Has anyone ever played Dracula as such an angry vampire the way Christopher Lee has? When a monsignor "cleanses" Dracula's castle and leaves a cross at his front door, the vampire rises and wreaks havoc on everyone he encounters. After hypnotizing a cowardly priest and doing away with a sassy barroom wench, he goes after the monsignor's nubile niece. Though off camera for much of the time, Lee dominates the movie. He's evil incarnate, a maniac out for blood (literally). The direction by Freddie Francis is great, all high pitched and very colorful. The supporting cast includes hammy Rupert Davies as the monsignor, Veronica Carlson as his niece, Barry Andrews (as the dull hero), Barbara Ewing and Ewan Hooper. Norman Bacon plays an idiot man- child who alerts the townspeople of Dracula's return. Arthur Grant provided the high gloss cinematography and the rousing music is by James Bernard, who scored Hammer's first Dracula film 10 years earlier.
