November : Dracula Made in Hammer

In 1958, Dracula was released, becoming one of Hammer Film Productions’ most iconic films and turning Christopher Lee into a horror genre star. The film successfully reignited interest in classic horror films reminiscent of Universal’s 1930s output. It managed to replace the immortal Bela Lugosi with a new, sultry, and impactful icon, shining in the color film that brought the blood-red hues to life. Terence Fisher, who had revived the Frankenstein myth with The Curse of Frankenstein the previous year, became the star director of this golden era for the renowned British studio. The film’s success led the studio to create a nine-film franchise over 16 years.

Terence Fisher stepped away after the third film, while Christopher Lee distanced himself from the character he wanted to leave behind but was still tied to. He would only be freed from this role much later when Saruman in The Lord of the Rings finally overshadowed his Dracula. Despite Dracula’s commercial success for Hammer, the character struggled to endure the test of time. Attempts to update the character include the overly kitschy Dracula A.D. 1972 and the final film in the series, The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires, co-produced with the Shaw Brothers and tapping into the martial arts film craze.

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