Les Maîtresses de Dracula

This is an excellent entry in the Hammer studios series of vampire flicks. Almost everything that fans love about this particular vein of horror is here; the great Peter Cushing as Van Helsing, atmospheric sets and lighting, a creepy baroness, direction from the celebrated Terence Fisher... damsels in danger and the various tropes of the genre. What could be considered missing is Dracula. This is potentially confusing since the film is titled 'The Brides of Dracula', but is clearly set after Dracula's first demise in the series time-line.

What sets this apart as a relatively very good film is the amount of events they managed to squeeze in - which allows actors such as Cushing to flex their ability in a few interesting scenarios. What hasn't aged so well is the writing/portrayal of the young 'heroine', who seems to spend most of her time stupidly wandering into dangerous situations - acceptable in some cases, but in this film it just makes you question what level of intelligence they were trying to impart to her character.

If you're a fan of 'modern' horror, which is more to do with exploitation, you will undoubtedly view this film as very dated with not much to frighten. If you like Hammer horror and understand what it's "all about", or have an interest in Gothic horror films from the 50s and 60s, this film will be a very enjoyable screening.

The film begins by a narrator telling us Dracula is dead..but his disciples live on to spread vampirism. It's all about a beautiful woman named Marianne Danielle (Yvonne Monlaur) going to a woman's academy to teach French. It gets complicated but she ends up spending the night in castle Meinster. She also meets young, handsome Baron Meinster (David Peel) who's chained up in the castle by his mother...because he is a vampire. She doesn't know this and lets him loose. It's a good thing Dr. van Helsing (Peter Cushing) is around!

OK--this isn't perfect. Some of the plotting is clumsy (i.e.--why didn't the Baron just turn into a bat and fly out of his chains?), Manlaur is a TERRIBLE actress and the fake bats are pretty laughable (I saw the strings at one point!). Still this is just great. It moves quickly and has some great performances by Cushing (of course), Feda Jackson (as Greta--tearing the scenery) and a GREAT performance by Peel. He's sexy, handsome and scary as hell as the vampire. Hard to believe he was FORTY when he did this! Also I'm lucky enough to have a copy of the pristine print they released on laser disc and VHS in the early 1990s. The color is incredible and the picture and sound are crystal clear.

I'm giving it an 8--I WANT to give it a 10 but Monlaur and some clumsy plotting (what happens to the two female vampires at the end?) really work against it. Still--a must-see!

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.

An excellent slice of early Hammer, showcasing all of the Gothic atmosphere we have come to expect from the company. THE BRIDES OF Dracula has a fast pace, which is somewhat unusual compared to other films of the time, but it keeps the action moving along nicely and the tension never lets up for a second. The sets for this film are excellent and the camera-work also impressive. It is an injustice to merely say that the film looks nice; it is in fact beautiful. If one film were needed to showcase Hammer horror at it's finest, then this would be it.

Peter Cushing is once again superb in his role as the stern Doctor Van Helsing, courageous and brave, battling the vampires at every turn. Yvonne Monlaur is also very pretty in her role as the heroine, and is not the screaming girl we are used to seeing in some other Hammer films. She is more than adequate and quite memorable too. David Peel looks suitably handsome as the Baron, and there is something strange about him which makes him a very good vampire.

There are a number of substantial supporting actors and actresses, such as Martita Hunt, a suitably fearsome old woman, and Freda Jackson who gives a performance which recalls Dwight Frye in some aspects (the manic laughter being one). Miles Malleson turns up as comic relief yet again after his role in Hammer's original Dracula, and it is always a pleasure to see Michael Ripper in a role, however small.

With excellent production values, an appropriately powerful score, and some very memorable scenes, as well as a brilliant ending (truly ingenious), this film is a good, well-rounded slice of Gothic dread from Hammer. There are even some Freudian elements added into the brew. The only criticism would be that the plot is rather shallow and simple, but that doesn't detract from the film at all. A worthy sequel in every sense of the word.

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