The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973)

Director:

Alan Gibson

Writer:

Don Houghton (writer)

Release Date:

October 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

The King of the undead marries the Queen of the Zombies

Plot:

In London in the 1970s, Scotland Yard police investigators think they have uncovered a case of vampirism...

Plot Keywords:

Dracula | Van Helsing | Occult | Plan | Inspector

Cast

Christopher Lee	...	Count Dracula
Peter Cushing	...	Prof. Lorrimer Van Helsing
Michael Coles	...	Insp. Murray
William Franklyn	...	Torrence
Freddie Jones	...	Prof. Julian Keeley
Joanna Lumley	...	Jessica Van Helsing
Richard Vernon	...	Col. Mathews
Barbara Yu Ling	...	Chin Yang
Patrick Barr	...	Lord Carradine
Richard Mathews	...	John Porter
Lockwood West	...	General Sir Arthur Freeborne
Valerie Van Ost	...	Jane
Maurice O'Connell	...	Hanson
Peter Adair	...	Doctor
Maggie Fitzgerald	...	Vampire girl
Pauline Peart	...	Vampire girl
Finnuala O'Shannon	...	Vampire girl
Mia Martin	...	Vampire girl
John Harvey	...	Commissionaire
Marc Zuber	...	Guard #1
Paul Weston	...	Guard #2
Ian Dewar	...	Guard #3
Graham Rees	...	Guard #4

Directed by
Alan Gibson

Writing credits
Don Houghton		(writer)

Produced by
Don Houghton	....	associate producer
Roy Skeggs	....	producer

Original Music by
John Cacavas

Cinematography by
Brian Probyn		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Chris Barnes

Casting by
James Liggat

Art Direction by
Lionel Couch

Makeup Department
George Blackler	....	makeup artist
Maude Onslow	....	hair stylist (as Maud Onslow)

Production Management
Ron Jackson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Derek Whitehurst	....	assistant director
Chris Carreras	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Graham Easton	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Don Picton	....	assistant art director
Ken Softley	....	construction manager
D. Clarke	....	stand-by carpenter (uncredited)
J. Fleetwood	....	stand-by rigger (uncredited)
Wilf France	....	props (uncredited)
Arthur Jacobs	....	chargehand dresser (uncredited)
R. Race	....	stand-by stagehand (uncredited)

Sound Department
Claude Hitchcock	....	sound recordist
Terry Poulton	....	sound editor
Dennis Whitlock	....	dubbing mixer
Keith Batten	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Chris Munro	....	sound camera operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Les Bowie	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Chic Anstiss	....	camera operator
Peter Carmody	....	camera loader (uncredited)
Peter Carmody	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Stan Patton	....	camera grip (uncredited)
Malcolm Vinson	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rebecca Breed	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Larry Richardson	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Philip Martell	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Elizabeth Wilcox	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (as Warner Bros - A Warner Communications Company presents)
• Hammer Film Productions (as A Hammer Production)

Distributors

• Columbia-Warner Distributors (1974) (UK) (theatrical)
• Astral Films (1978) (Canada) (theatrical) (as "Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride")
• Dynamite Entertainment (1978) (USA) (theatrical) (states rights system)
• Warner Home Video (1988) (UK) (VHS)
• UAV Entertainment (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• Gemstone Entertainment (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Diamond Entertainment Group (DEG) (2000) (USA) (DVD) (as "Count Dracula and His Vampire Brides")
• Platinum Disc (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Catcom Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Pro-Active Entertainment Group (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• Big Sky Video (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2006) (USA) (TV)
• Echo Bridge Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Liberty Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Opção (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Reel Media International (2007) (USA) (all media)
• Rocket DVD (2010) (Australia) (DVD)
• TGG Direct (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Humphries Laboratories  processing

Also Known As:

"Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride" - USA

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Australia:R (DVD rating) | Iceland:16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | West Germany:18 | Argentina:18 (re-rating) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Australia:PG (TV rating) | Brazil:16 | Australia:M | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1988) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The final Hammer film to be completed under the aegis of company chairman Sir James Carreras.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Van Helsing says that he was at Oxford with Keeley, however he is clearly much older than Keeley to have been his contemporary at University.

Quotes:

Count Dracula:[Speaks to Van Helsing] In the days to come, you will pray for death... release...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Blonde Ambition (1981)

The final entry in Hammer's Dracula series, and the last pairing of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.

'The Satanic Rites Of Dracula' was the last entry in Hammer's Dracula series which began with the terrific 'Dracula' (aka 'Horror Of Dracula') in 1958. It's supposedly a direct sequel to 'Dracula A.D. 1972', which for me was not only the weakest in the series, but possible the worst Hammer movie I've ever seen. I say "supposedly" because even though once again Peter Cushing plays Van Helsing's grandson Larimer, and his own granddaughter Jessica is featured (with Joanna Lumley replacing Stephanie Beacham), there's no explanation for Dracula's resurrection or any reference to the earlier movie. 'Satanic Rites...' is a definite improvement on '... 1972' though, which was the first Hammer Dracula movie set in the present day. Director Alan Gibson and writer Don Houghton seemed unsure of themselves in the previous film, not knowing whether to play it straight or as pure camp. This movie is more successful on that score and takes a new Bond-like direction which might have breathed new life into the series if given the chance. Christopher Lee was apparently fed up with playing Dracula by this stage, which is a shame as he's always great to watch, and arguably as good as Lugosi in the role. Lee unfortunately has very little screen time in this movie but really makes the most of what he's given, especially his few scenes with Cushing. Michael Coles (who had a bit part in 'Dracula A.D. 1972) and William Franklyn ('Quatermass 2') are reasonably effective heroes, Scotland Yard men investigating a secret cult of Satanists led by a mysterious recluse D.D. Denham (guess who), but Cushing steals the show, as does David Lynch regular Freddie Jones who plays an unbalanced scientist. Joanna Lumley, just two years from playing Purdey in 'The New Avengers', looks delicious but doesn't get to do all that much. Too bad there was more Lumley and Cushing (and Lee) and less Coles and Franklyn. As to the climax which many people seem to hate, well I won't spoil it, but I thought it was effective enough. If you're unfamiliar with Hammer's Dracula series I suggest you stick with the two best 'Dracula' and 'Dracula: Prince Of Darkness'. Unless like me you're mad for the Cushing and Lee team you can give 'The Satanic Rites Of Dracula' a miss. As an alternative I instead highly recommend the non-Hammer 'Horror Express'. Too bad that wasn't their final screen pairing not this!