Brides of Dracula in Hammer Horror Forum

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Brides of Dracula

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specterman	Brides of Dracula	Lead	[-]
Jun 21 04 11:35 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I never liked the hammer films when they came out, but now in retrospect I'm starting to really like some of them, like BOD. I think for me they are getting old enough now that they're getting that "vintage look" that gives them a classic feel. Anyway I really like that movie, I think that Peel was terrific as the vampire son and I forget her name (the brunette with the really big chompers) is one of the all time classic vamprissis-is-is-is to ever grace the screen.
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Laughing Gravy	Re: Brides of Dracula	#1	[-]
Jun 21 04 11:44 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	BRIDES OF DRACULA is one of only three Hammer films I thought were actually "good" movies; the others are THE MUMMY and CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF. BOD's DVD debut is long overdue.
blackbiped	Re: Brides of Dracula	#2	[-]
Jun 22 04 12:48 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	HORROR OF DRACULA and BRIDES OF DRACULA are, to me, the two Dracula movies Hammer made that are bona-fide classics. And I agree, I certainly didn't value them then as much as I do now, although at the time these Hammer thrillers were strong stuff and very exhilarating to watch. Also, Valerie Gaunt and that other girl from BRIDES seemed to me to be the quintessential -- what's that word? -- vampiresses. They just had a really great look, a look that seemed unique to the Hammer movies. And another thing both of these films had going for them was the great Peter Cushing as Van Helsing. It surprises me that so many critics of the time, and probably even now, considered these films to be nothing but cheap, lurid exploitation. Legend, oh legend, the third wheel legend...always in the way.
specterman	Re: Brides of Dracula	#3	[-]
Jun 23 04 9:39 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	*Quote:* a look that seemed unique to the hammer movies Yes!! I've thought about that a million times, what was that?? Is it the British thing, or a sixties look, maybe the hairstyles? It's something though, I've never put my finger on. Those movies really had a "feel" to them that was different. There were a lot of them I was not "allowed" to see for obvious reasons (the Vampire Lovers, (va va voom) due to my age, and now the nudity is so tame compared to todays films I never really got thrilling charge out of them that I'm sure the "of age" crowd got seeing those first "erotic" vampire lasses!
opticalguy	British Look	#4	[-]
Nov 28 04 3:30 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The Brides of Dracula is a marvelous example of late 1950s and early 1960s color from British cameramen. It's a combination of a very contrasty color stock that requires fairly flat lighting, lighting units that were not good at producing flat lighting, and an aesthetic choice to "paint in color" by using a lot of color gels on the lights. The faces would get a mixture that approached white but blue and amber light would play over the sets. The producers hated it but boy did it look great. Later film stocks weren't as contrasty and quartz halogen lights (they didn't have lenses on them to focus the beams) delivered genuinely flat lighting and if you watch Hitchcock's Torn Curtain you can see what that gives you feh! There are so many evocative scenes. The first time Marrianne sees the Baron on the balcony (a really simple matte shot but I really love it), the bit where the padlocks drop off the coffin (on the big screen it is a bit obvious how they did it), and especially the scene where the vampire woman (Marie (AKA Pat Sutcliff) Devereux) claws her way out of the grave for the first time while Freda Jackson cackles insanely urging her on Man! The film is indeed a marvelous fairy tale gone wrong. I do wish it had lead to more films of its type from Hammer but they seemed determined to present the fantastical (vampires, werewolves, etc.) in a perversely realistic manner. This is why I'm one of the few who likes The Evil of Frankenstein more than most of the other Hammer Frankensteins since it seems less earthbound. On the left we see Andree Melly and Marie (AKA Pat Sutcliff) Devereux as they watch Van Helsing get bitten by the Baron. On the right we see Marie Devereux as she rises from the grave. A better view of Marie Devereux. opticalguy@aol.com (Spencer Gill)
Chesterbelloc	Re: British Look	#5	[-]
Nov 28 04 6:29 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	BRIDES OF DRACULA is tied with HORROR OF DRACULA as my favorite Hammer. I enjoy nearly every vampire film that the studio produced, as well as the 1959 MUMMY, but I'm really cold towards their Frankenstein films as well as CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF. I think they're fairly dull, especially when compared to most of the Universal films.
jimrnemeth	Re: British Look	#6	[-]
Nov 28 04 7:00 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	<<Also, Valerie Gaunt and that other girl from BRIDES seemed to me to be the quintessential -- what's that word? -- vampiresses. They just had a really great look, a look that seemed unique to the Hammer movies.>> I just wish Hammer had extended that great look...to the vampiress'es necks! BOD is my favorite Hammer film, but upon every viewing it annoys me that the girls faces are appropriately pale...but the necks are still fleshy pink! :) Jim Nemeth
Joe Karlosi	Re: British Look	#7	[-]
Nov 29 04 5:50 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I like BRIDES OF DRACULA and think it's better than HORROR OF DRACULA. It would be nice for Universal to get it together and release their Hammer films...
mmoaks	Re: British Look	#8	[-]
Nov 30 04 5:26 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The climactic scene in BRIDES with the Baron frozen by the admittedly improbable shadow of the windmill's cross is one of my earliest memories of watching a horror movie on TV.
Richard Harland Smith Esq	Re: British Look	#9	[-]
Dec 1 04 10:42 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Some of us here in LA recently got to see BRIDES OF DRACULA (and CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF) projected on the big screen of The Egyptian on Hollywood Boulevard. While CURSE is a bit ponderously-paced (well, it is a coming of age story), BRIDES was a thrill ride from start to finish. It's in my top 10 movies ever, and in my top 5 horror movies. Can't wait for the DVD; it will-- nay, it must-- come.
modpro	Re: British Look	#10	[-]
Dec 4 04 12:31 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Opitical Guy! Glad to see you posting and thanks for the photos for illustration. One request. Bump your font size up a bit. My eyes were already strained from looking at the photos of Marie Devereux! Hubba, hubba!
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Richard Harland Smith Esq	Re: British Look	#11	[-]
Dec 5 04 2:02 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'm told Marie Devereux lives out in Malibu.
modpro	Re: British Look	#12	[-]
Dec 5 04 5:31 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	*Quote:* I'm told Marie Devereux lives out in Malibu. Please. Stop teasing me.
specterman	Re: British Look	#13	[-]
Jan 11 05 10:49 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Andree Melly,thats the one I was thinking of with "the teeth". What a perfect face for a Vamp. Wow!
davlghry	Re: British Look	#14	[-]
Jan 17 05 6:53 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	It's true that the Hammer films have taken on a vintage look. As a kid, I tended to dislike them because they looked too "new." I guess I was probably reacting to the fact that they were in color as opposed to "real" classics like the Universals which were, of course, in black and white. My favorite Hammers are BRIDES OF DRACULA and KISS OF THE VAMPIRE.
Richard Harland Smith Esq	Re: British Look	#15	[-]
Jan 19 05 4:42 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	*Quote:* It's true that the Hammer films have taken on a vintage look I think they always had it; or actually, they had it from, say, 1968 on. As a kid, I'd see anything, so I'd be taking in RYAN'S DAUGHTER, THE FRENCH CONNECTION or DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE all around the same time. Compared to American films, which at that time rubbed audience noses in verisimiltude and ugliness, the Hammer were, for all the Kennsington gore and disembodied eyeballs, distinctly old-fashioned... and even comforting. At least I was comforted. RHS I wish I could do something about this. But I can't. But I can promise you two things. One: I'll always look this good. Two: I'll never give up on you... ever. HELLBOY
TidesOfWerewolves	Re: British Look	#16	[-]
Jan 29 05 1:30 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	"The Brides of Dracula" is actually better in many ways than some of the Dracula proper entries. The scenes with Andre Melly advancing on Yvonne Monlaur and Freda Jackson acting as midwife for the newly-risen vampire have a great sense of perversity that the more standard Drac pics lack. The very uneasy relationship between the Countess and her shackled son is also very chilling. And if David Peel is a bit too pretty as the resident vamp, Peter Cushing is exceptionally game and dashing. As a younger viewer, I love the almost fairytale feel that the Hammer films possess. ...And when later we find that the thing we've devised has the villagers clamoring for its demise...
El Mono Loco	Re: British Look	#17	[-]
Jan 31 05 8:47 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	*Quote:* A better view of Marie Devereux. Can't... stop... looking... Must... start... watching... Hammer... films...
Dr Gangrene	Re: British Look	#18	[-]
Feb 3 05 2:33 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Brides of Dracula has the one great scene in it that really makes it for me - when Cushing brands his own neck to cleanse the bite. Awesome! But I have to tell you, if this dorky looking vampire bit me I'd be really pissed! Whith those big fat fangs and poofy hair, I really didn't like David Peel in this. Think how much better this would have been with Lee in that role!
grgstv338	more Brides talk	#19	[-]
Feb 3 05 3:40 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	*Quote:* But I have to tell you, if this dorky looking vampire bit me I'd be really pissed! Whith those big fat fangs and poofy hair, I really didn't like David Peel in this. Think how much better this would have been with Lee in that role! But then it would have been a different movie. To parallel some of the comments made in the David Peel thread, you can't see Lee being chained up by his mom and depending on his old nurse. Given the vampire's backstory, he HAS to be a different character (Meinster) played by a different actor (not Lee). Earlier drafts by Jimmy Sangster DID include Dracula, but only for the movie's climax (Van Helsing summons him and has him destroy Meinster). Which leads to another interesting point - the fact that one guy who doesn't think much of this movie is Sangster himself. Since he's more a story construction guy rather than a dialogue expert (hmmm, I think Cushing and Lee would second that), Sangster can't seem to get past the monkeying that Hammer did with his earlier drafts. Of course, Sangster IS on target with some of his criticism. By changing the visitors to Meinster's castle from two girls (Marianne and her friend) to one (just Marianne), the main heroine becomes a very mixed up girl with an undiagnosed case of amnesia (her confusing reaction to Meinster when she meets him again at the school; her not realizing the Baroness is dead even after she'd seen the body). But some of Sangster's other carping I can't agree with with. He hates the fact that they changed his ending (adapted later to conclude KISS OF THE VAMPIRE). For some reason he has Dracula punishing his disciple because he's broken his master's "Laws" by drinking the blood of his mother. Since when did the Count become so pro-family values? Putting the bite on your nearest and dearest seems to be exactly what a vampire would and should do.
nyoka1	Re: Brides of Dracula	#20	[-]
Feb 5 05 7:05 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Does anyone else recall a 1967 re-issue combo of "Brides Of Dracula" with "King Kong vs. Godzilla"? The Universal released duo enjoyed many playdates in the NC marketplace, yet I've never seen any re-issue posters on either film. I would assume this was a regional pairing only --- in any case, it was an inspired one --- certainly one of the happiest days I spent inside a theatre at the age of 13.
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