I definitely feel a bit out of synch with the general consensus here because this entry in the Hammer Dracula series is one of my favourites. I would say I even enjoy it more than the original, which is doubtless tantamount to sacrilege in some people's eyes. I don't know, this movie just successfully entertains as far as I'm concerned.
The setting is in contemporary times, early 70's London. The story has the evil count gathering together various industrialists, politicians and scientists as part of a nefarious plan to wipe out civilization. He bases his operations from a remote house where satanic rites are practiced, involving these aforementioned individuals plus a number of female vampires who are chained up in the basement. Professor Van Helsing is on hand as usual to attempt to thwart his nemesis's plans.
There's just so much going on in Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride that it simply never gets boring. While it may lack the lush Gothic setting of most of the other entries in the series, I actually think it gains a reasonable amount from the 70's vibe. The idea of Dracula living under a false name in a tower block in the middle of London is a strangely good one, and some of the other locations are well utilized too, like the basement full of vampires for example – the scene where Van Helsing's grand-daughter comes into contact with these creatures is well orchestrated. There's a pleasing over-all smattering of action, nudity and gore throughout the picture to keep genre fans happy, while the film is on occasion quite stylish as in the scenes of the satanic ceremony. And of course it is never a bad thing to have Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing together in a film.
I would suggest that this is a movie that doesn't really deserve its poor reputation. I certainly find it a very enjoyable bit of fun. I do somewhat think that Hammer's 70's productions in general have been given a worse rap than they deserve. For anyone who enjoys British horror films from the period, I think this one is worth seeing.
