When this exorcism inadvertently leads to the resurrection of the Count, the Monsignor finds himself a target as a vengeful Dracula looks to take his niece Maria (Veronica Carlson) as his new consort.
I have not heard great things about the latter Dracula sequels, which made them fertile ground for a reappraisal.
Perhaps my fresh eye could uncover some gems, some fresh blood still flowing in the franchise’s veins?
In this case, I would say yes.
Opening with a cascade of blood to herald the opening credits, the film boasts a striking visual palette that seems more vivid than its predecessor.
Directed by celebrated cinematographer Freddie Francis, the film strikes out on its own from the opening:
A young church bell man finds blood trickling down the rope.
The priest (Ewan Hopper) then finds the corpse of a young woman dangling from the bell.
This mocking calling card from Dracula draws in the stern Monsignor who takes it upon himself to exorcise Dracula’s castle.
I am not familiar with Rupert Davies so I had no expectations for him as the Count’s new nemesis.
What sticks out about him is how human he is.
Peter Cushing’s Van Helsing felt completely resolute in his mission, and completely without vice or weakness - a fairly traditional hero.
Father Shandor from Prince of Darkness feels even more like a swashbuckling hero, even with his love of booze - he still seems fundamentally a white knight.
Davies’ Mueller is marked not only by his relative ignorance of Dracula, but his arrogant belief that he can resolve the village’s plight.
In a way, he is the first of Dracula’s foes to have an actual character arc.
When he begins the ceremony, a storm unleashes.
The other priest falls downhill, hits his head and lands near the frozen river where Dracula lies trapped - the trickle of his blood reawakens the vampire.
This is where the film really starts to differentiate itself.
In contrast to the fairly traditional heavy Klove from the previous film, the weak-willed priest (Ewan Hopper) becomes Dracula’s familiar
Hopper’s priest gets no name, but his sweaty, terrified performance highlights this film’s strength in vividly drawn characters.
It also draws attention to the way this film portrays religion - as entirely based on faith. Its power - and the power of Dracula - is based entirely on the faith of individual people.
One of the key conflicts of the film is between the Monsignor and his niece’s boyfriend Paul (Barry Andrews), who is an atheist. This causes the Monsignor to disapprove of their union. It is only when she becomes a target for Dracula, that the pair are forced to work together.
I was trying to work out why this film worked for me and not its more illustrious predecessor, and it comes down to this level of characterisation and the narrative that develops out of these characters’ conflict.
The characters in Prince of Darkness - aside from Father Shandor - felt like mannequins waiting to be bumped off.
The characters in Dracula Has Risen From the Grave are familiar archetypes, but they at least have definition - and the cast bring their own textures, their own flavour, that make the film feel more alive.
The most vivid character is Zena, a vivacious barmaid who becomes Dracula’s first victim - she enjoys having a good time, and shows interest in Paul - she clearly wants romance, but gets treated as a good time girl.
Her character is not that deep - and the film’s overall view of her is about as enlightened as the Monsignor’s - but she does get more shading compared with Dracula’s previous ‘brides’. After Dracula attacks her, she seems to enjoy his attention, and is enraged he demands she bring Maria to him.
Like the unnamed Priest, Zena feels like a more nuanced take on Dracula’s usual acolytes.
And because his acolytes have understandable motivations, this highlights how truly singular Dracula’s evil is.
When Dracula enters Maria’s bedroom, it is played along the same lines as his seduction of Lucy in the original film, but reframed as a loss of innocence for the young woman - emphasised by including a shot panning from Dracula on top of Maria to a child’s doll that she is holding and pushes away.
As with the original film, it turns out Dracula has hidden his coffin in the basement of the house - whereas this is a surprise in the Fisher version, here we are shown the process of the Priest gaining entry to the property, which generates more tension for the viewer.
The film turns into a battle of faith v science, as the Monsignor and Paul join forces to save Maria.
There is an almost great moment where Paul impales Dracula but it does not work because he does not believe in the power behind the stake.
Ultimately, the film does not lead to Paul’s conversion, but the redemption of Hopper’s fallen priest, who sacrifices himself while offering the final prayer that destroys the Count as he lies impaled on a cross.
There is a lot to recommend with Dracula Has Risen From The Grave.
The photography is beautiful, and the sets by Bernard Robinsion - working at Pinewood instead of Hammer’s old ground Bray Studios - have more of a sense of scope (I liked the rooftop exteriors, with the buildings so close together that characters can walk and run between the roofs).
A worthy pivot from the familiarity of its predecessor, Dracula Has Risen From The Grave may not quite match the original’s drive, but the deviations it makes from the familiar template (this time, we never see inside Dracula’s home) give Lee’s vampire more bite.
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