Some believe or feel this Hammer sequel of sorts to Dracula (1958) is in some ways better although Peel isn't as well received as Lee, a kind of substitute cast because he wouldn't cost as much. I like that Cushing could just get most of the star recognition this time. But in subsequent sequels Lee had the chance to bear his fangs and dominate the films while Cushing was off portraying Frankenstein. And you do get to see a victim escape her coffin with fangs out, helped by the crazed maidservant of Peel. The Meinster castle is very much similar to Castle Dracula, though, some of the outer exteriors get put to use such as Marianne from the balcony seeing Baron Meinster in a room a distance below. It was always a pleasure to see Cushing in active form before losing his Helen, causing him to age and suffer health-wise. Although rightfully revered as a formidable Frankenstein, his Van Helsing holds a special place with me. I think this film is my favorite of Cushing as Van Helsing.
User comments from October 2009.
Young Frenchwoman, Marianne(Yvonne Monlaur), on her way to a dance school where she plans to be a teacher, is offered a room at the château of a wealthy baroness, Meinster(Martita Hunt). What Marianne doesn't realize is that Baroness Meinster has imprisoned her son, Baron Meinster(David Peel), and comes into the nearby village to bring fresh girls for him to blood-drink. Baron is shackled so that he could not be free to move about, but Marianne, not truly understanding the vampire that he is, secures the key from the Baroness' room, setting him loose to scour the countryside for fresh victims. Dr. Van Helsing(Peter Cushing, in one of his most charismatic portrayals of the heroic vampire killer)is answering the call of a local priest, and will do battle with Baron Meinster, who seeks to marry Marianne. Two girls are turned, a fellow student teacher, colleague of Marianne's, and a village sweetheart. Meanwhile, Van Helsing sets the Baroness free from her curse after Baron turned her into a vampire. Ultimately, Van Helsing will have to rescue Marianne from Baron who plans to turn her into a vampire, making her his undead bride.
David Peel isn't exactly the first actor that pops up in your head when one thinks about the most memorable vampire portrayals, but he does well with a rather thankless part. I'm guessing he has a total of fifteen minutes on screen, the rest occupied by the other characters, particularly Marianne and Van Helsing. Even Van Helsing doesn't appear until after the opening act which follows Marianne's manipulation into the Baroness' castle, and falling under the Baron's spell, letting him free. Freda Jackson, as the Meinsters' loyal servant, lets it all hang out once the Baron is free, in one scene clutching the earth of a grave, calling for the newly inducted vampire bride to come forth from her casket. Cushing's show really, with Peel stepping into the vampire part, Lee wasn't asked to play, which might explain why it's so underwritten. Magnificent scenes involving a windmill used to shadow a cross which paralyzes the Baron, not to mention the rare defeat of a vampire bite by means of Van Helsing burning the wound, pouring holy water over it to rid himself of the evil "kiss." Miles Malleson steals his scenes as a paranoid village doctor, who is always taking various drugs to prevent future illness(..his greed is also played for laughs). Surprising enough, Van Helsing and the Baron have spirited duels with each other, and Peel achieves the required menace convincingly. My only real qualm with the movie is the laughable bat, I think the film would've been just fine without one. Fisher, as always, brings a style and grandeur to a rather so-so script..the story itself isn't really that inspired, but thankfully the excellent cast rise above the usual trappings.
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