The 10 Most Creative Ways to Destroy a Vampire According to the Movies

Sure, you can just drive a stake through a vampire's heart...but the movies have proven that there are far more creative ways. What better way to start Halloween month than to list ten memorable movie methods (with a nod to Sarkoffagus for his help):

The old "use a windmill to form the shadow of a crucifix" trick.

1. Trap the vampire in the shadow of a wind-mill, so it forms a cross on the ground. (Brides of Dracula)

2. Toss the vampire into a bathtub filled with holy water and garlic. (The Lost Boys)

One of the rather unattractive
golden vampires.

3. Using kung fu, punch the vampire in the heart. (The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires)

4. Shoot the vampire in the heart with a spear gun. (The Last Man on Earth)

5. While the vampire is standing on a frozen lake, use a rifle and shoot the ice so it cracks and the vampire falls into the water. This one is tricky because vampires aren't particularly fond of winter sports like ice skating. (Dracula, Prince of Darkness)

"I spy a big cross on the ground
down there."

6. Knock the vampire off a cliff onto a big cross protruding from the ground. Another tricky one 'cause the vampire must land precisely so that the cross impales him. (Dracula Has Risen from His Grave)

7. Shoot the vampire with a crossbow and drag him into the sunlight. (John Carpenter's Vampires)

8. Lure the vampire onto a roof during a thunderstorm, and maneuver him so he's adjacent to a tall metal object so he can be struck by lightning. Visually interesting, to be sure, but one of the most difficult to accomplish. Not recommended. (Scars of Dracula)

Not all bats like vampires!

9. Call on the powers of evil to defeat evil by sending a big swarm of bats to circle the vampire's castle. (The Kiss of the Vampire)

10. If you're sure it's near dawn, you can hop on a sturdy long table, run down it, jump on the drapes, and rip them down. The sunlight will disintegrate the vampire. If he tries to crawl out of the sunlight, use some candle sticks to form a cross and keep him from moving into the safety of shadows. (Horror of Dracula)

Honorable mentions:

- Defeat the vampire in a swordfight (Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter), though this is very similar to stabbing him with a stake.

- Trap the vampire in the thorns of a Hawthorne tree. Actually, this won't kill the vampire, but it will keep him from going anywhere. You can then dispose of him using the traditional stake or just let sunlight finish the job. (The Satanic Rites of Dracula)

OK, I'm sure I've left some very memorable methods...so I'd appreciate the insight of other vampire movie watchers!

Hammer's Dracula Films Ranked from Best to Worst

David Peel as Baron Meinster.

1. The Brides of Dracula (1960). This should be no surprise to readers of this blog. Indeed, I recently ranked Brides among my top five choices for the greatest horror films of all time. It's a first-rate affair from start to finish with strong performances, interesting themes, and an exciting, inventive climax. The only thing it's missing is Count Dracula--but David Peel's Baron Meinster is a worthy substitute. Less physically threatening than Christopher Lee's vampire, the charming, handsome Meinster may be a more dangerous adversary. One of the film's best scenes is when the sweet Marianne introduces her paternal friend Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) to her new boyfriend.

Dracula is staked--but not for long.

2. Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968). Vastly underrated, this lively tale has a revived Dracula (Lee) seeking revenge against a Monsignor who has "desecrated" his ancestral home by performing an exorcism. The theme of religion combating the evil of vampirism is not an uncommon one, but rarely has it received such a rich treatment. The film also benefits from director Freddie Francis' brilliant cinematography, some fabulous rooftop sets, and a solid cast. Veronica Carlson may be the most fetching of all Hammer heroines (well, let's call it a tie with Caroline Munro..and Valerie Leon).

Van Helsing's makeshift crucifix.

3. Horror of Dracula (aka Dracula) (1958). The one that started it all is an effective adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel. The opening scenes with Jonathan Harker at Castle Dracula and the climatic confrontation between Dracula and Van Helsing are marvelous. My only complaint is that the pacing drags in the middle when the action shifts to England. Still, it set the standard not only for the rest of the Dracula series, but for all the Hammer vampire films that followed it. James Bernard's exceptional score would become very familiar to Hammer fans.

John Forbes Robertson as Dracula.

4. The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974). Who would have thought that a mashup of vampires, kung fu, and The Seven Samurai would be so much fun? When Dracula and some unconventional vampires take over a small Chinese village, its residents send for visiting lecturer Van Helsing (Cushing). The journey to the village, punctuated by some well-staged fight scenes, sets the table for an all-out climax that ends with another Dracula-Van Helsing face-off. Be sure to skip the heavily re-edited version called The 7 Brothers Meet Dracula.

Barbara Shelley as a vampire.

5. Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1964). Although well-made and sporting an impressive cast, the direct sequel to Horror of Dracula lacks inspiration. Christopher Lee seldom has much dialogue in the Dracula films, but, in this one, he has none! The premise, which injects attractive English tourists into the Transylvanian landscape, seems recycled from the previous year's superior Kiss of the Vampire. Still, there are some nice touches, such as how Barbara Shelley goes from a dull lass to a smoking-hot vampire.

Lee strikes an imposing pose.

6. Scars of Dracula (1970). An improvement over the same year's Taste the Blood of Dracula, the sixth film in the series offers little of interest other than a flashy finale and a creepy shot of Dracula climbing down a castle wall, face first, as he did in Bram Stoker's novel. In The Films of Christopher Lee, the actor said: "Instead of writing a story around the character (Dracula), they wrote a story and fit the character into it."

Count Dracula--corporate CEO.

7. The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973). As modern-day variations go, I like the idea of Count Dracula as a businessman who recruits four influential blokes to help him take over the world. I don't like the idea of Drac releasing a strain of bubonic plague as some kind of revenge on mankind. The resulting film reminds me of a lesser episode of The Avengers that sorely needs Steed and Mrs. Peel.

Cushing as a Van Helsing descendant.

8. Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972). My main problem with this entry is that it came two years too late. The 1970 Count Yorga, Vampire had already mixed vampires and contemporary youths. Hence, there was nothing jarring about seeing Count Dracula in modern-day London. The film does get credit for pairing Lee's Dracula and Cushing's Van Helsing (a Van Helsing descendant actually) for the first time since the 1958 original.

Dracula on the verge of being destroyed.

9. Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970). There was no Dracula in the original film treatment for this fifth series installment. The intention was for Ralph Bates' character to be killed and then resurrected as a vampire to avenge his death. However, when Christopher Lee agreed to appear in the film, the script was rewritten and Bates' character stayed dead--with Dracula avenging him. The premise, which revolves around a sort of Hellfire Club, is initially interesting. However, it soon evolves into a straight revenge tale and ties Satanic Rites for the worst climax in the series.

An Interview with Hammer Films Star Veronica Carlson

The only female lead to play opposite Christopher Lee's Count Dracula and Peter Cushing's Dr. Frankenstein, Veronica Carlson is a true Hammer Films icon. She made her Hammer debut in 1968 with Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, one of the studio's best vampire films. The talented, blonde-haired actress followed it with the equally-impressive Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969) and the dark comedy Horror of Frankenstein (1970). Today, the still radiant Ms. Carlson lives in the U.S. and remains in high demand for film convention appearances. She also paints portraits, several of which have been auctioned for charity.

Café: How did you go from modeling to acting?

Veronica Carlson: I had a photograph of me coming out of the waves in a white bikini on the front page of a tabloid newspaper. Jimmy Carreras (a Hammer executive) saw that photograph and said he wanted me in his next Hammer movie. So, I went for an audition and I ended up with Dracula Has Risen from the Grave. 

Café: Had you seen any Hammer films before that movie?

VC: I was a great fan of Hammer. When I went to college--which I did at 16--and before I went to college, I loved Hammer movies. My friends in college loved them, too. There was one occasion when we knew there was a new Hammer film coming out and two or three of us just decided to skip class that day and go see it. We couldn't wait for the evening show, because we also had evening classes. We decided the better class to skip was the afternoon one, so we did. In those days, there were two films and, prior to the second one coming up, we looked around the theater and half the class was there--and unfortunately, so was the professor. He stood up and said: "I shall expect all of you back in class later when you've watched the film. But don't forget, that I've already passed my exams. You've still got yours to go." He let us off with a rather stern warning. But that's how popular Hammer films were and how much we enjoyed them.

Café: Who came up with the idea for the marvelous rooftop sequences in Dracula Has Risen from the Grave?

On the rooftops in Dracula Has Risen
from the Grave.

VC: I think it was in the script and the sets were absolutely extraordinary. Of course, the only way my character could get from her house to see her boyfriend was to go across the rooftops, so people wouldn't see her as they walked through the street. The sets didn't look very high. As you're on the ground looking up, you think: "Oh, that's not bad. " But then when you were up there, looking down, it seemed an awful lot higher--but I enjoyed doing those scenes.

Café: Were there any particular challenges for the actors?

VC: The only setting I was really nervous about was when I was being carried up to the castle on that mountain. It was in the studio. Christopher's (Lee) stunt double, Eddie Powell, carried me and my head was hanging over the precipice. I was very well aware of this and I was trying not to stiffen up in Eddie's arms to make it difficult. That one did make me nervous. Another thing that made me nervous was careening through the woods at the top of that carriage trying not to fall off. I gripped the bar on the coach tightly with my hands. None of it was perilous, of course. They didn't put us in any danger.

Café: You co-starred with Hammer's two biggest stars: Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. What was it like working with them?

The scene where Christopher Lee
provided the "eye line."

VC: It was a joy. You make assumptions about people and I found how wrong I was. I expected Christopher to be a very aristocratic, rather aloof, dignified man. I was a bit afraid to approach him, but I found him to be the exact opposite. He was very approachable. He was not aloof. He is very dignified. He's got such an aristocratic air and look about him, but he was so kind and so thoughtful in every thing that we did together. He discussed things with me. He asked if I liked the thought of doing something a certain way. I must have thought he was very nice, because I asked him if he would sit for a portrait and he agreed to do so. In thirty-five minutes, I did a sketch of him. He has a lovely, dignified face. That shows you how relaxed I was around him. He gave me an eye line, too, during the filming of Dracula Has Risen from the Grave and I'll never forget that. I was supposed to be looking up, having been thrown to the ground and kidnapped by the lady in the pub. I was to look up and see Dracula and (director) Freddie Francis held up his hand behind the camera and said: "This is your eye line." And then this beautiful voice said: "No, Freddie, I will be her eye line." And Christopher stood right there and he acted off camera as if he was on camera. He gave me all the impetus and input into my reaction. I've never forgotten that. I have always been so very grateful. That moment, I felt true fear. You can't act to a hand. That shows the kind, thoughtful man that Christopher Lee really is.

Café: What about Peter Cushing? I know you're a big fan of his.

Veronica with Peter Cushing.

VC: Everybody is. Every convention I go to, I'm asked about Peter. People wish they could have met him or they were lucky to have once met him. Peter was a sweet, lovely man to work with. I even introduced him to my parents. It's impossible not to love Peter. He was one of the kindest, most sensitive people I have ever met in my life. He got me through that awful rape scene that was thrown into Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed. We worked on that together and he resolved the problems as best he possibly could. Anyway, that's another story.

Café: One of the best sequences in any Hammer film is in Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, when the water pipe bursts in the garden and exposes a corpse. How did you prepare for this scene?

Drenched in water for perhaps
the second time.

VC:  I didn't really. I knew what was going to happen. The fire department was there. I had to run in completely dressed and dry and just go through it. And, of course, when the force of that water hits you, it takes your breath away and you just take it from there. But George Pravda (Dr. Brandt) had to be put on a board with ropes to help me pull him. I didn't have the strength to pull him out of that mud. I had gotten so cold that I had to go to Roger Moore's dressing room. His dressing room had the deepest bath in it. He was away filming so I was allowed to soak in the bath to get my my body temperature back up because I was so very cold. I thought my teeth were going to break, they were shattering so hard. When I had to do the scene where I was screaming at my poor neighbor, they had to water me down with a watering can. I said: "Well, I hope you've made it warm water." "No, that's not a good idea," they said. "It has to be cold, because otherwise you'd just get even colder." I thought they were lying...that is so not true. Anyway, the water was just as cold the second time. You just have to laugh at these things.

Café: You starred in films directed by Hammer's two best-known directors: Terence Fisher and Freddie Francis. How would you compare the two of them?

Veronica and Peter Cushing in a
publicity still for Fisher's film.

VC: I had each director at the right time. My first real role was in Dracula Has Risen from the Grave and Freddie Francis was endlessly kind and patient. He was a gentle director with no bossing and no shouting. He would give me my morning hug. He would talk about the scene that we were going to do and made me feel totally relaxed and comfortable. He did do a reshoot of a scene with me if he didn't like the result in the rushes the next day, like when I had to walk and see my boyfriend drinking that beer on the stem in the cafe. He didn't want me to go to the rushes because he said I was too critical of myself. So, I didn't go to the daily rushes. I was lucky then because I gained confidence. When I went into my next film, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, Terry Fisher was a sterner director with me. He expected me to know more than perhaps I actually did. He was the right guy at the right time. I think if I'd had Terry first, I would have been very, very nervous. He got on so well with Peter (Cushing). They just chatted about. I remember the first day's shooting, I was sitting down on some steps and Peter was alongside me. Terry was there, with his foot on one step, leaning and saying: "How do you want to kill her, Peter?" And Peter was saying: "I've given that a lot of thought, Terry." And then he proceeded to tell Terry how he wanted to kill me. I kept trying to interject with: "Wouldn't this be a good..." They'd say: "No, that wouldn't be a good idea." It was like I wasn't there. It was like listening to a bedtime story of how they were going to kill me. That's how it was decided best to do it. I even asked Terry if I could die with my eyes open and he said: "Certainly not, darling, that would never get past the censors." So, I had to die with my eyes closed.

Café: How would you describe the working atmosphere on a Hammer movie set?

VC: Happy, very happy. It was a very convivial, lighthearted atmosphere, though very serious when we were working. The crew was so obliging. It was just a happy family. There was no dissent. There were no problems. There was no grumbling.

Café: Do you think Horror of Frankenstein would have fared better if it had been marketed as the dark comedy it was?

A publicity still with Ralph Bates
and Kate O'Mara.

VC: I was so upset about that situation because I took Hammer seriously. I felt that very keenly. Jimmy (Sangster) knew that. It was a sort of "laughing at Hammer" reaction. I didn't want that to be that way. You always get people that sneer at horror films anyway. But this was sort of sitting up and begging for it. Jimmy was a lighthearted, serious man--an adorable man--but he just had to have this nudge-nudge, wink-wink humor in the film. I thought it was so degrading to Hammer and he knew I felt this way. He was a fine director, but he just got the message wrong as far as I was concerned. He and Ralph (Bates) got on like a house on fire. They were like two kids together when they got together, super senses of humor really. I'd sit there at lunch time sometimes and just have to walk away. Either the jokes were a bit bawdy or my stomach was hurting from laughing so much because they were so funny. As soon as Jimmy hit the set, he was a serious director. I just thought the film's innuendos mocked Hammer rather than celebrated it.

Café: Many of your American fans are unfamiliar with your 1972 TV series Spyder's Web. What can you tell us about it?

VC: I don't know really. Patricia Cutts, who played the lead, had some weight issues and the directors would get cross with her. It became an unhappy situation in so many ways. I was not particularly happy on that one. What I did like was rehearsing for two weeks and then we'd do the shoot on Saturday. That was fun. I worked with some wonderful actors and actresses in that series, so that was educational and I learned a lot. I think Patricia died not long after that. I don't know why. She did a play in Coventry once and because I lived in Coventry at the time, I went to see her. She came back to our home and we entertained her. She was a very sad lady. She'd had a huge tragedy happen in her life, which I won't discuss. It took her will to live away eventually. That's how it seemed to me.

Café: Is it true that you were almost cast in a James Bond film?

VC: Yes, but I was then under contract to Hammer for the final film I agreed to do. I was not unhappy about that. I walked into Saltzman and Broccoli (the Bond producers) to be interviewed and they said: "Oh, we've got our blonde girl." But that all fell through because I wasn't going to walk away from my happy family, not at all. I don't remember which Bond film it was. I was very torn at the time and I didn't want to think about it. It was whichever Bond film was being made when the Horror of Frankenstein was being made. I don't dwell on things I can't change.

Café: How did you become interested in painting?

This portrait was auctioned for the
Peter Cushing Memorial Window.

VC: I always have been, since I was a very little girl. My first school report was: "Veronica loves to draw." I've always wanted to paint. I went to art school when I was 16, then to college and got a bachelor's degree. I do portraits. I've got a portrait I've just completed of Peter and Vincent (Price) together and had it made into prints. I've done many portraits throughout the time I've been with Hammer. I did several of the ladies that have worked for Hammer that were commissioned by a gentleman from Switzerland. I donated a portrait of Peter Cushing to Whitsable, to his secretary so she could auction it. They wanted to put a window in the church to remember Peter by. There was one portrait, sold at Bray Studios, of Ralph Bates after he passed away. His widow, Virginia Wetherell, was there. I donated that portrait and it went for a very nice sum to raise money for pancreatic cancer research. I've found I can do good things with this gift I have. I just love to work at my easel when life permits me to.

Café: Do you still stay in touch with other Hammer performers and, if so, whom?

A photo from Veronica's Facebook page.

VC: I see Caroline Munro and Martine Beswick. I've met some of the other Hammer girls at a function a couple of years ago in London. All the Hammer girls were there: Stephanie Beacham, Valerie Leon...I'm trying to think of them all now. It was a wonderful time and it was for charity as well--Our Disappearing Planet. There is supposed to be another Hammer reunion this November 8th in London, but I haven't gotten the details on that yet. They've been in touch with me twice, asking if I was going to attend. They're going to try to get all the people that have ever worked for or with Hammer together at one huge function. Sadly, we've lost performers like Kate O'Mara. She passed away not long ago. Yvonne Monlaur is a dear friend of mine. She lives in Paris and I'm hoping she will be coming over for the Monster Bash with Caroline Munro and me. I used to know Ingrid Pitt very well. I miss her very badly. She was a lovely, vibrant woman. Simon Ward has passed away as well. Dear, oh dear, this is becoming a sad interview.

A resin model kit of Veronica will be
unveiled at Resintopia.

Café: Do you have any upcoming appearances that you'd like to share with our readers?

VC: The Hammer day at the London Film Convention on November 8th, which is supposed to be a very, very big to-do. I'm doing the Resintopia Plastic Model Kit and Statue Expo on September 12-14 in Fairfield, New Jersey. Then next month, I will be at Cinema Wasteland Movie & Memorabilia Expo on October 3-5 in Strongsville, Ohio (near Cleveland) and at Monster Bash on October 10-12 in Pittsburgh.


To learn more about Veronica Carlson, you can follow her Twitter @VCarlsonOffic.

(Editor: The James Bond film in question was probably Diamonds Are Forever. It was released in 1971 and Horror of Frankenstein came out in 1970.)

My 100 Favorite Films: From 90 to 81

Last month, I covered 100-91 of my favorite movies. This month, the countdown continues with a mix of suspense, comedy, horror, and romance! (An underlined title means there's a hyperlink to a full review at the Cafe.)

Gene Tierney's Ellen--so lovely
and apparently normal.

90. Leave Her to Heaven - Gene Tierney as a possessive, cold-hearted murderer? It's brilliant casting in a film with some genuine chilling moments (e.g., the drowning scene). It may be Tierney's best performance, as she slowly reveals her character’s true nature. Her most impressive feat, though, is that despite what her character has done, we never doubt that she really does love her husband.

89. A Shot in the Dark - Peter Sellers first appeared as Inspector Clouseau in a supporting role in The Pink Panther. But he perfected Clouseau in this perfect farce, which amazingly was based on a stage play without Clouseau. The scene of Clouseau bungling through a nudist camp is a comedy classic--but Sellers is just as funny trying to walk through a door. Herbert Lom is delightful as Chief Inspector Dreyfus...who would have thought he could be so funny?

88. Dracula Has Risen from the Grave - As many of you know, I'm a fan of Hammer's horror films. This fourth entry in the studio's Dracula series features well-developed characters, a lively story, interesting themes, and stunning color photography (the director was award-winning cinematographer Freddie Francis). It's not my favorite Hammer vampire film, but closely edges out Kiss of the Vampire and Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter.

Uncle Charlie and his favorite
relative.

87. Shadow of a Doubt - Alfred Hitchcock collaborated with Thorton Wilder to create this fascinating portrait of a "Merry Widow" killer hiding out with his sister's family in a small California town. Alternatingly charming and creepy, Joseph Cotten gives his finest performance, but it's the naturalness of the supporting players--especially Teresa Wright as Cotten's niece--that makes the film work. Its power, though, comes from its theme of evil laying underneath of the surface of small town Americana.

86. Enchanted April - Four British women, who desperately need a break from their monotonous lives, rent an Italian villa. During the month they spend together, they learn about each other, gain insight into themselves and their loved ones, and emerge with a new outlook on life. This uplifting film makes its points subtly and benefits from an ideal cast featuring Miranda Richardson and Joan Plowright. I love how the London scenes are photographed in drab, brownish tones, while the color seems to explode when the story shifts to Italy. As for the setting, my wife and I want to take a vacation there!

85. 12 Angry Men – I read the play in high school long before I saw the film adaptation—and yet, knowing the plot’s outcome didn’t lessen its impact at all. I’m always amused when a film critic notes that a movie adaptation of a play failed to “open it up.” To me, a movie can take place entirely in one room—as this one mostly does—and be utterly gripping. Henry Fonda shines as an Everyman forced to take a stand against the rest of a jury, but there are many superb performances in this insightful examination of our justice system.

Does her daughter Bunny
really exist?

84. Bunny Lake Is Missing – A young American woman, recently transplanted to London, claims that her daughter has been kidnapped…but no one can remember having seen the girl. Director Otto Preminger’s last great film surprisingly recalls his first classic, Laura. Both films begin as conventional crime dramas dealing with kidnapping or murder. But an unexpected plot twist takes each film in a different direction. An underrated gem.

83. A Matter of Life and Death (aka Stairway to Heaven) – Because of a Heavenly mistake, an RAF pilot (David Niven) survives a crash and falls in love. Unwilling to go to Heaven, he argues before a celestial tribunal that he should be allowed in live out his life on Earth. This perceptive, haunting fantasy from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressberger lingers long after the closing credits. The incredible set design and Powell’s use of color are justifiably famous, but it’s the performances—especially those by Niven and Roger Livesey as his friend-turned-lawyer—that give the film its heart.

Lady and the Tramp dine to the
lovely song "Bella Notte."

82. Lady and the Tramp – Disney’s canine twist on Romeo and Juliet is an animated delight, with brilliant animation, sparkling characters, and memorable songs (courtesy of Peggy Lee and Sonny Burke).  What I love most about it is the film’s “dog’s-eye view” of the world, such as the way that Tramp gets his dinner.

81. Whistle Down the Wind - In rural England, three children discover a fugitive in their barn and come to believe that he is Jesus. This unique film works as both a religious allegory and an intelligent look into the world of children. Hayley Mills and Alan Bates give powerful performances. Based on the novel by Hayley's mother, Mary Hayley Bell, who also wrote the screenplay. Andrew Lloyd Webbers transformed it into a stage musical that never made it to Broadway.

Next month, I'll count down 80-71, which will include the first of multiple list appearances by Errol Flynn, plus a made-for-TV horror film, Dirk Bogarde, and Sam Peckinpah.

Christopher Lee at His Bloody Best in Dracula Has Risen from the Grave

The fourth entry in Hammer’s Dracula series is one of the studio’s best films, even without the presence of Peter Cushing’s dynamic Van Helsing. It opens with a terrific prologue featuring a church bell that doesn’t ring and a dead girl with two puncture marks on her neck. To say more would spoil the effect. However, the story proper begins when a visiting Monsignor discovers that a village in his district remains in the “shadow of evil”—even though Count Dracula has been destroyed. Determined to set things right again, the Monsignor convinces the frightened village priest to accompany him to Dracula’s castle to perform an exorcism.

After an arduous trek through the mountains, the Monsignor completes his mission. Unfortunately, the priest, who has lagged behind his elder, inadvertently revives Dracula. Unable to resist the powerful vampire, the priest becomes Dracula’s disciple. Needless to say, Dracula is not pleased to find a huge cross barring the door to his estate (“Who’s done this thing?” he demands). Forcing the priest to assist him, the vampire count plots his bloody revenge against the Monsignor.

The eyes of Dracula!

The theme of religion com-bating the evil of vampirism is not an uncommon one, but rarely has it received such a full treatment. The three men who combine to destroy Dracula run the gamut from believer to atheist. The Monsignor is a man with great faith in God. The priest is a believer who has lost his way. Paul, the young man engaged to the Monsignor’s niece, fancies himself an intellectual who questions the existence of God. His rejection of religion plays a pivotal role in a scene where he faces Dracula, but is unable to destroy him.

Veronica Carlson as Maria.

Rupert Davies gives a strong performance as the stalwart Monsignor Muller, a fatherly figure with a will of iron. However, the film is very much an ensemble piece, with equal quality screen time going to Christopher Lee’s vicious vampire, Ewan Hooper’s struggling priest, and Veronica Carlson’s innocent, but sensual, Maria (the Monsignor’s niece and Dracula’s target for vengeance). If there’s a weakness in the cast, it’s Barry Andrews’ Paul, whose rock-star looks and attitude come across as a little too modern.

Maria and Paul on the rooftop.

Although vibrant color was always a Hammer trademark, director Freddie Francis took it to another level in Dracula Has Risen From the Grave. The shot of Dracula’s castle at sunset, surrounded by a surreal shade of orange, gives the image an otherworldly quality. He achieves a similar effect by using reddish-orange filters whenever Dracula appears. His most striking photography, however, is reserved for the sequences in which characters run along the rooftops to travel through the city. These highly atmospheric scenes are reminiscent of shorter sequences in Hitchcock’s Vertigo and To Catch a Thief.

Though perhaps not on par with the earlier Horror of Dracula and Brides of Dracula, Dracula Has Risen From the Grave remains a surprising and highly satisfying entry in the series. It was also Hammer’s last great Dracula film. There would still be interesting experiments (e.g., The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires), but nothing to rise to this standard.