[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1974)

Dracula is dead and well and living in London as Christopher Lee plays the great vampire for one final time for Hammer in this unpredictable (if you've never seen it before) horror thriller.

Set in a contemporary setting this pretty much follows on from Dracula AD 1972 (1972) as we meet Peter Cushing's Lorimer Van Helsing once again along with his granddaughter Jessica (Joanna Lumley stepping into Stephanie Beecham's shoes) and Michael Coles police inspector, as the three team up once more this time attempting to prevent Dracula releasing the bubonic plague into the world.

Certainly not a conventional Hammer film but it has elements of previous Gothic outings as well as action you might well see in The Sweeney.

Director Alan Gibson moves things at a cracking pace and although nowhere near the best Dracula film it has it's moments - including satanic rituals, the bloody staking of vampire women and a classic meeting between Dracula and Van Helsing - that should thrill all lovers of the macabre.

As i'd seen this countless times previously i wasn't even thinking about it for this years horror marathon but as with Shadow of the Cat i decided to watch something i really fancied rather than what was planned. (The Halloween themed Satan's Little Helper and Hell Fest)