THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA
Anchor Bay
1973 (Anchor Bay release 1998)

review by Beth Kattelman

This is one more in a long line of Hammer films featuring Christopher Lee as the undead Count and Peter Cushing as his nemesis, Professor Van Helsing. It was also the last time Lee portrayed Dracula for Hammer Studios. Unfortunately, this is not one of their best Dracula films. It suffers from an extremely weak plot, and thus, the audience suffers too. Count Dracula and his followers have formed a satanic cult and are holed up in Pelham House. The local authorities are concerned about the strange goings-on, so they bring in Professor Van Helsing, local expert on the occult, to help them investigate. Van Helsing discovers that Dracula plans to destroy the world with a new strain of fast-acting bubonic plague which he and his followers have perfected so, of course, he tries to foil the evil plan.

Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are great, as always. Unfortunately, the acting of the supporting players runs the gamut from decent to incredibly bad. Some scenes are so overwrought, they cross the line into camp. One great example of this is the scene where Van Helsing's daughter, Jessica (played by Joanna Lumley of AB FAB fame), is attacked by female vampires. It's shot in slow motion, complete with the obligatory fang-bearing, leering and hissing (and some major lesbian subtext!). The scene is so 'over the top' it's a hoot.

The film is definitely a product of the seventies. The soundtrack features some swanky, be-bop music, the guards for the satan worshippers drive motorcycles and wear 'groovy' brown leather vests and everyone is dressed oh-so-mod. Yeah, baby! That adds some fun. And there are some good special effects, with a particularly impressive conflagration at the end of the film Unfortunately, however, the pacing is slow and the story is so weak that the special effects and the 'kitchy' elements can't rescue this one.

FEAR FACTOR: Not scary. Just goofy.---

BLOOD & GORE GAUGE: Some way-too-red Hammer blood, of course.---

TRIVIA TIDBIT: Warner Brothers refused to release the film at first due to nudity and subject matter. It was released in the U.S. five years later under the title Count Dracula and his Vampire Bride.---

BEST "OW, THAT'S GOTTA HURT" MOMENT: Wooden stake pushed into ribs just under bare breast.---

BEST QUOTE: Evil rules, you know. It really does.---

Official Website:
http://www.anchorbayentertainment.com/

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