Under the Skin

Color and Production Design in The Brides of Dracula (1960)

Abstract

Following the success of Hammer Films’ Horror of Dracula (1958), international distributor Universal Studios was understandably eager for a sequel (Barnes and Hearn 50). The Brides of Dracula (1960) is consistently praised for its “exquisite” production value, “opulently mounted with Technicolor flashing, slickly [and] meticulously produced” (Hearn 41). While Brides follows the Hammer tradition of mixing violence, sensuality, and beauty, the film goes one step further by exploring the realm of vampirism, sexuality, and madness in its rich color palette.