Dracula Prince of Darkness 1966 m720p BluRay x264-MOOVEE
Dracula Prince of Darkness is a 1966 British horror film directed by Terence Fisher and starring Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley, Andrew Keir, and Francis Matthews. It is the second film in the Hammer Dracula series, and a sequel to the 1958 film Dracula. It was released in the UK on 9 January 1966 and in the US on 12 January 1966.
The film follows four English tourists who are invited to stay at a mysterious castle in the Carpathian Mountains, where they encounter the resurrected Count Dracula and his sinister servant Klove. Dracula seeks revenge on the descendants of his enemies, and plans to make the tourists his new victims.
Dracula Prince of Darkness was a commercial success, grossing over 500,000 at the British box office. It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Lee's performance and Fisher's direction, but criticized the plot and the lack of dialogue for Dracula. The film has since become a cult classic among horror fans, and is considered one of the best Hammer Dracula films.
Plot
The film begins with a prologue that recaps the events of the first film, in which Dracula was destroyed by Van Helsing with a stake through his heart and sunlight. Ten years later, four English tourists - Charles Kent, his wife Diana, his brother Alan, and Alan's wife Helen - are travelling through the Carpathian Mountains by coach. They stop at a village inn, where they are warned by Father Sandor, a local monk, not to visit Karlsbad, a nearby town that is under the shadow of Castle Dracula. The Kents ignore his advice and continue their journey, but their coach driver abandons them near the castle. They are then picked up by another driverless coach that takes them to the castle.
At the castle, they are greeted by Klove, a sinister servant who claims that his master, the late Count Dracula, left instructions to welcome any guests who might arrive. The Kents are impressed by the luxurious accommodations and decide to stay for the night. However, during dinner, Klove lures Alan to the basement, where he kills him and drains his blood into a coffin containing Dracula's ashes. The blood revives Dracula, who rises from his coffin and bites Helen, turning her into a vampire. Charles and Diana discover Alan's body and flee from the castle, but Helen stays behind with Dracula.
Charles and Diana reach a nearby forest, where they are attacked by a pack of wolves. They are rescued by Father Sandor and his men, who take them to their monastery. There, Father Sandor tells them that Dracula is alive and must be destroyed. He also reveals that Klove was once a servant of Dracula's enemy, Ludwig Kleinenberg, who betrayed him and joined Dracula after his death. Meanwhile, Dracula and Helen leave the castle and head for the monastery, intending to kill Charles and Diana.
At night, Helen sneaks into the monastery and tries to bite Diana, but is shot by Father Sandor with a silver bullet. Dracula then breaks into the monastery and confronts Charles and Diana in their room. He overpowers Charles and prepares to bite Diana, but Father Sandor arrives with a crossbow and shoots him in the arm. Dracula retreats to the basement, where he is pursued by Charles and Father Sandor. They find him hiding in a frozen moat under the floor. Charles breaks the ice with an axe, exposing Dracula to running water, which is fatal to vampires. Dracula sinks into the water and dissolves into nothingness.
Cast
Production
Dracula Prince of Darkness was produced by Hammer Film Productions, a British company that specialized in horror films. The film was written by Jimmy Sangster, who also wrote the first film, and Anthony Hinds, who used the pseudonym John Sansom. The film was directed by Terence Fisher, who also directed the first film and many other Hammer films. The film was shot at Bray Studios and on location in Black Park and Pinewood Studios in England.
The film was originally titled Dracula 2, but was changed to Dracula Prince of Darkness to avoid confusion with the 1936 film Dracula's Daughter. The film was also known as Disciple of Dracula and Revenge of Dracula in some markets. The film was intended to be a direct sequel to the first film, but there were some inconsistencies in the continuity, such as the location of Dracula's castle and the absence of Van Helsing.
The film marked the return of Christopher Lee as Dracula, after he declined to reprise his role in the 1960 film The Brides of Dracula. Lee agreed to play Dracula again on the condition that he would not have any dialogue, as he felt that the script did not capture the character's essence. Lee later claimed that he was forced to play Dracula by Hammer and that he hated the role. However, some sources suggest that Lee enjoyed playing Dracula and that his complaints were exaggerated.
Release and reception
Dracula Prince of Darkness was released in the UK on 9 January 1966 and in the US on 12 January 1966. The film was rated X by the British Board of Film Censors, meaning that it was suitable only for adults over 18 years old. The film was also censored in some countries, such as Germany and Italy, where some scenes of violence and gore were cut or replaced.
The film was a commercial success, grossing over 500,000 at the British box office and over $1 million at the US box office. The film also did well in other markets, such as France, Spain, Japan, and Australia. The film's success led to several sequels, starting with Dracula Has Risen from the Grave in 1968.
The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Lee's performance and Fisher's direction, but criticized the plot and the lack of dialogue for Dracula. Some critics also found the film too violent and gruesome for their taste. The film has since become a cult classic among horror fans, and is considered one of the best Hammer Dracula films. The film has a rating of 67% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 21 reviews, with an average score of 6.1/10.
Sources
- [Dracula Prince Of Darkness : Terence Fisher : Free Download, Borrow ...]
- [Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966) subtitles - SUBDL]
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