When Hammer decied to update the Dracula franchise this was the result. Dracula AD 1972 is often refered to as one of the worst Dracula's that Hammer made. Feeling they needed to inject some life into the undead Count Hammer they resurrected him in a modern day setting.
However I have much ... Read review
London's become a small town for a handful of jaded psychedelic-era hipsters. But Johnny ... more
Alucard has a groovy new way for his pals to get their kicks. A certain ritual will be the living end, he insists. And if you still wonder where Johnny's coming fr...
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Movie, music and celebrity photographs are perfect for fans looking for a memento of their ... more
favourite film, film star, music icon or celebrity. High quality photography that you can be proud to display in your home cinema/theatre, living room on your office desk or around the home.
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Movie, music and celebrity photographs are perfect for fans looking for a memento of their ... more
favourite film, film star, music icon or celebrity. High quality photography that you can be proud to display in your home cinema/theatre, living room on your office desk or around the home.
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Yes, it's the one with a character called Johnny Alucard! The occasional attempt on the ... more
part of the cast to Frenchify this galumphing not-a-palindrome ("Johnny Alucarrrrr...") fools no-one, of course, because we all know this young anti-hero of the Chelsea set has a surname that spells "Dracula" backwards because he's the undead (or maybe reincarnated) servant of the fangsome menace himself. On the pretext of dragging his group of chums into a supposedly fake Black Mass by way of teenage kicks, Alucard of course succeeds in his aim of awakening the undead Count Dracula, who promptly swears vengeance on all and sundry. This is unsurprising, perhaps, given that one of the group is Jessica Van Helsing, youngest and firmest of the family which has battled the vampire for generations.Dracula A.D. 1972is a particularly camp entry in the long-running Hammer horror saga with lots of period detail for retro fans (although it's fascinating how, given only the usual brief production time-lag, the film is clearly a product of 60s pop culture and actually seems to pre-date its title by several years). Lee and Cushing are their usual dignified selves amidst the swinging Londoners, and Stephanie Beacham's bosom heaves magnificently in the time-honoured tradition.--Roger Thomas
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Yes, it's the one with a character called Johnny Alucard! The occasional attempt on the ... more
part of the cast to Frenchify this galumphing not-a-palindrome ("Johnny Alucarrrrr...") fools no-one, of course, because we all know this young anti-hero of the Chelsea set has a surname that spells "Dracula" backwards because he's the undead (or maybe reincarnated) servant of the fangsome menace himself. On the pretext of dragging his group of chums into a supposedly fake Black Mass by way of teenage kicks, Alucard of course succeeds in his aim of awakening the undead Count Dracula, who promptly swears vengeance on all and sundry. This is unsurprising, perhaps, given that one of the group is Jessica Van Helsing, youngest and firmest of the family which has battled the vampire for generations.Dracula A.D. 1972is a particularly camp entry in the long-running Hammer horror saga with lots of period detail for retro fans (although it's fascinating how, given only the usual brief production time-lag, the film is clearly a product of 60s pop culture and actually seems to pre-date its title by several years). Lee and Cushing are their usual dignified selves amidst the swinging Londoners, and Stephanie Beacham's bosom heaves magnificently in the time-honoured tradition.--Roger Thomas
Postage & Packaging:free Super Saver Delivery Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Lee and Cushing back together again as Dracula and Van Helsing Disadvantages: Some of the clothes are a bit naff.
...Hammer decied to update the Dracula franchise this was the result. Dracula AD 1972 is often refered to as one of the worst Dracula's that Hammer made. Feeling they needed to inject some life into the undead Count Hammer they resurrected him in a modern day setting.
However I have much praise for this film. Its a vast improvement on Scars of Dracula which preceeded it (although that did have Patrick Troughton in and the famous climbing ... ...set one of their 1970's Dracula films in the late 1930's.
Dracula AD 1972 probably felt very dated very quickly even 10 years after it was made. But now it can be viewed as a piece of retro hookum with a hell of a lot of 1970's style.
The opening sequence with Cushing and Lee battling it out as Van Helsing and Dracula for the first time in about 15 years is brilliant. And Dracula's death scene in this sequence is ingenius. ... more
When Hammer decied to update the Dracula franchise this was the result. Dracula AD 1972 is often refered to as one of the worst Dracula's that Hammer made. Feeling they needed to inject some life into the undead Count Hammer they resurrected him in a modern day setting.
However I have much praise for this film. Its a vast improvement on Scars of Dracula which preceeded it (although that did have Patrick Troughton in and the famous climbing down the wall scene) which was a retread of the Dracula's which had gone before, featured an awful ressurection scene involing a giant rubber bat vomiting blood onto Dracula's ashes. Dracula's ressurections usually linked into the end of the preceeding films but in the case of Scars there is no link at all, other than the Count being played by Christopher Lee.
Anyway, back to AD 1972! It was brave to try and revitalise the series like this and it directly lead on to one of the best vampire films ever made The Satanic Rites of Dracula. Its about time this film was re-evaluated.
The design and direction are excellent. At the time people possibly felt it lost something of its magic by being set in the modern day but looking back at it now the modern day sections are 35 years in the past. The modern day of AD 1972 is no longer modern day. It's like if Hammer had decided to set one of their 1970's Dracula films in the late 1930's.
Dracula AD 1972 probably felt very dated very quickly even 10 years after it was made. But now it can be viewed as a piece of retro hookum with a hell of a lot of 1970's style.
The opening sequence with Cushing and Lee battling it out as Van Helsing and Dracula for the first time in about 15 years is brilliant. And Dracula's death scene in this sequence is ingenius. Fast-forward 100 years and we find Van Helsing's descendant, also played by Cushing, and his grand-daughter Jessica pitting their wits against Count Dracula after he is brought back to life by thrill seeker Johnny Alucard.
Written by Don Houghton who had previously penned the Jon Pertwee Doctor Who adventure The Mind of Evil. He went on to script Hammer's final vampire films; The Satanic Rites of Dracula and Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires.
Stephanie Beacham as Jessica Van Helsing is wonderful (its a shame she didn't repise her roll in Satanic Rites in which the character was played by Joanna Lumley), Michael Kitchen of Foyle's War fame is one of the thrill seekers as is Caroline Munro. Johnny Alucard is played by Christopher Neame with wild abandon.
This is one of my favoruites of the Hammer Vampire films. Having Cushing and Lee back together as opposing forces is just wonderful. It's a shame that they couldn't have made more of the Dracula films together.
It's really worth seeking out a copy. It'll keep you entertained until the sun rises to banish the darkness away.