In 1958 Hammer Studios ushered in a new era of terror with Horror of Dracula (known simply as Dracula in the U.K.). Shot in vibrant color with a far more frank depiction of gore and sexuality than the tamer black and white scares Universal’s monsters had offered in the ’30s and ’40s, this take on Bram Stoker’s immortal bloodsucker cast Christopher Lee as the title Count, elevating the 6′ foot 5″ inch English character actor into an international horror icon.
While he had previously portrayed the title monster in 1957’s Hammer entry The Curse of Frankenstein, the role of Dracula showcased Lee’s range, sophistication, and leading man charisma. He would –often reluctantly- reprise his most famous role six more times for the studio, along with the non-Hammer oddities like French comedy Dracula and Son and Jess Franco’s inferior Count Dracula. In the mid-seventies, Lee permanently hung up his cape and fangs after balking at the script for Hammer’s final Drac-meets-kung-fu entry, The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires, where John Forbes-Robertson replaced him.
Now Sideshow Collectibles has immortalized Christopher Lee’s initial portrayal of Dracula in a stunning (and horrifying) Premium Format Statue worthy of a place in the Count’s Transylvanian lair. Along with a Peter Cushing as Van Helsing companion piece, this release represents nothing less than an event for Hammer fans around the globe, and you can check out our unboxing below.
Art Box
The Sideshow design team did a brilliant job curating the graphics for this box, with lots of period promo art and a prominent photo of Melissa Stribling’s Mina getting a nibble from the Count. The reflective foil on the Dracula logo adds an extra bit of class to a great package.
Packaging
As per usual, the folks at Sideshow take great care in creating packaging that ensures safe delivery and storage. Every item is wrapped in parchment paper to prevent scratches, with more delicate items like the body and cape in plastic.
Base
This incredible base, boasting gothic gargoyles to evoke Castle Dracula, is one of the most impressive I’ve seen in years collecting from this company. No wonder they use the same sculpt for Van Helsing as well. Having the same base for both pieces really ties them together on your shelf for display.
Body
Luckily you don’t have to dress Dracula for his debut in your rec room. One small gripe is the difficulty in getting the head to position inside the very tight collar, but it really only involves a few minutes of fiddling before the head and collar are flush.
Hand
In Renaissance sculpting, hands were considered of nearly equal importance to the face and were often given intense focus by the artists. This Dracula statue is no different, with the expressive nature of Lee’s hands on full display with incredible realism, right down to the veins and the fingernails.
Ring Hand
If you remember Horror of Dracula, you know that the movie’s famous final image has Dracula’s hand turned to dust blowing away in the wind, leaving behind only his ring. Bearing the Dracula crest, the ring would also play a role in many future Dracula outings.
Head
The overall sculpt is incredible, especially compared to previous Hammer Dracula statues that could not quite nail the subtle features of Lee’s visage. Note the cherry-red of the blood dripping down his lips, with that particular bright crimson hue a hallmark of those early Hammer films and a big part of the draw, as audiences at the time had never seen such graphic depictions of blood-drinking vampirism.
Full Assembly
Here is the whole piece, pure polystone and fabric in all its glory. This is a great opportunity to give mad props to Jeff Yagher, an actor and world-class sculptor who crafted this statue. Fun fact: Yagher is the brother of horror effects wiz Kevin Yagher, the original designer of Chucky and director of Hellraiser: Bloodline. Jeff has assisted his brother on some projects, including the recent Bill & Ted Face the Music.
Upper Body Detail
As you can see, you can add the cape with a few simple knots. Note the craft of the clothing, and the way the necktie is perfectly placed within the collar. Even the buttons look real. Esther Skandunas is responsible for the great cut and sew work here.
Torso Detail
The hands are designed to wrap themselves around the flowing red cape. Fans of Lee’s performance will note how exact the stance is, undeniably evoking the actor who made Dracula his own.
Shoe Detail
No detail was spared in the scuffing and folds on the shoes, a tribute to painter Bernardo Esquivel’s dedication to the craft. There’s also excellent contrast between the black of the shoes and the deep red of the cape with the grey of the base. The filigree at the base’s top only adds to the gothic atmosphere.
Reverse View
Dracula cuts an impressive silhouette, leaving no doubt about which version of the Count you are looking at, even from a rear vantage point.
Reverse Detail
Statue collectors know that hair is often a huge problem, but here the slicked-back nature of the Hammer Dracula makes for an ideal solid hairpiece with enough sculpted line work to give the solid shape life.
Side-By-Side Comparison
In a limited edition of just 750, the Sideshow Dracula Premium Format Figure stands at 9.24″ inches wide and 22.25″ inches tall. Appropriately, this is a bit taller than its Peter Cushing counterpart. Overall, both pieces in this Hammer line give fans the version of these characters they’ve always wanted. If I were you, I would put your order in now so Dracula can be placed in a box and sent to you via the merchant ship Demeter forthwith!
