Dracula, Has
Risen From the Grave (UK, 1968)
Alternative Titles:
Dracula et Les Femmes (French title)
Running Time: 88
Minutes
Video Certificate:
15
Directed By: Freddie
Francis
Starring: Christopher Lee, Rupert Davis, Veronica Carlson, Barry
Andrews, Barbara Ewing, Ewan Hooper and Michael Ripper
Genre: Hammer/Dracula/Historical
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Gallery
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In the same Vein:
The Hammer Dracula Cycle consists of six films, of which this
is the fourth, the others are:
Tag line:
"You Just Can't Keep a Good Man Down!"
"He lives! They die! Christopher Lee as the fanged undead."
Inflamed with his Vampire thirst for blood and evil and beautiful
girls. [Australia] Plot: A year has passed since Dracula drowned in Dracula, Prince of Darkness.
The villargers are a supersticious lot and refuse to go to church since it
is in the shadow of Castle Dracula - The local priest has turned to
alcohol to drown his shame. He is soon shaken up when the Monsignor
arrives and chastises him. A body is found in a church bell and the priest
knows that evil still abounds. The priest and the Monsignor go up to
castle Dracula, perform an exorcism and fasten the doors with a huge
cross. On the way down, the priest falls and his landing cracks thie ice,
reawakening Dracula.
The Count is unbelievably pissed off, unable
to enter his castle because of the giant cross barring his threshold. He
wants revenge and goes after the Monsignor's beautiful young niece Maria.
Maria is in love with vibrant young student Paul, unfortunately Paul is an
atheist and the Monsignor, being a man of the cloth strongly disapproves
of the match. Maria is bitten by Dracula. Can Paul and the Monsignor
overcome their differences and save her, or will the Count divide and
conquer?
Vampires:
Christopher Lee dons the cape of Dracula for the third time. Its
all pretty traditional vampire lore - Dracula sleeps in a coffin,
wears a flowing black cape lined with red silk. He has small fangs
and bloodshot eyes. As with the previous Hammer offerings there is
no evidence he can transform into a bat, wolf or mist. New additions
include putting garlic flowers either side of the victims head and
painting crushed garlic juice around any appetures in the wall, like
door/window frames. Also in order for Dracula to be 'finally'
destroyed a prayer needs to be recited over his body.
| ![]() | Resurrecting Dracula:
The
last we saw of Dracula was in Dracula, Prince of Darkness
where he drowned in his moat. The slightly drunken priest falls down the
cliff as he loses his footing. He bashes his head and lands on the ice in
which Dracula is trapped. The Priest's fall cracks the ice and his blood
manages to fall into Dracula's mouth, reanimating the Count.
Dracula's Demise:
After a stake through the heart
fails, (due to the priest being unable to utter a prayer) and setting fire
to him has very little effect, there seems no way to destroy Dracula, In
the end he falls off the castle balcony and is impaled on the giant gold
cross which had been dropped there earlier after being removed from the
castle doors. How convenient! The scene is a wonderful parody of the
Crucifixion, with Dracula impaled on this huge cross, eyes weeping tears
of blood, and the priest reciting the Lord's Prayer in Latin. Wonderful
Stuff!
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Hunter:
The Monsignor (Rupert
Davis), a rather officious, aging Priest takes on the role of vampire
hunter. He seems a little intolerant particularly when introduced to Paul
(Barry Andrews). However, we do see a warmer side to him as Enst, in his
dealings with his sister-in-law Anna (Marion Mathie) and his young niece
Maria (Veronica Carlson). Armed with a giant gold cross, he manages to
prevent Dracula from entering his own home. He is very clued up on
vampires, having a Latin book of vampire lore... as you do!
Love Interest:
Veronica Carlson plays the beautiful, blonde naieve
heroine Maria. She's the typical, pure heroine, niece to the Monsignor.
Her role does compose of running round in a billowing white nightdress a
lot. In a rather nice touch, when she is first bitten by Dracula, her
china doll falls to ttthe floor, symbolising loss of innocence. She's very
pretty, but one of the most annoying characters, one wonders why one Earth
Paul would prefer her to the more obvious charms of the serving wench
Zena.
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Zena (Barbara Ewing) is a typical buxom serving wench -
jealous of Maria, slightly in love with Paul she bubbly and fun... The
perfect appetiser for Dracula!
Its also worth mentioning Paul
(Barry andrews) as the camera loves him almost as much as Maria. Paul is
an outspoken and honest student in search of truth - this often leads him
into trouble, like when he blurts out to Maria's clergyman uncle that he's
an atheist. The first time we see him he is shirtless in his uncle's
bakery and its rather a nice change to have the male as well as the female
form objectified.
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High Points:
![]() The
opening scene of the body in the bell is wonderfully bizarre and macabre.
Worthy of one of the gothic arthouse French films out there.
![]() The
psychadellic opening scene is unique amongst the Hammer Dracula's. It
totally doesn't fit with the atmosphere of the film, but its defintely
fun.
![]() It's
Christopher Lee as Dracula! The scene where he bites Maria is fantastic.
Lee adds sensuality to the scene, nuzzling Maria as if to kiss her before
going for the jugular. Maria knocking the porcelain doll to the ground
adds an extra resonance to the scene.
![]() The
death scene of Dracula is also impressive and full of symbolism.
![]() There
are some really good performances such as Paul and Zena, you warm to their
characters easily.
Low
Points:
![]() As
with most of these films, its really predictable: Dracula is resurrected,
bites a few pretty young girls, and is destroyed by a priest... until next
time. There is nothing here you don't see coming.
![]() The
character of the priest, and even the Monsignor are rather flat. The
priest isn't even given a name. Since the fact that he can't pray lets
Dracula escape a staking the least he should have is a name and a little
character development.
![]() Erm,
whats with the yellow shadows? For many shots the screen is yellow with a
clear spotlight on the main action. Its quite weird.
Logic let me introduce you...
The priest hits his head and loses enough blood to resurrect Dracula,
yet there is no wound when he gets up! The wound materialises in later
shots though!
Who killed the body in the bell? It may be
unbelievably cool, but how did it get there? The body is found BEFORE
Dracula is resurrected - The woman has bite marks on her neck so its
obviously a vampire killing - But Dracula's trapped under the ice! It
can't be a legacy from his previous reign of terror either because the
body is fresh (and he drowned a year ago), surely if it had been there a
year the priest and the boy would have noticed it before?! So... do we
have a rogue vamp on the loose? Or did Dracula do it? If so why have the
elaborate resurrection scene?
When discussing their proposed trip
to Dracula's castle, Monsignor says that dawn will be about 6am, so they
should meet at 5.30am. The castle is very near by, its shadow falls
literally onto the church - so why is it almost dark when they get there?
Its evening before they even start climbing the cliff to the castle -
where has the day gone?
Say What? Cool
Quotes:
Biggest sign
of imminent doom:
"Its done. The
evil is destroyed forever."
Biggest
Misconception:
"There is no evil in
the house of God!"
Not for another four sequels at
least...
"Dear God, when shall we
be free? When shall we be free of this evil?"
Dracula's
First Words:
"Who has done this
thing?"
The Mr. Cynical award goes to
Max:
"If you want success in life,
forget the truth."
Best Innuendo:
"Dumplings are boiling over Zena!"
Fetch
the whip:
"You have failed me. You
must be punished."
Biggest Cliche:
"Now my revenge is complete."
References:
The film
follows directly on from Dracula Prince of Darkness
(1965).
Using liquified garlic painted on the walls to deter a
vampire was also used in Pale Blood (1990) but there
it was used to prevent a vampires exit rather than entrance.
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Come one come all Mortals who are willing to stick their neck out for a vampire to feed upon. We will be willing to share our Dark Gift to you mortals if you pass our test.
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