CBB presents The Bear Cave of Terror - Ep. 3 - Horror of Dracula

In this episode, Steve is joined in the Bear Cave by horror fan Craig Lantz of Southern Fried Geekery, who introduces him to one of Hammer Studios' finest, 1958's Dracula (aka Horror of Dracula), directed by Terence Fisher. In this film, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing face off as Dracula and Dr Van Helsing for the first time in this British horror classic, that rewrites the standard Dracula plot and story by swapping Victorian London for 1800s Karlstadt, along with the relationships of the characters, including vampire hunter Jonathan Harker, Lucy his fiancée, and Mina her sister-in-law (married to Arthur)! Lee's legendary portrayal of the bloodsucker is famous here, as is the rivalry established between him and Cushing's younger, but every bit as knowledgeable about the vamp menace, Van Helsing. Craig and Steve discuss the aesthetic choices, the stark morality message pushed by the director, and possibly some gay subtext? (Although that may just be Steve's wishful thinking).

Additional resources for this episode:

"Hammer's Dracula: A Bloody Legacy" by Tony Caldwell, 3/27/25 famousmonsters.com

"Horror of Dracula" comic retelling by Russ Jones and Joe Orlando, Famous Monsters of Filmland issue #32

British Film Institute - screenonline.org.uk

"From Coffin to Closet: Dracula's Queer Legacy" by Ella Gallego monstrousdesirestudy.com