''Dracula, Prince of Darkness'' (1966)

By Crusader1307

The 1966 British Hammer Film studios ''third'' Vampire Installment in their Movie Series (relating to or directly featuring The Count Dracula Character) ''Dracula, Prince of Darkness'' was canonically the second in the ''true'' Hammer ''Dracula'' fares. Played with stoic gruesomeness by British Actor Christopher Lee ''Prince of Darkness'' is a romp through The ''Golden Age'' of British Horror Films. It also did not star Lee's ''Grand Ghoul'' co-star Peter Cushing as nemesis Dr. Van Helsing. Starting at the ''end'' of 1958s ''Horror of Dracula'' in which The Good Doctor Van Helsing uses twin candlesticks and The Sun to vaporize the blood thirsty Count (to dust), 10 years have passed. Apparently, Minions gathered up the cursed mixture and placed it into a coffin (placed back at The Count's Castle). Stranded Visitors from a carriage accident come to The Castle, where the same Minion uses His own blood (mixed with The Count's ashes) to ''resurrect'' The ''Dread Lord''. After a brief introduction (and learning that two of the former Visitors are now Dracula's ''eternal Guests'' (a ''bite'' will do that!), several survivors escape (crashing yet again!) They make their way to the local Priest (telling them their tale). The Priest well knows that ''The Curse'' has returned and prepares to battle.

Able to kill Dracula's new ''creations'', The Priest chases Dracula (inside His coffin in a carriage) over a treacherous Mountain road. His Minion shot and losing control of it's horses the carriage flies off the road with The Count's casket being thrown onto a frozen river. The impact force cracked it some, and as Dracula ''rises'' to inflict His revenge, His body weight finishes the job. Crashing through the ice (water still flows beneath), we find that another method of vampire destruction is running water. The Count is sucked down and swept away powerless (but maybe NOT dead, sequels on the way!). In Trivia, Lee detested the film dialogue written for His Character so much so that Lee refused to speak the written lines. It is one of the very few of The Dracula Films, in which The Count NEVER speaks, just ''Hisses''.