Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) User Reviews

"Weird, man. Way out. I mean, spooks, hobgoblins, black magic. All that sort of stuff."

[bensonmum2 · 7/10 · 9 October 2005]

In 1872, Dracula was finally put to rest by Professor Van Helsing. One hundred years later, a group of young people thinks it might be good for a few laughs to perform a Black Mass. Unknown to them, a member of their group is a decedent of one of Dracula's disciples who has been waiting for this opportunity to bring Dracula back from the dead. Alive in modern day London, Dracula now seeks revenge against the Van Helsing family and plans to get that revenge by making Jessica Van Helsing one of his kind.

Take a look around the internet and you'll notice that on almost every list of favorite Hammer vampire films, Dracula A.D. 1972 is at or near the bottom. I don't get it. I actually had a bit of fun with this one. The scenes of the Black Mass were sufficiently creepy, much of the hip 70s music and vibe were infectious, Stephanie Beacham made a great heroine as Jessica Van Helsing, Christopher Neame was perfectly cast as Dracula's disciple Johnny Alucard, and the final showdown between Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing is one of the better match-ups they had in these roles. I enjoyed it so much that I have no problem placing Dracula A.D. 1972 among my three favorite of Hammer's Dracula films.

It just goes to prove that while recommendations on the internet can be useful, taking a chance on a movie with a less than stellar reputation can sometimes payoff.

Dracula gets funky!

[Boba_Fett1138 · 7/10 · 20 September 2012]

Modern horror movies love to place classic horror icons and characters in modern times and people love to hate modern horror movies for that! However, it really isn't something that's new, as this 1972 movie clearly demonstrates. It take the classic Hammer Dracula character and puts him into a 'modern' 1972 setting, no doubt also in an attempt to modernize and update the Dracula series, hoping this would boost the franchise again. It didn't really worked out though, since its one of the final Dracula movies from the Hammer studios but in all truth and honesty; I still quite liked it!

Lets face it, all of the older Dracula movies set in more classic settings were starting to get extremely repetitive. All of the movies were being more or less the same, with very little variety to them. And while in essence this movie is also really being the same as any other classic Dracula movie story-wise, it still manages to feel like a breath of fresh air, due to its difference in style and settings.

It definitely feels like a more modern movie, though of course in today's light, it still is a very outdated movie. It's really a product of its time, with some funky '70's clothing, music and type of characters.

You could complain about it that this movie doesn't have enough vampire action in it, since this is definitely true but in all honesty, the same can be said for a lot of Dracula movies, also those from the Hammer studios. Blame Christopher Lee for that, since he was the one who was done with the character pretty early on already but agreed to still appear in Dracula movies as the count, probably just because it was quick, good money for him. But he always made sure his role was being as limited as possible and also his dialog always needed to be cut down to a minimum. But how can you be mad at Christopher Lee for that? after all, he's still an awesome and very charismatic Dracula, in every movie in which he plays the character.

Also good news about this movie is that Peter Cushing returns in it, as professor Van Helsing. Or well, a decedent of him of course. It had been 12 years and 5 Dracula movies ago he starred opposite Christopher Lee. And he was truly missed in the 4 Dracula movies which that he didn't appeared in. Not just because he was a great actor but also really since he has just as much screen-presence and charisma as Lee and was capable of counterbalancing him. All of the Dracula movies without him basically lack a good and strong enough lead, that besides was being a memorable and likable enough character.

You could argue about it if it truly adds something that this movie got set in 1972, since Dracula himself doesn't even ever get outside I believe but it does bring some originality and more creativity to the series, while still maintaining a good and typical Hammer studios horror style to it.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Play that funky music, undead boy...

[Hey_Sweden · 6/10 · 6 October 2013]

This attempt by Hammer to keep their Dracula franchise going is amusing, to say the least: they bring him hissing and biting into the 20th century, as a modern day disciple of the count resurrects him. Dracula then becomes a man on a mission, determined to get his revenge on the current generation(s) of Van Helsings. Once again played by Sir Christopher Lee, Drac sets his sights on Jessica (Stephanie Beacham), the comely granddaughter of an occult expert, played with his usual sophistication and sincerity by Peter Cushing.

The potential to see an old fashioned sort of character way out of his element in the swinging London of the early 1970s is wasted, as Dracula never leaves an abandoned church (not on screen, anyway). A little of Drac does go a long way, even though fans of Sir Christopher might wish he were given a little more to do. The focus of this sequel is on the other characters, and there's so much talk / exposition going on that it robs the film of some effectiveness; there's just not that much horror. (There is, of course, the requisite neck biting, and a rather bloody occult ceremony that is the highlight of the film.) The disco style music is priceless at times, giving the proceedings a very humorous quality.

Cushing, not surprisingly, makes all the difference with his performance. He could say just about anything and you'd buy into it. Still, the supporting cast is good, especially Christopher Neame as the intense Johnny Alucard (*that's* a pretty clumsy clue), Michael Coles as the naturally skeptical police inspector, Marsha A. Hunt as Gaynor, and luscious Caroline Munro as Laura, a regrettably minor part.

Director Alan Gibson is no Terence Fisher, but he does an acceptable job in what is mostly an average shocker for its time, mostly worth recommending to devotees of the cast and genre. It does manage to deliver a solidly entertaining finale.

Six out of 10.

Tell Us About The Blood, Johnny!

[crockettuk · 1 February 2004]

I don't understand why people constantly put-down this movie (and its sequel Satanic Rites Of Dracula) They're both great fun and much more enjoyable than the stodgy Taste The Blood Of Dracula (in fact Satanic in my opinion is the best of the whole Hammer Dracula cycle in my opinion!)

I've noticed lots of people pointing to the 7O's factor as feeling very dated- (well, what else were people supposed to be playing in 1972- 90's techno music?) I quite enjoyed Stoneground's little performance and to knock the soundtrack by Michael Vickers is unfair as it is constantly enjoyable and funky to listen to. Add the ever-reliable Peter Cushing and a Christopher Lee who DOESN'T look like he's going through the motions (even if he had doubts about doing the movie) and a well-off-the-wall- but enjoyable nevertheless performance by Christopher Neame as Johnny Alucard and you get a lovely slice of 70's horror nostalgia! And I'm sorry anybody with a spirit of fun about them has got to love a movie with lines like "Tell us about the blood, Johnny!" By the way I noticed a previous reviewer was confused by the beginning of the movie and whether Christopher Neame was a descendant of the character in the 1880 prologue- well of course he was! I thought that was made clear.... (by the way, interesting note of trivia, Mr Neame claims that when he was bit by Christopher Lee in the movie he did indeed become a full-fledged initiated vampire- he even lists it on his CV as a proud fact! See the Flesh and Blood Hammer Documentary for the full story.....)

Oh, yeah! Sock it to me, Dracula!

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 7/10 · 12 July 2009]

One thing in life that I always enjoyed in my childhood was me and my mom watching the old Hammer Dracula films, they were always a blast to watch how Dracula would get himself back out of the coffin once again for the next sequel. I was able to find a DVD set with 4 Hammer Dracula movies which included one that I hadn't seen: Dracula AD 1972. I didn't even hesitate to buy the DVD and watch Dracula AD 1972 first thing when I got home. I know that these movies are technically bad and very silly, but still I enjoy watching them, Christopher Lee as Dracula in the 70's, you can't go wrong. Although I thought it would have been funnier if he went out into the city to see how people would react to him dressed in that same outfit, just watch the movie Love At First Bite, that's a great example of Dracula existing in a modern world and is absolutely hilarious. I think this movie was mainly made though because of the small success that was Count Yorga, another 1970's vampire movie that is pretty good, they wanted to ride the same roller coaster and see where they could take Dracula next.

In1872, Count Dracula and his enemy Lawrence Van Helsing battle on the top of a runaway coach. It crashes and Dracula is impaled by one of the wheels. Van Helsing dies from his wounds. One hundred years later, we are introduced to a group of young hippies that includes Jessica Van Helsing, granddaughter of Van Helsing, a descendant of Dracula's old nemesis and an expert on the occult, and Johnny Alucard, who is a disciple of Dracula. Alucard persuades Jessica and the others to attend a black magic ceremony in the now abandoned, desecrated St Bartolph's, where he performs a bloody ritual involving one of their group, Laura. Jessica and the others flee in horror, after which Dracula is resurrected and kills Laura. Laura's body is discovered, drained of blood, and a police investigation begins, headed by an Inspector Murray. Van Helsing, who is shocked to learn the details of Laura's death. Alucard is turned into a vampire. The vampire Alucard lures Jessica's boyfriend, Bob, and he turns him into a vampire as well. While Lorrimer is out, Bob goes to the Van Helsing house and persuades Jessica to come to the café, where he and Alucard capture her and take her to Dracula, dun dun dun! Dracula in the 70's man, how groovy.

Dracula AD 1972 isn't a bad movie, it did make me laugh quite a few times, to think that this is what my parents were like in the 1970's is just disturbing, lol. But the script was such a blast to be displayed on the screen. You got very pretty actors including the gorgeous Caroline Munro, who is very under rated and Christopher Neame who I swear is Malcolm McDoweell's under appreciated brother because all those looks that Chris gave to the camera I think was inspired by A Clockwork Orange. Over all if you are into the old Hammer Dracula films, this is definitely worth the look. Even if you're not, I think this is a fun little time capsule to see how scary the 1970's were in the fashion world and how they spoke, what was so "groovy, man". Sock it to me, Dracky, baby! I had a good time watching Dracula AD 1972.

7/10

"Dig The Music, Kids!"

[Prichards12345 · 6/10 · 6 May 2010]

I have to admit that the above dialogue, screamed out by Johnny Alucard during the Satanic ceremony, is my all-time favourite bad line. The music in question is a sort of cacophony of sound a-la the BBC's electronic workshop. Perhaps the script writer intended Led Zeppelin to be played, or Bing Crosby. But either way they wouldn't have been as unintentionally funny as this.

Get with it Daddyos! This is one of the all time stinkers in Galactic History and fantastically enjoyable for all that. It has Dracula (Christopher "I'm not Dracula" Lee) brought back to life in 1972, although as he never leaves the Church where he's resurrected it might as well have been 2972, and fighting his old nemesis Peter Cushing's Lorrimer Van Helsing. Not the one from 1872 but his great grandson, though they both look like Peter Cushing to me. The 1872 version has longer sideburns. Nameing the new Van after a Leeds United midfielder was a cunning move, if you ask me.

We also have the gorgeous Stephanie Beacham as Van Helsing's grand-daughter. Even Da Cush can't keep his hands off her boobs when he puts her to bed. The really up to date Chelsea set of teens (who all look about 35, including a Richard O'Sullivan clone in a monk's habit who deserves a slow and painful death), obviously stepped into Dr. Who's Tardis in 1962 with tickets for the Jazz festival intact and arrived in the trendy 70s.

See also Ed Woodian groovy dialogue "It was a tired scene, Joe." "A Black Mass? Well, really!" "You know what Laura's like when she's smashed," Whoa - drug reference - right on, kids! The hilarious Satanic ceremony in which Drac is resurrected, Lee looking like he wants to disembowel his agent, has it's fair share of terrible dialogue "By the six thousand terrors of Hell" - Or was it seven thousand. Damn can never remember! And there's more! Cushing dispatching Johnny Alucard with running water, ie, turning the shower on, and walking past West Ham Graffito (I'm sure Stoker would have approved of this) on his way to confront Dracula who has kidnapped his Grand-daughter. We also get The London Steak House in the credits, very suitable for a Gothic atmosphere and some refugees from The Sweeney cops, with their rather own brand of special dialogue. I leave you to discover it for yourselves. There's also a band in it called Stoneground, a sort of knock off T-Rex with female backing vocalists. I assume the singer's mum actually bought their records...

Dracula '72 is the sort of film made by 50-year-olds for a teenage audience and getting it spectacularly wrong in every respect. That's why it's so enjoyable! Cushing and Lee admirably play it absolutely straight. It's a wild ride, Joe, and you betta get off here if ya can't dig the scene, man!

The blood of the hippies is filled with drugs which proved detrimental to the Count. At least they cud have changed the Count's attire in sync with the modern times.

[Fella_shibby · 4/10 · 25 September 2020]

I first saw this in the mid 90s on a vhs. Revisited it recently. This is the seventh installment in the Hammer's Dracula series and the sixth to star Christopher Lee as Dracula. Peter Cushing returns as Van Helsing for the second time after a long hiatus.

This time Dracula is brought back to life in modern London and preys on a group of young partygoers that includes the descendant of his nemesis, Van Helsing. So fans like me r disappointed cos ther is no castle, no chariots, no foggy village n forests.

The opening sequence of this movie completely contradicts with the ending of the previous one and so this is not a continuation but a standalone film. It contradicts many other aspects too from the series. I cant even say sit back n enjoy cos this one is a major disappointment with a haywired screenplay. We dont get to see the cleavage of the hot babe Caroline Munro from Sindbad but of Stephanie Beacham, which is also good.

Too many bad moments : In 1872 after Dracula's death, a follower of Dracula collects Dracula's remains and buries them near Van Helsing's grave. First, why wud he do that? Now in 1972, another follower of Dracula who resembles the earlier follower, somehow is able to revive Dracula by jus removing the stake. Man, how is it possible for the stake to be there on the grave intact aftr 100 years. No other people were buried? No change of land or mud filling? And more importantly, when the old follower buried Dracula's ashes, he never kept any stake or there weren't any on the Count's grave. From wher did the new disciple got the ashes n the ring aft hundred years? And why did the earlier follower of Dracula put the ashes inside the grave?

Amusing for sure, although the story's too predictable

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 13 February 2018]

DRACULA A.D. 1972 is the sixth and penultimate instalment of Hammer's long-running DRACULA saga. The writers had the clever idea to update the setting to the then-modern day to bring it in line with contemporary American vampire flicks including THE NIGHT STALKER, BLACULA, and COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE. As such, it's a film which goes all-out in depictions of early 1970s culture, with lots of hip, happening dialogue, extended party and music scenes, and couples making out. Although there's the requisite bloodshed and gruesomeness, the most outrageous thing you'll see here are the fashions.

Things begin with an excellent pre-credits action scene in which Lee's Count is staked in a novel way, before that clever-clever segue to the plane overhead which is second only to the famous 'bone' scene in 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. From this point on, Christopher Neame's sinister Johnny Alucard helps the Count get resurrected in a de-consecrated church and then feeds him a string of victims before Van Helsing's descendant steps in. The only real problem I have with this film is the way the plot seems over-simplified and dragged out. Other than the modern setting, it's the same old story told again. Christopher Lee has very little screen time and little to work with, although Peter Cushing is a master at depicting steely resolve and comes across well. Stephanie Beacham makes for an arresting damsel in distress, just as she did in ...AND NOW THE SCREAMING STARTS, and the likes of Caroline Munro, Michael Coles, and Michael Kitchen are all utilised well in their smaller parts. Due to the slow-moving scenes earlier on, the climax gets a little rushed, but overall this remains watchable, although not great. Hammer would end the series on a high with the superior, thriller-y SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA made the following year.

One of the weakest Hammer Dracula films and lesser Hammer overall- not that bad though...

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 21 June 2015]

The Hammer Dracula series was mostly solid and entertaining, but the last three films were disappointing and three of Hammer's lesser efforts. Dracula A.D. 1972 has often been considered the worst of the Hammer Dracula films, for me it is one of the weakest along with Satanic Rites but by no means unwatchable.

Starting with what's good, the best assets are Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. Cushing brings real dignity and class here to a character that ranks with his best, his dialogue is often absolutely terrible but he remarkably delivers it with much conviction and seriousness(without being overly so). Lee has very little screen time and even little dialogue but is a towering presence and the embodiment of evil. The cast generally actually are decent, with the most memorable being Christopher Neame, he overacts at times and does seem to be trying too hard at times to channel Malcolm McDowell in A Clockwork Orange but he is incredibly charismatic, very sinister and is so much fun to watch. There are three good scenes, the genuinely exciting opening coach fight which features one of Dracula's most memorable demises of the series, Dracula's resurrection which is one of the series' most imaginative and the tense and entertaining ending which is one of the series' better and more plausible ones. The photography is incredibly stylish and the lighting has a lot of vibrancy and atmosphere.

However, Dracula A.D. 1972's biggest problem is that it is very dated(especially in the production values, script and music), a term I try to avoid using but I do feel that it applies here. And this is not just by today's standards, it was dated back in 1972 as well. The sets are really lacking in atmosphere and are quite tacky and gaudy in colour, a cheaper version of Austin Powers. The very 1970s costumes and hair-styles are pretty much the same. The script is howlingly bad, Cushing has the worst of the dialogue(some of which are endless explanations) but the howlers come from Alucard, and while it provides some unintentional entertainment at first it gets very tiresome soon after. The film even tries to incorporate some Dracula mythos, but does absolutely nothing with it, a decent idea wasted. The soundtrack dates the film terribly, not only does it sound incredibly cheesy but it is always incongruous with what is going on, with tense scenes almost completely ruined by inappropriately 'groovy' music.

The story has its moments, but does drag badly and was in serious need of more suspense, mystery, excitement and tension. It is especially bad in the party scene, which goes on forever and serves no point to the story at all, instead showing off an exhausting display 1970s fashions and behaviour at its worst, complete with the most unconvincingly played hippies for any film. The direction is often far too languid, the characters are not really all that interesting or engaging(with the most important characters being severely under-utilised, Dracula and Van Helsing's rivalry is so much more interesting than everything else in this film, why not show more of it?) and while most of the acting from the main players is decent, Caroline Munro is mesmerising to watch but is wasted by being killed off too soon, Stephanie Beacham is sexy but quite vapid and the acting for the hippies is mostly terrible.

All in all, not unwatchable but one of the weakest of the Hammer Dracula series and lesser Hammer overall. 5/10 Bethany Cox

A ripping vampire yarn and that's about it

[RomanJamesHoffman · 6/10 · 3 January 2015]

In the late 1950s Hammer Films revolutionised horror with the likes of 'The Curse of Frankenstein' (1957) and 'Dracula' (1958) which, for the time, pushed boundaries in terms of gore (not least through the knowledgeable use of colour film) and eroticism. They were commercial and critical successes that resurrected a dead genre (pun intended) and opened the door for a boom in horror movies equivalent to that in the 1930s.

However, cut to the beginning of the 1970s and society itself had gone from Black and White to Technicolour due to the flowering of the counter-culture which saw all social institutions subject to intense criticism or outright attack and in horror we had seen the all-out assault of George A. Romero's 'Night of the Living Dead' (1968). As a result, recognising that quaint Vampire movies from England just don't get the scares they used to, Hammer tried to change things up. One thing they tried was ditching the subtle but potent eroticism for simply showing more tits and having the women engage in lesbianism. Another, more respectable, thing was to attempt to update the vampire story to make it more relevant to a modern audience. And from this comes 'Dracula AD 1972'.

The plot is basically the same as any other of the Dracula sequels that came in the wake of 'Dracula' (1958): the count, dead since his last encounter with Van Helsing is brought back by a dutiful underling and seeks revenge. The film begins with an impressive period piece prologue showing Dracula's staking a hundred years ago and then, panning up, a plane screeches across the sky announcing the updated setting. The film then cuts to an amusing scene where a group of young hip cats (led by the charismatic and aloof Johnny Alucard) have gate-crashed a party and are "terrorising" the owners in the most limp and middle-class way. Later on they talk of where the next far out thrill will come from when Johnny suggests a black mass. They all attend for kicks but get freaked out when Johnny seems to take it too seriously and wants Jessica (family name Van Helsing) played by Stephanie Beacham, to get involved. She declines but the Prince of Darkness is summoned with the aid of another girl and, awakened to the twentieth century, Dracula is out for revenge.

The film has been criticised by many as a failed attempt to desperately breathe life into the franchise, and while that charge can't be escaped, the conceit of the film to update Dracula is not a bad one. If anything, the failing of the film is that it didn't go far enough in its updating and still feels like the reserved period pieces which came before just in funky threads and platforms. What's more, director Alan Gibson (who would direct the next attempt to update Dracula with the much worse 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula') is no Terence Fisher and lacks the directorial subtleties which distinguish the earlier features. Still, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee are sheer class, as always, and raise the film up a notch or two.

All told, it's a decent attempt, with some good moments, and manages to be fun ride. However, considering that 'The Exorcist' was around the corner, it's no surprise poor old Dracula couldn't cut it. Which is sad.

"Come on love, it's only a giggle."

[classicsoncall · 5/10 · 28 December 2016]

Without the opening half hour or so, this is almost an okay Hammer flick. But oh my, what's with Stoneground and their hip rendition of 'Alligator Man'? That party scene was just ludicrous, as described by one of the blonde party goers who stated "It's all rather a bore".

But then things got moving with the black mass satanic rites that brought forth Count Dracula from his century old dirt nap. The blood and ashes bit was pretty interesting, as well as all the new vampire lore introduced in the story, like the silver blade business and running water as a vampire killing strategy. And let's face it, Stephanie Beacham was absolutely stunning as the target of Christopher Lee's vampire revenge spanning the past hundred years.

So with Johnny Alucard (Christopher Neame) demanding the power of immortality from the resurrected Master, I'm surprised Dracula didn't turn the faucet on him himself. This 'Bacchanal with Beelzebub' ended on a high note though; after getting the holy water treatment from Van Helsing (Peter Cushing), the screen writers opted for a neat switcheroo - instead of a stake through the heart, Dracula had his heart put through a stake. I think Jessica van Helsing (Beacham) had it right when she mentioned early in the picture - "The operative word is 'yuck'."

Time has been kind....

[futes2-1 · 8/10 · 21 September 2007]

Where to begin?? Well, going against the grain, I actually enjoy this film a great deal and have watched it several times. Not because it's a great film by any means, but just because there is something hugely enjoyable about it. It starts off well with the closing sequence of a film that was never made but which could, at a stretch, be perceived as related to 'Taste the Blood of Dracula'. The Count and Van Helsing are caught in a death struggle atop a horse drawn coach hurtling through Hyde Park. We know that the Count ended up in England during Taste the Blood so it seems fitting that he has somehow been revived, headed for London, and come to the attention of his arch nemesis Van Helsing. Indeed, I would have liked to have seen the movie that I imagine this sequence to have come from. A disciple of the Count gathers up some of his remains and artifacts, proceeding to bury them just outside the walls of the graveyard where Van Helsing has just been interred. Their fate is sealed; somehow they will meet again!!!

OK, so it's pretty much down hill from there, but it's not an irreversible slope; there are still some decent moments to come. I find it quite interesting that Dracula remains in the old church, caught in a kind of time warp, almost oblivious to the strange new world outside. Also caught in a time warp are the group of young people on whom the majority of the story focuses; they seem already anachronistic in 1972, some of their references seeming around ten years out of date. Nonetheless they serve their purpose, which is slightly more evident in the recent DVD release that includes several scenes missing from other versions.

As usual the finished product differs from the original outline. For example there were plans to reveal that Dracula is, in fact, the Devil. An unfilmed piece of dialogue involved Dracula explaining his status to Johnny Alucard; 'I was always here… Always… since the dawn of time. Since the rebel angels descended into hell. Since darkness followed light… I am Dracula, Lord of Darkness, Master of the Walking Dead! I am the Curse, the Apollyon, Angel of the Destroying Furies! I am the Apocalypse!'. Interesting because this film is often decried in comparison to those being produced in America within the next couple of years, most notably 'The Exorcist'. Yet here were Hammer thinking of bringing Old Nick into the mix in 1972! Such lines were apparently dropped at Christopher Lee's insistence due to the extent to which they removed the character from Stoker's original concept, but aspects of this speech, or at least certain implications, are evident in the concluding stages of 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula'. The vampire had been pretty successfully integrated into modern times by American film makers, the most notable examples being 'Count Yorga, Vampire', the excellent 1972 TV movie 'The Night Stalker' (pilot for the old TV show) and a couple of years later the much maligned, but actually pretty good, 'Blacula'. But unlike these films, Hammer were agents of change in a different way; moving from Victorian Gothic romances to which movie goers had become accustomed over the past 14 years to an environment in which the loss of the Gothic could result in the loss of the audience, consequently the ruined and neglected St. Bartolph's church successfully represents the death of the old and its imminent demolition suggests that there's no going back, which, indeed, for Hammer, there really was not.

There is much to enjoy in this film; Lee and Cushing are, of course excellent, and some of the supporting players acquit themselves well. But now, I guess, one of its most appealing features is the sense of nostalgia it induces… it just seems like simple, harmless fun now.

More hip than horror

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 13 March 2014]

England's Hammer Studios did 9 Dracula or vampire films from 1958-1974:

1. Horror of Dracula (1958); 2. Brides of Dracula (1960); 3. Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1966); 4. Dracula has Risen from the Grave (1968); 5. Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970); 6. Scars of Dracula (1970); 7. Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972); 8. The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973); and 9. The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974).

Christopher Lee plays the Count in all but "The Brides of Dracula" and "The Legend 7 Golden Vampires." Peter Cushing also stars in four entries as Van Helsing.

By the time of the seventh film the creative well was apparently running dry and Hammer decided to spice up the series by bringing the Count to present-day London (1972, of course), which was Hammer's response to other successful vampire films at the time taking place in the modern day, such as "The Night Stalker," "Blacula" and "Count Yorga." The story revolves around a group of hip counter-culture youths performing a black mass in an abandoned church for kicks (although the ringleader takes it serious) and they revive the blood-sucking prince of darkness. Havok ensues.

Peter Cushing appears as Van Helsing's descendant. Christopher Neame plays the nutjob who performs the black mass with utter relish. Also on hand are the stunning beauties Stephanie Beacham and Caroline Munro. Stephanie plays Van Helsing's daughter and Caroline has a small but significant role. There are a couple of other early-70s hippie babes as well.

The first half of the film borrows heavily from the previous "Taste the Blood of Dracula" in that the Count is resurrected in roughly the same manner, although "Taste" is more effective. Which isn't to say that "Dracula A.D. 1972" isn't a decent entry in the series, albeit bizarre. The main problem with the film is that the story doesn't seem to know what to do once Dracula is resurrected. For instance, Cushing's final battle with the Count is fairly lame for various reasons (I don't want to give anything away), not to mention Lee only appears for about 10 minute in the entire film, which is usual for the series, of course.

Another problem is the score. It screams "early 70s" in a bad way, but doesn't mesh with what is essentially a serious horror flick. Of course some would cite that as part of its charm. I said "serious horror flick, by the way, because this is not a goofy or campy flick despite the colorful hippie elements and lousy score.

What works best is that it's a great period piece. You'll get a groovy glimpse of England's counter-culture, including the hippie girls and a live performance by the band Stoneground (who didn't go anywhere beyond this movie, likely because their sound & style was already passe by 1972). So, the first half is fun and compelling, whereas the second half just sort of goes through the motions and peters out.

BOTTOM LINE: "Dracula A.D. 1972" is hard to rate because, despite the mediocre-ness of the story's second half, the film is a fun experience with numerous highlights. Hence, as a Dracula story I give it a C+, but for entertainment value I give it a solid B or B+.

The film runs 96 minutes and was shot in England.

GRADE: B-

great stuff with a seventies psychedelic twist

[michellelocke007 · 5/10 · 29 October 2010]

bought a four movie pack dedicated to the great era of hammer studios release of classic Dracula movies starring the now legendary duo of christopher lee in his trademark role as count Dracula and peter cushing as van helsing. in this particular take, Dracula is resurrected from the grave by a group of hippie shaking youths looking for a little excitement in their lives. but it's a price far too great to pay upon Dracula's rising and the havoc he wreaks on those around him. it is now up to van helsing to stop him before time runs out. christopher lee is synonymous with this role and is superb in how he portrays the count with his towering height, dark and menacing eyes, and little dialogue to boot. in classic style, van helsing always manages to bring Dracula down with holy water, a stake through the heart or a good old religious cross or bible. i like how creative the script writers get with Dracula's death and how he always get resurrected and comes back for a blood-sucking good time usually at some poor damsels's expense. a great slice of horror nostalgia that people should check out.

Good fun, but not up to scratch.

[FoxRyan · 29 January 2003]

An interesting entry into the series, but really, I feel there was still life in the 19th Century time frame. Bringing Dracula to the 70s was, I think a mistake. Christopher Lee seems to be mostly forgotten and never gets the opportunity to get out and do what he does best. He remains in an old disused church for the whole film and only has a few decent scenes. We have Peter Cushing here, of course, playing an excellent part as Van Helsing, which somewhat saves the film. Decent portrayals by Lee, Cushing, Beacham, Munroe and Neame are worth watching. The 2 best things about this movie are , 1, the opening. Hyde Park, and Dracula and Van Helsing and racing through on a horse drawn carriage battling it out. The carriage crashes and they are both thrown. Van Helsing recieving fatal wounds and Dracula impaled on a broken wheel. Pretty good stuff, although not enough lighting was used so the carriage top battle and following events are rather hard to see. 2, the finale. As Van Helsing plans to destroy Dracula he drives a silver bladed knife through the Count's heart, only to be removed by his Granddaughter Jessica. Van Helsing then lures Dracula out to his death. The first few moments between Lee and Cushing in this final battle are classic, and for the first time in the series history, the 2 main characters speak to each other. The film is worth a look, if you`re a fan of modern horror then Lee and Cushing will seem a little lost, but if you`re a fan of the old Hammer Dracula films, take a look, with the beginning and the end, you just might like it.

Dracula in the Twentieth Century

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 5 September 2017]

In the Nineteenth Century, Professor Lawrence Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) vanquishes, destroys Count Dracula (Christopher Lee) and dies. A rider keeps Dracula's dust in a vessel and his ring. In the present days (1972), in London, the mysterious rebel Johnny Alucard (Christopher Neame) that worships Dracula lures his friends, including Jessica Van Helsing (Stephanie Beacham), and resurrects the vampire. Dracula plans to destroy Professor Abraham Van Helsing and his granddaughter Jessica to take revenge on their ancestor Van Helsing.

"Dracula A.D. 1972" is the seventh and the weakest Hammer's film of the famous vampire. Anyway, it is an entertaining with Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and the gorgeous Stephanie Beacham in the lead roles. Further, this film is dated and nostalgic in 2017 when compared with the other Hammer films. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Drácula no Mundo da Minissaia" ("Dracula in the World of the Miniskirt")

Dracula meets modern day London - with great results!

[The_Void · 7/10 · 11 April 2005]

For the sixth film in the hugely popular Dracula series, Hammer have opted to keep the story seen in the other five films relatively similar to usual - i.e. Dracula gets resurrected, goes on the rampage and then gets defeated again, but this time the action has been moved away from the staple Gothic settings of the earlier films and into a more contemporary setting - namely, swinging 70's London! The problem with Hammer's Dracula series is that they're all a bit similar, so this new setting has injected some much needed new blood into the series, and while this effort is patchy and more than a little messy - on the whole I rate this as one of the best of the series and a huge treat for Hammer fans! This entry in the series is also notable for the fact that the two main stars of the original are together again in a Dracula film for the first time since then. Seeing Christopher Lee as Dracula is always a treat, but it's even more so when you've got Peter Cushing as Van Helsing in the same movie!

As the story has been brought forward a few centuries, Cushing now stars as a descendant of his original character while Lee still takes up the role of the immortal count. Both of these great actors do their usual thing, and it's great to see two men enjoying their craft. As usual, Lee doesn't get all that much screen time; but every moment he's on screen is excellent, and many of the Dracula scenes in this movie are among the best of the series. Keeping in with their usual thing, the majority of the cast is made up of unknowns; but this time there's a big stand out - Christopher Neame in the role of Dracula's disciple; Johnny Alucard (Dracula spelt backwards!). Neame is gloriously over the top and his performance is another delight in this already delightful movie. The ending is a little bit disappointing, as it's all over so quickly but it hardly matters by the end as for the last ninety minutes you've been watching one of the most camp and outrageous horror films that Hammer ever produced. Don't listen to the negative vibes surrounding this movie - if you're a Hammer fan, you'll be right at home.

A misjudged mess.

[hitchcockthelegend · 4/10 · 3 September 2017]

Good grief! Hammer Horror Films were very much in a flux come 1972, so in a bold (yet ultimately ill conceived) attempt to move with the times and grasp a new audience, they turned to old faithful to resurrect their hopes - Count Dracula. Pic starts with an exciting prologue in 1872, where we see Dracula (Christopher Lee) and Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) battling to the death. We witness Drac's ashes buried near to the grave of Helsing, and then it's fast forward to 1972...

It must have seemed like a good idea at the time - letting loose one of the most iconic monsters in movie history in contemporary London - but it never works, lacking horror vibrancy and very much coming off as a pastiche of former glory. A rather excellent resurrection section of film aside, pic is just too quirky and kitsch for its own good, more laughable than anything remotely scary.

Other major problems hurt the possibility of enjoying it on some sort of parodic level. Dracula never actually does much, confined to a small location (again!), so not really tearing up contemporary London as it happens, while the 1972 "youths" who form the core of the narrative are actually out of date themselves! Something further compounded by the quite dreadful musical score, which should have been confined in a locked safe a decade earlier. Some of the more notable Hammer touches try to battle there way through the murk, but it's a losing battle, the company's visual identity lost amongst a daft script and cartoonish direction.

It has fans, and viewing it now some decades later one can at least embrace it with a modicum of endearment, but it's a poor pic and signals the start of a sad era for a great production company. 4/10

swinging London with bloodsuckers

[sinennaa · 7/10 · 9 May 2006]

An attempt to corner a new market by Hammer. Starts promisingly with references to London and a generation clash as the central characters disrupt a cheese and wine evening . Looked on by their horrified elders they cause mayhem with their new music and wacky clothing which now look all dated and laughable. The resurrection of Dracula is th most impressive part of the film and has been reused regularly in stills footage. The modern settings leave scriptwriters uncertain where to progress next and a desperate Van Helsing searching for his niece is wasted in poor lighting & lack of dialogue. Take the opportunity to enjoy 70s interior decor throughout much of the film. The finale is worth watching alone. Colour's a bit garish but seeing Cushing recite a piece of melancholic Latin is a pleasure we never saw enough of. Watch beginning and end, don't bother with the middle & start your own satanic cult from the black mass scenes. Sects have done that.

A decent comedy--too bad it was intended to be a drama!!

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 17 January 2008]

The idea of bringing Dracula to contemporary times isn't bad--after all, it might revive the series a bit by injecting a new story element into a series that Hammer has all but exhausted in a long series of generally excellent movies. However, because the present day turned out to be the crappy early 1970s, the results were pretty silly and looked more like LOVE AT FIRST BITE (a deliberate comedy). Seeing Christopher Lee in a film filled with 70s hip lingo and electric guitar chords and laughable rock music just seemed beyond stupid. To make matters worse, the acting is much more over-the-top here--with an intense and silly performance by "Johnny Alucard". I also thought it was really funny that it took Van Helsing's grandson to notice that "Alucard" is "Dracula" spelled backwards--no one else figured this out for themselves! Wow, what cunning!!

So because so much of the movie was bad, why did it still earn an almost respectable score of 4? Well, when the story came to the expected showdown between Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) and Drac (Christopher Lee), it was exciting and ended very well. Additionally, and I know this will sound very sexist, but if I had to watch a bad film, at least Stephanie Beacham's character wore some really nice outfits that revealed her ample...."talents", so to speak. So at least it was a pretty film to watch.

By the way, the film ends with the phrase "may he rest in FINAL peace" at the end, though this was not the final Hammer Dracula film with Lee. He returned for "The Satanic Rites of Dracula" just a short time later and it was in many ways even worse than this dud of a monster film.

"Like, DIG Those Crazy Chompers, Man!"

[cchase · 7/10 · 5 December 2008]

It had to happen sooner or later. A surprisingly anemic Hammer knew that it had to shake some of the dust off the period-piece horror that was their specialty, and "get with the groove" of the times if they expected to get the kids' dollars at the box office and their butts in the seats. So, lepers and ghouls, I give you their initial effort to do just that: "DRACULA - A.D. 1972". And man, it's a gas, gas, gas!

I mean like, DIG that prologue! I am so rusty on my Hammer filmography, that I don't remember if the opening sequence is from a previous pic or if it was staged especially for this movie. It doesn't matter, because it's definitely one of the best choreographed fights that titans of terror Lee and Cushing have had before.

Their struggle atop a moving coach ends with a spectacular crash and our favorite Count being spiked with a broken wheel. The mortally wounded Van Helsing lives just long enough to send Ol' Famous Fangs back to Hell, but unfortunately a mysterious acolyte of the King of Capes is right there to collect Drac's ring and his remains, and deposit them in a nice desanctified corner of the same church where Van Helsing's funeral takes place.

Fast-forward about a hundred years later, to a "happening" at somebody's posh digs. Okay, so it looks like outtakes from Russ Meyer's BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS without the boobalicious babes in that all-girl band, but it's kinda fun anyway...in a very retro-'70's kind of way. The gang's all here being all mod and irreverent and defiant of snotty rich society, while a band called "Stoneground" plays some really bad pseudo-Grateful Dead tunes.

The leader of these groovalicious "Merry Prankster"-wannabes is a creepy-looking cat named Johnny (an impossibly young Christopher Neame) who sort of hangs back and surveys the scene coolly, like the young gay son of Riff Raff from THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. (Wait! Is that redundant? No, that's right, Riff was actually into incest! Never mind!) He just so happens to be the descendant of the "servant" who reburied the Count way back when.

Anyway, to skip over the plodding details, Johnny (whose last name is "Alucard", BTW - Stop rolling your eyes! You keep doing that and they'll stay that way! Didn't your mother tell you that???) persuades his fine, "Frouging" friends to split this tired scene and trade it up for something a little more "wild" - like a Black Mass, to be exact.

Now is probably the best time to mention that two of the "birds" in this group just happen to be Jessica Van Helsing, (an even more impossibly young Stephanie Beacham from the Hammer and Amicus Repertory Companies) the granddaughter of present-day vamp-staker Laurence, and the comely Laura (Horror-Queen-In-Training Caroline Munro) who is "up for anything," (unfortunately for her.)

As corny and clichéd as everything is leading up to it, the staging of the ritual does manage to raise a few goosebumps, and of course there's the Grand Entrance of the Bard of Bloodsucking himself, (even though it doesn't happen until about a third of the way through the movie.)

I've read in other reviews about how embarrassed Lee and Cushing looked or must've felt doing this picture, and I have to beg to differ. I thought they played their usual parts rather well, and both of them showed why they were much better actors than they were ever given credit for. Cushing could always deliver lines with a straight face that would make other actors want to giggle hysterically, vomit prodigiously, or have an ocean of drinks just to get through filming. But it's pretty evident here why John Carpenter wouldn't have minded having either of them in HALLOWEEN, in the role that eventually went to their colleague Donald Pleasence.

Well, from here it's mostly paint-by-numbers stuff. The descendant of Dracula's servant has revived "The Master", who plans on taking revenge on the Van Helsing clan by converting one of their own (Jessica) into his latest blushing, biting Bride. Oh, and here's a couple of new twists in the mix, though: Drac does become an equal-opportunity neck-nibbler in this one, since he does chow down on the nape of the lovely token black member of the hipster hangers-on, and even lunches near the larynx of Johnny A. himself! (And before you even say it, NO, I don't think the Count went "queer!" If you're gonna "buy him lunch," I don't think he was really particular about where the Type-O treats came from!)

If you know your Hammer, you know where this is going. Many characters you could give a crap about will die...and rise undead...and die again, until Van Helsing pops a cap...well, actually a stake...in Drac's ass and turns him back into the kind of stuff you find in an overstuffed vacuum cleaner bag, until the next sequel.

Only this time it's all done to a rockin' beat as provided by Michael Vickers, (sorry, I guess James Bernard was busy that week), who scores 1972 appropriately, like a cross between THE MOD SQUAD and THE AVENGERS.

So, Dracula A.D. 1972 is not quite vampire porn and not completely bloodsucker corn. But speaking of corn, it will go down easy with a tub of Pop Secret and a 2-liter Coke.

Just don't forget your tie-dyed tee shirt, Lava Lamp and a big ol' doobie.

So bad...yet so good.

[dr_foreman · 5/10 · 7 March 2007]

Is there really such a thing as movies that are "so-bad-they're good"? Usually, I'd answer no to that question; bad is bad, and good is good, and I prefer to watch stuff that's good. However, "Dracula A.D. 1972" might be the exception to my rule. It could very well be a one-star film that contains about three stars of entertainment value (at a generous estimate).

In case you didn't know, this is the sixth entry in Hammer Studios' Dracula series - but it's only the second Hammer film to feature both Christopher Lee as Dracula and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing. For that reason alone, this is mandatory viewing for horror fans - though it is a little depressing to see the two cult stars reunited in this somewhat lame vehicle, fourteen years after they made the legendary (and far superior) "Horror of Dracula" together.

Somehow, Lee always seems to get more press than Cushing, but in truth I've always preferred Cushing. Lee does nothing in these Dracula films but stalk around and look menacing; he speaks about 10 lines total in this particular movie, and never leaves his ruined church set. Cushing, meanwhile, gives his usual warm and endearing performance, and he basically carries the whole movie. He's class, whereas the rest of the production is decidedly crass.

The rest of the actors are a mixed bag. Christopher Neame is over-the-top and a little annoying as Dracula's henchman, though I guess he projects an appropriate aura of sleaziness. Stephanie Beacham does well with the thankless (as usual) role of Hammer heroine, and looks unbelievably hot in her standard-issue, low-cut Hammer gown. Caroline Munro is also lovely in this movie, though under-used; they should have let her become a vampire, right?

The plot is pretty routine. This movie was supposed to "update" the Dracula series, but the lord of the vampires ends up engaging in his usual shtick of biting young girls and hanging around in a cemetery, so this really feels like business-as-usual. Only in the seventh and final film in the series would Hammer make a serious effort to tinker with their Dracula formula.

So what's the final verdict? This is great, if you have a taste for camp. It's great, if you're in the mood for ineptitude. And Peter Cushing actually is great, as usual.

I'll end by quoting one of Dracula's lines in this movie. Toward the end, he says something to Van Helsing along the lines of: "You would pit your brains against mine? Against me, who has commanded nations?" This line always makes me smile, in light of what happens in the next five minutes of the movie. Watch it and you'll see what I mean...

Far better than it's made out to be

[GusF · 9/10 · 26 June 2014]

Considering that this is generally regarded as the worst of the Hammer "Dracula" films and one of the worst Hammer horror films, my hopes were not high. However, I bloody loved it. Yes, it may not be the cleverest or the deepest of the films and parts of it - most of the "modern" dialogue and Alucard's death scene particularly - are rather cringeworthy but it's outrageous fun! Other parts - such as the resurrection scene and the line "By the 6,000 terrors of Hell, I baptise thee!" - are just so wonderfully silly and bizarre that I couldn't help but love it. It's just so much fun. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are as excellent as ever and the film has a very strong supporting cast overall.

I criticised "Scars of Dracula" for being basically a hodge-podge of the best bits from the first five films. I think that Hammer might have realised that they'd tapped out the Gothic elements as regards the Dracula films and the series needed a change of pace by moving it into the present day. I wonder if that decision was inspired by "Escape from the Planet of the Apes" doing the same for its film series the previous year.

The kids of Chelsea are bored and will try anything for a new, wild ride.

[BA_Harrison · 7/10 · 4 March 2010]

Many Hammer fans berate this film as a desperate attempt to bring the Dracula myth up to date, thereby competing with the more explicit foreign horror that was drawing in the crowds at the time. I, however, have a hard time disliking it: the incredibly dated dialogue, garish style and funky soundtrack only serve to make the movie an irresistible addition to the series.

A young and very sexy Stephanie Beacham plays King's Road cutie Jessica, descendant of fearless 19th century vampire killer Professor Van Helsing (Peter Cushing), who died 100 years earlier battling the evil Count Dracula (Christopher Lee). After 'the Count' is revived once again, this time by black-magic-obsessed hippy Johnny Alucard (Christopher Neame), he sets about wreaking revenge on the Van Helsing family by first killing Jessica's groovy pals, and then attempting to make the poor girl his bride. Only Jessica's grandfather, Professor Van Helsing (Cushing again) understands what is going on, and tries to prevent the legendary vampire from carrying out his dastardly plan.

Opening with a painfully 'hip' party scene featuring crazy rock band Stoneground, AD 72 starts as it means to go on, by appealing primarily to the youth of the day, for whom way out music and crazy times were paramount. In an effort to be as trendy as possible, the creators of this one give us oodles of hilarious 70s slang ('Cool it!'; 'Call the fuzz'; 'Dig the music, lads') and loads of hideous fashion faux-pas (Beacham's barnet and Neame's wardrobe are particularly embarrassing). They also ensure that there are plenty of tasty birds for us geezers to enjoy: as well as buxom Beacham, we also get busty Hammer beauty Caroline Munro and foxy babe with an afro Marsha Hunt.

As if all that wasn't enough, the film's DOP is called Dick Bush (phnarr, phnarr!), and there is a hilarious scene in which Cushing's Van Helsing carefully transposes the letters in Johnny's surname to reveal 'Dracula' (they didn't make him a professor for nothing!).

Funny film, not scary

[spacemonkey_fg · 4/10 · 21 November 2005]

Title: Dracula A.D. 1972

Director: Alan Gibson

Cast: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Stephanie Beacham

Review: Sometimes movies can be time capsules that transport you back to any given time. In this case...our time capsule is Hammers Dracula A.D. 1972 which transports us back to a time in which Austin Powers would have felt right at home.

The story is about these group of kids (were not a gang! were a group!) that love to hang out at a café shop called "The Cavern". One day, Johnny Alucard (hmm strange last name...wait...it spells Dracula backwards!) a new member of the group offers the group a new way to get their kicks. He offers them a night of black mass and black magic. To which they also say "sure why the hell not, it could be fun!". So in no time flat, the find themselves resurrecting Count Dracula from the ashes.

This movie opens up with a swinging party at some rich doofuses home. He knows non of the people at his party, yet there they all are partying the night away in his house. Doing drugs, making out and dancing on top of tables. The filmmakers made sure that this sequence was completely engulfed in whatever young people considered cool at that time. Everyone says words like "way out" and "groovy" and they finish many of their sentences saying "all that jazz". So yeah, its pretty evident that this is the 70s. To top it all off, there's a band that sounds something like "Jefferson Airplane"...I mean you'll be drowned in all things 70s. And as I watched this I kept asking myself "how the heck is Dracula with his black cape and get up going to fit into all this?" And thats exactly what happens. Old Dracula feels out of place amidst all the partying and the rock and roll and drugs. Many of the scenes in the film are great....but sadly the music they decided to add to the proceedings doesn't fit at all and completely takes you out of the mood of things. Something horrifying or scary will be happening on screen and suddenly a bunch of loud trumpets and congos start to beat and your just completely taken out of the horror element. That sucked out the atmosphere right out of this movie for me.

But all in all, putting all the distracting 70s music aside (an illness that Satanic Rites of Dracula also suffered) the movie was pretty good. But I will mention this. The story was just a re-hash of what we had seen before in Taste the Blood of Dracula. In fact the story is damn near identical. Lets see...a young lad inherits Draculas ring and ashes...check. He then decides to bring Dracula back to life with the help of some people who know nothing about what they are getting into...check. Black Mass to bring Dracula back in a desecrated church...check. The list of similarities goes on and on. So this movie ain't very original if you ask me.

There are a few things that make this movie worth while though. For example the fact that the movie is a time capsule to London in the early seventies makes the film entertaining. I kept giggling and laughing every time someone spoke in 70 jargon. I couldn't believe some of the clothes these people wore and the cars they drove! It made the movie fun for me, but we are here to get spooked, were here to see Drac kill a few virgins and take his revenge on the House of Van Helsing. Did we get any of that? Well yeah. There's a few good sequences squeezed in there to satisfy old school hammer fans. First off, there's the Black Mass sequence which was above all things satanic! They mention the name of many a demon and lots blood is spilled. That sequence was awesome but it was messed up by the music in its most crucial moment. Then there's Draculas actual resurrection which Ill admit was great from a visual standpoint. Some mist comes out of Draculas grave and slowly but surely Christopher Lees silhouette and face emerge from the fog. Cool shot! I loved it! We have a Cushing and Lee face off at the end. And I couldn't help to laugh at one point when Dracula hurls a piece of furniture through the air. I laugh because he has done this in every single film since Horror of Dracula. Its this Hammer tradition where the characters start throwing candle sticks and chairs at each other. And I think to myself, aren't their more exciting things to show then a bad guy throwing a candle stick at our hero. Oh well, anyhows, Draculas demise in this one is very similar to all the other Hammer Draculas before it, vampire gets slaked and then we cut to a series of frames until there's only ashes left.

All in all, an unintentionally funny Hammer Dracula film. Its trapped in the 70s and though that makes it a fun watch (and its not as horrible as Satanic Rites of Dracula) it still doesn't gel well with the Dracula universe we had come to expect from Hammer.

Rating 3 1/2 out of 5