Horror of Dracula (1958) - A Review in Two Parts **

While the resurrections of Dracula to create further sequels were outlandish and often ridiculous, I often loved how the next screenplay would kill him again. “Horror of Dracula” is one of my favorites, while probably my all-time favorite is when he is impaled on this giant gold cross…but that is a different vampire film for a different evening. This shows you Van Helsing as resourceful and fast-thinking, using wits against a far more powerful foe, who has years and superior strength in his favor…what weapons he has against Dracula—the sunlight, the crucifix, running water—he’ll use them if available to him.

Why this particular film lands with me is because of the little things it does right, such as a shot of Lee up at the top of the stairs on the second floor, in the dark, rushing down the steps to greet Harker warmly. His initial introduction with Bernard’s score is to tell us nothing good will come when he’s near. And then later once outside his castle, from behind, the sweeping cape, protruding out like bat’s wings, Lee moves to what we can only figure is his next meal.

She wants to "kiss" brother, Arthur

Obviously, with “Horror of Dracula”, I don’t think viewers could expect Harker to be successful against Dracula, and he’s a good early victim, a tragic would-be hero if Dracula’s female bride-of-the-time-being (Valerie Gaunt; Justine in “Curse of Frankenstein”, the maid and lover to Frankenstein, eventually crossing the Baron and paying a price for doing so) hadn’t taken a bite from his throat, in turn “infecting” him. Her “kiss” doomed him but he was able to give her peace with the stake, but choosing her first instead of taking care of Dracula is a decision that obviously costs him dearly. Lee plays that scene perfectly: he awakens to her agonizing final scream, smiling when he notices the sun departing into night, knowing Harker’s time was drawing to a close. Lee is often at his best without saying a word. Bloodied fangs out, the mouth open wide, Dracula realizes he just narrowly escaped the stake.

Along with the change in Harker’s fate and overall character arc, Dr. Seward is a physician who can’t help Dracula’s next victim after leaving his castle in Lucy (the fiancé of Harker…Dracula learning of her from a photo carried by Harker), Lucy doesn’t survive like Mina fortunately does after maidservant, Gerda, removes the garlic flowers and opens the windows (Van Helsing’s instructions denied) in Lucy’s room, and Lucy’s brother, Arthur (Michael Gough), is in danger of losing both his sister and wife, Mina (Melissa Stribling). So they essentially maneuvered characters around differently but ultimately the film pits Dracula and Van Helsing against each other. And it ends as it should: back inside Dracula’s castle.

They also exclude Dracula’s ability to transform into bats or wolves, while his ashes or even his blood can be used to revive him. This is that one film where Dracula doesn’t have a disciple helping him when he’s asleep during the day. And there are the mistakes Dracula makes because he’s so out for revenge. Like having his coffin in the basement of the Holmwoods just so he could feed on Mina, making himself too vulnerable. While Van Helsing is shown listening to his gramophone dictated from recordings about what he has learned about vampires, back story about those experiences are left to our imagination. It does seem Van Helsing and Harker had run across eyewitness and historical accounts that led them to determine Dracula’s whereabouts and evil, finding a village near Dracula castle with locals at a pub not willing to discuss the vampire, leaving well enough alone.