Satanic Rites Of Dracula [1974]

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
The Satanic Rites of Dracula--the final film in which Christopher Lee played Dracula--is a bleak, even poignant affair. The vampire and his adversary Lorimer Van Helsing reach the end of the line amidst the desolate, rain-streaked concrete city scapes of the early 1970s. Dracula has, it seems, allowed his contempt for humanity to reach its logical conclusion: no longer content with drinking blood, he has gathered together a group of scientists and created a plague which will eradicate all life on earth.

This quasi-medical plot admits a certain element of Avengers-style techno-kitsch--all the more uncanny, then, that Joanna Lumley here takes over Stephanie Beacham's role as Van Helsing's grand-daughter Jessica--yet it's all off-white enamel and Formica rather than lights and dials. There is an extraordinary scene in which Dracula, masquerading as a property tycoon, is confronted by Van Helsing in his office. He is no longer the brooding, elemental figure of yore, but instead lurks in the shadows behind his desk, having become little more than a shifty businessman, while Van Helsing seems to realise that the two of them are nothing more than tired old men fighting a battle which has become meaningless. Fascinatingly odd. The video comes with some nice behind-the-scenes fact cards. --Roger Thomas

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Synopsis
Ingeniously brought up-to-date, Dracula is undead and well and living in London, posing as a millionaire industrialist. In this guise he plots the extinction of mankind with a deadly plague virus.

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Customer reviews

review by: PT date: 2007-05-02 rating:
Exploitative and different (in a good way!)
I can understand why this film tends to be dismissed, but I actually think it's a good addition to the series. In comparison with many of the rather po-faced vampire films of more recent years (Coppola and 'Interview', no thanks), this at least tries something a bit different. The sub-plot involving the police and property development (!) is admittedly a bit odd, but in these post-Tarantino years should count as strengths. What do vampires do on their days off? - they invest in the property markets!

Anybody looking for cheap gore, exploitative thrills and a strange direction for the series should look no further. The later 'seven golden vampires' should be avoided, though.

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review by: ea_solinas date: 2006-02-08 rating:
Last "Rites"
After the success of "Horror of Dracula," Hammer Horror apparently decided to wring the last buck out of the Dracula franchise. The final chapter is "Satanic Rites of Dracula," a limp horror flick that is rather boring when it's not silly. Throw in some naked breasts and dated haircuts too.

Scotland Yard uncovers a rural cult of satanists, and learn that their members include prominent scientists and politicians. It would be a scandal if they made an error, so they ask Professor Larimer Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) to investigate. Van Helsing pays a visit to one of the cultists (his old college buddy) and discovers a horrific secret: a new, superstrain of the Black Death.

Even worse, Van Helsing finds that his old nemesis Dracula (Christopher Lee) has returned from the grave (how many times is it now?) and is the leader of this cult. While Scotland Yard battles hordes of vampiric women hidden in the cult's house, Van Helsing is taken prisoner by Dracula himself -- and his granddaughter Jessica may be Dracula's next victim.

Horror isn't supposed to be silly, and it's not supposed to be tedious. "Satanic Rites of Dracula" is both. It feels as if Hammer Horror was running out of potential Dracula scenarios, so they threw in some cheesy satanism and lots of because-we-can nudity. (Apparently to stake a female vampire, you have to pull open her shirt first)

Worst of all, very little of it makes sense -- why does Dracula want to kill everyone, and thus himself? Uh... he just does, okay? That's about the whole explanation. And the illogical storyline is bogged down by really bad dialogue ("My revenge has spread over centuries and has just begun!").

Most of the movie revolves around Scotland Yard's idiot inspectors bumbling around, getting into trouble and barely escaping those vampire sexpots. Occasionally they stake somebody, but not often enough. It takes most of the movie for Dracula to even show up, and when he does, Lee looks kind of peevish, like he resents being in this cheesy movie. Somehow, I can't blame him.

It's especially a shame because Lee and Cushing are the sole bright points. Lee was as impressive and creepy as ever, with his sonorous voice and seductive bloodsucking. And Cushing had the toughness and steeliness to play a good Van Helsing, although they water down his character by giving him a twerpy granddaughter.

It's a good thing "Satanic Rites of Dracula" was the last of Hammer's Dracula movies, because this one was a pathetic enough finale to the series. Lee and Cushing are the only reasons to watch at all.

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review by: leopardman6969 date: 2005-02-23 rating:
updated 1970s dracula setting
Many don't like Dracula in the modern era,but what were the producers to do,yet another gothic Transylvanian castle setting? I don't think so. It starts with a black magic ritual with the obligatory naked blonde being sacrificed(well this was the soft porn 1970s).Dracula wants to con some thrill seeking establishment types into making a virulent plague in order to wipe out the human race. There are some subtle digs at the politics of the 1970s also. As ever Van Helsing is at hand to fight Chris Lee (Dracula).I love it.

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review by: caz1vampira date: 2004-06-13 rating:
The Satanic Rites of Dracula
I am THE BIGGEST Dracula fan EVA - esp Christopher Lee (2 me he IS & always will b the best DRACULA!)

I hav all his other Dracula films, this is a gr8 classic Hammer Horror starring Christopher as well as Peter Cushing as his arch-enenmy Prof Van Helsing, also Joanna Lumley.

NE other Hammer Horror fans know that they r classics & no matter what NE1 says cannot b beaten 4 scares & shocks!


review by: date: 2003-09-21 rating:
Christopher Lee's swan song as Hammer's Count Dracula
This film was originally released in Britain as "The Satanic Rites of Dracula," but that is apparently a very bad adjective to use for a film title (the original U.S. release title was "Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride"). Whatever the title, this 1973 film is again set in "modern" London like the previous Hammer Dracula film, "Dracula A.D. 1972," and has the same writer (Don Houghton) and director (Alan Gibson). Dracula (Christopher Lee) is once again back from the dead, although without any explanation, now calling himself D. D. Denham, a billionaire recluse who owns lots of property and is engaging in satanic rites (hence the title), including human sacrifies (a form of fasting for vampires?). Scotland Yard turns to Professor Lorrimer Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) and his daughter Jessica (Joanna Lumley), who figures out the Count is trying to wipeout all of humanity with a mutant strain of the plague. From there things muddle along to a slightly new twist on an old way of dusting a vampire.

Once again the script has little to do with either established vampire lore or the unique take on Dracula from the earlier Hammer films. This is a shame since the cast also includes Freddie Jones as Professor Julian Keeley, who plays Dracula's mad scientist and provides one of the finest bit parts you will find in any Hammer film. Of course, Lee is again given very little to do as the title character in his final Dracula film for Hammer, while Cushing once again provides a strong presence as Van Helsing. "Rites of Dracula" again proves the simple rule: if you want to watch a Hammer Dracula movie catch one of the films made in the Sixties, not the stuff they put out in the Seventies.

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Horror of Dracula [1958] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
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Dracula A.D. 1972
Taste The Blood Of Dracula [1970]
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Similar categories

Video . Video . Categories . Horror & Suspense . General
Video . Video . Categories . Horror & Suspense . Hammer Horror
Video . Video . Refinements . Condition (condition-type)
Video . DVD & VHS . Categories . Horror
Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . BBFC Rating (intended_use_browse-bin) . 18
Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . Release Date (feature_three_browse-bin) . 1970 - 1979
Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . Editions (feature_two_browse-bin) . Standard Edition
Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . Language (theme_browse-bin) . English
Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . Format (binding_browse-bin) . VHS

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