Brides of Dracula / third part

( lire la version française )
Like Peter Cushing, I had only seen some dailies during the shooting, but I had a feeling that we had shot something incredible !
The premiere was held at Marble Arch Odeum(1).
The production team had done things in a big way.
I arrived in a horsedrawn carriage in front of the red carpet.

Peter came to greet me. He opened the door and helped me get down. We joined the producers ( Michael Carreras, Anthony Hinds ) and their wives while flashbulbs exploded – thinking back, I can’t remember seeing David Peel or Terence Fisher that night. Usherettes disguised as vampires led us inside the theater.



When the end titles appeared on the the shot of the flaming mill, there was a long applause. Peter and I didn’t have time to exchange feelings. We had to quickly submit to autograph sessions. But I clearly remember Peter winking at me, as if to say : “We’ve done it !”(2)
Dear Peter Cushing ! I preciously kept a magnificent scarf he had painted for me. Peter was an versatile artist.

I came back to Italy, where I lived at the time.
When the film was released there, I very gladly accepted to promote it (2).
The italian title : " Le spose de Dracula " (The wife of Dracula) highlighted the couple I formed with David Peel.



No one can deny that BRIDES OF DRACULA boasts one of the best Hammer feminine casts :
I want to pay tribute to Andrée Melly, Martita Hunt,Freda Jackson, Marie Devereux, Mona Washbourne who have infused the film with their talent and presence.

Brides of Dracula has always had enduring success.
It truly is one of the Hammer classics and, today, continues to strike the imagination of great film directors
such as Tim Burton (the mill scene in SLEEPY HOLLOW) or the Wachowski brothers (Gina’s resurrection scene is shown on a tv set in THE MATRIX RELOADED).

( soon THE TERROR OF THE TONGS )



(1) July 7 , 1960
(2) On the first day of exhibition, the movie broke several attendance records.
(3) In Ravello, on the Amalfitan Coast.