Dracula: Prince of Darkness

Original title: Dracula, Prince of Darkness

1966
Approved
1h 30m

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

11K

YOUR RATING

Christopher Lee in Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)

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Vampire Horror Horror

Ten years after his demise, Count Dracula is resurrected by his servant and preys on four unsuspecting English tourists who have taken shelter in his castle.Ten years after his demise, Count Dracula is resurrected by his servant and preys on four unsuspecting English tourists who have taken shelter in his castle.Ten years after his demise, Count Dracula is resurrected by his servant and preys on four unsuspecting English tourists who have taken shelter in his castle.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

11K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Alan
(as Charles Tingwell)

Thorley Walters

Ludwig

Philip Latham

Klove

Walter Brown

Brother Mark

George Woodbridge

Landlord

Jack Lambert

Brother Peter

Philip Ray

Priest

Joyce Hemson

Mother

John Maxim

Coach Driver

Peter Cushing

Doctor Van Helsing
(archive footage)
(uncredited)

Alistair Dick

Monk
(uncredited)

Lee Fenton

Monk
(uncredited)

George Holdcroft

Monk
(uncredited)

Director
- Terence Fisher
Writers
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
In the scene where Dracula is being "resurrected" from a coffin into which his ashes have been spread, from blood dripping down from a poor victim (provided by Klove) Dracula is made to "manifest himself" over a period of about a minute. This was achieved by overlapping "dissolves" of a series of twelve locked-down camera shots, involving first the ashes, then a skeleton, then some body-fat on the skeleton, et cetera, along with swirling mist, until we finally perceive the full form of Dracula. He doesn't appear fully dressed as is usually the case. The shot moves to outside the coffin and a bare arm reaches out. The vampire's clothes were seen in earlier scenes awaiting his return.

Goofs
At the beginning of the film, the dead girl being carried in the funeral procession is breathing heavily.

Quotes
Alan Kent: You forget about all of this in the morning, you'll see.
Helen Kent: There'll be no morning for us.

Alternate versions
The UK cinema version was cut by the BBFC with edits to blood flows during the resurrection scene, a closeup shot of Helen's staking, and a shortening of the seduction scene where Dracula pulls a hypnotized Diana towards his chest wound. Video releases featured the cut cinema print though all widescreen DVD releases feature the fully uncut version.

Connections
Edited from Horror of Dracula (1958)

User reviews128

Review

Featured review

Hammer Fans Unite!

There is a cult in this world that are die-hard fans of Hammer films and "Dracula: Prince of Darkness" is another one to whet your appetite. Hammer Studios made their reputation in the horror film genre and all the films have a cetain look that is their trademark. The sets are rather lavish, it always seems to be winter and Christopher Lee or Peter Cushing are lurking around somewhere.

This film, missing Mr. Cushing, is probably one of the best of the "series". The charismatic Mr. Lee, however, does not utter a word and has fairly limited screen time which may dismay some fans. But he is still menacing and still biting necks with abandon. The story centers more around the 4 travelers and the priest (very well played by Andrew Keir). As usual, the innocents in the film stay at a castle which they have been warned to avoid by half the population of Transylvania. And then they pay the price. One scene worth mentioning, which is a little more gory than most in films of the 1960's is the discovery of Charles Tingwell, hanging upside down like a side of beef in the basement. You might jump at little at that point. But generally the film pretty much sticks to the Hammer formula.

So, if you are a Hammer fan, this one's for you. If you are not a Hammer fan, don't think for a moment that the story resembles Bram Stokers "Dracula"........well, maybe the fly eating Thorley Walters, modeled on the Renfield character from the book. Howevwer, it is a satisfying entry in the Hammer oeuvre and worth a watch.