Dracula und seine Bräute

I'm not a big fan of this type of films, but this movie stands out for its good production.

Hammer films have made numerous Dracula based films to a point where seeing yet another Dracula themed movie is a torture. But if there's a movie that's worth seeing amongst all of its mediocre Dracula movies, this one is it. Peter Cusing, and Yvonne Monlaur are superb in this movie as are some of the other casts. The atmosphere is stuffy as usual, and there's not a moment to lighten up, but if there's an element that adds color to this movie is that all the women at the girls school are eye candies. A rare situation in a movie of this sorts, and amongst all the ugliness, makes the movie tolerable to watch.

No masterpiece by any means, but if you're looking for a classic horror movies, this movie is one worth watching.

Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) returns to Transylvania to battle evil Baron Meinster (David Peel), a Dracula wannabe freed from captivity by a young schoolteacher (Yvonne Monlaur). Despite the title, Dracula is nowhere to be seen in this one. Still, it works as a sequel of sorts to Hammer's 1958 Dracula because of Van Helsing being in it. Christopher Lee wouldn't return for the sequel so it had to be written with Baron Meinster in place of the Count. David Peel is a poor substitute for Christopher Lee, but thankfully the film had Peter Cushing to pick up the slack. Cushing's performance is wonderful, as are those of Martita Hunt and Freda Jackson. Terence Fisher's expert direction and the great Gothic sets make this a very enjoyable Hammer horror film that fans will love.

As in the tradition of the B western Dracula makes no appearance in this Hammer horror film The Brides Of Dracula. But there are brides aplenty for the Count Meinster and there's also Dr. Van Helsing making house calls as it were.

Peter Cushing is the intrepid vampire hunter who knows well that Dracula is not the only undead creature out there. The Count Meinster has been terrorizing the population of his area of Germany for some time now and he's collected a bevy of beauties to do his bidding.

The Dowager Countess Meinster is played by Martita Hunt and for her kid's own good she has him chained up. Never mind that though, a passing woman takes pity and frees him. That brings in Van Helsing.

Cushing is always good and David Peel is the matinée idol vampire who was a trendsetter without knowing it. It would be another thirty years before Frank Langella, Tom Cruise and folks like that would start playing undead creatures let alone the whole Twilight Saga.

You'll have a few frights before this one is over.

Charming though they are, the Hammer horror films usually lack a certain something for me. Not quite enough 'edge', hampered, I guess by censorship at the time, they are often lack the exotic and the 'strange' present in many that followed from Spain say or Mexico or Italy. 'Brides' is perfectly well made with an excellent performance by Marita Hunt as the governess, perhaps she should have had a larger part. The young foreign student was convincingly played by a pretty Yvonne Monlaur but I felt Cushing seemed ill at ease. He didn't have the gravitas he usually brings to the smallest of parts and David Peel seemed most bland in the central role although neither he nor the rest of the cast were helped by such rudimentary 'vampire' teeth. What, I must say, though is just how wonderful the film looks. Fantastic sets and costumes all photographed perfectly and if some of the dialogue fell a little awkwardly or the acting a little flat, the lush and colourful Gothic look still prevailed.

The Brides of Dracula is not as good as 1958's Dracula(or Horror of Dracula), but it is almost as good and a very good follow-up, a near classic in fact. Yvonne Monlaur is rather wooden in the female lead role, the bat effects are truly laughable and the film drags a tad at the halfway mark but that's it for the flaws personally.

Hammer horrors are always at least visually good, and The Brides of Dracula certainly looks good. In fact it looks fantastic, to me it's one of the best-looking Hammer films. The photography is smooth, rich in colour and enhances the atmosphere rather than detracting and the sets are some of the most sumptuous and atmospheric of any Hammer horror. The music in its most haunting parts positively induces tingles down the spine and while there are a couple of clumsy loose ends the script is one of Hammer's most nuanced. The story is filled with marvellous atmosphere and Gothic ghoulishness and is always compelling and easy to follow, the standout scene is the ending which is like a fairy-tale nightmare come to life.

Terrence Fisher's direction is unflinching and the performances on the whole are very good, especially from a classy and typically impeccable Peter Cushing as one of the best screen Van Helsings and Martita Hunt as a sometimes sympathetic but genuinely scary Baroness, especially in the scene when she's standing behind Monlaur. Freda Jackson is chilling also and chews the scenery with glee(and not in a negative way despite how it sounds) and Miles Malleson brings some amusing comedy that doesn't feel out of place at all. David Peel is nowhere near in the same league as Christopher Lee- then again it's really difficult to follow Lee in any role really- but while a little fey in places he is a worthy and charismatic substitute.

Overall, a near classic if with its weak spots. 8/10 Bethany Cox