Dracula: Prince of Darkness

Dracula: Prince of Darkness
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Terence Fisher
Produced by	Anthony Nelson Keys
Written by	Story: Anthony Hinds Screenplay: Jimmy Sangster
Starring	Christopher Lee Barbara Shelley
Music by	James Bernard
Cinematography	Michael Reed
Editing by	Chris Barnes
Distributed by	20th Century Fox Hammer Studios
Release date(s)	January 9, 1966
Running time	90 min.
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Dracula: Prince of Darkness is a 1966 British horror film directed by Terence Fisher for Hammer Studios. The film was photographed in Techniscope by Michael Reed, designed by Bernard Robinson and scored by James Bernard.

Plot

The film opens with the final scenes from Dracula, showing Dracula’s destruction. Ten years later, Father Sandor prevents locals staking a woman's corpse through the heart and chastises the presiding priest for perpetuating the fear of vampirism. Sandor visits an inn and warns four English tourists - the Kent's - not to visit Karlsbad - however, they ignore his advice.

As night approaches, the Kent's find themselves dumped by their fear-stricken coach driver two kilometres from Karlsbad, in view of a castle. A driver-less carriage takes them to the castle where they find a dining table set for four people and their bags unpacked in the bedrooms. A servant named Klove explains that his master, the late Count Dracula, ordered that the castle should always be ready to welcome strangers. After dinner the Kent's settle in their rooms.

Later that night, Alan investigates a noise and follows Klove to the crypt where he is killed by Klove and his blood is mixed with Dracula's ashes, reviving his vampire. Klove entices Helen to the crypt where she is Dracula's first victim.

The next morning Charles and Diana can find no trace of Alan, Helen or Klove. Charles takes Diana to a woodsman’s hut and then returns to the castle to search for them. Klove tricks Diana into returning to the castle. Charles finds Alan’s dismembered body in a trunk in the crypt. It is now dark and Dracula rises. Diana sees Helen, not realising now that she is one of the undead. Helen attacks Diana but stops at a hiss from Dracula. Charles attacks Dracula, but is quickly outmatched. Diana accidentally burns Helen with her crucifix and realises it can be used as a weapon against vampires. Charles catches on and uses two parts of a broken sword as a cross to drive Dracula back.

Klove is struck down as the two leave the castle in a carriage. However, the carriage crashes and Diana is knocked unconscious. Charles carries her for several hours through the wilderness and meets Father Sandor who takes them to his abbey where she can recover. While waiting for Diana to awaken, Sandor tells Charles about Dracula.

Klove arrives at the monastery in a wagon carrying Dracula and Helen in coffins but is denied admission by the monks. Ludwig, a patient at the abbey, is in thrall to Dracula and invites the vampire inside. Helen convinces Diana to open the window for her. Diana is bitten, but Dracula drags Helen off as he wants Diana for himself. Charles bursts into the room and drives the vampires out. Sandor sterilises the bite with the heat from an oil lamp.

Sandor puts silver crucifixes in the two coffins to prevent the vampires returning to them. Helen is captured and staked, but Ludwig lures Diana into Dracula’s presence, where she is hypnotised into taking off her crucifix. Dracula coerces her to drink his blood from his bare chest, but Charles returns just before she can drink, forcing Dracula to flee with the unconscious Diana.

Charles and Sandor arm themselves and follow on horseback. A shortcut allows them to get in front of Dracula's wagon and stop it. Charles shoots Klove but the horses gallop off to the castle. Dracula's coffin is thrown onto the icy moat and Charles attempts to stake the vampire but is beaten back. Shots fired by Sandor break the ice and Dracula sinks into the freezing water and perishes.

Cast

• Christopher Lee as Count Dracula
• Barbara Shelley as Helen Kent
• Andrew Keir as Father Sandor
• Francis Matthews as Charles Kent
• Suzan Farmer as Diana Kent
• Charles Tingwell as Alan Kent
• Thorley Walters as Ludwig
• Philip Latham as Klove
• Walter Brown as Brother Mark
• George Woodbridge as Landlord
• Jack Lambert as Brother Peter
• Philip Ray as Priest
• Joyce Hemson as Mother
• John Maxim as Coach Driver

Production notes

Dracula does not speak in the film. According to Christopher Lee: "I didn’t speak in that picture. The reason was very simple. I read the script and saw the dialogue! I said to Hammer, if you think I’m going to say any of these lines, you’re very much mistaken."

But screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, in his memoir Inside Hammer (Reynolds & Hearn, 2001), stated that "Vampires don't chat. So I didn't write him any dialogue. Chris Lee has claimed that he refused to speak the lines he was given ... So you can take your pick as to why Christopher Lee didn't have any dialogue in the picture. Or you can take my word for it. I didn't write any."

A novelization of the film was written by John Burke as part of his 1967 book The Second Hammer Horror Film Omnibus.

The film was made back-to-back with Rasputin, the Mad Monk, using many of the same sets and cast. Barbara Shelley later remembered accidentally swallowing one of her fangs in one scene, and having to drink salt water to bring it back up again because of the tight shooting schedule (as well as there being no spare set of fangs).

Release

Home media

It has been announced that StudioCanal UK will release a Blu-ray Disc version of the film on the 27 February 2012.

External links

• Dracula: Prince of Darkness at the Internet Movie Database
• Dracula: Prince of Darkness at AllRovi
• Dracula: Prince of Darkness at Rotten Tomatoes
• BFI Screenonline article
• Britmovie article