Christopher Lee was always a bit of a grouch about his film "Dracula A.D. 1972." He called it his worst film he ever appeared in. This is a curious statement. That late Hammer film was actually pretty good. I have a theory. I think Mr. Lee made a pass at Caroline Munro and she swatted him away. Ms. Munro turned in a wildly erotic scene and an erotically bloody death scene. Her effort was stellar. So in 1973, one year later, Christopher Lee, portraying Dracula again, makes "The Satanic Rites of Dracula." A very similar film...this time without Caroline Munro. Today we look at this Hammer film also directed by Alan Gibson, which also stars Peter Cushing as Van Helsing. Maybe Mr. Gibson was also thwarted when he tried to get into Ms. Munro's tight black pants.
Chin Yang (Barbara Yu Ling) is the hot Asian babe who leads a Satanic cult filled with England's most powerful wealthy men, military men, and government officials. She's a doll with a sacrificial dagger and she plunges that dagger into the heart of a nude blonde babe on an altar, turning her into a vampire. A gratuitous opening scene. The cult has plans. Two cops, Inspector Torrence (William Franklyn) and Inspector Murray (Michael Coles) call in Van Helsing to help. Uh oh, the cult captures Jane (Valerie Van Ost), the sultry police secretary and turns her into a vampire. Now the two inspectors, Van Helsing, and Van Helsing's grand daughter, Jessica (Joanna Lumley) investigate. Uh oh, the corporation that owns all the properties that cult activities are taking place is owned by a mysterious tycoon, who is really Count Dracula.
Dracula has a nefarious plan. Unleash the bubonic plague throughout the world and wipe it out. He also intends to make Jessica his bride. Capturing Jessica brings Van Helsing and the inspectors into his mansion to face off against the sultry Chinese priestess, dozens of babe vampires, and Dracula himself. Dracula has many weapons at his disposal like thugs on motorcycles, the aforementioned vamps in the dungeon, vials of the plague, and thousands of years of cleverness. Unfortunately for him, Van Helsing's smarts will be a worthy adversary, especially once he is determined to save his grand daughter.
The babe factor is tremendous. The plot is gruesome especially when the plague is introduced. Maybe not as flashy as the previous year's "Dracula A.D. 1972," but still semi-erotic and inclusive of classic Van Helsing-Dracula tropes. See "The Satanic Rites of Dracula" and try to figure out why Caroline Munro was repulsed by Christopher Lee.
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