Okey dokey - DVDs:
DRACULA (the Horror of Dracula), 1957
79 mins colour English Language
Starring- Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee
Director- Terence Fisher
Rated 15
Christopher Lee stars in his most famous role for the first time. Possibly the best version of this well loved vampire story. This British classic established Hammer as the horror film masters of the 50's and 60's.
DRACULA: PRINCE OF DARKNESS, 1965
86 mins colour English Language
Starring- Christopher Lee and Barbara Shelley
Director- Terence Fisher
Rated 15
Four English tourists encounter Dracula who has returned form death. The long awaited sequel falls short of the excellent original but still remains a popular example of Hammer Horror. As an interesting note Christopher Lee refused to speak any dialogue as he deemed the script to be too different from Bram Stoker's original story and as such remains silent for all the film.
DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE, 1968
88 mins colour English Language
Starring- Christopher Lee and Rupert Davies
Director- Freddis Francis
Rated 15
The third of Hammer's Dracula films marks a return to form as Dracula makes his return from death to plague the living. A very good production with many fine scenes.
TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA, 1969
87 mins colour English Language
Starring- Christopher Lee
Director- Peter Sasdy
Rated 15
Another good example of the golden age of Hammer Horror featuring Christopher Lee as Dracula for the fourth time.
SCARS OF DRACULA, 1970
91 mins colour English Language
Starring- Christopher Lee
Director- Roy Ward Barker
Rated 18
As Hammer moves into the 70's we can see that the level of horror increase as censorship laws relax slightly. This film is closer to Bram Stoker's text than any other Hammer vesion and Christopher Lee gives a very fine performance.
DRACULA A.D. 1972, 1972
92 mins colour English Language
Starring- Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing
Director- Alan Gibson
Rated 18
A descendant of Van Helsing discover's his ancestor's great foe Dracula has been brough back to life in the modern world! Set in contempory London this was one of the scariest Hammer films of the 70's.
THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA, 1973
84 mins colour English Language
Starring- Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Joanna Lumley
Director- Alan Gibson
Rated 18
Dracula returns for revenge (yet again) and tries to wipe out the living with a deadly virus. This was the last time Christopher Lee played the role of Dracula in a Hammer film production.
THE MANY FACES OF CHRISTOPHER LEE, 1995
57 mins colour English Language
Starring- Christopher Lee
Rated PG
In this fascinating documentary veteran horror actor, Christopher Lee, looks back upon his unique career and shows us many personal favourite moments from a range of his works. A personal favourite moment is when he shows us a clip from the musical comedy "The Return of Captain Invincible". Many great anecdotes and film clips.
THE LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIES, 1974
85 mins colour English Language
Starring- Peter Cushing, Richard Widmark, Julie Ege, David Chiang
Director- Roy Ward Baker
Rated 18
Dracula goes to China for some serious martial arts insanity. A crazy idea but well made and a lot off fun.
LUST FOR A VAMPIRE, 1970
91 mins colour English Language
Starring- Ralph Bates, Barbara Jefford and Suzanna Leigh
Director- Jimmy Sangster
Rated 18
Count Karnstein and his sensual daughter stalk a finishing school.
DRACULA, 1931
73 mins black & white English Language
Starring- Bela Lugosif
Director- Tod Browning
Rated PG
A film so sucessful that director Tod Browning was given totally free reign with his next production, Freaks, the film which effectivly ended his career. Bela Lugosi plays a brilliant and wonbderful Count Dracula only equalled by Christopher Lee decades later.
THE HOUSE OF DRACULA, 1945
64 mins black & white English Language
Starring- Lon Chaney Jnr, John Carradine and Lionel Atwill
Director- Erle C. Kenton
Rated PG
All the monsters (Dracula, Wolfman, Frankenstein's monster and a hunchback) together in one film. Although it's obvious ideas for new films were running rather thin this still is a decent enough production.
THE ISLE OF THE DEAD, 1945
69 mins black & white English Language
Starring- Boris Karloff.
Director- Marc Robson
Rated 15
A Greek General visits the tomb of his wife and becomes involved in a chilling tale of vampires and plagues.
REQUIEM FOR A VAMPIRE, 1971
85 mins colour English Language
Director- Jean Rollin
Rated 18
A deeply surreal vampire story of lesbian intimacy.
RAPE OF THE VAMPIRE, 1968
88 mins black & white English Subtites
Director- Jean Rollin
Rated 18
A two part story with a strange rambling plot and numerous inexplicable happenings. A masterpiece in some ways but just insane in others.
LA MORTE VIVANTE (The Living Dead Girl), 1982
84 mins colour English Subtites
Director- Jean Rollin
Rated 18
Unusally coherant and plot driven for a Jean Rollin film, a dead body is revived by toxic chemicals and thirsts for blood. A sad tale of an impossible love.
CURSE OF THE VAMPIRE, 1971
85 mins black & white English Language
Starring- Diana orel, Nicholas Ney, Ines Skorpio, and Lereta Martin.
Director- Jose Maria Elorietta
Rated 18
This film is a good example of how relaxed censorship was in continantal Europe over Britain and the USA. Far bloodier than most films of its day.
NOSFERATU, 1922
85 mins black & white (tinted) Silent
Starring- Max Schrek and Greta Schroeder.
Director- F.W. Murnau
Rated PG
The oldest surviving Dracula film and in my personal opinion the best horror film of all time. I cannot praise this film highly enough.
DRACULA DEAD AND LOVING IT, 1995
86 mins colour English Language
Starring- Leslie Nielsen.
Director- Mel Brooks
Rated PG
A typical Mel Brooks farce, this time about Dracula.
I made this list to help me catalogue some of my own collection. I hope it helps you find a good DVD for her (and avoid a bad choice).
One good idea is:
Vampire Films (a pocket guide)
Author Michelle Le Blanc ; Colin Odell ; Michelle Le Blanc
Publisher Oldcastle Books Ltd (UK)
Year 2000
ISBN 190304717X
Format paperback - 96 Pages
This book is very useful and costs around £4.