Dracula (1958) staking scene US and UK versions

[Invisiblejetpilot]

Col. James Carreras (head of Hammer in '58): "We make 3 versions of a Dracula film. In the English version we just have the man placing the stake on the heart and that's it. For America, he gives it a couple of sharp taps. But for Japan-and they won't buy the stuff unless it's really gory-he hits the stake and the vampire sits up and tries to grab it and he knocks the vampire back and hammers away and blood squirts all over the place and it's awful." (Dracula Scrapbook 1976)

[Dennoman2007]

I actually prefer the censored version, it leaves more to the imagination and that's what classic horror is all about for me.

[SPeacock]

Wow. It's definitely shocking both ways. I can't decide which edit is superior.

[CHAOSin8bits]

i have a version where van helsing spits in her mouth, hammers the stake in her chest, shoves a clove of garlic in her mouth, slaps her face, hits her forehead with the hammer, hammers the stake in her throat, hammers the stake in her chest (lots and lots of blood spurts out, with chucks of gore), punches her eye, pulls her eyeball out, hammers the stake in her chest one more time, twists the stake deeper in her heart, yanks it out, rips her heart out with his bare hands and throws it.

[Invisiblejetpilot]

@CHAOSin8bits Wow, that's got to be the Japanese version... Holy hurl in the popcorn, Batman.

[forrykid]

There's a still of the Japanese staking easily available...

Universal released it as an 8x10 still in their Press Kit for the film.

It shows Van Helsing hammering the stake into a faceless, blood-drenched body.

[frantic1971]

It is unfortunate in some ways that Peter Cushing was cast almost solely as a "horror" actor, as he was man of real acting talent. And could have done so much more. It was really good to see him have a prominent role in one of the most popular and revolutionary movies of it's time: the first StarWars movie.

[geinman1287]

Notice how the girl works her mouth at the end of the scene. She may have been working the fangs off.

[kiyla29]

thx now u scard me for life NICE

[interstitialofficial]

It's nearly impossible to find the version where Van Helsing reaches into his coat and pulls out a t-bone steak, realizes his error, then they're both torn to pieces by the vampires.

[Phosonell]

Interesting! The german version is somewhere in between!

[ImhotepsAshes]

I prefer the uncensored one of course, but you've got to admit the censored version's well-edited. I wouldn't have noticed anything was missing!

[mrright911]

hey tklogan11809 u mean the communist don't murder,rape,torture,rob and invade it's only the USA? I was wondering would u consider Normandy an invasion to?

[clintbronson5]

Please can anyone help? I have been looking

for a copy of DRACULA(58) and not that awful

title HORROR OF... Is it possible to have

DRACULA on DVD??

[MajorasPianos]

Try finding one on ebay.

I want one too :/

[clintbronson5]

Can't!!!  Only came close with a English VHS but don't have a player for it.

[MajorasPianos]

Why not?

Everyone can Ebay!!!

[telecaster1963]

Install a software called Dreamule on your PC and make and downoload the movie. I did it and got a good dual ( Spanish English) version.

But , beware, there's a lot of XXX movies disguised under false titles Check it out carefully to avoid any surprise.

Good luck!

[ganonman123]

I think I like the Aerican one more. (Shudders).

[ramalama1]

I have the 1989 VHS version. There are three mallet strikes but you don't see the stake entering the body after the first strike. It cuts directly to Lucy's face as she screams and spasms in her coffin. You see the stake enter and blood ooze on the second strike. The third is only a shot of Cushing as he drives it home.

[dangale]

I saw the restored high definition print that was released by the BFI in the UK in October and can confirm the only thing they've restored to it is the opening title Dracula instead of Horror of Dracula. The staking is identical to the UK and US DVD.

[poppunkprince]

Interesting, are there anymore comparisons around?

[Titlebaum]

I saw the ITV broadcast of this film in the early seventies. All the blood and gore was there. Remember it was we the British who made this movie. If the Americans chose to show it in all its glory, which was artistically intended, then good on them. Although I do not think the poster was moralising, just pointing out different attitudes in censorship.

[ProsperitySnow]

Very interesting. I had no idea that the two versions would be so different. Thanks for posting.

[tklogan11809]

Incredible how the US censorship bans sex, which is a gift and the manner in which we were all created, but glorifies blood and carnage. No wonder 95% of the world serial killers live in the US. Sick.

[zbaby82]

Balonie. The USA stll has values. And remember, it wasn't the USA who started both world wars. Which featured carnage galore. It was the 'civilized' Europeans.

[tklogan11809]

lol values? The US tortures, rapes, murders, robs and invades entires civilizations all in the name of corporate profit and you talk about values? Go get a clue.

[filmaddict818]

What the hell ma, no one said that USA was uncivilised, i mean they invented Nuclear bombs. And what does starting both world wars have to do with US censorship anyway. Lol!

[thephotoplayer]

What does that have to do with anything? It was a British company that dreamed up and shot this scene.

[anhacus]

In my opinion, I think "Taste the blood of Dracula" is the best Hammer Dracula, with "Prince of Darkness" a close second.

[mrslinsghost]

My version is the 1.85 widescreen - which is passable enough, but not quite the fullest 2.55 widescreen the follow-up presents which is a Studio Canal 2001 issue, or the 2.35 usual 'widescreen' ratio - but it's at least not that crap fullscreen I so hate!

[dangale]

You're right about the Studio Canal (or Warner in the UK) release of DRACULA - PRINCE OF DARKNESS being the fullest ratio. DRACULA (1957) wasn't shot in the same format so the DVD we have now is probably the best it'll ever look, even if a small amount of top and bottom info is missing.

[mrslinsghost]

Yeah I got the full staking version UK release DVD right here, 2005 by Warner... even with an extra German soundtrack... readily avalable in shops now...

[Partyslammer]

Is the german dvd cropped to format for 16:9 anamorphic widescreen tvs? At this point in 2007, what's the best overall version on dvd anywhere in the world?

[dangale]

You may all be interested to know there's a thrid version of this scene, somewhere between the two extremes shown here. It was released in the US on VHS in 1989. Two mallet strikes, but you only see the first, bloodless shot of the stake entering. What a tangled web the censors weave! Buy the DVD it's a the fullest.

[Partyslammer]

That was the tv broadcast version edited for US viewers. Last Summer in LA, there was a showing of HoD as part of the Egyptian Theater's Hammer Horror month and the edited version was what was screened much to the dismay of viewers. Another note, the old 2nd printing of this movie on laserdisc is actually the best way to see this movie as it's not only unedited, but it's not severly cropped on the top and bottom (chopping of the tops of people's heads in many scenes) to fit 16:9 tvs.

[HollywoodGothique]

Yes, I remember that version at the American Cinematheque's Egyptian Theatre. It really surprised by because the Cinematheque has screened HORRORO OF DRACULA several times over the past fifteen years - always with the U.S. version. Don't know what happened this last time.

[TheVampirologist]

Don't forget that there are different scenes in the Japanese cut of the film, which is apparently even more bloodier. I have seen a still from it, which has Jonathan's appearance much more monstrous after his change into a vampire.

[dangale]

Are there, though? I've seen the stills but never seen the moving images. Why hasn't it been put on Youtube yet? I think it's a myth. It was probably cut during editing and never considered for release anywhere.

[mrslinsghost]

That's probably it - the ratio & content we get now might well have been the one shown in cinemas, & I never had any more uncut scenes even on video later, when they still chucked out anyhting in full in the Seventies, even though only in blasted fullscreen - & widescreen doesn't always mean 2.55, usually only 2.35, if we get 1.8 or 1.7 on DVD these days, that's about it - oh well...

[don4321]

I've seen that still as well, which, as you point out, was released in the Japanese market (according to the caption at least). Any idea where that footage can be seen?

[debsue]

Thanks for posting. That is one of my all-time favorite horror movies and I have it on DVD. So interesting to see the difference between the US and UK staking scene! I would have thought that the US would have had the tamer version.

[dambreaker]

say good night, gracie!

[razzor333]

poor uk people, big brother makes the choice 4 u