Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)

Director:

Freddie Francis

Writer:

Anthony Hinds (writer)

Release Date:

6 February 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Horror

Tagline:

You just can't keep a good man down!

Plot:

When his castle is exorcised, Dracula plots his revenge against the Monsignor who performed the rites...

Plot Keywords:

Dracula | Hanged Girl | Coffin | Pub | Priest

Cast

Christopher Lee	...	Dracula
Rupert Davies	...	Monsignor Ernest Mueller
Veronica Carlson	...	Maria Mueller
Barbara Ewing	...	Zena
Barry Andrews	...	Paul
Ewan Hooper	...	Priest
Marion Mathie	...	Anna Mueller
Michael Ripper	...	Max
John D. Collins	...	Student
George A. Cooper	...	Landlord
Christopher Cunningham	...	Farmer (as Chris Cunningham)
Norman Bacon	...	Mute Boy

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) (2004) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PG (Ontario) (video rating) (1993) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | West Germany:16 (VHS rating) | Germany:16 (DVD release) | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:G (certificate #21909) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

According to the date on the marker of the just-stolen coffin (which is prominently displayed throughout), the date of the action in this film is within a year or so of 1905.

Goofs:

Plot holes: Scenes in the day following Maria's seduction / attack include her being visited by her guardians (in daylight) and Paul studying in his room (at sunset). Between these is a scene in the sewer, in which Dracula's empty coffin is seen and a figure (presumably Dracula) passes the street-level grating, blocking out the light. This strongly implies that Dracula is returning to his coffin during daylight hours. Whilst this would certainly be acceptable behavior for Bram Stoker's original character (who was merely inconvenienced by sunlight), it is a serious continuity error in the Hammer series, which established (in "Dracula" - 1958) that any exposure to sunlight will decompose a vampire to dust.

Quotes:

Dracula: [to Maria] Now my revenge is complete.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook (1991)

the ultimate amalgamation of Hammer Film's conventions

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.