Azizkhuja T
"Dracula A.D. 1972" stands as a bold yet polarizing attempt by Hammer Film Productions to rejuvenate the Dracula saga by transplanting it into the contemporary setting of 1970s London. Directed by Alan Gibson and featuring a screenplay by Don Houghton, the film merges traditional gothic horror elements with the vibrant, if somewhat caricatured, atmosphere of swinging London, resulting in a film that is as much a period piece of its time as it is a vampire movie.
The casting of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing in their iconic roles as Count Dracula and Van Helsing, respectively, provides a strong anchor for the film. Their performances offer a nostalgic throwback to the earlier, more classical Hammer Dracula films, while also embracing the new direction the series takes here. However, it's the female members of the cast who bring a significant depth and variance to the narrative, with their characters embodying the themes of innocence, danger, and the supernatural allure that define the Dracula mythos.
Stephanie Beacham's portrayal of Jessica Van Helsing, a descendant of Dracula's legendary adversary, infuses the film with a sense of continuity and legacy. Her performance balances the modernity of her character's surroundings with the timeless struggle against the forces of darkness. Marsha Hunt as Gaynor Keating and Caroline Munro as Laura Bellows contribute memorably to the film's atmosphere, with their characters' fates intertwined with the malevolent resurrection and schemes of Dracula in the modern age. Janet Key as Anna Bryant and Lally Bowers as the Matron Party Hostess further populate this reimagined London with characters that, though less central to the plot, enrich the narrative tapestry of the film.
An uncredited appearance by Flanagan as a Go Go Dancer captures the zeitgeist of the era, juxtaposing the carefree, liberated spirit of the 1970s with the dark, ancient evil that Dracula represents. This contrast underscores one of the film's central themes: the clash between the old and the new, the timeless and the temporal.
"Dracula A.D. 1972" was a product of its time, inspired by the contemporary vampire film trend and the peculiar fascination with the occult that marked the era. Its decision to set Dracula loose in 1970s London was met with mixed reactions. Critics like Roger Ebert and Clyde Jeavons dismissed the film for its perceived shortcomings, criticizing its campiness and the discord between its modern setting and the gothic roots of its story. However, the film has also found its champions, including director Tim Burton and horror expert Kim Newman, who appreciate its unique place in the Dracula canon and its blend of horror with the distinctive flavor of the 1970s.
Despite its divisive reception, "Dracula A.D. 1972" remains a fascinating experiment in the Hammer Dracula series. It serves as a reminder of the genre's ability to evolve and adapt to new eras, even if such attempts do not always meet universal acclaim. The performances of Stephanie Beacham, Marsha Hunt, Caroline Munro, Janet Key, Lally Bowers, and Flanagan contribute significantly to the film's enduring charm, offering a glimpse into a world where the eternal darkness of Dracula intersects with the fleeting lights of a bygone London.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/21/24
Full Review
Simon T
A stake through the heart for Hammer's cash cow. This woeful late entry in the tired and tacky Dracula series really is awful. Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee phone in their contributions in a vain attempt to distance themselves from the deeply boring 'groovy' seventies setting. Michael Kitchen at least looks uncomfortable as a refugee from Hair. Awful music, cheap production values, and very very slow. Abby Wysmal.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
10/16/23
Full Review
Liam D
It has the right elements and setting it in the 70s is interesting but it's too cheesy for it's own good
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
09/03/22
Full Review
Audience Member
Very fun, pretty cheesey, but not as much as you might expect. Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee play it straight and it is quite enjoyable. Very much Hammer horror with a dash of obvious silliness of the 70âs
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/23/22
Full Review
dave s
Dracula A.D. 1972 is, by a wide margin, the worst offering in Hammer's Dracula series. In an effort to spruce up what was becoming a tired franchise, the action skips ahead 100 years to London of 1972, where skirts are short, necklines are shorter, and the smell of weed wafts through the air. Before you know it, those meddlesome hippies have revived the Count, leading to a series of bitten necks and the inevitable showdown with Van Helsing. Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee do their best to salvage things, but the premise is so flagrantly absurd that it's hard to buy into the fact that you're supposed to be scared.
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Can't believe it's a Hammer Studio, but typical of the 1970s, fake, faux hippie kids, but think leisure suits, with ridiculous mop hair, fake hippie glasses, only thing missing is The Fonz.
As is most stuff of this era, trying to be hip, the music scenes makes this look very dated to an era that exists in someone's head, without experiencing the 60, earlier 70s. The over long make out scenes early in the film could have been 5 seconds, rather than the cheese it is. Seems to be there as over the air TV soft porn with your clothes on, totally unneeded.
Brings me to the sound track, it's the worst thing about this film, the hysterical scenes, both the music, dialogue, it's painfully sounds layered on top, heavy handed. Spencer Tracy once told Burt Reynolds when asked "what do you do", Burt "I'm trying to be an actor", Spencer "don't let anyone catch you at it". That is the problem here, you notice the ambience music, the dialogue, from the film being forced, dubbing it on. The music is some kind of piss poor James Bond, The Shaft, Hawaii Five-0, and I don't know what, it keeps changing, bringing attention to itself.
Things get better with some scenes with Peter Crushing, but it quickly goes back to awful sound track, Perry Mason faux Jazz music, of repeated 5-6 notes, especially with the Count.
This movie just drags, most of the campy classics of Dracula had a feeling of being slightly before the beat, the film driven along, with an feeling of urgency. A lot of times this thing bogs down into a lecture, take Van Helsinki, the inspector.
Just be glad you didn't buy a 1972 ticket and had to sit through this thing.
Rated 0.5/5 Stars •
Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars
01/11/23
Full Review
Read all reviews
Post a rating
>
