I got that 4 DVD set with the Dracula films, and have to admit I was pretty disappointed. Horror of Dracula was great, but the others were pretty blah. I will say, I think Christopher Bee is the greatest Dracula of all time. He’s actually scary, hell, he’s beyond scary, he’s terrifying. For instance, in Horror of Dracula when we first see him with the blood on his mouth, and he just rushes in a rage. To me, that’s still scary.
Man, I really, really hope that James does the Friday the 13th series. How could he not? It’s the most sequel heavy horror franchise ever, and ALL the films kick ass, with exception to the first one.
scrublife.wordpress.com – we talk horror, wrestling, movies, do a lot of Top 5 type stuff. We’re also the only site with the Man Movie Encyclopedia. Where we review the greatest action films ever and give you the Man Movie Tally, that includes full counts of explosions, deaths, boobies, slow motion scenes and a lot more. We also include unknown facts, plus box office business. We’re the virtual entertainment-boner capital of the world.
WOW! THIS IS THE REASON WHY SIR CHRISTOPHER LEE TURNED DOWN ALL BUT THE FIRST 2 DRACULA FILMS MADE BY HAMMER….
But Hammer told Lee that if he didn’t do from the 3rd film on, he would be responsible for Hammer going out of business. That is the only reason why he did these films. I have all of these on vhs, and the first 3, and Scars of Dracula on dvd. Christopher Lee has always been my favorite actor, and an inspiration to me. Thank you James for doing these reviews, they are awesome
There are other monsters than Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster, and the Wolfman. How about a review of the Toxic Avenger you could make some serious funny comments about that one, no? i still love your October and watch them all . I guess what i am trying to say is that a mix up would be nice but James your the best
Like I said on one of the earlier entries, Horror of Dracula, Curse of Frankenstein, and The Mummy remake are all great, classic films. Unfortunately, the sequels to the Dracula and Frankenstein series aren’t all that great, and at the very least, they get worse with each movie. That was certainly the case with the last two Dracula films. I like that Cushing is back, but if you really want to see him as a bad ass, but older Van Helsin, watch Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires, the technical “last” in the series, that was co-produced by the Shaw Brothers studio in Hong Kong. It has some great Kung-Fu in it, plus Cushing is in top form as the relentless Van Helsing. He was quite good in Brides of Dracula too.
I can’t really speak for the Mummy series, as I’ve only seen two of them, and honestly, the first follow up, while not a sequel at all, Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, is actually pretty decent. But I have to imagine that the second two entries get worse. Especially the last, which, while apparently based on the Bram Stoker novel Jewel of the 7 Stars, featuring (basically) a female mummy, it’s a 70s entry, and the Hammer films all seems to generally go downhill in the 70s (with the exception, again, of the last Van Helsing one). Again, I just personally feel that the 50s and 60s were Hammer’s prime, especially the 60s, and there are a lot of GREAT Hammer films that anyone in here, if they’re so inclined, should look up, that are not part of these series, such as:
The Abominable Snowman, The Quatermass Xperiment, Quatermass 2, Quatermass and the Pit, Island of Terror, Night of the Big Heat, The Earth Dies Screaming, The Gorgon, The Reptile, Plague of the Zombies, X The Unknown, The Hound of Baskervilles (a GREAT Sherlock Holmes story with Cushing and Lee), The Man Who Could Cheat Death, The Curse of the Werewolf, etc. Like I said, a vast majority of these were in the 60s, and all of them are good to great.
As for Lee being the scariest Dracula, I suppose I can see that. He played the part with more sinister intent, that is true. But to me, Bela Lugosi was classic in the role, not just because he was the “first”, but because his Dracula was more like what the novel character was, more a charmer and deceiver, even though he does hint at having great power.
If the ‘Alucard’ character is a Vampire then maybe he is one and the same with the guy at the start who takes the ashes? Although I doubt they thought that far ahead that would be a good way of explaining it.
I disagree,I didn’t enjoy this one at all.Peter Cushing and Chris Lee were great as always,but the unnecessary BGM and setting was not something I expected.
@LisVender – in bttf 3 Shamus and his wife look like Marty and Jennifer…which makes zero sense. Those are two different bloodlines…unless Marty and Jennifer and distant relatives…which might explain why their kids were such freaks….
I was let down that Dracula never really went out and interacted with the modern world in this movie. He pretty much just stays in his hideout and let’s his henchman do everything.
Enough of Dracula and classic monsters!!!! lets see Jason, Freddy, Michael Myers, Candyman, Children of the Corn sequels!!!! please!!! no more Dracula or Frankenstein or The Wolf Man movies! ¬_¬
@Ash Williams But that’s the point of this year’s Monster Madness. James explicitly said that it was this year’s theme to do classic horror movies and their sequels. While those are excellent movies, with sequels, they are not classics (except maybe in the slasher department). Maybe he’ll do them next year
I can’t believe that Christopher Lee would just refuse to say lines in these movies because the dialog was so bad. I wonder why they wouldn’t just rewrite the script or replace him. The hammer series draculas are just bizarre. I’m learning a lot this month though.
Someone should remaster the movie…clean up the sound and replace the god-awful music. Wouldn’t that final battle be more watchable if it had some epic orchestra behind it?
Who would have been a better replacement? Christopher Lee was THE Dracula of his time. If you think about who the legend is based off of, his intensity and holier-than-thou attitude is as good as it gets, Vlad got his nickname “the Impaler” for a reason.
And the fact that Dracula doesn’t speak often gives us a more sinister character. It the case of Hammer’s Dracula…Less is More.
James I have to really thank you for making Monster Madness. It really opened me up to horror movies before 2000, for the longest time I refused to watch Black and White movies but the way you portrayed some of them made them seem more artistic and fun.
I hope you continue to make Monster Madness every year =)
Completely unrelated to Monster Madness, but every time I play one of your videos, Derrick Fisher is doing some charity commercial and it really makes me mad/sad about his stupidity and the NBA being cancelled
Please tell me we will see a review of a movie that was made in my lifetime soon? LOL…I can really appreciate that you enjoy the older movies and that they ahve nostalgia…I just think that there is fun to be had with the 80′s for sure.
This is actually the only Hammer Dracula film I own on DVD. I saw it in a DVD bargain bin at a grocery store for $5 and it immediately made me think of Cinemassacre and Monster Madness so I just had to pick it up.
I thought I had Satanic Rites of Dracula, since I have one of those massive DVD collections of public domain horror movies (250 movies in one box), but it turns out it’s not in there. It’s strange, since the box has a picture of Christopher Lee as Dracula on it, but the only movie in the set with Christopher Lee in it is “End of the World”, which had nothing to do with vampires and instead has Lee playing a dual role as the hero and the villain, one being a priest and the other being an alien clone trying to take over the world….
The funk music is suppose to be modern variation on that action theme from opening battle… and that’s what it tries to be, fast pacing action scene more than horror. They are fighting and I think it’s a decent action… more horror-ish theme comes after he uses holy water and kills Dracula in that pit.
Just to continue the whole Hammer-Star Wars connection thing, Christopher Neame, who played Johnny Alucard, was also Jerec the Dark Jedi in the game Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight.
@BheemaDaCashman Well he wasn’t exactly praising them. This one got ‘shit sandwich’, if that’s being too easy on it, then maybe you’re being too harsh on it. The music just about gets me on your side, though. ¯◡◡¯·
October 14, 2011 at 2:22 am
The time: NOW.
Looks like an old-fashioned music video thrown in as that dance scene. Was there some kind of marketing going on for the musicians at that time?
October 14, 2011 at 2:23 am
These things are so timely, I’m loving it. As I’m always on late at night, I can catch these just before I go to bed =)
October 14, 2011 at 2:32 am
JAMES: Happy Hallween!!!
October 14, 2011 at 2:36 am
It was my will…
October 14, 2011 at 2:37 am
Awesome as always. Please do Dracula 3000
October 14, 2011 at 2:50 am
I hope Jamestoberfest never ends!
October 14, 2011 at 3:25 am
I got that 4 DVD set with the Dracula films, and have to admit I was pretty disappointed. Horror of Dracula was great, but the others were pretty blah. I will say, I think Christopher Bee is the greatest Dracula of all time. He’s actually scary, hell, he’s beyond scary, he’s terrifying. For instance, in Horror of Dracula when we first see him with the blood on his mouth, and he just rushes in a rage. To me, that’s still scary.
Man, I really, really hope that James does the Friday the 13th series. How could he not? It’s the most sequel heavy horror franchise ever, and ALL the films kick ass, with exception to the first one.
scrublife.wordpress.com – we talk horror, wrestling, movies, do a lot of Top 5 type stuff. We’re also the only site with the Man Movie Encyclopedia. Where we review the greatest action films ever and give you the Man Movie Tally, that includes full counts of explosions, deaths, boobies, slow motion scenes and a lot more. We also include unknown facts, plus box office business. We’re the virtual entertainment-boner capital of the world.
October 14, 2011 at 3:29 am
Hahaha, wow, the whole Godzilla Polka dance fit way too well.
October 14, 2011 at 3:38 am
WOW! THIS IS THE REASON WHY SIR CHRISTOPHER LEE TURNED DOWN ALL BUT THE FIRST 2 DRACULA FILMS MADE BY HAMMER….
But Hammer told Lee that if he didn’t do from the 3rd film on, he would be responsible for Hammer going out of business. That is the only reason why he did these films. I have all of these on vhs, and the first 3, and Scars of Dracula on dvd. Christopher Lee has always been my favorite actor, and an inspiration to me. Thank you James for doing these reviews, they are awesome
October 14, 2011 at 3:45 am
Hey! The Back to the Future movies (and games) used the same actors to play different characters in the same bloodlines! Why does Zemeckis get a pass?
October 14, 2011 at 4:32 am
There are other monsters than Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster, and the Wolfman. How about a review of the Toxic Avenger you could make some serious funny comments about that one, no? i still love your October and watch them all
. I guess what i am trying to say is that a mix up would be nice but James your the best
October 14, 2011 at 5:16 am
@CaliberW
Like I said on one of the earlier entries, Horror of Dracula, Curse of Frankenstein, and The Mummy remake are all great, classic films. Unfortunately, the sequels to the Dracula and Frankenstein series aren’t all that great, and at the very least, they get worse with each movie. That was certainly the case with the last two Dracula films. I like that Cushing is back, but if you really want to see him as a bad ass, but older Van Helsin, watch Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires, the technical “last” in the series, that was co-produced by the Shaw Brothers studio in Hong Kong. It has some great Kung-Fu in it, plus Cushing is in top form as the relentless Van Helsing. He was quite good in Brides of Dracula too.
I can’t really speak for the Mummy series, as I’ve only seen two of them, and honestly, the first follow up, while not a sequel at all, Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, is actually pretty decent. But I have to imagine that the second two entries get worse. Especially the last, which, while apparently based on the Bram Stoker novel Jewel of the 7 Stars, featuring (basically) a female mummy, it’s a 70s entry, and the Hammer films all seems to generally go downhill in the 70s (with the exception, again, of the last Van Helsing one). Again, I just personally feel that the 50s and 60s were Hammer’s prime, especially the 60s, and there are a lot of GREAT Hammer films that anyone in here, if they’re so inclined, should look up, that are not part of these series, such as:
The Abominable Snowman, The Quatermass Xperiment, Quatermass 2, Quatermass and the Pit, Island of Terror, Night of the Big Heat, The Earth Dies Screaming, The Gorgon, The Reptile, Plague of the Zombies, X The Unknown, The Hound of Baskervilles (a GREAT Sherlock Holmes story with Cushing and Lee), The Man Who Could Cheat Death, The Curse of the Werewolf, etc. Like I said, a vast majority of these were in the 60s, and all of them are good to great.
As for Lee being the scariest Dracula, I suppose I can see that. He played the part with more sinister intent, that is true. But to me, Bela Lugosi was classic in the role, not just because he was the “first”, but because his Dracula was more like what the novel character was, more a charmer and deceiver, even though he does hint at having great power.
October 14, 2011 at 6:05 am
If the ‘Alucard’ character is a Vampire then maybe he is one and the same with the guy at the start who takes the ashes? Although I doubt they thought that far ahead that would be a good way of explaining it.
October 14, 2011 at 6:07 am
I disagree,I didn’t enjoy this one at all.Peter Cushing and Chris Lee were great as always,but the unnecessary BGM and setting was not something I expected.
October 14, 2011 at 6:25 am
CaliberW: so you’re saying the first friday the 13th is the worse? that’s just ridiculous….. it’s actually the best……. the worse being jason x.
October 14, 2011 at 6:29 am
aww this is so great, every day on work i can look forward to a new monster madness video. thanks alot james and keep it goin
October 14, 2011 at 6:35 am
I was born in november 72. Probably because my parents prefered to have sex than watching this movie.
October 14, 2011 at 8:12 am
@LisVender – in bttf 3 Shamus and his wife look like Marty and Jennifer…which makes zero sense. Those are two different bloodlines…unless Marty and Jennifer and distant relatives…which might explain why their kids were such freaks….
October 14, 2011 at 8:29 am
I LOVE ME SOME SHIT SANDWICH
October 14, 2011 at 9:09 am
I love the shot of Dracula burning his had with the crucifix. What else is in the shot? A lot of breast.
October 14, 2011 at 9:31 am
man, peter cushing really aged a lot (and terribly) in the five years between this movie and Star Wars
October 14, 2011 at 9:53 am
For those wondering the titles of the movies in the intro, here they are.
Though I don’t know what movie the clip with the werewolf is from.
Misery (1990)
Nightmare (1981)
Re-Animator (1985)
October 14, 2011 at 10:40 am
I was let down that Dracula never really went out and interacted with the modern world in this movie. He pretty much just stays in his hideout and let’s his henchman do everything.
October 14, 2011 at 11:22 am
Christopher Lee is an awesome dracula. Sure he has nothing on Lugosi, but the way that he looks and talks is so dark and creepy.
October 14, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Alucard typed this… also redrum
(:
October 14, 2011 at 12:06 pm
JAMES – PLEASE review the movies you show in the intros to these videos!!!! They look spectacular
October 14, 2011 at 12:16 pm
@bostero1905
Last year, James did Camp Cult. The intro films are from that, I think.
October 14, 2011 at 1:15 pm
Enough of Dracula and classic monsters!!!! lets see Jason, Freddy, Michael Myers, Candyman, Children of the Corn sequels!!!! please!!! no more Dracula or Frankenstein or The Wolf Man movies! ¬_¬
October 14, 2011 at 1:15 pm
It’s a shit Sandwich.
October 14, 2011 at 1:37 pm
@Ash Williams But that’s the point of this year’s Monster Madness. James explicitly said that it was this year’s theme to do classic horror movies and their sequels. While those are excellent movies, with sequels, they are not classics (except maybe in the slasher department). Maybe he’ll do them next year
October 14, 2011 at 1:51 pm
I can’t believe that Christopher Lee would just refuse to say lines in these movies because the dialog was so bad. I wonder why they wouldn’t just rewrite the script or replace him. The hammer series draculas are just bizarre. I’m learning a lot this month though.
October 14, 2011 at 1:53 pm
god damn this new video format spring board shit. it’s giving me so much trouble watching these…
October 14, 2011 at 2:05 pm
i hop you get The Batman vs Dracula in there because that’s a good movie!!!
October 14, 2011 at 2:24 pm
Godzilla with Polka music? Yes, please!
October 14, 2011 at 3:08 pm
I’m just curious, James. Have you ever seen the Frank Langella version of Dracula?
October 14, 2011 at 3:12 pm
Someone should remaster the movie…clean up the sound and replace the god-awful music. Wouldn’t that final battle be more watchable if it had some epic orchestra behind it?
October 14, 2011 at 3:22 pm
@tweej
Who would have been a better replacement? Christopher Lee was THE Dracula of his time. If you think about who the legend is based off of, his intensity and holier-than-thou attitude is as good as it gets, Vlad got his nickname “the Impaler” for a reason.
And the fact that Dracula doesn’t speak often gives us a more sinister character. It the case of Hammer’s Dracula…Less is More.
October 14, 2011 at 3:59 pm
@Ash Williams and blair85
There’s still 2 more horror series on the way, and it’s possible you have already mentioned them both.
October 14, 2011 at 4:16 pm
Are you kidding me?! Take the Godzilla jumping scene, add some catchy polka music, loop, and BAM! Instant Internet sensation
Also, I’ve forgotten to thank you for your effort with Monster Madness this year, it’s as good as always, so thanks a lot
October 14, 2011 at 4:59 pm
04:10
What the hell is happening on the background? i cant see a shit!
October 14, 2011 at 5:05 pm
Shit Sandwich, eh? Can’t say I’ve heard that before, but it’s a pretty funny phrase, I must admit.
2 more horror series on the way, eh? Hmmm…
October 14, 2011 at 5:11 pm
James I have to really thank you for making Monster Madness. It really opened me up to horror movies before 2000, for the longest time I refused to watch Black and White movies but the way you portrayed some of them made them seem more artistic and fun.
I hope you continue to make Monster Madness every year =)
-Sean
October 14, 2011 at 5:33 pm
Ah, the 70′s. Peace, love, and vampires!
October 14, 2011 at 5:38 pm
Two Words:
Shit sandwich. ^_^
October 14, 2011 at 6:47 pm
I haven’t seen this one yet, but I’ve seen its sequel (The Satanic Rites of Dracula). Dracula + Disco = Discola
Mark Moore
I, Carly
a post-DOTM Transformers movieverse fanfic
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7343251/1/I_Carly
October 14, 2011 at 8:02 pm
Completely unrelated to Monster Madness, but every time I play one of your videos, Derrick Fisher is doing some charity commercial and it really makes me mad/sad about his stupidity and the NBA being cancelled
October 14, 2011 at 8:05 pm
I like this movie, but the blatant 70s culture makes it really funny at times.
October 14, 2011 at 10:05 pm
Please tell me we will see a review of a movie that was made in my lifetime soon? LOL…I can really appreciate that you enjoy the older movies and that they ahve nostalgia…I just think that there is fun to be had with the 80′s for sure.
October 14, 2011 at 10:29 pm
I can’t wait to watch these everyday! You’re very entertaining and knowledgeable! I’m gonna to be sad when this month ends… Keep up the great work!
October 15, 2011 at 1:08 am
Id love to see reviews for Friday 13, Nightmare on Elm St. or even recent stuff like the Saw series
but these are great also, love Christopher Lee
October 15, 2011 at 5:49 am
The funk music at the end doesn’t strike me as all that odd considering all the gialli I watch, ha ha
October 15, 2011 at 4:31 pm
This is actually the only Hammer Dracula film I own on DVD. I saw it in a DVD bargain bin at a grocery store for $5 and it immediately made me think of Cinemassacre and Monster Madness so I just had to pick it up.
I thought I had Satanic Rites of Dracula, since I have one of those massive DVD collections of public domain horror movies (250 movies in one box), but it turns out it’s not in there. It’s strange, since the box has a picture of Christopher Lee as Dracula on it, but the only movie in the set with Christopher Lee in it is “End of the World”, which had nothing to do with vampires and instead has Lee playing a dual role as the hero and the villain, one being a priest and the other being an alien clone trying to take over the world….
….of course!
October 15, 2011 at 5:08 pm
The silver stake was also used in the Blade film trilogy.
October 15, 2011 at 6:12 pm
Whats with the funk music !!!! why do they love ruining good scenes !!
October 15, 2011 at 9:42 pm
The funk music is suppose to be modern variation on that action theme from opening battle… and that’s what it tries to be, fast pacing action scene more than horror. They are fighting and I think it’s a decent action… more horror-ish theme comes after he uses holy water and kills Dracula in that pit.
October 16, 2011 at 1:22 pm
You could always put in the Nicholas Cage defense. Repeating genes or proof that they’re vampires too.
October 16, 2011 at 1:23 pm
Just to continue the whole Hammer-Star Wars connection thing, Christopher Neame, who played Johnny Alucard, was also Jerec the Dark Jedi in the game Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight.
(Also, he was the bad guy in Suburban Commando)
October 17, 2011 at 7:56 pm
Gozilla + polka meme incoming?
October 18, 2011 at 1:34 pm
This one ist called “Dracula jagt Minimädchen” in Germany. which can be loosely translated to “Dracula is hunting for mini-skirt wearing girls”.
October 24, 2011 at 2:03 am
Dracula vs hipies!
November 21, 2011 at 8:32 pm
I honestly think you’ve been way too easy on Blood, Grave and 1972.
March 5, 2012 at 5:06 pm
@BheemaDaCashman Well he wasn’t exactly praising them. This one got ‘shit sandwich’, if that’s being too easy on it, then maybe you’re being too harsh on it. The music just about gets me on your side, though. ¯◡◡¯·
October 17, 2012 at 3:35 pm
Maybe there was a loud funky party in the castle next door…
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