Horror of Dracula (1958)
88%RT Audience Score: 81%
Awards & Nominations: 2 nominations
Trading gore for grandeur, Horror of Dracula marks an impressive turn for inveterate Christopher Lee as the titular vampire, and a typical Hammer mood that makes aristocracy quite sexy
Horror of Dracula is a classic horror film that has stood the test of time. Critics have praised the film for its stunning photography, menacing portrayal of Dracula by Christopher Lee, and its ability to capture the essence of Middle Europe. While some may find the film crude, it’s hard to deny that it’s a fun and spooky ride. Whether you’re looking for a good laugh or some genuine scares, Horror of Dracula is a must-watch for any horror fan. So grab some popcorn, turn off the lights, and prepare to be mesmerized by this timeless classic.
Production Company(ies)
Complete Fiction Media Rights Capital,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
1958
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 8, 1958 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 6, 2005
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
Horror of Dracula, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Terence Fisher, Jimmy Sangster, Anthony Hinds, Hammer Films, vampire, horror, English, May 8 1958, box office, budget, reviewed by Dorothy Masters, Times (UK) Staff, Peter Bradshaw, Dave Kehr, Alan Morrison, David Jenkins, Harrison’s Reports, Sergio Benítez, Clyde Gilmour, Matt Brunson, MPAA rating, Fresh Kernels, audience score, Tomatometer, Dr Van Helsing, Count Dracula, Jonathan Harker, Lucy Holmwood, Mina Holmwood, Arthur, Hammer mood, aristocracy, grandeur, gore, Hammer Films, Technicolor, special effects, James Bernard, soundtrack, creepy, tense, scary, British, quirky, low-budget, must-see, Nosferatu, Herzog, adaptation, Bram Stoker, immortalizing, cultural significance, Hammer villains, aristocratic elegance, upper-class parasite, Marxist, proletariat, bourgeoisie, opulence, grandeur, location shots, special effects, Christopher Lee’s
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Christopher Lee – Count Dracula
Michael Gough – Arthur
Melissa Stribling – Mina Holmwood
Carol Marsh – Lucy Holmwood
John Van Eyssen – Jonathan Harker
Director(s)
Terence Fisher
Writer(s)
Jimmy Sangster
Producer(s)
Anthony Hinds
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 nominations
Academy Awards
-Staff.jpg?w=900&ssl=1 "Times (UK) Staff")
All Critics (41) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (37) | Rotten (4)
Unlike most of Hollywood’s quickies, Horror of Dracula has allocated time, thought and talent to an enterprise which successfully recaptures the aura and patina of yesteryear’s Middle Europe. Some of the photography is good enough to frame.
September 16, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Dorothy Masters
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
Altogether this is a horrific film, and sometimes a crude film. but by no means an unimpressive piece of melodramatic story-telling.
July 31, 2020
Times (UK) Staff
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
This Hammer classic will be good for a laugh, and some shivers.
October 9, 2012 | Rating: 3/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
This Grand Guignol treatment bowled people over in the 50s, and it still yields some potent shocks.
October 19, 2009
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Christopher Lee’s Dracula is a menacing and complex presence who never lets his fangs and cape dominate.
November 1, 2007 | Rating: 4/5
David Jenkins
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
It may have slipped from an X rating to a 12A but this is still a potent adaptation of Bran Stoker’s eternal monster.
November 1, 2007 | Rating: 4/5
Alan Morrison
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The Hammer Dracula is every bit the classic now as it was back in the 50s and is still the version I mentally refer back to when I see a reference to the classic tale.
October 23, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
David Hogan
hoganreviews.co.uk
Not only Hammer’s first take on the Bram Stoker classic, but undoubtedly its finest.
October 13, 2020
Claudia Andrei
Electric Sheep
Of all the Dracula horror pictures thus far produced, this one, made in Britain and photographed in Technicolor, tops them all. Its shock impact is, in fact, so great that it may well be considered as one of the best horror films ever made.
October 13, 2020
P.S. Harrison
Harrison’s Reports
A film which the passage of the years has managed to put in its place as one of the best horror titles of all time. [Full Review in Spanish]
May 7, 2020
Sergio Benítez
Espinof
Morbid and ghoulish though it is, the picture at least has the merit of taking its hideous story quite seriously.
October 31, 2019
Clyde Gilmour
Maclean’s Magazine
A mesmerizing achievement from start to finish.
December 22, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy…
Plot
After Jonathan Harker attacks Dracula at his castle (apparently somewhere in Germany), the vampire travels to a nearby city, where he preys on the family of Harker’s fiancée. The only one who may be able to protect them is Dr. van Helsing, Harker’s friend and fellow-student of vampires, who is determined to destroy Dracula, whatever the cost.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The review praises Christopher Lee’s performance as the titular vampire, calling it an “impressive turn” and noting that it marks a departure from the gore of other horror films.
Terence-Fisher.jpg
