Vampire Sunday!

The Giants don't play till Monday this week, so I'll be enjoying Vampire Sunday. There were conflicts in the Hammer day in my Halloween Film Festival.

The conflicts were caused by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Cushing
Y'see, there are two really excellent Hammer Horror series: their Frankenstein Series and their Dracula Series. They are both atmospheric and outstanding, mostly cooked up by the writer/directer team of Jimmy Sangster ( http://www.talkingpix.co.uk/ArticleJimmySangster.html )and Terrence Fisher ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terence_Fisher ).

Each series is largely dependant on the performances of Peter Cushing. In the Frankenstein flicks, he plays the psychotically malevolent Dr. Frankenstein - which was a really interesing choice given that the Universal Dr. Frankenstein was often portrayed as a remorseful victim of his own impulse or curse, who, after Frankenstein, had to be blackmailed ( Dr. Praetorius, Ygor) into doing his thing. In the Hammer flicks, Dr. Frankenstein, has done it, loves doing it, will kill you if you try to stop him from doing it and will do it again! His penalty for tattling is severe! He's great in these movies and you have to see them.

In the Dracula Series, Cushing plays the good guy, Van Helsing, who is determined to stop Dracula even if it costs him his life. So you see my conflict: In one series, Cushing is one of my favorite bad guys, in the other, he's a classic hero.

Therefore, for my own suspension of disbelief, I have separated the two series.

Here's my Sunday Menu.
The Horror of Dracula (http://www.moria.co.nz/horror/dracula58.htm
The Brides of Dracula - which Drac's not in.( http://www.1000misspenthours.com/reviews/reviewsh-m/bridesofdracula.htm)
The non-Dracula Kiss of the Vampire ( http://www.moria.co.nz/horror/kissvampire.htm )
Dracula, Prince of Darkness (http://www.tranquility.net/~benedict/draculapod.html)
Dracula Has Risen From the Grave - like that's unusual behavior from the Count... (http://www.mail-archive.com/thedarkgift@yahoogroups.com/msg01129.html)
Dracula A.D. 1972 ( http://www.moria.co.nz/horror/draculaad72.htm ).

It must be mentioned that Christopher Lee, and NOT Bela Lugosi, is the definitive Dracula. I will accept no guff about that.

After the pure Hammer Vampire flicks, I'll look at two Hammer/American International Pictures co-productions: Countess Dracula (http://www.allscifi.com/Topics/Info_24768.asp ) and The Vampire Lovers (http://www.moria.co.nz/horror/vampirelovers.htm ), neither flick features the Dracula or Van Helsing chatacters, but Cushing does show up as a noble general in "Lovers."

Vampire Sunday will end with the Count Yorga movies: Count Yorga Vampire (http://www.moria.co.nz/horror/yorga.htm ) and The Return of Count Yorga (http://www.moria.co.nz/horror/yorga2.htm ). These movies take place in Los Angeles and are a lot of fun.

Gather your Garlic and watch along!