Dracula's return
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Dracula's return |
| Original title | Dracula Has Risen from the Grave |
 | |
| Country of production | United Kingdom |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1968 |
| length | 88 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Freddie Francis |
| script | John Eldar |
| production | Aida Young |
| music | James Bernard |
| camera | Arthur Grant |
| cut | Spencer Reeve |
| occupation | |
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| chronology | |
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Dracula's Return (Original title: Dracula Has Risen from the Grave ) is a horror film from 1968 by the British Hammer Studios . Directed by Freddie Francis and the title role was again played by Christopher Lee . The film is the third part of the Dracula series from Hammer.
action
Count Dracula is up to mischief in a small Transylvanian Carpathian village and terrifies the population: the mute altar boy finds a village girl dead and with bite marks on her neck, hidden in the bell in the bell tower. Then the rumor spreads that the Prince of Vampires has been destroyed, drowned in the moat of his castle. Yet the villagers still fear the evil shadow of the ruined walls.
One day, Bishop Monsignor Ernst Müller visits the village to finally put an end to the ghost. He makes his way to Dracula Castle with the frightened village priest. The priest injured himself on the arduous journey to the castle and the monsignor had to leave him behind. The priest's blood drips into the thawing branch of the river into which the drowned vampire was washed, bringing him back to life.
The monsignor has meanwhile arrived at the Count's castle, pronounces God's blessing and seals the door with a huge crucifix . When the monsignor returns to the village, he announces to the residents that there is no longer any need to fear, as he has banished the count's ghost forever. Monsignor Müller doesn't know that Dracula has risen again in the meantime, so he returns to his hometown of Keinenberg , where he lives with his sister Anna and their daughter Maria.
Count Dracula is furious because he can no longer enter his castle because of the crucifix. He swears to take revenge on the monsignor. The count makes the priest submissive and travels with him to the city of his unsuspecting adversary. The goal of his revenge is Mary. She is in love with the young student Paul, but the monsignor does not consider the right man for her because of his atheistic attitude. Nevertheless, he allies himself with him in the fight against Dracula. Count Dracula vampirizes the easy-going bar girl Zena, who is unrequitedly in love with Paul and is supposed to lead Count Dracula as a slave to Maria, which is first thwarted by Paul. In his anger, Dracula kills Zena. Later, when Count Dracula haunted Maria in her room, she gave herself up to him. Shortly afterwards, Monsignor Müller, who watches over the bed of the "sick" Maria, is killed by the renegade village priest on Dracula's orders. Paul asks for help without realizing that he is Dracula's slave. Paul lets the repentant priest lead him to Dracula's hiding place and rams a stake through his heart. Because Paul as an atheist is unable to seal his deed with a prayer, the vampire pulls the stake out of his chest again.
The count kidnaps Maria to his castle, where she has to remove the cross from the castle gate for him, she throws it into the gorge , where it gets stuck. At the last second, Paul can prevent his beloved Maria from moving into the castle with Dracula. After an unequal fight in which the vampire seems to triumph, both fall over the stone parapet. Paul can just hold on, but the count falls into the depths, where he is impaled by the crucifix. The village priest says a prayer, whereupon Dracula turns to dust. Thereupon Paul also crosses himself and finally embraces Mary.
background
- Dracula's Return is the third film after Dracula and Blood for Dracula , in which Christopher Lee slips into the role of the Count.
- The use of color filters in the film is striking : In scenes with Dracula, a color gradient can be seen on both sides of the picture, which runs from blood red to amber to yellow, only in the middle the picture remains unadulterated.
- The film shines through the hammer- typical scenes. The backdrop above the roofs of Keinenberg in particular was praised by the critics.
- In Dracula's return , Lee depicts the count again as a power-hungry superman after interpreting him in blood for Dracula non-verbally, only with growls and sibilants.
- Dracula's return received very good reviews at the time, and it was also a financial success. After that film, the success of Hammer's Dracula series began to wane.
- In the UK , the film is known as Dracula's Revenge in addition to the actual original title Dracula has risen from the Grave .
criticism
- Lexicon of international films : "Roughly made horror film by the British Hammer production."
- Cinema : "Horror with vampire Christopher Lee, who thinks the bishop's niece is sweet to eat."
- Protestant film observer : "The latest Dracula infusion in a rather poor design."
Soundtrack
- James Bernard : Dracula Has Risen From the Grave. Finale . On: Music From the Hammer Films . Silva Screen Records, London 1989, sound carrier no. FILMCD 066 - digital re-recording of excerpts from the film music by the Philharmonia Orchestra under the baton of Neil Richardson
Sequels
- What does Dracula's blood taste like? (1970)
- Dracula: Nights of Horror (1970)
- Dracula Chases Mini Girls (1972)
- Dracula Needs Fresh Blood (1973)
- The Seven Golden Vampires (1974)
In the last film in the Dracula series, Christopher Lee was no longer ready to take on the role of the Count, which is why Hammer hired actor John Forbes-Robertson for the role.
Web links
- Dracula Has Risen from the Grave in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Dracula's return. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .
- ↑ Ev. Munich Press Association, Review No. 146/1969