kapelusznik18 ***SPOILERS*** One of the strangest as well as mysterious characters in history Grigory or just plain Greg Rasputin is brought to the screen by a very rugged and well put together, was it padding or from working out, Christopher Lee who's wild and crazy life of drinking partying and whoring around came to a tragic end on the evening of December 30, 1916. That's when he had his last drink and goodies-That were spiked with poison- from his so called friends the murderers Dr. Zargo Ivan & Peter, Richard Pasco Francis Matthews & Dinsdale Landen,who ended up doing the big guy in. Up until then Rasputin had his way with the Russian royal family with his healing powers that saved the Czar Nicholas II's 10 year old son Tsarvitch's, Robert Duncan, life by stopping him, through hypnosis, from bleeding to death.Rasputin being of peasant stock or backgrounder, in that his dad was a Siberian farmer and postal letter carrier, who was looked upon down by the Russian upper and royal classes as a charlatan and the Russian church as a man working in league with the devil himself. They all felt that he was out to destroy holy Mother Russia by corrupting its people with his non stop drinking and whoring around while all he ever wanted was to just have a jolly good time doing his thing. Rasputin for his part, in living life to the fullest, just couldn't help himself and in the end his love of life women and fine sprites ended up being his undoing.As things turned out those power crazed fools who did the mad monk in not only didn't prevent or achieve their goal in saving Mother Russia but in fact accelerated its declaim. It was not long after Rasputin's death that Czar Nicholas II was driven from power in March 1917 by the Kerensky regime and seven months later in November 1917 Kerensky himself was ousted from power in a violent counter revolution lead by Lennin & Trosky as the communist took over the country. That lead to a bloody civil war where at least twice the number of Russian-Including the deposed Czare Nicholaus II and his entire family- were killed in it then those killed in all of WWI. In the end it was Rasputin, who's body as a last insult was dug up and burned by the communists, got the last laugh in all this. That in his prediction that if he's killed by members of the Russian Royal family and its supporters, instead by the Russian peasants like himself, it would mark the end of the Russisan monarchy which in fact as history showed did happened!

morrison-dylan-fan Taking a look on Amazon for DVD/Blu-Ray editions of Studiocanal's Hammer Horror titles,I spotted one which was being sold second hand by a seller at a surprisingly cheap price.Checking the back of the case,I noticed that one of the special features was an alt transfer of the movie,which allowed viewers to watch the film in its originally filmed aspect ratio for the first time ever,which led to me getting ready to find out how mad Rasputin could be.The plot:Angering the bishops in a small Russian town over his partying and being able to cure people of their illnesses with the touch of his hands, Grigori Rasputin decides to leave the countryside behind for St. Petersburg.Reaching St.Petersburg,Rasputin wins a drinking contest and becomes friends with his opponent Dr. Zargo.Pushing himself into Zargo's house, Rasputin begins to set his sight on the Russian royal family. Gaining access to "royal in waiting" Sonia,Rasputin soon reveals to Zargo that along with the power to heal,he also has the power to put people in a trance and make them do everything he demands.View on the film:Before I get to the film,I have to mention that Studiocanal have given the title a superb transfer,with the new aspect ratio allowing director Don Sharp & cinematographer Michael Reed establishing panning shots to at last be fully opened.Smartly deciding for the cast to not do Russian accents,Don Sharp & Michael Reed breathe life into the re-used sets of Dracula: Prince of Darkness,as elegant panning shots subtly reveal Rasputin's gradually closeness to the royals. Bathing the horror in Don Banks's shimmering score and rich reds and golds,Sharp attacks the horror with a psychologically icy relish,with the cold,hard camera locking the viewer on Rasputin's gaze,and extreme close-ups on Rasputin's hands brewing a chilling atmosphere,as Sharp makes it look like Rasputin is crushing people's heads with his bare hands.For the first half of the film,the screenplay by Anthony Hinds cleverly gets the viewer to drop their guard by giving the title surprising dashes of comedy,with Rasputin & Zargo's drinking contest being a hilarious set-piece.As Rasputin gets closer to the royals,Hinds unleashes a tough Gothic Horror edge with a real vicious streak,as Rasputin's supernatural powers are joined by "natural" evils,which includes a brutal stabbing and the throwing of acid on a face. Looking rather dashing in red silk,Christopher Lee gives a great performance as Rasputin,thanks to Lee giving the voice behind the long beard a seductive twang,which keep the wide-eye fury Lee shows in Rasputin's eyes hidden at bay.Originally being Rasputin's friend, Richard Pasco gives a striking performance as Zargo,who Pasco ties up with a fragile unease,as Zargo discovers the true mad monk behind Rasputin's eyes.

LeonLouisRicci It's an Odd One to be Sure and Falling Somewhere in the Mid-Range of Hammer Studio's Output of Always Interesting Films is this Christopher Lee Vehicle that Utilizes the Tall Actor with the Distinctive Voice Quite Effectively.Efficiency, for the Studio, was the Word as the Sixties Unfolded and Hammer Seemed to get a Bit Lazy and Detached from Their Art and the Movies Sunk Somewhat in Charm, Style, and Charisma.However, if it's a Hammer Film, it's Worth a Watch. This One is Average for the Studio, but Above Average Overall. Elevated by Lee's Bombastic, Yet Internalized Performance. Sure its Flamboyant and Fictionalized, but the Actor does Maintain a Suffering Soul, just Below the Surface. There is Pain in there Somewhere, but it is Overwhelmed and Corrupted by the Hedonism.The Movie can Look Cheap at Times, for a Hammer, that Usually could Mask Low Production Values and Present the Movies with a Rich Look that made the Lack of Money Moot. But, these Sixties Hammers, with Some Exceptions, were Claustrophobic with Minimal and Confined Sets and Virtually No Outdoor Shoots.Overall, it is an Entertaining Movie with Some Brutal Moments and a Killer Ending. Historically Inaccurate by All Accounts, but this is Pulpy Fiction and Although Not the Best in the Hammer Filmography, it has Enough of an Edge, Thanks to Lee and the Studio Delivering Just Enough Sex and Violence to Make it a Guilty Pleasure.

AaronCapenBanner Don Sharp directed this filming of the true historical account of the "Mad Monk" Rasputin(played by Christopher Lee) who lived in early 20th century Czarist Russia, and rose from obscurity to prominence by saving the life of a woman, which comes to the attention of the royal family, who want to use Rasputin's healing powers for their own purposes, which Rasputin is happy to do, as he rises to power and influence since he is really a cunning and ruthless man, quick to take offense, and most adept at swordplay, though will later meet his end by becoming too ambitious and scheming... Christopher Lee is quite good here, putting his imposing voice, stare, and height to fine effect, but the picture itself remains unconvincing and overly melodramatic.