Le Cauchemar de Dracula Film Poster – 1958 – French Grande film poster – Guy Gerard Noel
It is so often the case with the horror movie genre that whilst the movie posters we almost always of an excellent quality. they were often better than the films themselves. In fairness, in the case of ‘Le Cauchemar de Dracula’ the film is at least equal to the quality of the Dracula film poster. This French Grande version anyway. Horror movie poster’s don’t get better than this. It was created by the superb French poster artist Guy Gerard Noel for the French release of the movie titled Le Cauchemar de Dracula, in France at least! As was so often the case, many films were given different names to appeal to the country it was to appear in. In England, where the film was made, it was simply titled, Dracula. However, it was retitled Horror of Dracula, to avoid confusion with Universal’s 1931 movie of the same name. The French title Le Cauchemar de Dracula literally translates to The Nightmare of Dracula. However, as can be seen on this French Dracula film poster, the subtitle reads ‘Horror of Dracula.
Whichever title you know the film by, there is no denying it’s a classic film and the poster is easily its equal. Noel’s stunning image features a great image of Christopher in character as Dracula. The famously fanged vampire is standing in the opening of a gothic arched doorway. In his arms is the beautiful Melissa Stribling, portrayed every bit as accurately as the image of Christopher Lee. Stribling played the part of Mina Holmwood, one of Dracula’s female victims. The dark and foreboding silhouette of Castle Dracula stands majestically in the moonlight. The castle, the moonlight, and the moody night sky add an eerie quality to this fabulous poster. Noel has created the perfect setting for Dracula’s evil deeds
The foot of this superb Dracula film poster offers up information regarding the film. It features the cast list which includes; Peter Cushing, Michael Gough, Melissa Stribling and Christopher Lee in the role of Dracula. The poster goes on to explain that film was produced by Hammer Films and it was directed by Terence Fisher.
Dracula by Hammer Films
Dracula or Le Cauchemar de Dracula was the first vampire film Hammer Film studios ever produced. The first film in the Dracula series would once again bring together on-screen partnership of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. Although the pair had been seen in 1948s Hamlet, 1952s Moulin Rouge and 1956s Alexander the Great they hadn’t ever shared scenes together. It would be Hammer Film’s 1956 film, The Curse of Frankenstein in which Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee would star together for the first time.
The pairing of Christopher Lee as Count Dracula and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing was a triumph. The stellar performances of both actors make their respective roles uniquely their own.The page dedicated to the Dracula film on Wikipedia states ‘As Count Dracula, Lee fixed the image of the fanged vampire in popular culture”.Christopher Frayling writes, “Dracula introduced fangs, red contact lenses, décolletage, ready-prepared wooden stakes and – in the celebrated credits sequence – blood being spattered from off-screen over the Count’s coffin.”[ Lee also introduced a dark, brooding sexuality to the character.
The Hammer and Christopher Lee’s version of Dracula was much closer in characteristics to Bram Stoker original portrayal of the undead Count. The movie was widely praised for its atmosphere and set design, and is considered by some to be one of the best Dracula films ever made. The film set the standard for future vampire films and as well as cementing Lee and Cushings legacy as two of the greatest actors in horror history it solidified the Hammer name as a studio known for quality horror films.
Hammer would go on to make eight Dracula movies in total. Only three of which featured both Lee’s Dracula and Cushing’s Van Helsing. However, the popularity of these films ensured Hammer Studios would re-establish themselves as a major production studio. There horror and occult films would go on to dominate movie theatres from the late 1950s through the 1970s.
How much is Le Cauchemar de Dracula Film Poster worth?
This French Dracula Movie poster is widely considered to be the best created to promote the famous film and one of the best Dracula film posters ever produced. In its original form, the poster, like Dracula himself, is only seen fleetingly and is extremely hard to catch. On the rare occasions original copies of the French Grande lithographic print shows up at auction, in good condition they can command asking prices in excess of £6,000.
Of course, if you can find an original copy and can afford to buy it, you’re on to a winner. There’s nothing like owning an original vintage poster and they often make a great investment. Chances are in just a few years you’ll be able to sell it for more than you paid for it. Unfortunately, for most of us, an investment, even at the entry-level prices of the collectible poster isn’t even close to being a possibility.
This is where our stunning high-quality reproductions come into their own. They cost a fraction of an original, for example, our high-quality 50x70cm reproduction print of this Le Cauchemar de Dracula poster is available on this listing priced at just £14. If you’d like to get your teeth into our reproduction Dracula film poster order your’s today. It’ll look great decorating the walls of your castle in Transyvania or other vampire lair!
