film #2 of hooptober part v: a new beginning hammer films was a bastion of greatness for horror for decades starting with the 1950s. the studio is known primarily for this films, particularly the ones starring christopher lee and peter cushing. the horror of dracula is the film that, along with 1957's the curse of frankenstein, started it all. and while it doesn't quite hit the highest levels of great horror, it is easy to see why this is a revered entry in the genre. lee and cushing are both stellar as dracula and van helsing in this moody, intelligent riff on the bram stoker classic. jimmy sangster's screenplay makes some changes from the original story that would probably be fairly controversial in the current era. they work though, as director terence fisher takes the riffs and spins them into a detective story of sorts. lee has swagger to spare as the count, eschewing the creepy vibe of bela lugosi for a more debonaire style. the effects work is top-notch for the era and the production design is nearly perfect. this is a film that focuses more on suspense than horror, and it works to the film's betterment. there are periods that drag just a touch, but it's tough to find too much fault with this film.