Secret Service and Scotland Yard police investigators believe they have uncovered a case of vampirism in London. They call in expert vampire researcher Professor Lorrimer Van Helsing to help them stop these hideous crimes. It becomes apparent that the culprit is none other than Count Dracula, disguised as a reclusive property developer, secretly plotting to unleash a fatal virus upon the world. The Satanic Rites marks the 8th entry in Hammer's Dracula series, following on from the events of
Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972). Its continuation of the story allowed for many returning characters, locations and recalling of events, which cemented the pair's shared continuity. I found this to be the film's strongest attribute, developing every element further in exciting and interesting ways. I particularly loved the reprisal of figures who originally had meagre parts step into the limelight, such as Inspector Murray. He was a fun side character in A.D. but ultimately didn't get anything crucial to do, until now, playing a pivotal role, aiding Helsing and getting in on the action. Even Helsing's granddaughter, Jessica, would make a return, although now recast, which I'm still unsure how I feel about. Naturally returning prior characters meant another showdown was set in place for returning stars, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in their respective roles as Van Helsing and Dracula. Their ceremonious reunion was a huge highlight of the last title and would be an equal driving force here. Lee's Dracula plays a much more prominent role than in the previous, having plenty more to do, say and finally, a bigger vendetta to pursue rather than his personal revenge missions of the past. His presence continues to be grand in all his scenes, featuring his demanding, booming voice with plenty of dialogue. Cushing's Lorrimer Van Helsing equally receives plenty to do, becoming the focal protagonist who must once more use his cunning to unearth the dark mysteries and expose the truth. I also love how he would later arm himself for a confrontation with Dracula, bringing a cross and so on, including a gun, which made for a fantastic image of him wielding the two. Any opportunity to see the duo together makes for required viewing as their chemistry elevates the production, even if this is the most confusing and weakest movie in the series. Many would argue this derived from the film's juggling of a plethora of genres, which come across as less of a 'Hammer Dracula' production and more as a spy, thriller or crime flick. One that just so happens to have vampires present. Its mix-matched genre styles can be quite puzzling, almost as though the film itself isn't sure what it's meant to be. I'm not sure espionage, car chases, and police investigations were high demands for a Dracula film but, it has the luxury of never being done before or since. All being said, amidst its flaws, I still found much to enjoy and certainly don't hate the film. Whilst it has been deemed the weakest movie by viewers, it has evolved in its perception by fans, much like A.D. 1972 has. We definitely see a departure from some of its more 'campy' themes, moving away from its hippie focus and taking a seemingly more serious and darker tone. There are plenty of aspects using more violence, mainly including shoot-outs, as well as upping the horror, best seen through the twisted farm of chained-up vampiric brides in a basement. Furthermore, Dracula's plan is just as horrifying, aiming to destroy the population with a manufactured plague whilst it could be argued as making little sense for him to do so, it would practically be his ultimate revenge. I also liked the detail of the headquarters of the evil goings-on being the original grounds of the condemned church, where Dracula died in the last film and would feature one of the best sequences with the mortal enemies talking face to face. Overall, The Satanic Rites is a pretty basic Dracula film, in my opinion. It has plenty of redeemable qualities but still falls flat as it loses its identity in attempting to do too much. I think Cushing and Lee's involvement makes this worth watching, especially to see Lee's final portrayal as the definitive iteration of Dracula. Check out the final production
The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974) for more.
