made with
sorry for the mistakes!
Dracula A.D. 1972
Vampires
need to become cool "Hammer Films" thinks about it. So after an ultra
classic opening we are in 1972 in a middle class party where breaks a
group of hippies that occupy the home, plays, dances and have sex under
tables, in front of the astonished owners. Irreverent and iconoclastic
atmosphere that anticipates the parties of the "Rocky Horror Show" and
"Beyond the Valley of the Dolls".
Hunted by the police the boys, bored, make a black mass in a cemetery and bring to life the Prince of Darkness.
A fast and funny beginning for this work of "Hammer" that retains two
giants of the genre, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing (back together
in a vampire story after more than a decade), putting in us the doubt
that this is not, unfortunately, the revolution of the genre.
And, in fact, the sparkling start fades and gives way to a classic
structure that sometimes bored and does not give us great surprises.
Compared to the almost contemporary Karstein trilogy, "Dracula AD 1972"
does not show even naked bodies that could please the audience, but is
limited to a few mischievous shot.
Heavily criticized at its release, this Alan Gibson’s film still
retains some charm thanks to the music of Mike Vickers member of
"Manfred Mann" and thanks to a typical stylish direction of the films
of the "Hammer".
According to Wikipedia, after the success of "Count Yorga, Vampire" of
'' American International Pictures ", the" 20th Century Fox
"commissioned to the "Hammer "two films about vampires to set in the
modern era.
The English company great expert of the genre started shooting in the
second half of 1971 in the Elstree Studios. The script written by Don
Houghton television screenwriter who for "Hammer" writes, even "The
Satanic Rites of Dracula" (which makes with this a diptych), "The
Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires" and "Shatter", is inspired by the
facts of the "Highgate Vampire".
In December 1969 a boy sleep in the cemetery of "Highgate" says he saw
a supernatural figure. A case that with the usual tam-tam media
enlarges to embrace vampirism citing the possible burial of a
Wallachian noble black magic expert.
The link with the movie is just that, mentioned in the incipit. We are
in London in 1872, and Van Helsing kills Dracula, but his servant takes
the remains and buries him in a cemetery.
Let's move on to 1972 and one of the boys at the party that we
described at the beginning is the old servant who convinces friends to
do the satanic ritual that brings to life the Prince of Darkness.
However, in the group there is a (grand, grand, grand)son of Van
Helsing who warns the father of these strange facts. Also the Van
Helsing of the last generation must fight against the old enemy.
Lee and Cushing returning to duel without bringing anything new to
their style and although we love them, we must say that seeing the goal
of the film we expected something never seen, that was not the usual
red-eyed Lee and Cushing who struggle to kill his enemy.
The two, however, needless to say, do their work and maybe are the lifeline of this movie.
The two giants are supported by a cast of beautiful actresses.
Stephanie Beacham famous for "Dynasty" and "Sister Kate", Caroline
Munro that we have seen in several films of the "Hammer" and genre
movies y as "Star Crash" and the singer and actress Marsha Hunt.
Christopher Neame complete list of the actors playing the servant of
Dracula, called in a rather original Johnny Alucard. Another thing
certainly not so much innovative.
