The Brides Of Dracula

This classic HAMMER movie is down as being the follow up to DRACULA and even says his BRIDES in the title but has nothing to do with the first movie and even says on the poster THE MOST EVIL DRACULA OF ALL yet he is not called this in the movie.Besides all of that about the movie itself well what we have is a HAMMER classic with PETER CUSHING is back as DOCTOR VAN HELSING on top form great sets and a climax thats as good as the one in the first movie in fact TIM BURTON payed tribute to this in the climax of his movie SLEEPY HOLLOW.Now about the disc the picture is good as is the sound i have an 8ft wide picture and it looks great.Now for the extras we have THE MAKING OF BRIDES O F DRACULA also A STILLS GALLERY and a nice trailer for the movie.I have read one or two reviews of people saying stuff like the movie is not in the right aspect ratio etc but if it is or not it is not that important if you are watching this movie on a tv as you are not watching the movie how it was made to be seen anyway these movies were made for the big screen and to see them the way they were made you have to see them this way.iT Is so so sad that people can now only review these great classic movies by what they see on there tv and not see there full impact on the big screen Anyway love this disc and movie so if you are a HAMMER fan buy it

Hammer's The Brides of Dracula (1960) was the first sequel their 1958 classic Horror of Dracula, and again stars Peter Cushing as ace vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing. Christopher Lee's Count Dracula is absent this time, for reasons nobody has ever really confirmed; depending on which rumours you believe, he asked for too much money, turned the film down to avoid typecasting, or might not have been asked to appear at all. However, Lee isn't really missed in a movie that instead features the little-known actor David Peel as Baron Meinster, a blood-sucking mummy's boy with a taste for farm girls and French schoolteachers... One of the few Hammer horror movies to divide the opinion of fans, The Brides of Dracula has in its favour some really magnificent set designs, great photography, an unusual score from Malcolm Williamson, and top-notch performances from Cushing, Peel, and veteran actresses Martita Hunt and Freda Jackson. However, many commentators (amongst them one of the credited screenwriters, Jimmy Sangster) have drawn attention to the film's choppy narrative and various plot inconsistencies and contrivances, and the somewhat weak performance of the female lead, Yvonne Monlaur. Those criticisms do hold water, but they are scarcely noticeable once you are actually watching the movie; this is a dream-like, gothic fairytale, and one of director Terence Fisher's very best films.

This was the first Hammer film I ever saw. I'd been trying to find it on DVD for ages after seeing it on numerous occasions on Sky and well worth the wait!! This is British cinema at it's creepiest and atmospheric, an absolute masterpiece with a fantastic pace. It's all too easy in this day and age to be cynical and laugh at these films but it says something when nearly 50 years on this film is given the recognition it deserves and is finally released to buy. If you love vintage old horror films, it really doesn't get much better than this. All the characters are great but one man has to be singled out and that is the legend which is Peter Cushing, one of this country's greatest actors, as the formiddable Van Helsing. As another reviewer quoted, 'Who is it who is not afraid?' , 'Only God has no fear!' Genius!!

Brides of Dracula was the first of Hammer's many sequels to their breakthrough hit, and it's not just the best of the series but one of their very best pictures. There's no Christopher Lee this time round - in fact, there's no Dracula at all - but there's a lot of imagination at play here in a beautifully plotted story that sees Peter Cushing's Van Helsing coming up against David Peel's Baron Meinster, a follower of Dracula's vampire cult, after Yvonne Monlaur's schoolteacher ill-advisedly releases him from the shackles his not-as-mad-as-she-looks mother keeps him in. There's a lot going on beneath the stylish surface here - a psychiatrist could probably have a field day with the curious relationship between Peel and Martita Hunt ("We pray for death, both of us. At least, I hope he prays"), not to mention Van Helsing's visible discomfort in the company of women - but it never overwhelms the plot, and there's no shortage of memorable scenes, from the professor treating a rather nasty bite he just got to the servant silently offering pointers to a newly created vampire on its first outing as one of the undead. Reuniting most of the behind-the-cameras talent from their first Dracula film and throwing in a rather splendid climax in a burning windmill, this is definitely one of Hammer's finest hours. Sadly, though one of their best looking pictures, like Warner Home Video's overcopped release of the first Hammer Dracula, the UK DVD of Brides is also a bit of a disappointment - no extras and in the wrong ratio. It's a problem that's carried over in Final Cut's UK Blu-ray, which uses Universal's 2:1 widescreen transfer from their Hammer Horror Series [DVD] [1964] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC ], marring an otherwise decent release that also includes a new 31-minute making of documentary, stills gallery and trailer.

Great hammer film brilliant cast with Peter Cushing and the lovely yvonne monlaur and David peel plays a great vampire the blu ray picture is sharp and clear has if it was made yesterday well recommended

one of the first Hammer Dracula film's, one of the best, but for some reason not quite as familiar as Christopher Lee, but it is a well worthwhile classic, a vintage great that had become quite a rare title, but fortunately it has become available again for a reasonable price, it's got the brilliant Peter Cushing and also a hypnotising performance from David Peel as Baron Meinster, why he never played the vampire role again, i'll never understand?!....it's a veritable Hammer classic at it's best, a vintage gothic masterpiece, when horror was an art, everything that horror should be today, but isn't sadly, nowaday's it seem's to be just violence, sadistic and vicious, gratuitous for the sake of it, apart from the Brit's & Europe, they seem to have forgotten the art of the horror film...long live Hammer, Amicus, Kobalt, Tigon and all the other classic's!

It is difficult to know how to review this Blu-ray release. I guess it depends on whether this is a first time buy, you have owned the previous UK release or the R1 release. Let me start by saying that the original master that Universal had was destroyed in a fire some time ago. For this Blu-ray a different print has been used, which seems to have been in marginally worse shape than the one used for the R1 dvd. It therefore makes it very difficult to make an adequate comparison as Final cut have obviously had their work cut out to bring this up to a releasable standard. If you have owned the R1 dvd prior, one of the first things you will realise is that this (BD)is presented in a different ratio 2:1 which crops a significant section from the bottom of the screen. Secondly, there is a high dose of grain on this release. Some would say that's a good thing, others not. But at times is overpowering (obviously that's just my opinion). Colour saturation on the bd is different from the R1 release, but is extremely pleasing and there is a increase in detail with it being in HD. However on comparison with the R1 dvd , you may wonder if it is an improvement at all. This BD wins considerably over the previous UK dvd release, which was heavily cropped in the 4:3 ratio The BD offers some limited extras which are interesting in the main. However there is no commentary or subtitles for the hard of hearing. To sum up, stay clear of the Uk dvd. If you want a choice either seek out the R1 dvd which looks smoother, is vibrant and in the correct ratio, or opt for this BD. The image is pretty good,with marginally increased clarity due to the transfer in HD and is also vibrant, but be aware suffers heavily (and this is just my opinion) from having way to much grain and is in a ratio that is generally agreed to be incorrect. EDIT: Opinions of the Blu-ray seem to vary depending on which edition of the film you owned prior or have seen. Higher ratings seem to be coming from those who have not experienced the original restoration that was release as the R1 Universal box set.On the other end of the spectrum there are those that despise this release for the reasons mentioned. For those that are interested. Final cut have presented this BD in the style of Studio canals Hammer titles packaging, but minus the slipcase.It does however feature artwork which represents one of the original Uk posters. EXTRA NOTE: the same transfer used for the R1 dvd was also used by KOCH MEDIA R2 german dvd release. This edition still doesn't have extras but is in the correct ratio and has fantastic artwork.

I understand why some people can get a little hot under the collar when some films are released with the incorrect ratio. And I especially understand why when it comes to the release of a Hammer film. However, this is THE BRIDES OF DRACULA people! On Blu Ray! You've got to love it. I think the picture quality is great. I've loved this film for as long as I can remember, watching it on late night telly or some dodgy VHS copy waiting for the day blu ray would be invented. Well the boffins finally caught up with my wishes and now I (and you) can enjoy afresh all those vibrant colours, detail and atmosphere that only Hammer could deliver. Okay the bottom of Sir Peter Cushing's chin is missing in one shot but I can live with that for the sheer pleasure of having THE BRIDES OF DRACULA released on Blu Ray - Hurrah!

Pour moi, il n'y a pas photo, si je devais faire un podium des meilleurs films de vampires de la Hammer, "Les maîtresses de Dracula" arrive en première place. Photo, décors, costumes, effets visuels, cascades, acteurs et actrices, rien n'est laisser au hasard par le grand Terence Fisher pour nous faire passer un fantastique moment. Il s'agit bien ici du second volet de la franchise commencée en 1958 avec "Le cauchemar de Dracula" mais cette fois-ci sans le Comte mais avec Van Helsing en vedette. Et quel héros ! Bondissant, acrobatique et très physique, Peter Cushing nous étonne par un aspect de sa personnalité jusque là inédite : il joue des poings pour affronter un vampire coriace et très malin. Très belle copie mais uniquement en version originale sous-titrée et en 4/3 au lieu d'un 16/9 qu'on aurait souhaiter voir. Un entretien avec Jean-François Roger de la cinémathèque française nous permet d'assister à une analyse très fine de l'oeuvre mais aussi du travail réalisé par le metteur en scène. Vivement une sortie en Blu-Ray !

Looks terrific in high definition

BEELDKWALITEIT SUPER SCHERP !!!!!

BRIDES OF DRACULA is possibly the best film Hammer ever made. No, Dracula is not in it, but Peter Cushing is, and his performance as Van Helsing here is one of his best roles ever. The print is sparkling and the colours are amazing. There might be a few lapses of logic in the script, but they're easy to ignore given all the great performances here. Worth visiting again, and if you haven't seen it, you're in for a treat.

Tutto in ordine, grande Cushing, come sempre. Fotografia a colori bellissima, regia di Fisher buona. Ottimo film gotico. I set di Bernard Robinson sono come sempre la star di questi film, e qui non deludono assolutamente. Sono rimasto piacevolmente sorpreso dalla performance di David Peel, il barone, una delle migliori dei Dracula di Fisher.