Dracula has Risen from the Grave – 1968 | 139 mins | Horror | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave was splendidly stylish and underscored by tainted romanticism, but unfortunately the plot is of little substance. Anthony Hinds’ formulaic script was peppered in inconsistencies in vampire-lore; Dracula crossing hallowed ground to hang a victim from the bell tower of a local church or withdrawing a stake from his own chest because they’ve failed to utter the appropriate prayers, but despite Christopher Lee’s protestations the scenes were included for their visceral impact.

Freddie Francis compensates for some of the film’s deficiencies by smothering the picture in a cloying visual splendour, and a great many luridly coloured camera filters, that results in some splendidly atmospheric moments. Sadly, much of the romanticism captured by Francis involving Veronica Carlson ended up on the cutting-room floor. Lee is of course terrific, but criminally underused with just 52 words to utter and little worthwhile to do except look on with mesmeric menace. There’s also a fine performance from Rupert Davies, but his character lacks the stature of Dracula’s oft-opponent Van Helsing.

A year has passed since Dracula’s (Christopher Lee) death by drowning, but on Monsignor Mueller’s (Rupert Davies) return to the village he discovers the locals still gripped by fear and the local priest a broken drunk. The Monsignor sets out the following dawn with the village priest (Ewan Hooper) to exorcise vampire’s castle by placing a giant cross on the entrance, but unwittingly the adventure revives Dracula. Unable to cross his own threshold, he sets out to avenge himself on the Monsignor by corrupting his young niece, Maria (Veronica Carlson).

Dracula employs the erring priest and promiscuous waitress Zena (Barbara Ewing) to ensnare Maria, but her atheist boyfriend, Paul (Barry Andrews), makes a timely intrusion. Paul then makes the mistake of turning to the treacherous padre for assistance and the dying Monsignor must ironically turn to Maria’s agnostic boyfriend for help.