a little more. Francis knows his camera, and I think that adds something to his directing prowess.

Nothing rises here but absurdity...

[moonspinner55 · 2/10 · 1 October 2010]

Britain's Hammer Films, having scored with Christopher Lee in 1966's "Dracula: Prince of Darkness", attempts a repeat performance, but lightning fails to strike twice (it barely manages a crackle). Picking up the story 12 months after Dracula met an icy end at the finale of the superior predecessor, the Count's castle in Transylvania is striking fear in the hearts of the villagers (seems its tall shadow crosses over the church at one point during the day, scaring away all the parishioners!). A disbelieving monsignor performs an exorcism on the castle, but only makes things worse for everyone, particularly the audience. Opening with the discovery of a dead wench in the church--apparently vampire-related, though we have no idea why or how--the picture gets off to a poor start with continuity lapses, errors in narrative and judgment, poor acting and makeup effects, and an anti-climactic reemergence from Christopher Lee in the titular role. A rusty screamer; someone nail this coffin shut! * from ****

A Dissenting View

[BaronBl00d · 5 August 2000]

For me, this sequel to such Hammer greats as Horror of Dracula, Brides of Dracula, and Dracula Prince of Darkness is a weak link in the Hammer Dracula series. The opening is well-done in typical Hammer shock style, but from then on it is a pretty muddled story of the Count reeking revenge on a priest for exorcising his castle. The biggest problem I think with the film is the script. The film has all the elements for a successful Hammer film..great cinematography, gothic castle and settings, good acting with Christopher Lee, Rupert Davies, and Michael Ripper, beautiful Hammer Beauties(Veronica Carlson..Va Va VaBoom), lush costuming and so on. The story is the weak link as it is a bit hard to make complete sense of and has little depth and motivation for its characters, as well I think as some rather tame and uninspired direction from Freddie Francis(though on a whole I am a great admirer of his work). Maybe it is me....as all the other reviewers seem to adore it. When I watched it I was just very disappointed. It is not a terrible film, but just a letdown.

Shadows and Fog.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 17 August 2017]

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave is the fourth film in Hammer Films' Dracula series. It is directed by Freddie Francis and written by Anthony Hinds (under his alias John Elder). It stars Christopher Lee, Rupert Davies, Veronica Carlson, Barry Andrews and Barbara Ewing. Music is by James Bernard and cinematography by Arthur Grant.

Very much a case of style over substance, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave is still very much a top line Hammer Dracula pic. Story sees the famous Count accidentally revived and embark upon a mission of revenge, which spells trouble for the inhabitants of the village that sits in the shadow of his castle. Enter a scenario where Dracula is very much on the periphery as he tracks Carlson's sultry babe for his nefarious ends. Lust, blood, breasts and religious zeal does follow.

That's about it as story goes, but even though strands such as religious beliefs - or otherwise - are dangled but not pulled hard enough, the screenplay is not without interesting merit. A number of great scenes lift the pic out of the ordinary, from a terrific "body in a bell" opening, to the grandiose splendour of a crucifix blood splatter, the craft on show engages and thrills. The middle section slow moves as we are party to young lovers under duress via Drac, but Drac pops up from time to time to menace humans and horses alike.

The super craft doesn't stop there, the costuming and sets are ornate and very appealing, with the various colour lens choices also superb. Standing out are the roof top sequences, we get high level views of an angular landscape, with jutted slates, odd chimney tops (one even looking like a magic mushroom), all of which is shrouded in mist. There's even green smoke coming out of some stacks, just what are the villagers burning on their fires?! While Bernard scores it with menacing relish, some of the title music having shades of Berlioz at his most unnerving.

Competently acted and directed with a keen eye for detail, this is one of the better Hammer Dracula sequels. 7/10

Sexy Dracula

[EdgarST · 7/10 · 8 July 2011]

I enjoyed watching this entry into the Hammer-Dracula series 43 years after its release! It is strange, though: the Count is somehow physically weak, he needs the help of a priest to do what he normally performs in other films (carrying his coffin, for instance), he literally runs away from his enemies and does not use any of his abilities (turning into a bat, disappearing). He even falls off a precipice! A product of its time, the script openly suggests sexual activity, when the beautiful niece of a monsignor spends the night with her boyfriend and film's hero, played by a sexy, young actor called Barry Andrews, who also gets involved with an even sexier barmaid, more than willing to take his pants off while he is drunk. Recommended.

A nice change of pace for the franchise

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 16 January 2008]

There were quite a few Hammer Dracula films made from the late 1950s well into the 1970s. Most of them were very good, though a few seemed like "the same old same old"--nothing particularly new or innovative. Fortunately, this one offered some unique aspects--making it well worth a look.

The film begins in the town near Dracula's castle. While the evil monster is indeed dead, the town is in dread--sure that somehow the old vampire will return. Based on the many, many times he DID return in the films (despite being clearly destroyed at the end of each film), perhaps the townspeople weren't so dumb after all! However, the Monsignor arrives in town and castigates the local priest for allowing the town to remain in dread and takes the less than willing priest to the castle to perform the exorcism rite and put an end to Dracula forever. But, of course, on the way, the monster is unleashed in one of the more unusual reincarnations of Dracula. Sadly, while this was VERY creative, the camera man and director didn't notice that you can clearly see Dracula's reflection in a pool of water--and we all know that according to every other Hammer vampire film that the beasts can't cast a reflection.

Now here's the really unique part. When Dracula returns to his castle, he sees that the doors have been sealed shut with a giant crucifix and he cannot enter his castle. So, he spends most of the rest of the film seeking out the Monsignor and destroying him as well as his family.

The film features all the usual sets, acting and action. However, Christopher Lee is given almost no lines in the film, though you do see him quite a bit. Additionally, it's one of the few monster films from Hammer that has a real honest-to-goodness sequel that picks up exactly where this one left off in the follow-up films "Taste the Blood of Dracula". Good stuff and a worthy addition to the franchise.

The Best Looking of the Series

[LanceBrave · 7/10 · 30 November 2014]

After the success of "Dracula: Prince of Darkness," Drac was back. Hammer's long-running series had begun in earnest. Whether the quality of the last two entries was kept up throughout the sequels is a manner of opinion. Yet maybe it's clear that the strongest quality control wasn't in place here. "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave" begins with two continuity errors. An additional victim of Dracula's is discovered in a bell tower, an effective scene that couldn't possibly happen during the last film. The story is set 12 months after the 1895-set previous film. Yet dates within the film read 1905. Just goes to show that Hammer's Dracula series was full of as many continuity eras as Universal's Dracula series.

Once again, Dracula is dead and, once again, a holy man appears to tell the villagers to let go of their superstitions. In order to prove to the locals how dead Dracula is, Monsignor Mueller, along with his unnamed Priest sidekick, head over to Dracula's castle with the intention of blessing it. While Mueller is exorcising the Count's abode, the other priest stumbles down a cliff and bumps his head, allowing blood to drip through the ice into the sleeping vampire's mouth. Finding himself unable to enter his newly blessed castle, Dracula seeks revenge on the Monsignor. Because this is a Hammer film, he does so by seducing the man's attractive, nightgown wearing niece.

Terence Fisher was originally supposed to direct "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave" but had to drop out suddenly at the last minute. This left long-time cinematographer Freddie Francis to step behind the camera. Francis had made numerously films before, including a few of Hammer's, look very handsome. His contribution makes "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave" one of the best looking of the series. Francis employs some psychedelic colors throughout the film. Before arising, Dracula's presence is suggested by yellow lighting at the edge of the frame. When biting one of his victim's, the screen around them glows bright red. As the sun sets on the film's final night, an amazing purple color dominates. The Bava-influenced color is distinctive but Francis still packs in some old Gothic atmosphere. A sequence in the middle of the film takes place on rooftops of the city, a novel approach. The fog-soaked black-and-white buildings might be some of the most memorable moments from the film.

As opposed to last time, Christopher Lee actually has dialogue. Though it's still kept to a minimum, he hisses and growls his way through several lines. Though Lee was reportedly disinterested in being in the film, just by standing there, he's still a threatening form. Rupert Davies steps into the role of the knowledgeable vampire hunter. He's more interesting then last time's Father Sandor. He has the same fallible quality that Cushing's Van Helsing had. Dracula roundly kills his butt during their one encounter. Ewan Hooper's unnamed priest fills the Renfield role. What's interesting is that he still feels guilt while under Dracula's control. Veronica Carlson is the film's resident eye-candy, looks incredible, and has decent chemistry with Barry Andrews as her boyfriend. Perhaps more interesting, though, is Barbara Ewing as Zena, the local bad girl that Dracula first turns into a vampire. Amusingly, she's jealous of Dracula pursuing another victim, wondering why she isn't enough.

"Prince of Darkness" kept its action small-sake and mostly inside Dracula's castle. "Risen from the Grave" returns the thrilling action element that "Horror of Dracula" had to the series. My favorite minor bit is when Drac leaps through a glass window, while there are plenty of carriage chases. The film is noticeably creative with its gore as well. At one point, Dracula is impaled with a fence post. Because a prayer wasn't said over his body – a new rule – he rises back up, pulling the stake from his heart. The Count has an especially spectacular demise this time, falling backwards onto a golden cross, impaled through the heart, and writhing in agony before he finally dies. "Grave" doesn't skimp on the scares either. Dracula cornering his female prey continues to be frightening and intense. Lee pushing Veronica Carlson unto the bed is blatantly a sexual violation. The film nails this home by having the virginal Carlson push her baby doll out of bed. As lovely as Carlson is, I think Ewing is sexier as the scantily clad bar maid.

Lee spends much of the film chilling in his coffin in the bar basement, waiting for his victims to come to him. When the Count is off-screen, the film instead focuses on Monsignor Mueller and the relationship with his niece and her boyfriend. Young Paul is an atheist. When he reveals this to the Monsignor, he's scandalized and bans Maria from seeing the boy. However, after Dracula starts feeding on the girl, and fights the older man off, he reveals Maria needs someone who loves her near by. Amusingly, she even sneaks out of her bed at night to be with him. The romantic subplots in these movies were frequently disposable but I actually rather like this one.

The combination of a neatly constructed screenplay, an interesting cast, a speedy pacing, colorful direction, and some decent scares, makes "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave" one of the best of the Dracula sequels. It's also got one of the best titles and probably my favorite movie poster of all time. "Obviously," as the tagline goes.

A Fangtastic Sequel ! One Of The Best!

[ianwizard · 10/10 · 27 November 2005]

I am a huge Dracula fan. I've always loved the Christopher Lee version of Dracula. When I saw the first one Horror Of Dracula I fell in love with it. After that I saw Dracula Prince Of Darkness it was even better than the first one! After Prince of Darkness I went in order and watched ...Risen From The Grave and it was amazing!. In Dracula Has Risen From The Grave it leaves off from Prince Of Darkness when Dracula drowns under water. I was amazed how Dracula had just risen out of the cold frozen water. A local priest is put under Dracula's spell and goes bad. Dracula hides out in a local bar and preys on the the bar maid Zena. Zena as well as the priest is put under Dracula's spell and is soon asked to preform a task for Dracula. Unfortunately Zena fails her task for Dracula, and Dracula destroyed Zena and orders for the priest to burn her in the fire place. The gore and blood is very unrealistic which makes the movie easy to handle. I loved it and I think you will to.

Adds a Couple of New Elements to the Usual Vampire Traditions

[Uriah43 · 6/10 · 21 June 2016]

This movie essentially begins where its predecessor, "Dracula-Prince of Darkness" left off with "Dracula" (Christopher Lee) being entombed in a lake of ice and left for dead. However, the townsfolk of a nearby village remain unconvinced that Dracula is actually dead and as a result a visiting "Monsignor" (Rupert Davies) is determined to end their fears by going to Dracula's castle and exorcising the evil once and for all. Needing help getting there he asks a very reluctant local "Priest" (Ewan Hooper) to accompany him. Unfortunately for everybody concerned the Priest lags behind and upon hitting his head in a fall accidentally propels Dracula back to life. Enraged that he cannot enter into his own castle he vows revenge upon the Monsignor by attacking the people he loves the most-his sister-in-law "Anna" (Marion Mathie) and his niece "Maria" (Veronica Carlson). Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this film adds a couple of new elements which aren't in keeping with the usual vampire traditions. But even so the film itself was still quite enjoyable and I definitely recommend it for all fans of the genre.

Dracula...with serious anger management issues

[JasparLamarCrabb · 5/10 · 4 November 2014]

Has anyone ever played Dracula as such an angry vampire the way Christopher Lee has? When a monsignor "cleanses" Dracula's castle and leaves a cross at his front door, the vampire rises and wreaks havoc on everyone he encounters. After hypnotizing a cowardly priest and doing away with a sassy barroom wench, he goes after the monsignor's nubile niece. Though off camera for much of the time, Lee dominates the movie. He's evil incarnate, a maniac out for blood (literally). The direction by Freddie Francis is great, all high pitched and very colorful. The supporting cast includes hammy Rupert Davies as the monsignor, Veronica Carlson as his niece, Barry Andrews (as the dull hero), Barbara Ewing and Ewan Hooper. Norman Bacon plays an idiot man- child who alerts the townspeople of Dracula's return. Arthur Grant provided the high gloss cinematography and the rousing music is by James Bernard, who scored Hammer's first Dracula film 10 years earlier.

Dark, moody Gothic thriller of Dracula's battle with the Church

[mlraymond · 10/10 · 23 December 2006]

Marvelously atmospheric film, with terrific music, strong performances, and a clever script. The opening sequences, with a visiting Monsignor learning that no one will go to the church anymore, since Dracula hung up one of his victims in the bell tower, are tense and involving. The Monsignor's idea ,to free the villagers of their fears by exorcising Dracula's castle, leads to a very dramatic sequence of the two clergymen struggling for hours up an increasingly difficult mountain climb, with the alcoholic priest becoming more and more frightened. The first sight of the castle, sitting ominously on a mountain top, is quite impressive. The scene of the Monsignor arriving at the deserted castle, lit with unwholesome greens and yellows, and some creepy low angle shots, augmented by some awesomely threatening music, is one of the best in the whole picture. With booming thunder almost drowning out his Latin incantations, the stalwart Monsignor reads the service of exorcism, and places a large golden cross on the doors. Meanwhile, the fearful priest flees in terror from the fury of the lightning and thunder, and inadvertently causes the very thing that he most dreads to happen: the return of Count Dracula. This is such a powerful beginning, that the rest of the film almost has to be a slight letdown, but there are many well done sequences, ranging from Dracula's evil deeds, to humorous and bawdy scenes of students in a tavern, and sensuous, tender love scenes. The story always holds the viewer's interest and gives Christopher Lee some great scenes. The only real complaint is that Dracula doesn't appear in longer and more vivid scenes. But the movie is so entertaining overall that this is a fairly minor quibble. Highly recommended for vampire movie fans and Hammer enthusiasts. A movie well worth seeing, even if not quite as good as it could have been.

Red filtered rooftops ...

[parry_na · 7/10 · 18 January 2016]

This is Sir Christopher Lee's third outing as Dracula, and this time he has some dialogue. Already the character is far more effective here than in his last appearance, despite not being directed by the poetically-inclined Terry Fisher. Instead, Freddie Francis is at the helm, and marks his territory with heavy use of toned camera filters framing certain scenes that enliven the sometimes drab greys of the sets.

To once again make up for the lack of Peter Cushing as Dracula's sworn enemy Van Helsing, we have two heroic types. Monsignor Ernest Mueller (Rupert Davies) is the man with the relevant vampiric experience, and to take on the brawnier side of things is Paul (Barry Andrews). For the young hero to be a hot-headed atheist is an interesting departure (even if such a development makes the character somewhat arrogant and hard to like), and also reveals that you cannot successfully stake a vampire without believing in the powers of good. I like this idea. It provides a nicely grisly scene when Dracula is staked but refuses to die. Lee, who made something of a habit of publicly lambasting these films, felt this went against the wishes of Bram Stoker – but there's no denying the impotent staking is one of the highpoints of the picture.

As the title suggests, blood plays a big – if fairly impractical – part in proceedings here. Who would have thought that that gash on the fallen priest's head (Ewan Cooper) would produce a trail of the red stuff that should trickle down a rockface and into the very mouth of the Count to resuscitate him? Perhaps it is Dracula's inexplicable will that this should occur. Also, the first time we see Dracula is in a reflection, despite the fact that vampires cast no reflection.

Despite these flaws, this is an entertaining film, from its psychedelic opening titles to the (somewhat implausible) revelation of a drained girl stuffed into a church bell, and especially the impressive rooftop scenes which muster up the dreamy atmospherics Terry Fisher favoured. The casting is good; Veronica Carlson's debut is delightful as the somewhat chaste Maria, as is Barbara Ewing as the more worldly-wise and therefore doomed Zena.

Atmospheric Hammer chiller which never fully overcomes a draggy mid-section.

[barnabyrudge · 5/10 · 3 January 2007]

"Dracula Has Risen From The Grave" follows on from three previous Hammer horror films featuring the terrifying undead count of Bram Stoker's creation. "Horror Of Dracula", "Brides Of Dracula" and "Dracula – Prince Of Darkness" had already hit the big screen by the time this fourth entry appeared. There's not much in this one to distinguish it from the others, although the emphasis on flesh and cleavage seems to have been increased considerably. For it opening twenty-five minutes or so, "Dracula Has Risen From The Grave" promises to be one of the best things Hammer have ever done – the atmosphere of doom and dread is credibly built, James Bernard's score generates gnawing tension, and fierce thunderstorms provide a blood-curdling backdrop. But sadly the film relaxes its grip as it enters the mid-section and we are left to endure a lengthy dull patch that lifts only as the film enters its bloody climax.

A village in the shadow of Dracula's castle still lives in fear of the Count's name, even though rumour has it that Dracula perished in a frozen lake some year previously. A deeply religious Monsignor (Rupert Davies) arrives in the village and is offended that people don't enter the local church because their memory of Dracula's reign still drives fear into their heart. The Monsignor travels up to Dracula's castle with a local priest (Ewan Hooper) and wedges a holy cross into the door, performing an exorcism to banish evil from the castle and the region forever. However, during the trip up into the mountains, the priest accidentally releases the real Dracula (Christopher Lee) from his icy tomb. When Dracula tries to return to his castle and discovers the cross bolting his door, he is enraged and forces the priest to tell him who is responsible for it being there. The only way that Dracula can get back into his castle is by getting the Monsignor – or someone related to him – to remove the holy object that has been fixed upon his door. Dracula pursues the Monsignor to his home town, where he begins a campaign of blood-sucking terror upon the residents, including the Monsignor's beautiful young niece Maria (Veronica Carlson).

The production values are pretty good in the film, with the costumes, sets and fake gore all up to a reasonable standard. Lee oozes sexual menace as Dracula, while Hammer favourites Michael Ripper and Veronica Carlson provide enjoyable support. Particularly worthy of note is Rupert Davies as the God-fearing Monsignor – he brings real conviction to his role, and does a lot to compensate for the absence in the narrative of Peter Cushing's Van Helsing character. As noted already, the biggest flaw with the film is the flat mid-section. Too much time is lost during this ill-judged segment of the film - little happens to move the story forward and the film's attention to horror and atmosphere is unforgivably neglected. "Dracula Has Risen From The Grave" is an acceptable addition to the cycle, probably more enjoyable if you're a series fan but still engaging enough to please others too. It's just such a shame that the early promise never quite materialises into anything more tangible.