Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)

Director:

Freddie Francis

Writers:

Anthony Hinds
Bram Stoker (character created by)

Release Date:

6 February 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

You just can't keep a good man down!

Plot:

When his castle is exorcised, Dracula plots his revenge against the Monsignor who performed the rites...

Plot Keywords:

Monsignor | Castle | Revenge | Dracula | Pub

Cast

Christopher Lee	...	Dracula
Rupert Davies	...	Monsignor Ernest Mueller
Veronica Carlson	...	Maria Mueller
Barbara Ewing	...	Zena
Barry Andrews	...	Paul
Ewan Hooper	...	Priest
Marion Mathie	...	Anna Mueller
Michael Ripper	...	Max
John D. Collins	...	Student
George A. Cooper	...	Landlord
Christopher Cunningham	...	Farmer (as Chris Cunningham)
Norman Bacon	...	Mute Boy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carrie Baker	...	1st Victim (uncredited)

Directed by
Freddie Francis

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Anthony Hinds		(as John Elder)
Bram Stoker		character created by

Produced by
Aida Young	....	producer

Original Music by
James Bernard

Cinematography by
Arthur Grant

Film Editing by
Spencer Reeve

Production Design by
Bernard Robinson

Makeup Department
Wanda Kelley	....	hair stylist
Heather Nurse	....	makeup artist
Rosemarie McDonald Peattie	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Christopher Sutton	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dennis Robertson	....	assistant director

Art Department
Arthur Banks	....	construction manager

Sound Department
Ken Rawkins	....	sound recordist
Wilfred Thompson	....	sound editor
Harry Fairbairn	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Frank George	....	special effects
Bert Luxford	....	special effects (uncredited)
James Snow	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Peter Melrose	....	matte artist
Bob Cuff	....	matte artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Peter Diamond	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Moray Grant	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jill Thompson	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
James Needs	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Philip Martell	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Doris Martin	....	continuity
Kevin Francis	....	runner (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hammer Film Productions

Distributors

• Warner-Pathé Distributors (1968) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Brothers/Seven Arts (1969) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1986) (Finland) (TV) (as MTV1)
• Warner Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film collection)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD) (4 film collection)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) (2004) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (Ontario) (video rating) (1993) | West Germany:16 (VHS rating) | Germany:16 (DVD release) | Finland:(Banned) (uncut) (1969) | Finland:(Banned) (cut) (1969) | Norway:16 | South Africa:13V | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:G (certificate #21909) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

During production Hammer became the first film studio to be presented with the Queen's Award for Industry.

Goofs:

Continuity: when the Monsignor and the priest leave the church for the castle (which casts its shadow on the church) its supposed to be dawn, yet it's dark when the Monsignor arrives.

Quotes:

Max:The truth? What do you want with that? If you want to be a succes in life forget the truth.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Cinemassacre's Monster Madness: Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (#5.11)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Students' Beer Song

the ultimate amalgamation of Hammer Film's conventions

If a quintessential example of a Hammer Studio's exercise in Gothic Horror exists, it is probably this film. Not because it is a flawless piece of film-making, far from it. Rather because this film manages to squeeze just about all of Hammer's horror-show templates into it's 92 minute running time.

Here we have the unmistakeably distinctive set design and music score by Hammer mainstays Benard Robinson and James Benard; romantic leads transposing post Summer-of-Love sexual mores (and hairstyles!) to the film's indeterminate post Victorian location; two pub locales, one peopled with wary, hostile, superstitious East-Ender types, the other rollicking with high-spirited youthful inebriates; a pious religious figure (and a much less pious one); a cameo by Michael Ripper; day-for-night location shots; attractive women in low-cut bodices and nightgowns; yet another outlandish method of using trickling blood to revive the antagonist; an eventful screenplay that doesn't measure up to critical evaluation --- whew! I could go on and on.

But please understand, I do not necessarily regard all of the above negatively, just realistically. "D.H.R.F.T.G." is a fun watch if you leave your thinking cap off. Several of the most memorable set-pieces in the Hammer canon are here; the discovery of the girl in the belfry, the attempted staking of Dracula, the Count's seduction of Veronica Carlson, and his over-the-top demise (I won't reveal it here). These scenes lingered for decades in my mind after I saw the film in the early seventies. I was joyful to find the videotape in the '90's and yes, I now happily own the DVD.

One of the harshest critics of this film, incidentally, was it's star. Christopher Lee, who entered the project enduring serious back pain (stuntman Eddie Powell handled the more strenuous action), disliked the script intensely, especially the attempted staking of the Count. His performance, however, betrays none of his vexation; this is one of his best outings as Dracula. Director Freddie Francis coaxes serviceable performances from the rest of the cast. Rupert Davies and Barbara Ewing stand out, as a noble cleric and lusty barmaid respectively.

At the end of the day, I really like this movie, despite it's shortcomings. Heck, I feel like putting on right now. So should you.