The Satanic Rites of Dracula

"The Satanic Rites of Dracula" is a 1973 film (released 1978 in USA) about vampires (men & women), and how absolute power corrupts absolutely. Christopher Lee stars in the role of the Count; Peter Cushing is Prof. Lorrimer Van Helsing; Barbara Yu Ling portrays Chin Yang; Valerie Van Ost and Maggie Fitzgerald are vampire women; and Joanna Lumley stars as Jessica, the granddaughter of Van Helsing. Most of the actors and actresses are natives of and reside in Great Britain, so it comes as no shock the film was made at Elsteree Studios in Borehamwood, Hartfordshire, England, UK. This film was also known as "Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride" and although incredibly milquetoast in the horror genre by today's standards, the film has fairly brief but still there female nudity in it even though it bears "not rated" on the DVD case art. Of course Christopher Lee is the quintessential Dracula, then 20 years pass and in a newer version Gary Oldman stars as the Count in "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (rated R) along with Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, Keanu Reeves, Cary Elwes, Monica Bellucci, Sadie Frost, and others, in 1992. If you know both versions, you should also check out "Dracula: Dead and Loving It" (rated PG-13) which in 1995 starred Leslie Nielsen, Peter MacNicol, Steven Weber, Amy Yasbeck, Lysette Anthony, Mel Brooks, Harvey Korman, and Avery Schreiber in a spoof of Dracula themes, but amazingly kept close to the legends in accuracy. You have to go all the way back to 1931 to find "Dracula" with Bela Lugosi as the Count; which of course points out the little detail by default that there are over 70 versions of the Dracula film theme out there, and those are not counting the spin-offs that don't include the actual character of Count Dracula. Perhaps the scariest one out there is the 1922 version with Max Schreck as Count Orlok, known as "Nosferatu the Vampire" or "Nosferatu the Vampyre" (spelling depending upon country). The Nosferatu version with Max Schreck (filmed in Germany) was purported to generate the most chilling and the longest lasting nightmares that are Dracula film based. The name Nosferatu was used because the Bram Stoker estate denied F. W. Murnau (the director) the permission to base his 1922 film on the bestseller by Bram Stoker. If you're under twenty years old, you will never appreciate the evil that exudes from the 1922 film's imagery. Contemporary young adults are more into "Twilight," "Being Human," "Moonlight," "The Vampire Diaries," "True Blood," and a few other popular made for TV series, but if you're old enough you'll remember the pioneer of TV series for the vampire theme known as "Dark Shadows" which ran from 1966 to 1971 with Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins. Purists will want to get all of these (any and all above mentioned), and I say go for it. If you don't like blood, you might want to buy something else to watch.

Another good horror movie.

I was not sure I would like this movie. I figured the team of Lee and Cushing could never disappoint. I wish Lee got more screen time. Cushing made up for it. I've seen most of all the Hammer Dracula movies. I'd have to put this in my top three or four. Horror of Dracula, The Satanic Rites of Dracula, Dracula A.D. 1972 and Dracula Prince of Darkness. I know other fans may prefer the other Hammer Dracula movies but Lee and Cushing in the same movie is gold. The supporting cast in this film is good too. The film has a low budget and it shows. I liked how Hammer tried to take this Dracula movie in a new direction. I think it was fresh. People will either love it or hate it. It's very interesting. It had a great climax and ending. I recommend this to true horror movie fans. This is a must for any Dracula or Vampire fan. Because of Cushing's strong performance and Lee's usual great performance as The Count I doubt you will be disappointed. Cheers!

By the time of its release, Hammer had lost all steam, was suffering from internal financial problems due to weak sales abroad ( by this time, Italian Gaillos and Spanish Eurohorror had made improvements in the genre, brought Horror into the present time, and upped the sexual fetishes and nudity quotients considerably), leaving Hammer no longer capable of surviving in the arena they created. By the time they jumped on the nudity bandwagon, they had to grapple w/ the British censors, and it was too little, too late. This film is the one Chris Lee is embarassed about making, and rightfully so. It`s trite in its execution of ideas and lacked budget to bring them to fruition, all parties seem two-dimensional if not downright disinterested in the proceedings - if Lee and Cushing can`t make a Hammer film watchable, all is lost. It`s nice to see a very young Joanna Lumley in one of her first screen roles, but now I`m stretching to say something pleasant about this lackluster fare. This 'Special Edition' comes w/ a cd of music 'inspired' by the film (tho I doubt anyone on the cd was even born when the flick was released) that did nothing for me personally. But I tend to be hyper-critical... if you`re a Hammer lover or collector, like me, then you have little choice but to imbibe, the rest of you need to skip this one entirely.

Almost all of the Hammer Dracula films stand head and shoulders over any of the rest, except maybe the Lugosi original. This is Lee's last time out as the Count. It is set in the 70's and has a weirdly unsettling tone. Maybe it is the evil of the cult that unwittingly brings him back. Have I said too much? Hope not. Peter Cushing is not to be out done in his final role as a Van Helsing descendant. A truly bloody good time is had by all in this one.

There are bad movies that are so bad they’re good, this one is so bad it’s bad.

This movie with Christopher Lee is another Hammer production. It is a typical Hammer horror film, with good acting, and a decent plot. This Dracula movie takes place in the 1970s. A modern day (twentieth centaury) Dracula. Also, Hammer shows more skin in this particular Dracula movie, which I remember making it quite popular at the drive-in theaters. I enjoyed the movie, as I am a fan of old Hammer horror movies. If you like those old Hammer films, than you should enjoy this one too.

Would give no stars brand new out of the package and it doesn't work piece of s***

Cheese!! But I love these movies ,one off if not the best depiction of Dracula ever and they are so cheap to buy nowadays I can’t resist and they arrive fast 👍🏼👍🏼🧛‍♂️⚰️🍷🩸❤️ just watched it and it’s great nice mix of spy thriller with some vampires chucked in acting’s not so bad but the action and violence makes up for the short comings and watch out for Joanna Lumley

Perfectly wrapped and delived fast good quality as told thanks a lot

Christopher Lee, der mir völlig unbekannt war, und in meiner Sammlung fehlte.Natürlich macht man sich vorher im Netz schlau und weiß somit auch,das dieser Streifen wohl der schlechteste der Reihe ist, die Story hahnebüchend,und die Produktion heute unter Trash laufen würde.Nichts desto trotz konnte ich mich nicht mehr an diesen erinnern, und er fehlte nochin meiner Hammer Sammlung von Dracula.Zum einmal ansehen reicht er, kommt natürlich nicht an das gruselige feelingdes ersten heran.Machart ist wie in den anderen Filmen auch,Dracula stirbt, wird neu erweckt, versuchtan van Helsing und Co (meist Nichte, Tochter,Enkelin nebstBoyfriend) Rache zu nehmen, und wird zum Schluß immer auf eine andere Art und Weise vernichtet,um im nächsten Film erneut erweckt zu werden.Dieser hier ist so unspektakulär und langweilig, weil sie Dracula in ein modernes Gewand ( der 70er)packen wollten und deshalb die Story drum rum einfach zu modern und absurd ist.Zur DVD:das Bild ging eigentlich noch, nur der Ton ist grottig, gut, kann man aber noch so eben hören, Bildruckler und Springersind ebenfalls zu sehen, es kommt einem vor, als hätte man das alte schlechte VHS Material mal eben auf DVD mit m Pckopiert.Ein Meisterwerk ist es sicher nicht, weder von der Machart noch der Film ansich.Fazit:Nur für die, die den Film nicht kannten, oder der als Abschluß in der Sammlung fehlt.Für die paar Kröten hab ich den Kauf nicht bereut, denke aber, das ich diesen wohlnicht mehr anschauen werde und jetzt in meinem Regal verstaubt ;)

Esta película está descatalogada en USA, mientras que en España la podemos conseguir y además por 2€, todo un chollazo. La calidad de imagen es buena, si bien no es anamórfica respeta el formato original de cine 1.85:1 así como V.O. en inglés y el doblaje de toda la vida en castellano. Subtítulos en castellano disponibles. La edición americana tampoco era anamórfica.Es una obra menor de la HAMMER, pero que hará las delicias de cualquier amante del cine de terror.

bonjour, c est tres bien. je suis tres contente, des trois. merci, beaucoup. au revoir. excellente journee. a tres bientot. danielle. d.