For the sixth film in the hugely popular Dracula series, Hammer have opted to keep the story seen in the other five films relatively similar to usual - i.e. Dracula gets resurrected, goes on the rampage and then gets defeated again, but this time the action has been moved away from the staple Gothic settings of the earlier films and into a more contemporary setting - namely, swinging 70's London! The problem with Hammer's Dracula series is that they're all a bit similar, so this new setting has injected some much needed new blood into the series, and while this effort is patchy and more than a little messy - on the whole I rate this as one of the best of the series and a huge treat for Hammer fans! This entry in the series is also notable for the fact that the two main stars of the original are together again in a Dracula film for the first time since then. Seeing Christopher Lee as Dracula is always a treat, but it's even more so when you've got Peter Cushing as Van Helsing in the same movie!
As the story has been brought forward a few centuries, Cushing now stars as a descendant of his original character while Lee still takes up the role of the immortal count. Both of these great actors do their usual thing, and it's great to see two men enjoying their craft. As usual, Lee doesn't get all that much screen time; but every moment he's on screen is excellent, and many of the Dracula scenes in this movie are among the best of the series. Keeping in with their usual thing, the majority of the cast is made up of unknowns; but this time there's a big stand out - Christopher Neame in the role of Dracula's disciple; Johnny Alucard (Dracula spelt backwards!). Neame is gloriously over the top and his performance is another delight in this already delightful movie. The ending is a little bit disappointing, as it's all over so quickly but it hardly matters by the end as for the last ninety minutes you've been watching one of the most camp and outrageous horror films that Hammer ever produced. Don't listen to the negative vibes surrounding this movie - if you're a Hammer fan, you'll be right at home.
