Horror of Dracula

Produced by Michael Carreras with a solid screenplay by the reliable Jimmy Sangster, Hammer Films’ “Dracula” established itself as a revolutionary horror film thanks to its innovative storytelling, which, although taking great liberties with Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel, successfully maintains its spirit and ambience.

Terence Fisher skillfully handles the material which he infuses with his own personal poetic voice marked by a somber sense of inevitability and a daring erotic subtext, unprecedented for the time. Despite the fact that British Hammer Productions clearly chose to go the pure Gothic route here, obvious traces of their successful earlier foray into science fiction linger, as evidenced by continuous medical references. In fact, vampirism is envisaged as a disease, to the extent that not only do terms such as “contagion” and “advanced state” abound, but a direct parallel is drawn between a vampire victim’s typical symptoms and those of a drug addict: “It is established that victims consciously detest being dominated by vampirism but are unable to relinquish the practice, similar to addiction to drugs“.

The cast, a real treat for horror fans, includes a formidable trio: Michael Gough, Peter Cushing, and Christopher Lee. The latter embodies a violent, evil Dracula, a carnal being infused with a hint of blasphemy. His appearance – prominent fangs and bloodshot eyes – set the bar for how modern vampires are depicted, an image that became firmly entrenched in the collective imagination.

The use of color takes on great importance here, with blood being depicted in a bright red, the color that became the symbol of the illustrious Hammer Films itself. Its notable box office success will prompt Hammer to produce one of longest-lived and most highly regarded sagas in the history of horror films.

Next up is “The Brides of Dracula” (1960), with Fisher back at the helm.