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I watched this Hammer/Shaw brothers mash-up for the first time this weekend. For Christmas, Cindy and the kids gave me a triple feature DVD featuring this, Dracula: Prince of Darkness, and Frankenstein Created Woman, two Hammer films I enjoy quite a bit. I knew "7" was Hammer's last Dracula film, and a desperate attempt to glom onto the kung-fu/karate craze and save the struggling company. I knew Christopher Lee DID NOT play Dracula in this, but Peter Cushing was a Van Helsing, so it was worth watching just for him.
Despite some rather awful make-up and tons of processed cheese, I found myself enjoying the film and liking the characters. I was surprised to find this set in 1904, with Cushing playing his original Van Helsing character from "Horror of Dracula" and "Brides of Dracula". While I loved that bit of continuity, Dracula leaves Europe in 1804 and assumes the guise of a vampire lord in China for 100 years! It's been a while since I've watched "Horror of" but I assume the proceedings occur sometime in the late 1800s (Stoker's novel was written in 1897, but I don't think he explicitly states what year/years the events occur over). I know Hammer plays very fast and loose with their so-called continuity, but this was quite a stretch! It doesn't even work within the film itself, since Van Helsing would have to be well over 100 years old if he encountered Drac in his true form before he left for Asia!
Despite all that, Cushing is commandingly great as usual, and the "7 brothers" succeed in providing the kind of kung-fu action you expect from 70s chop sockey movies. When Dracula arises from his crypt at the beginning, it actually looks like Lee. Maybe they should have stuck with this stunt man instead of John Forbes Robertson. I looked this film up on IMDB, and he was apparently honked off his lines were dubbed by another actor. He played "The Man in Black"/Count Karnstein in one of my favorite Hammer flicks, "The Vampire Lovers", although he never spoke a line in that film, just laughed and glared his toothy smile.
I think the weakest part of the film were the 7 Golden Vampires themselves. They looked more laughable than threatening, with their bad fright wings, oatmeal makeup and goofy mask. The hopping skeleton/zombie creatures were somewhat effective, although the over-sized skulls were too obviously masks in many shots.
If you like Hammer, you should check this out, just as a curiosity if nothing else. Leave your expectations and brains at the door, and you'll find yourself entertained.
Oh, and if you like Hammer AND podcasts, I found a good one: 1951 Downplace. Discussion on ALL of Hammer's output, not just the horror films. I discovered it last week and have been going through the episodes focusing on the movies I've seen, and I've really enjoyed it!
Chris
Despite some rather awful make-up and tons of processed cheese, I found myself enjoying the film and liking the characters. I was surprised to find this set in 1904, with Cushing playing his original Van Helsing character from "Horror of Dracula" and "Brides of Dracula". While I loved that bit of continuity, Dracula leaves Europe in 1804 and assumes the guise of a vampire lord in China for 100 years! It's been a while since I've watched "Horror of" but I assume the proceedings occur sometime in the late 1800s (Stoker's novel was written in 1897, but I don't think he explicitly states what year/years the events occur over). I know Hammer plays very fast and loose with their so-called continuity, but this was quite a stretch! It doesn't even work within the film itself, since Van Helsing would have to be well over 100 years old if he encountered Drac in his true form before he left for Asia!
Despite all that, Cushing is commandingly great as usual, and the "7 brothers" succeed in providing the kind of kung-fu action you expect from 70s chop sockey movies. When Dracula arises from his crypt at the beginning, it actually looks like Lee. Maybe they should have stuck with this stunt man instead of John Forbes Robertson. I looked this film up on IMDB, and he was apparently honked off his lines were dubbed by another actor. He played "The Man in Black"/Count Karnstein in one of my favorite Hammer flicks, "The Vampire Lovers", although he never spoke a line in that film, just laughed and glared his toothy smile.
I think the weakest part of the film were the 7 Golden Vampires themselves. They looked more laughable than threatening, with their bad fright wings, oatmeal makeup and goofy mask. The hopping skeleton/zombie creatures were somewhat effective, although the over-sized skulls were too obviously masks in many shots.
If you like Hammer, you should check this out, just as a curiosity if nothing else. Leave your expectations and brains at the door, and you'll find yourself entertained.
Oh, and if you like Hammer AND podcasts, I found a good one: 1951 Downplace. Discussion on ALL of Hammer's output, not just the horror films. I discovered it last week and have been going through the episodes focusing on the movies I've seen, and I've really enjoyed it!
Chris
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