I just read through this thread and found it very interesting. This is probably one of my favorites from Hammer even though I did not see it until I was older (late 20's). Peter Cushing is great, but I think the film is really appealing because of Peel's character and his performance. Unlike Lee's more dignified and even reserved performances of Dracula, the vampire in this movie oozes evil. Lee is almost business like (He's a vampire and this what he does to survive), but Meinster really seems to love being a vampire and the power it brings him. Peel did a great job with the character too. It seems like it would have been very easy for him to over due it (like Freda Jackson does), but he never does. I never did like the ending though. Vampires are repelled by crosses not killed by them and are they so weak that any cross shape ends up killing them??? I mean it wasn't even a real cross. Also, does anyone know anything about the character that jumps on the back of the carriage in the forest and pays the coachman to leave her at the inn. Obviously, he's connected with the baroness, but you only see him in the beginning of the movie. It seemed to me, his position, finding young woman for Meinster to dine on, and his bearing in the scenes that he's in would have led to a larger part in the movie. As it is, he just disappears and you never really know who he is and why he is doing the things he does..

Last Edited By: pringly Mar 30 10 3:03 PM. Edited 1 times.