The Brides Of Dracula (1960)

A young French teacher (Yvonne Monlaur) on her way to a teaching position at a girls school is abandoned by her carriage driver. An older woman (Martita Hunt) invites her to spend the evening at her castle. She discovers the woman's son (David Peel) chained to his room and attempting to do a good deed unlocks his chains. Sometimes it's better to leave well enough alone! Despite some of the lesser effects (the flying bats look pretty cheesy) or perhaps because of them, this remains one of the high points of the Hammer horrors. Its players take it all very seriously and the director Terence Fisher imbues the entire proceedings with a demonstrable atmosphere of stylish dread. Of course, compared to today's graphic horror films, this is pretty tame stuff but if you prefer style and suggestion over gore, there's a genuine glamour and grace to the film. With Peter Cushing as Van Helsing naturally, Mona Washbourne and Freda Jackson.