Post by tav7623 on Apr 18, 2010 1:45:05 GMT -5
Hey everyone it's tav and I back from my nearly month long hiatus with a new review. This weeks movie, courtesy of Netflix Instant watch, is the 1958 classic Hammer remake/adaptation of Dracula or as it is known here states side The Horror of Dracula. This movie was written by Hammer's veteran screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, directed by Hammer's legendary director Terence Fisher, and starring hammer legends Peter Cushing as Van Helsing, Christopher Lee as Dracula, as well as Michael Gough aka Alfred........ Bruce Wayne's butler as Arthur Holmwood, John Von Eyssen as Johnathan Harker, Melissa Stribling as Mina, and Carol Marsh as Lucy. The movies plot is loosely based ( and I do mean loosely) on Bram Stoker's novel in that it contains a few of the characters from the book (sadly the character of Renfield was given the axe in this movie) and involves Van Helsing trying to rid the world of Dracula's evil.
Pros: great acting....Christopher Lee is menacing as Dracula and he only speaks like 13 words of dialouge...but not to be out done Peter Cushing also delivers a excellent performance as Van Helsing, Dracula and Van Helsing actually fight each other at the end (there's even a funny little bit where Dracula's got Van Helsing pinned so Van Helsing plays dead/unconscious Dracula falls for it, goes in for the kill and suddenly Van Helsing comes too and almost knocks Dracula on is ass), has hammers trademark great gothic sets, the video quality/transfer was excellent ( is so clear that there are moments where you can see the actors breath in the air from it being so damn cold on the sets.), great cinematography, decent editing and decent special effects for the time.
Cons: Annoying misuse of music (with the exception of the opening and ending credits the music is overly dramatic and soars throughout the movie to the point it becomes annoying), essentially the female version of the famous wilhelm scream is used in this movie a lot and it is grating on the ears especially if you have a surround sound home theater system......which is also part of the reason why I said the overly dramatic music was annoying, overly dramatic dialogue...there are moments where the dialogue is so overly dramatic that it reminds me of the stupid ass lenscrafters commercial where the guy gets his glasses in the mail sooner than expected and his wife comments on it and the guy dramatically says that can't be his glasses because he has special eyes and his wife dramatically responds look with your special eyes, the guy reply's still in dramatic tone my brand!.............it makes you want to punch someone in the face.
Overall I give this a 6 out of 10 because while it is a classic Hammer horror picture I found that the music, some of the dialogue, and the numerous liberties taken with the story really put a damper on my enjoyment of this movie. Though on the plus side it is fast paced running in at 82 minutes, is if I remember correctly one of 15 movies made with both Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing in the cast, and is the second movie made in Hammers now famous series of horror movies (the First being The Curse of Frankenstein a remake/adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein). I highly recommend this movie if you enjoy pre 1970's horror classics or if you are interested in seeing what all the hubbub is about Hammer's Horrors. Also as a heads up for those not in the know the later half of Hammer's horror movies featured female nudity and lesbian sex scenes (particularly the Karnstein Trilogy based on the Carmilla novels) where as the earlier movies feature little to no nudity at all.......I found this out the hard way .........while I was in college.........but that is story for another time and place......
Well I hoped you enjoyed my review and I will be back next week with another review which will be a Freddy Krueger centric review just in time for the release of the Nightmare on Elm Street remake.......the movie in question is my number one favorite Krueger films besides the original Nightmare on Elm Street and it fittingly enough reunites Robert Englund and Heather Langenkamp/Nancy for another battle..............uh oh I hear some little girls and they are singing a little song..........One,Two Freddy's coming for you.........three, four better lock your door........five, six grab your crucifix........seven, eight better stay awake...........nine,ten never sleep again ..... later gaters..........
Pros: great acting....Christopher Lee is menacing as Dracula and he only speaks like 13 words of dialouge...but not to be out done Peter Cushing also delivers a excellent performance as Van Helsing, Dracula and Van Helsing actually fight each other at the end (there's even a funny little bit where Dracula's got Van Helsing pinned so Van Helsing plays dead/unconscious Dracula falls for it, goes in for the kill and suddenly Van Helsing comes too and almost knocks Dracula on is ass), has hammers trademark great gothic sets, the video quality/transfer was excellent ( is so clear that there are moments where you can see the actors breath in the air from it being so damn cold on the sets.), great cinematography, decent editing and decent special effects for the time.
Cons: Annoying misuse of music (with the exception of the opening and ending credits the music is overly dramatic and soars throughout the movie to the point it becomes annoying), essentially the female version of the famous wilhelm scream is used in this movie a lot and it is grating on the ears especially if you have a surround sound home theater system......which is also part of the reason why I said the overly dramatic music was annoying, overly dramatic dialogue...there are moments where the dialogue is so overly dramatic that it reminds me of the stupid ass lenscrafters commercial where the guy gets his glasses in the mail sooner than expected and his wife comments on it and the guy dramatically says that can't be his glasses because he has special eyes and his wife dramatically responds look with your special eyes, the guy reply's still in dramatic tone my brand!.............it makes you want to punch someone in the face.
Overall I give this a 6 out of 10 because while it is a classic Hammer horror picture I found that the music, some of the dialogue, and the numerous liberties taken with the story really put a damper on my enjoyment of this movie. Though on the plus side it is fast paced running in at 82 minutes, is if I remember correctly one of 15 movies made with both Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing in the cast, and is the second movie made in Hammers now famous series of horror movies (the First being The Curse of Frankenstein a remake/adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein). I highly recommend this movie if you enjoy pre 1970's horror classics or if you are interested in seeing what all the hubbub is about Hammer's Horrors. Also as a heads up for those not in the know the later half of Hammer's horror movies featured female nudity and lesbian sex scenes (particularly the Karnstein Trilogy based on the Carmilla novels) where as the earlier movies feature little to no nudity at all.......I found this out the hard way .........while I was in college.........but that is story for another time and place......
Well I hoped you enjoyed my review and I will be back next week with another review which will be a Freddy Krueger centric review just in time for the release of the Nightmare on Elm Street remake.......the movie in question is my number one favorite Krueger films besides the original Nightmare on Elm Street and it fittingly enough reunites Robert Englund and Heather Langenkamp/Nancy for another battle..............uh oh I hear some little girls and they are singing a little song..........One,Two Freddy's coming for you.........three, four better lock your door........five, six grab your crucifix........seven, eight better stay awake...........nine,ten never sleep again ..... later gaters..........