Rasputin: The Mad Monk (1966)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Don Sharp

Writer:

Anthony Hinds (writer)

Release Date:

6 April 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Ladies' Man - And Lady Killer!

Plot:

The movie chronicles the events of history's "man of mystery," Rasputin. Although not quite historically...

Plot Keywords:

Monk | Russia | Beautiful Woman | Character Name In Title

Cast

Christopher Lee	...	Grigori Rasputin
Barbara Shelley	...	Sonia
Richard Pasco	...	Dr. Zargo
Francis Matthews	...	Ivan
Suzan Farmer	...	Vanessa
Dinsdale Landen	...	Peter
Renée Asherson	...	Tsarina
Derek Francis	...	Innkeeper
Joss Ackland	...	The Bishop
Robert Duncan	...	Tsarvitch
Alan Tilvern	...	Patron
John Welsh	...	The Abbot
John Bailey	...	The Physician

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:15 (video rating) | UK:X (original rating) | Finland:(Banned) (1966) | Sweden:15 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

As a young boy, Christopher Lee actually met the assassins of Rasputin (Prince Yusupoff and Dmitri Pavlovich) before playing Rasputin in the film. He also met Rasputin's daughter, Maria in 1976.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: About fifteen minutes into the film, as Rasputin races round the corner in his hijacked horse and wagon, a figure in the background looks suspiciously like a member of the public in modern dress.

Quotes:

Grigori Rasputin: When I go to confession I don't offer God small sins, petty squabbles, jealousies... I offer him sins worth forgiving!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Stephen King's World of Horror (1986) (TV)

Christopher Lee writes history!

In case you're anxious to find out more about the TRUE story of Rasputin, you better search for some lame books in a library or attend classes given by nearly dead history teachers as accuracy isn't exactly this film's biggest trump! However, if you're hoping to see an exciting and atmospheric adventure, this Hammer highlight is highly recommended! It's one of the rather few movies centering on Russia's most infamous history icon Grigori Rasputin. The story especially focuses on his persona and not exactly on his place in history. Rasputin is a barbaric and womanizing drunkard, but gifted with astonishing healing powers and hypnotizing skills. When the monastery doesn't put up with his vile and aggressive actions any longer, he travels to St. Petersburg where he works himself all the way up into the Tsar-family, through manipulation of servants and innocent women. The film uses good looking set pieces and costumes but, naturally, it wouldn't be half as memorable if it weren't for Christopher Lee. Our legendary horror vet gives away one of the most energetic performances in horror-history and he really does look terrifying! It seemed to me that Lee was happy for not wearing his Dracula outfit for a change and this definitely reflects in his great acting. The tension and eeriness in 'Rasputin: The Mad Monk" entirely relies on Lee's charisma, grimaces and rude voice. The supportive cast is more than decent, with familiar names like Barbara Shelley (Dracula Prince of Darkness, Quartermass and the Pit), Susan Farmer (Die, Monster Die) and Richard Pasco (The Gorgon) as Rasputin's petrified opponents. Don Sharp once again does a solid directing job and I wish to stress again that he's a vastly underrated filmmaker. Sharp has made some really good genre movies that remain undiscovered to this date, like "Dark Places", "Psychomania" and "Kiss of the Vampire".