Review of Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968) by David L — 29 Oct 2008

"Dracula Has Risen From The Grave" is one of the lesser entries to Hammer's great Dracula series. Actually, it is my least favorite and yet this is a decent and sufficiently eerie film that fans of the other Hammer Draculas should give a try. This fourth entry to the Dracula series (the third, if the brilliant "Brides Of Dracula" (1960), which didn't feature Dracula, is not counted) is also the first one not directed by genius Terence Fisher, but by Freddie Francis, the director of "Dr Terror's House Of Horrors" and the least entry to Hammer's Frankenstein series, "The Evil Of Frankenstein". It is therefore no wonder that this does not come near the greatness of its predecessors, and I also liked the next sequel, "Taste The Blood Of Dracula" alot more than this one. Still, the Hammer formula works, and "Dracula Has Risen From The Grave" delivers atmosphere and Gothic eeriness on more than one occasion.

Christopher Lee is once again brilliantly creepy as Dracula, and the rest of the performances are also good. The film features several familiar faces for fans of British Horror, most prominently Rupert Davis, who is probably most famous for his role in one of the absolute greatest British Horror masterpieces, Michael Reeves' "Witchfinder General" (1968) starring Vincent Price. Davis, a generally great character actor, also played roles in another Vincent Price classic, "The Oblong Box" (1969) and in "Curse Of The Crimson Altar" with Christopher Lee, Boris Karloff And Barbara Steele. Beautiful Veronica Carlson, who was in Hammer's "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed" is nice to look at in the female lead, and so is Barbara Ewing ("Torture Garden"). Barry Andrews is not too convincing as the hero character, but he isn't bad either. The settings and photography are good, and the atmosphere is mostly eerie, but the suspense is not as constant as in other Dracula films. Also, the focus on faith somehow doesn't fit in too well, and the plot has several holes. Even though one of the lesser Dracula films from Hammer, however, this is definitely a sufficiently eerie film that any Hammer enthusiasts should not miss! Recommended.