Horror of Dracula Blu Ray Review (Warner Archive Collection)

Horror of Dracula (aKa Dracula) is a 1958 horror film directed by Terence Fisher (Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, Dracula: Prince of Darkness, The Phantom of the Opera, & The Curse of the Werewolf). It’s based off Bram Stoker’s novel. It was written by Jimmy Sangster (The Horror of Frankenstein, Dracula: Prince of Darkness, The Mummy, & The Man Who Could Cheat Death). It was the first Hammer Films production with Christopher Lee as Dracula. The original Dracula title was changed in the U.S. to avoid confusion with the 1931 film. It was released on a double bill with The Thing That Couldn’t Die. After it’s success, Hammer went on to produce 8 sequels with Christopher Lee as Count Dracula & 4 with Peter Cushing as Van Helsing. In 1885, Jonathan Harker (played by: John Van Eyssen from The Men of Sherwood Forest, Moment of Indiscretion, Four Sided Triangle, & Concrete Jungle) arrives at the castle of Count Dracula (played by: Christopher Lee from Dracula franchise, Star Wars franchise, The Lord of the Rings franchise, & The Wicker Man) near Klausenburg to take up his post as librarian.

He gets a warning from a young lady but Dracula shows up before he can investigate. He is there to hunt the legendary vampire. He gets attacked when trying to help someone. Doctor Van Helsing (played by: Peter Cushing from Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, The Curse of Frankenstein, Shock Waves, & The Beast Must Die) arrives in Klausenburg a few days later looking for him. Arthur Holmwood (played by: Michael Gough from the Batman franchise, The Serpent and the Rainbow, Venom, & Crucible of Horror), his wife Mina (played by: Melissa Stribling from Ghost Ship, Noose for a Lady, Thought to Kill, & The League of Gentlemen), & Harker’s fiancée Lucy (played by: Carol Marsh from Alice in Wonderland, Helter Skelter, The Tempest 1/2, & Man Accused) wait for him to return from his dangerous journey. Dracula pays them a visit & bites Lucy, she becomes very ill. Van Helsing comes back to deliver the bad news about Harker & gives them his diary with his final words. Tania (played by: Janina Faye from The Headless Ghost, The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, The Dance of Death, & School for Unclaimed Girls) ends up in the middle of the vampires & humans feud, she is targeted to become their next victim. She is being hunted by the prince of darkness. Van Helsing helps them battle the ruthless Dracula but he won’t give up on what he wants. Can they survive this relentless monster????

Horror of Dracula is historic for the simple fact that it’s Christopher Lee’s debut as Dracula in a Hammer Film. He doesn’t have much screen time here but his presence is felt for the entire feature. He gives a powerful performance with barely any lines. I consider him to be the best Count Dracula portrayal in the history of cinema. Peter Cushing is great as the prince of darkness’s rival Doctor Van Helsing. There’s reason why these two iconic actors made so many movies together, their chemistry was amazing. The rest of the supporting cast helped elevate the production. When it came to Hammer Horror, Terence Fisher was one of the best choices to direct & he always delivered a quality product at the end of the day. It’s based off the same source material as probably the most known Dracula film in recent years from Francis Ford Coppola. They are both similar but I think each production stood out on it’s own & had a completely different vibe to them. This feature tried to make it’s own story out of the original & it’s packed with action. Horror of Dracula is a very fun & entertaining entry in the Dracula universe, it’s one of my all time favorite Hammer productions. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!

Let’s talk about the high definition presentation from Warner Archive Collection! This 1080p (1.66:1) transfer is from the B.F.I restoration. The color timing is a major improvement compared to all the older home video releases. It’s definitely the best it’s ever looked in the states, I don’t own any of the overseas versions so I can’t compare it to those recent blu rays but this is worth upgrading to your Hammer Films collection especially if you are not region free. The English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track sounds awesome here. The dialogue is very clean, all of the suspense is elevated, & the music has never sounded better! It also has English subtitles. It only has the “Theatrical Trailer” as an extra on the disc. This has been one of the most requested titles for blu ray from Warner Bros & it’s finally here! It’s available everywhere right now, CHECK IT OUT!!!!