The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973)

THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA 

Director: Alan Gibson - Christopher Lee (Count Dracula), Peter Cushing (Van Helsing), Joanna Lumley (Jessica Van Helsing), Michael Coles (Inspector Murray), William Franklyn (Peter Torrence), Barbara Yu Ling (Chin Yang), Freddie Jones (Dr. Julian Keeley), Valerie Van Ost (Jane)

Dracula’s Sunset would have been an appropriate title as well. In 1973, the adventures of the Evil Count were definitely coming to an end - at least as far as the famous British Hammer House of Horror was concerned. There was one Hammer Dracula to follow, but it would be a crossover movie with Shaw Brothers, so this is the logical conclusion of the series that spanned a decade and a half (1958-1973).

Like its predecessor, Dracula AD 72, Satanic Rites is set in modern day London. In his Last Hurrah, Dracula has become a scheming villain: He has built a business tower above an ancient crypt and has persuaded four prominent members of society into performing satanic rites on the eve of “The Sabbath of the Undead”. The four think they will be part of a new world order, but the vampire’s objective is the destruction of mankind, with the exception of his ‘bride’: Dr. Helsing’s grand daughter. He himself and Jessica van Helsing will be the sole survivors of the sabbath and therefore inherit heaven, earth and hell.

It’s of course a bit of silly premise: No human life means no virginal blood, so how will a creature like Dracula ever live in a totally deserted place? There’s of course still his bride, but you can’t expect her to remain a virgin until eternity and once bitten, she will need virginal blood herself. Oddly enough, the question is raised in his presence and Dracula seems startled for a second (probably for the first time in his existence), but only for a second. This creature has literally become the evil incarnate, it has become so determined that he’s no longer interested in his own survival, only in the annihilation of others. Or maybe the screenwriters just didn't know how to solve the problem.

Some think this is the better of the two contemporary Draculas, but I’m not sure. Satanic Rites has more ‘story’ than Dracula AD 72, but Lee and Cushing almost become supporting characters in the intricate, often confusing script and for about an hour the film doesn’t really feel like a Dracula movie at all. It is saved by a good finale (Lee and Cushing doing what they’re good at) and the presence of a young Joanna Lumley, looking absolutely fabulous - if you know what I mean - as Cushing’s grand daughter Jessica.

Dracula putting his own chances of survival in jeopardy is not the only logical fallacy, in fact the script is marked by several particularly stupid ideas. In the previous movie we learned that vampires are afraid of water (as a symbol of purity) and now we’re supposed to accept that Dracula has a sprinkler set installed in his basement (Van Helsing uses it to wipe out his harem of seductive vampirellas). Of course the whole idea of the prince of darkness and his bloodsucking adventures is fantasy, but even fantasy worlds need some kind of inner logic. Luckily there are also some novelties that work quite well; the best idea is provided by a scene of Dracula being entangled in a hawthorn bush. We’re told that a hawthorn bush is a symbol of good as it provided Christ with his crown of thorns. Neat idea.