Rish's Reviews
How big were the Hammer Dracula films? Were they more successful than their Frankenstein films? Did they have a cult following, or did everybody go to them? Were they big in America?
While I may never know, I like the Hammer vampire films, and hope to add more to the site in the near future. As far as The Satanic Rites of Dracula is concerned, two things: First of all, great title! Secondly, the version we watched claimed it was titled Count Dracula and His Vampire Brides, but we knew better.
This was the last Peter Cushing/Christopher Lee Dracula film, and ranks very low on the list. The plot was intriguing, but seemed inappropriate for the series. I wonder if they were cashing in on the huge Satan boom of the time. The characters were also way off. Peter Cushing is great, of course, and there was a nice scene where Van Helsing melts down a silver crucifix into a bullet. But Dracula was a total wuss in this film, easily out-thought and defeated. It was insulting to Christopher Lee's great name. It had nudity at the beginning, but not the titillating kind. Sorry.
I didn't hate this movie, it just did nothing for me. There was a bit of potential for a good flick, but it felt lazy to me, a quick attempt to cash in. It's definitely not one I'd recommend.

The tyranist's thoughts
So I'm as big a Hammer fan as the next guy, but you have to wonder about any series that reaches its eighth entry. Especially, when some of the previous entries weren't the best that have been produced.
So Dracula is hanging out in London working on his latest plot. He's managed to subvert a number of prominent Londoners in his efforts, but Van Helsing is onto him as always. As is his lovely daughter played by Joanna Lumley. You can pretty much imagine the rest.
Except you'd be wrong. Whatever you are expecting from this movie is not what you'll get. It was pretty obvious that they kind of gave up half way through and just tried to finish it so that they didn't lose money. The plot is bizarre and just doesn't make sense sometimes. Dracula's great evil that he's going to inflict upon society never really seems threatening and seems sort of unproductive when you consider that he would have to have someone left to live on.
Anyway, if you are trying to make it through the Hammer Dracula films, then this will be your last. Too bad. There are better movies out there.