It’s 1972, and in Chelsea Johnny Alucard, looking for kicks, organises a black magic ceremony in a desolate churchyard, where he seeks to rejuvenate Count Dracula from shrivelled remains. Alucard lures victims to the deserted graveyard for his master’s pleasure, including one Jessica Van Helsing. Her grandfather, equipped with all the devices to snare and destroy the Count, confronts his arch enemy in the age-old battle between good and evil.
Hammer dragged Dracula and Van Helsing into the modern age with this film, and while it might not be their finest hour, we couldn’t resist celebrating its 50th anniversary, and doing so in honour of Christopher Lee’s 100th birthday (though we’re not sure he’d thanks us for it!). There might be corny dialogue and questionable ‘teenage kicks’, but there is plenty here for Hammer fans to lap up.
