Horror of Dracula (1958)

Director: Terence Fisher
Starring: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Michael Gough

Synopsis:
After Jonathan Harker tries and fails to vanquish Dracula, the Count makes his way to London to pursue Harker's fiancée and only the vampire hunter Professor van Helsing can stop him.

Impressions:
It's not an exaggeration to say this is the film that made Hammer famous. Though there would be many Dracula films to follow, this is certainly the best of the lot. It isn't a terribly faithful adaptation of the original book, but everything hinges on the compelling performances of Christopher Lee as Dracula and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing. They're really good and they alone are reason enough to watch this film. I find it a bit of a pity that Lee doesn't get many lines. It seems like a terrible waste of his commanding voice. I'd like to have seen more of an intellectual battle between Dracula and Van Helsing. So it goes. While the sequels are largely a mixed bag, this one is a sure bet.

Rating:
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