Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)

Director:

Alan Gibson

Writer:

Don Houghton
(more)

Release Date:

17 November 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Horror

Tagline:

The Count is back, with an eye for London's hotpants . . . and a taste for everything

Plot:

Johnny Alucard raises Count Dracula(Christopher Lee) from the dead in 1972 London. The Count goes after the descendents of Van Helsing.

Plot Keywords:

Van Helsing | Vampire | Ring | Tombstone | Vail Colorado

Cast

Christopher Lee	...	Count Dracula
Peter Cushing	...	Professor Van Helsing
Stephanie Beacham	...	Jessica Van Helsing
Christopher Neame	...	Johnny Alucard
Michael Coles	...	Inspector
Marsha A. Hunt	...	Gaynor (as Marsha Hunt)
Caroline Munro	...	Laura Bellows
Janet Key	...	Anna
William Ellis	...	Joe Mitcham
Philip Miller	...	Bob
Michael Kitchen	...	Greg
David Andrews	...	Detective Sergeant
Lally Bowers	...	Matron Party Hostess
Constance Luttrell	...	Mrs. Donnelly
Michael Daly	...	Charles
Artro Morris	...	Police Surgeon
Jo Richardson	...	Crying Matron
Penny Brahms	...	Hippy Girl
Brian John Smith	...	Hippy Boy
Tim Barnes	...	Rockgroup Member (as Stoneground)
Sal Valentino	...	Rockgroup Singer / Guitarist (as Stoneground)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Blakeley	...	Rockgroup Member (as Stoneground)
Brian Godula	...	Rockgroup Member (as Stoneground)
Lynne Hughes	...	Rockgroup Member (as Stoneground)
Deirdre La Porte	...	Rockgroup Member (as Stoneground)
Cory Lerios	...	Rockgroup Member (as Stoneground)
Lydia Mareno	...	Rockgroup Member (as Stoneground)
Steve Price	...	Rockgroup Member (as Stoneground)
Annie Sampson	...	Rockgroup Member (as Stoneground)
Glenda Allen	...	Girl (uncredited)
Jane Anthony	...	Debby Girl (uncredited)
Flanagan	...	Go-Go Girl (uncredited)
John Franklyn-Robbins	...	Minister (uncredited)
Christopher Morris	...	Boy (uncredited)

Directed by
Alan Gibson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Don Houghton
Bram Stoker		uncredited

Produced by
Michael Carreras	....	executive producer
Josephine Douglas	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Vickers

Cinematography by
Dick Bush

Film Editing by
James Needs

Casting by
James Liggat

Production Design by
Don Mingaye

Makeup Department
George Blackler	....	makeup artist
Jill Carpenter	....	makeup artist
Barbara Ritchie	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Ron Jackson	....	production manager
Roy Skeggs	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Lynn	....	assistant director

Art Department
Bill Benton	....	assistant art director
John Chisholm	....	props
Bill Greene	....	construction manager

Sound Department
Roy Baker	....	sound editor
Keith Batten	....	boom operator
Claude Hitchcock	....	supervising sound editor
A.W. Lumkin	....	recording director
Bill Rowe	....	dubbing mixer

Special Effects by
Les Bowie	....	special effects

Stunts
Eddie Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Birtles	....	electrician
Bernard Ford	....	camera operator (as Bernie Ford)
George Whitear	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosemary Burrows	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Leon Spielberg	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Philip Martell	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Philip Campbell	....	unit runner
Doreen Dearnaley	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Hammer Film Productions

Distributors

• Columbia-Warner Distributors (1972) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1972) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1981) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1972) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia (1972) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1990) (Finland) (TV) (as MTV2)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film collection)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD) (4 film collection)

Other Companies

• Humphries Laboratories  processing

Also Known As:

"Dracula 1972" - International (English title) (informal title)
"Dracula 1972 D.C." - International (English title) (poster title)

Runtime:

USA:96 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

UK:15 (re-rating) (1995) | UK:18 (re-rating) (1988) | UK:X (original rating) | Singapore:PG | West Germany:16 (VHS) | West Germany:16 (nf) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) (2006) | Finland:K-18 (self applied) (2005) | Finland:(Banned) (1972) | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Aldenham Country Park, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

Four actors in the film appeared in future James Bond films. Christopher Lee played Francisco Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), Caroline Munro played Naomi in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Michael Kitchen played Bill Tanner in GoldenEye (1995) and The World Is Not Enough (1999), and Christopher Neame played Fallon in Licence to Kill (1989).

Quotes:

Johnny Alucard:Master, I did it, I summoned you!
Count Dracula:It was my will.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1990)

Soundtrack:

You Better Come Through

Work of accidental genius

Although it feels a bit thrown together, with its day as night shots, total lack of continuity and dreadful soundtrack, this film succeeds as a comic masterpiece. It's difficult to describe the amount of pleasure that can be gained through Christopher Neame's outrageous performance as Johnny Alucard (Van Helsing's solving of the anagram is one of many magnificent unintentionally comic moments, worthy of Tom Baker at his most insincere).

Both Cushing and Lee try desperately to bring a sense of gravitas to the lunatic proceedings (how do vampires survive when it's raining?), but it does become apparent that the series was reaching its natural conclusion.

I've laughed so much it's been impossible to stand up during this. Memorable quotes include: "Dig the music, kids", "Foul, ghastly, horrible, obscene murder" and "A black mass? I mean, honestly." And while we're on it the black mass itself is absolutely wonderful.

How did they ever think this wouldn't date? By 75 it was hysterical.

Rush and see it, you'll be mightily rewarded.