Gorgeous French redhead Yvonne Monlaur plays teacher Marianne Danielle, who is abandoned in a remote village by her coach-driver whilst en route to her new appointment at a girl's school. When wealthy Baroness Meinster (Martita Hunt) offers Marianne a room for the night in her mountain-top château, the desperate woman gratefully accepts, unaware that the Baroness's son (David Peel), a vampire, is chained up in the castle.
Brides of Dracula is regarded by many Hammer fans to be the best of the studio's 'Dracula' movies (despite the absence of Christopher Lee in his iconic role as the Count), but I really don't understand the unequivocal acclaim: although Terence Fisher's direction is admittedly impressive, his measured camera-work making the most of the excellent set design and coloured lighting, and Peter Cushing gives another impeccable performance as Doctor Van Helsing, the film certainly isn't without its faults.
The pacing is rather slow at times (particularly before Cushing appears on the scene), the so-so script throws up a few too many unanswered questions whilst taking liberties with accepted vampire lore, and the ending is especially weak (Death by shadow? Really? Is that the best they could come up with?): all of these negative elements serve take the film down a notch or two in my opinion, although one should still be aware that even a flawed Hammer film is, more often than not, still well worth a watch (avoid Brides of Dracula, for example, and you'll miss the wonderfully atmospheric scene in which an old hag, under the control of the Baron Meinster, coaxes a recently 'turned' vampiress from her grave).
Brides of Dracula is regarded by many Hammer fans to be the best of the studio's 'Dracula' movies (despite the absence of Christopher Lee in his iconic role as the Count), but I really don't understand the unequivocal acclaim: although Terence Fisher's direction is admittedly impressive, his measured camera-work making the most of the excellent set design and coloured lighting, and Peter Cushing gives another impeccable performance as Doctor Van Helsing, the film certainly isn't without its faults.
The pacing is rather slow at times (particularly before Cushing appears on the scene), the so-so script throws up a few too many unanswered questions whilst taking liberties with accepted vampire lore, and the ending is especially weak (Death by shadow? Really? Is that the best they could come up with?): all of these negative elements serve take the film down a notch or two in my opinion, although one should still be aware that even a flawed Hammer film is, more often than not, still well worth a watch (avoid Brides of Dracula, for example, and you'll miss the wonderfully atmospheric scene in which an old hag, under the control of the Baron Meinster, coaxes a recently 'turned' vampiress from her grave).