Dracula - Prince of Darkness |  | Director: Terence Fisher
Actors: Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley, Andrew Keir, Francis Matthews, Suzan Farmer
Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment
Category: DVD
This item is no longer available
Rating:  80 reviews
Format: Color, Letterboxed, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), English (Unknown)
Rating: Unrated
Region: 0
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
DVD Layers: 1
DVD Sides: 2
Picture Format: Letterbox
Running Time: 90 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
UPC: 013131044997
EAN: 0013131044997
Theatrical Release Date: January 12, 1966
Release Date: May 26, 1998
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Amazon.com essential video
For many years after becoming one of the definitive movie Draculas in the 1958 Hammer Films classic Horror of Dracula (in which he was pitted against Peter Cushing as Dr. Van Helsing), Christopher Lee refused to reprise his role as filmdom's most infamous vampire. He finally returned to the role in this belated 1965 sequel, once again directed by Hammer studios veteran Terence Fisher. It's not as effective or as intelligently written as the earlier film, but it has become a minor classic in its own right for horror connoisseurs, notably due to the combination of eerie atmosphere (a Terence Fisher specialty) and violence that was, by mid-'60s standards, quite bloody and graphic. Indeed, the story begins when Count Dracula's servant revives his master by hanging an unsuspecting victim over the tomb containing Dracula's ashes and draining the blood from the unlucky fellow so it can trickle into the tomb and restore life to the remains of the undead vampire! It's this kind of unholy communion that was a trademark of Hammer horror, and Dracula: Prince of Darkness continues with all the requisite ingredients--including a group of tourists who arrive at the count's secluded castle just in time to feed his insatiable bloodlust! True horror fans will appreciate the performance by Hammer regular Barbara Shelley, widely considered to be one of her best. So, file your fangs and enjoy Lee in his most famous and immortal role! --Jeff Shannon
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 80
 Delivered as ordered April 13, 2009
William R. Shomaker (Indiana)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
It is always nice to get a product as it was advertised. This one did all of that.
THE REVENGE OF DRACULA October 14, 2008
JESSICA'S DAD (Trichur East, Kerala State, India)
Vampires & More! 20 Movie Pack
Dracula, prince of darkness was directed by Terence Fisher, who had guided Christopher Lee through his first performance as the blood-thirsty count. Yhis film was the first NOT to feature Dracula's nemesis Van Helsing(played by Peter Cushing). Instead vamoire-fighting expertise was supplied by Andrew Kier in the role of Father Shandor. Like Van Helsing, Shandor despises blind superstition, but recognizes the forces of evil and respects their power. Dracula, Prince of Darkness, is in many ways a different sort of film from Hammer's, Horror of Dracula. Rather than jumping right into the expected vampiric activities, this film, takes its time introducing and developing its new characters before the revival of Dracula. Along with Shandor, the film's featured characters are two vacationing British British couples, newly-weds, Charles and Diana(Francis Mathews and Suzan Farmer) along with Charles' elder brther, Alan and his wife Helen(Charles Tingwell and Barbara Shelly). Despite Shandor's warnings, the holiday-quartet, find themselves, stranded near Castle Dracula at night. A driver-less coach appears and on boarding it, they find that they are unable to control the horses, who bring them directly to the castle, where they encounter, Klove(Philip Latham), an eerie "servant" of Count Dracula. Once Dracula is introduced, the pace of the film picks up, and a number of thrilling vampiric encounters ensue. While much of this footage is similar to material in Horror of Dracula, variations and some novel ideas do crop up. Even Dracula himself, is is a bit different. Most obviously the lining of his cloak has been changed from black to red. The most interesting of the film's new material is drawn from Bram Stoker's original,'Dracula', novel. Thorley Walters plays an insect-eating character named Peter, who is obviously based on the novel's Renfield. And Dracula summons Diana to vampirism by baring his chest, cutting himself with his fingernail, and drawing the girl to him, to taste the wound: a sequence lifted almost exactly from the original work.. The film also uses Stoker's premise that a vampire cannot cross a threshold uninvited, and coverts Stoker's idea that a vampire cannot cross running water into the premise that running water is fatal to the vampire.
 Hammer in decline. July 22, 2008
Brent Carleton
Although this film holds a nostalgic pull for this particular viewer, (having seen it in its original stateside release at a Drive-In)an honest assessment today compels us to admit that the film is a study of a studio in decline.
True, the film is not without its assets, not the least of which is the veteran cast, with the lovely and always dramatically compelling Barbara Shelley pretty much walking off with the picture. Suzan Farmer, as always, is charming, and very easy on the eyes.
However, Bernard Robinson's art direction, (though adequate) doesn't begin to approach his earlier work, (particulary in "Brides of Dracula," "The Man Who Could Cheat Death," and "The Kiss of the Vampire"--and Robinson's genius is of a type that the work 'adequate' sits uncomfortably upon). Curiously, Mr. Robinson was back at the top of his game months later when he designed the plushy, "Plague of the Zombies."
The cinematography is compromised by grainy film stock, poor color, (as noted by film historian Leslie Halliwell), often rushed lighting, and a cumbersome and unnecessary use of wide screen. Terence Fisher filmographer, Wheeler Dixon, has noted the deficiencies in Michael Reeds's lensing on this project. In any case Mr. Reed nowhere equals the beautiful compositions he had managed on "The Gorgon," all of which makes the absence of Jack Asher particularly evident.
That the aforesaid technical credentials are lacking bears ample testament to the studio's drastic mid 60's cost cutting strategies, and the artistically regrettable, but imminent move away from Bray studios.
Moreover, the commercial objectives are baldly evinced here--the film screams "Formula."
Despite these shortcomings, and since this film was one of the last shot at Bray, it does bear compensatory traces of former glories. Thus we fully appreciate the hapless quartet's posthumous toast to Count Dracula, whilst the armorial flags above them billow in a ghostly breeze and the underscoring throbs unnervingly.
And Miss Shelley, as a vampiress, descending the staircase in a diaphanous gown goes a far way on the asset side of the ledger.
Mr. Lee for his part, does his usual hissing and cape waving. Too much is made of his lack of dialogue here. After all he has only a few lines at the beginning of "Horror of Dracula," and a few lines in this film's successor, "Dracula Has Risen From the Grave." So why on earth people feel the absence of such scanty phrases damages this film, who can say?
This picture would have been far better had it been done five years earlier. That said, it is a masterpiece compared to the dreck the eviscerated Hammer would be foisting on the public just five years later.
Delightful Double Dose of Dracula June 19, 2008
J. B. Hoyos (Chesapeake, VA)
Christopher Lee has always been my favorite actor to portray the evil, diabolical Count Dracula. Standing at 6 feet and four inches, the handsome Lee gave Dracula a very strong, charismatic, and sensual presence that no other actor could. This double feature from Anchor Bay proves that both Dracula and Lee have survived the test of time. . . . Throughout the decades, they have remained ever popular.
Made in 1966, "Dracula: Prince of Darkness," is a strong sequel to 1958's "The Horror of Dracula." Ten years have passed since Van Helsing caused Dracula to disintegrate into ashes. Now, a faithful servant has waited patiently to kill an innocent traveler and use their blood in a Satanic ritual to resurrect Dracula. This movie has an intriguing plot but its not quite as engaging as "The Horror of Dracula." The fact that Lee doesn't speak a word is irritating. I enjoy listening to his deep, commanding voice. Dracula as the strong, silent type didn't impress me. Also annoying were his bloodshot eyes. Favorite scene: When Alan Kent is stabbed in the back, hung upside down above Dracula's ash filled coffin and his neck slit open. His poor wife Helen wanders into the cellar and discovers him hanging in this manner.
Most fans and critics will probably disagree with me when I say that "The Satanic Rites of Dracula" is the more enjoyable. Made in 1974, and set in modern London, this feature is more violent and bloodier than "Dracula: Prince of Darkness." Dracula plans on destroying the world with Black Death. He will rule over a dead world and become the true Prince of Darkness. Peter Cushing returns as Van Helsing whose daughter has been kidnapped by the vampire who wants her as his bride for all eternity. This feature is more enjoyable than "Dracula A.D. 72," which also starred Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing (the buxom Stephanie Beacham played Jessica).
"Dracula: Prince of Darkness/The Satanic Rites of Dracula" from Anchor Bay is loaded with numerous extras, especially for "Dracula: Prince of Darkness," which has audio commentary, a behind-the-scenes home movie, and a theatrical trailer for a double feature consisting of "Dracula: Prince of Darkness" and "Plague of the Zombies." Both discs contain a "World of Hammer" episode entitled "Dracula and the Undead;" this is an enjoyable feature which is hosted by Hammer icon, Oliver Reed. This double feature is a must have for fans of Dracula, gothic horror, Christopher Lee, or Hammer films.
Drawn out but not altogether bad March 5, 2008
Trevor Willsmer (London, England)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Dracula Prince of Darkness was Hammer's only Scope entry in the Christopher Lee series, but it's frankly a rather dull and dragged out affair - Drac doesn't appear for 49 minutes and the first hour of the film could have been done much better in half the time. Lee is clearly bored and has little to do, but Andrew Keir's gun-totting monk is one of Hammer's most interesting characters and there's no doubting the effectiveness of Barbara Shelley's transformation from uptight sister in law to hottie demon dyke ("You don't need Charles!"). There are good moments, from Dracula's reincarnation to the Dracula-on-Ice finale, and the fact that the hero and heroine are called Charles and Diana is good for a few unintentional laughs, but this is far to sedate and drawn out for its own good.
The DVD is an impressive package, with some great home movie footage of the shoot taken by 'juvenile lead' Francis Matthews' brother, original trailer and an audio commentary typically dominated by Christopher Lee. A rather uninspiring episode of the World of Hammer clip show dealing with the studio's vampire movies is also included. The 2.35:1 transfer is mostly pretty good, although the arrival at Castle Dracula is excessively dark.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 80
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