NOTE: Sequel to "The Horror of Dracula" (1958).It is 10 years after the demise of Dracula, but local burials sill involve staking the heart of the suspiciously dead and burying them in unhallowed ground. This angers Father Sandor [Andrew Kier], abbot of Kleinberg Monastery, who is attempting to embarrass the locals into realizing the foolishness of their superstitions now that Dracula is dead. After stopping one such blasphemous burial, Fr Sandor stops at the local inn where he meets the English Kents--Charles [Francis Matthews], his brother Alan [Charles Tingwell], and their wives, Diana [Suzan Farmer] and Helen [Barbara Shelley], travelers to the Carpathians. Fr Sandor warns them not to go near the castle at Carlsbad but, as luck would have it, their carriage slips a wheel just outside that very castle.Oddly enough, it appears that they were expected as they are immediately met by a driverless carriage and taken to the castle where rooms have been readied and dinner is served by a mysterious servant named Klove [Philip Latham]. Despite Helen's misgivings, the Kents settle in their rooms for the night. Helen is awakened by a noise. Alan goes to investigate. Before he learns anything, he is stabbed by Klove. His body is suspended over Dracula's coffin and his throat slit so that the blood can drip onto Dracula's dust. Immediately, the bloody dust begins to steam and Dracula's body slowly takes shape. It is upon this grisly scene that Helen is taken by Klove and she becomes the first blood meal for the newly-awakened Dracula [Christopher Lee].The next morning Charles and Diana find no trace of Alan or Helen. Frightened, Diana goes to a nearby cottage to await Charles who returns to the castle in search of Alan and Helen. Shortly thereafter, Klove arrives at the cottage with a carriage and a story about Charles sending him to fetch Diana. Diana is welcomed back to the castle by Helen, now a vampire. Helen attempts to bite Diana but Dracula stops her. Charles interrupts this scene and battles with Dracula. When Diana's crucifix burns Helen's arm, Charles makes a cross of a broken sword. They escape into the forest where they collapse at the feet of Fr Sandor who says simply "I told you not to go to the castle." Fr Sandor takes Charles and Diana to his monastery where they recuperate. Meanwhile, Fr Sandor educates Charles to the ways of vampires and introduces him to the madman Ludwig [Thorley Walters] who was rescued mindless from the castle one night. Fearing that Dracula might follow Diana, Fr Sandor orders that no one be admitted to the monastery that evening.Meanwhile, Klove has fetched Dracula's coffin and set up camp outside the monastery. The monastery beds down for the night, but Ludwig invites Dracula to enter. Helen comes to Diana's window and is admitted. Helen bites Diana's arm but Dracula arrives in time to pull her off. Diana's screams bring Charles and Fr Sandor who cauterize the bite. Helen is captured. While Fr Sandor stakes Helen, Ludwig lures Diana to the study where Dracula awaits. Dracula opens a vein in his chest and is about to make Diana drink when Charles barges in. Dracula carries Diana off; Fr Sandor and Charles pursue him to the castle. They shoot Klove but the driverless horses speed away. The wagon tips over just outside the castle, tossing the coffins onto the ice of a frozen river.Diana is saved. Charles battles with Dracula again. Diana shoots at Dracula. Her bullet misses but makes a crack in the ice. Fr Sandor takes the gun and begins shooting the ice all around Dracula. The ice breaks up and Dracula is dumped into the river -- destroyed by running water. [Original synopsis by bj_kuehl.]
Output: Who plays Dracula?