A classic horror film that revolutionised the genre is coming back to cinemas with footage that has been missing for more than 60 years.
Based on Bram Stoker’s gothic novel of the same name, Hammer Films’ Dracula changed the face of vampire films as we know it, introducing vibrant, red-coloured blood, a more vicious central monster, and sexually suggestive themes that shocked and appalled audiences.
Also known as Horror of Dracula, the film saw Christopher Lee take on the role of the iconic creature, introducing us to the unforgettable scene of his towering silhouette on that dark staircase.
Having been resurrected for the 21st Century with Doctor Jekyll back in 2023, Hammer Films has now given Dracula the 4K restoration treatment – and it’s coming to UK cinemas from October 16.
As part of the restoration, recovered material that has never been released before in the UK and US will be included in both the cinema and physical media release.
The footage was ‘deemed too shocking for audiences at the time,’ and has only been seen during the film’s original Japanese theatrical release in 1958.
The footage was uncovered when Hammer sourced original archival materials from around the world, having been presumed lost for six decades.
Speaking ahead of the film’s cinema run and the release of a 4K limited edition collector’s boxset, John Gore, executive chairman of Hammer Films and John Gore Studios, said: ‘Dracula changed horror forever. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing created iconic performances that still define the genre, and this restoration brings audiences closer than ever to the film as it was originally intended to be seen.
‘Seeing the long lost director’s cut finally return to cinemas feels like the right way to celebrate one of Britain’s greatest ever horror films.’
In Dracula, Lee stars alongside Peter Cushing as Abraham Van Helsing, a tenacious vampire hunter, and Michael Gough as Arthur Holmwood, whose sister and wife fall victim to the Count.
It made history as the first vampire movie ever to be shot in colour, and saw Lee popularise the image of the fanged vampire.
And that’s not all, with Terence Fisher’s adaptation also introducing horror fans to blood-splatter effects and bringing ready-prepared wooden stakes into the mainstream.
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Dracula is widely considered a ‘masterpiece’, and received wide critical acclaim both at the time of its release and the decades that have followed.
It has been included on several lists of the best horror films and British films of all time, with Empire magazine ranking Lee’s portrayal of Count Dracula as the 7th greatest horror movie character of all time.
Dracula holds a strong 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics’ consensus reading: ‘Trading gore for grandeur, Horror of Dracula marks an impressive turn for inveterate Christopher Lee as the titular vampire, and a typical Hammer mood.’
After the success of the film, Hammer went on to produce eight Dracula sequels, six of which feature Lee and four of which feature Cushing.
Hammer Films’ Dracula comes to UK cinemas from October 16. Find a screening online now. The 4K Limited Collector’s Edition Boxset is available to pre-order now, and is released on October 26