Kinda funny... this movie scared the almighty hell out of me when I saw it in 1960 at age 7 in the theater.
And now it looks like just a campy vamp flick. I think this one would be quite pretty without the canines.
That's the lovely Andree Melly, sister of jazzman & critic George Melly. She wasn't really in that much stuff, she was in two series of Handcock's Half Hour radio series in the 50's (that'll probably fall on deaf ears in America). My favorite Hammer vampire was Isobell Black in Kiss Of The Vampire, & of course always loved Barbara Shelley.
Oh, & maybe a seven year old could have seen this in America in 1960, but no way in the UK. "X" certificate, over 16 only!
That's the lovely Andree Melly, sister of jazzman & critic George Melly. She wasn't really in that much stuff, she was in two series of Handcock's Half Hour radio series in the 50's (that'll probably fall on deaf ears in America). My favorite Hammer vampire was Isobell Black in Kiss Of The Vampire, & of course always loved Barbara Shelley.
Oh, & maybe a seven year old could have seen this in America in 1960, but no way in the UK. "X" certificate, over 16 only!
Andree was quite beautiful in the film. Thanks for the info. I imagine that early in the movie she is in a pre-vamp state.
I went with my older brother to an afternoon matinee in some theater on the south side of Chicago... and distinctly remember making numerous trips out to the lobby when scary things happened. But I was fascinated; so came back to my seat, then to the lobby, back to my seat, repeatedly. When we left the theater we were surrounded by the old abandoned structures of south Chicago... it's own contemporary, psuedo-gothic, decaying landscape.
Yes, for some reason I have acute memories of the places I went to after leaving a movie theatre when I was younger. Often as you stated one saw things that was just as stark and striking as what was on the screen.
I always thought BRIDES OF DRACULA was one of the best of the vampire films, stylish, creepy, and with a more accented edge of eroticism than most, not to mention that deep, exotic color...
I originally saw it in a double bill with THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH, which was a remake of THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET. Not that that really matters; the lead actor, Anton Diffring (sp?) I always found not really cut out for leading man parts. (He was much better as a toady fellow fireman in FAHRENHEIT 451, though that demotion in role status was indicative of the downward slope of his career.) And the film was just so-so, though it also had nice color. Still, you won't be seeing any fans clamoring for it restored on Blu-Ray....
BRIDES, on the other hand, still holds up pretty well, especially in the Freudian department, with our kind of gay-looking vampire ending up drinking his own mother's blood!
I always thought BRIDES OF DRACULA was one of the best of the vampire films, stylish, creepy, and with a more accented edge of eroticism than most, not to mention that deep, exotic color...
I originally saw it in a double bill with THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH, which was a remake of THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET. Not that that really matters; the lead actor, Anton Diffring (sp?) I always found not really cut out for leading man parts. (He was much better as a toady fellow fireman in FAHRENHEIT 451, though that demotion in role status was indicative of the downward slope of his career.) And the film was just so-so, though it also had nice color. Still, you won't be seeing any fans clamoring for it restored on Blu-Ray....
BRIDES, on the other hand, still holds up pretty well, especially in the Freudian department, with our kind of gay-looking vampire ending up drinking his own mother's blood!
Now THAT's creepy... But very early 60's.....
The Man Who Could Cheat Death is available on Blu-ray, I might buy it, I didn't know it was so cheap. Reading reviews, the PQ is OK to good.
