The Empire of Dracula (1967) Movie Script

1
The mansion Draculstein,
or "Gray mansion,"
as it has been called from dark times.
No one has managed to prove when
or by whom has been built.
Its existence is lost in the mists of time.
Just legends and stories, told by grandparents
to their grandchildren,
in addition to the folk-tales of the
villagers,
refers to a strange and fantastic character,
The Baron of Draculstein,
The Gray Mansion,
place where lived and died
the Baron Draculstein.
But... did he actually live?
And if so, has he really died?
Your father...
Your father has managed to kill him.
Despite the sacrifice of his own life.
He has killed the last of these evil beings,
The Draculsteins.
You were a newborn baby in those days.
Therefore you have no recollection
of that horrible tragedy.
Please, mother, say no more.
Rest now.
No, my son...
Let me finish...
I beg you.
My death is very close.
My son, you must return to the Grey
Mansion.
Hurry,
before is too late.
During the next new moon,
Draculstein will live again.
You must find the Cross of Oak,
and use it to destroy him.
There is very little time.
You have only until the last night of October,
Son... Do this to honour your father.
If you fail, no one will live in peace in their homes.
And at night, death will be stalking,
and cause tragedy.
Remember this, my son,
Only the Cross of Oak,
Only that...
You have no time to loose.
Hurry...
The new moon is the sign that
will mark the return of Draculstein.
Mother.
Have a look.
The New moon
The first one of October.
For us it symbolises love, death for
others.
- Death?
- You heard me.
- Don't you know the old tale?
- I don't.
It is well known,
Come with me.
So, what is that old legend
you've mentioned before?
As always, you never believe me.
Well, tell me.
According to legend,
At night with a moon, like this one,
an evil being is brought back to life, to drink the blood of their victims.
An... evil being?
Yes, a Vampire.
It's getting cold;
I'll get your coat. Wait here.
No, I'll go with you.
It's unnerving here.
Afraid of legends?
That's nonsense.
- Wait here.
- Don't be late.
Carlos.
Murderer.
- Still a long way to go?
- Not really, we may arrive at midnight.
We had to stay in town.
This journey is not suitable for Lily.
The solitude of these sites
will become her even more quiet.
Doctors have said that if she has more contact
with young people, perhaps she'll speak again.
I'm aware of that, Diana.
But I think some fresh air and country life
will be good for her health.
It will be very good for her.
What's happened?
I'll take a look.
What is the problem?
The wheel-Axel is broken.
- And how long it will take to fix it?
- No idea.
Besides,
It is already getting dark.
And you know what they say about this place.
What is it that they say?
Well... I don't know if I should tell.
The ladies can hear it.
- Tell us about it.
- Strange things happen on these roads.
They found the wife of Pablo dead.
Her staring eyes was due to fear.
We must return.
This is a warning.
Please, remember what
your mother said.
She said that a servant of the Gray Mansion
had become one of the living dead.
Igor, that makes no sense.
My mother was traumatised
by the death of my father.
Authorities determined that it was a thief
who broke into their home.
My father fought him,
and they both died.
This has nothing to do with the
supernatural.
Look. The coach has no driver.
God protect us.
Vampires have returned, Miss.
Foolishness.
I have seen those horses, before.
They belong to the mansion.
I remember the day my mother bought them.
They have been well-trained.
Please, madam.
Think about the health of your sister.
It's not nonsense, although the engineer
has thus expressed it in this way.
I've seen the marks of the vampires
on several bodies.
The victims also thought this was
nonsense.
Coachman. Put all the suitcases in this
coach.
Forget this matter. These horses belong to the mansion
where my husband lived.
- No need to fear.
- You can explain how they got this far without the driver?
Well. perhaps they dropped their moorings.
Anything.
That goes against logic.
I'll stay here.
With or without logic, here is the coach
that will take us to the Mansion.
You decide:
Do you stay here, or come with us?
I will go.
We have no time to loose.
It's getting dark.
Give me my hat and coat, please.
You can leave now, engineer.
I can't unlock it.
There's nobody here.
This is strange; I would swear that the door
was locked from the inside.
Probably the lock was not properly closed,
so it was simple to open the door.
That must be it.
Let's go inside.
Igor.
Maria.
They should be in the kitchen, follow me.
This is odd...
What's wrong, Luis?
Nothing.
I don't like this.
It's too quiet here.
We didn't expect you this soon.
And yet, dinner is ready and
the house lived in.
- Dinner you said?
- Of course, you can have your meal at once.
- What worries you, Maria?
- I haven't cooked dinner, sir.
So, who did it? Igor?
Igor? No, he died months ago.
Who sent the carriage to collect us?
- I have no idea.
- Who could it be?
It doesn't matter. Please take care of our luggage,
you will find it at the door.
Of course, sir.
Sorry, engineer. I've not found the luggage
where you said. The coach has left.
I do not know how the bags
were taken to the rooms.
There must be a simple explanation for that.
It's late.
Please go to your room, Maria.
Please, take a seat.
Your breakfast is getting cold.
Diana and Lily should be already here.
They must be exhausted,
our journey was very tiring.
Well, I'll look for them,
if it makes you feel better.
I'll be right back.
Diana.
It's late. We are waiting for you.
You will not find her.
She left before sunrise.
She couldn't stand it.
She was terrified of this place.
These are the marks of the Vampire.
Again.
Another body.
All our efforts have been futile to find
the beast that has caused this evil.
- You may be wrong.
- Wrong about what?
Why do you want to hunt down a beast,
instead of a man.
A man? You mean...?
- That's not possible.
- The lack of blood in the victims, confirms my suspicions.
This could be the work of... a Vampire.
- But it has to be a huge beast.
- You've said so, Inspector.
And so I suggest you to look for a human
being...
To a Vampire-man.
Really, doctor, a scientist cannot believe in those
fantasies.
Tell me, what lead you to
make that conclusion?
Don't ask me ask further explanation.
Tonight I will visit the Grey Mansion.
I've heard that the engineer
arrived last night.
A Vampire-man.
That would be... monstrous.
The moon is beautiful tonight.
This building was known as
the Mansion of the Draculstein.
They were nobility, and came from another
continent.
Noble people, as my mother told me.
What is that?
Draculstein's old chapel.
It is said that a fire consumed the Mansion.
My father carried out the restoration.
And what happened to the Draculsteins?
I've heard the last of them died in that fire.
It is said that the man was a despot.
- I would like to see the inside.
- Now?
It's too late to see ruined tombs.
It may sound strange, but I'm very curious.
You're right. It's getting late.
Did you expect a visitor?
No. no one.
I think we'll retire.
We're very tired.
Of course, my dear.
I will attend to the guest.
It is a pleasure to see you again.
Doctor Wilson.
This is a very pleasant surprise.
To what do I owe this honour?
It is a very important issue that brings me here.
It was very urgent that we met.
Of course. We will be
more comfortable in the library.
Maria, you can serve us a cognac
in the library.
This way, doctor.
Now, doctor, I would like to hear that matter
of great importance.
In recent days, there have been very curious
happenings.
Yes, I have heard rumours of mysterious
deaths.
Do you want to talk about that, doctor?
I wonder who could be responsible.
Well, researchers are clueless.
- Do you have any idea?
- They don't. But I think I do.
An absurd idea from a scientific point of view.
But, given the circumstances, it is likely.
I think the responsible of crimes is...
A Vampire.
Surely, doctor.
- A Vampire?
- Indeed. A Vampire.
I know that seems incredible,
but it is what it is.
These crimes have something in common,
the veins of the victims are empty of blood.
Well, That could be a coincidence.
No. That's too strange to be coincidence.
Two fang marks on the neck of all victims,
prove the presence of a vampire.
The attack follows a similar pattern in all cases.
They are living dead, blood-thirsty beings.
They can be brutally cruel.
Cold sadists.
They find pleasure in killing slowly.
It is believed that the blood line of
the Draculsteins was exterminated,
But there is evidence suggesting that it was not.
That strange race practised vampirism.
Yes, that was the concern of my mother.
But I never believed that.
I still doubt all those sayings.
You should not hesitate. Your own father exterminated
that vampire, years ago.
Remember that he sacrificed his own life.
He accepted the mission to destroy that devil.
Therefore he planted mandrakes in the garden...
You mean those plants,
whose leaves are very odd.
Yes, these plants are used as a defence
against those evil creatures.
Yes, I knew about that queer
superstition.
Maria told me that she always wears such a plant,
since the death of my father.
But if my father destroyed the vampire,
then what we have to fear?
But he didn't finish the job.
He must have buried a stake through his heart.
According to legend, the vampire relived
during the last moon of October.
Just twenty days ago.
That's what my mother feared
but I never believed her words.
I've not done what she asked me:
To search for the Oak Crucifix.
What should we do, doctor?
We have little time, Luis;
tomorrow is the last night of the full moon,
If we don't destroy the vampire by tomorrow,
no power to save us from his vengeance.
That's it. We must find the Oak Crucifix.
But where is that object?
Nobody knows.
But I suspect that in an old book which
should be here in the Mansion,
lies the answer.
Yes, but what this book is,
and where can we find it?
I need your help, Luis;
we have to find the retreat of Draculstein,
We must move quickly.
You can count on my help, doctor.
Please, find that book,
it's a matter of great importance.
Use this for your own protection.
It's the leaf of the mandrake.
Master, they're looking for
the Oak Crucifix.
Nobody can destroy me, nobody.
They must die so I can live.
As it was written.
And so be it.
The darkness will protect me.
The Blood line of the Draculstein will prevail.
The leaf of the mandrake.
The... leaf... of Mandrake...
He was found on the road to the city.
On his arm and neck,
bite marks can be seen,
This is incredible, he spent last night with me,
here in the Mansion.
That's why I came.
You should report anything that might help.
You must come with me to the police station.
I will gladly co-operate, Inspector.
It's a formality,
I promise it will not take long.
- I will return soon, dear.
- Please excuse us, madam.
- Take care of yourself, Luis.
- Don't worry, my love.
Baron Draculstein
1613 - 1690
What are you doing here?
Come with me. Maria is preparing dinner.
Come.
It's late,
Luis is on his way.
We'll have dinner soon.
Watch out, Lily.
Run, Lily.
Run.
Leave her alone.
That woman belongs to me.
She will be a beautiful companion.
Leave me alone.
Look out, Luis.
Igor, you?
- What happened, Luis?
- He has escaped.
You see? Draculstein is back.
I must find his retreat tonight,
and kill him.
Lock yourself in your room
Do not leave at any price.
Who's there?
Lily. Open the door.
Here it is.
The Oak Crucifix was buried with
the first vampire,
The Baron of Draculstein.
And since then, the legend has been
told for generations,
no one has succeeded in stopping it.
The abandoned Chapel.
" Baron of Draculstein "
Igor.
Take her off the Mandrake fields, hurry.
Thank God.
Remove her from the Mandrake field,
hurry, Igor.
Is your sister. She can speak again.
Come.
Take her out.
We must leave, Igor.
To the carriage, now.
Lily... Lily.
You can speak again.
You're well.
Hurry.
Dawn is approaching.
Luis, they're trying to escape.
Poor Diana.
We hope that her soul may rest in peace.
After all, it was thanks to her that
my sister was able to speak again.