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Vincent Canby reviews Horror of Dracula

6 May 1958 · Motion Picture Daily

Vincent Canby

Bram Stoker Estate account

Estate summary

Vincent Canby’s contemporary review welcomes Hammer’s Horror of Dracula as a particularly effective return to the Count’s Gothic world. He praises the seriousness of the production, its settings, costumes, colour photography and effects, and finds that Jimmy Sangster’s changes to the familiar story strengthen its impact. Peter Cushing’s pursuit of the vampire gives the action momentum, while Christopher Lee and the supporting cast contribute to a film Canby expects to perform strongly at the box office. The review treats suspense, pace and the climactic destruction of Dracula as major strengths. The original article has now been located on page 4 of the 6 May 1958 issue. The digitised volume’s inner gutter obscures some line endings, however, so this account is accompanied by the source qualification rather than a purportedly complete transcription.

Original review inspected: Motion Picture Daily, 6 May 1958, page 4. The source link now opens the review page; the earlier address opened page 3. The inner gutter obscures the ends of some lines, so a complete checked transcription remains outstanding.

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Christopher Lee as Dracula, with John Van Eyssen as Jonathan Harker, in Dracula (1958). Hammer lobby card.
Christopher Lee as Dracula, with John Van Eyssen as Jonathan Harker, in Dracula (1958).Hammer Film Productions