The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires

Hammer Horror meets Shaw Brothers kung fu action in this lurid horror hybrid that teams Count Dracula with the legendary 7 Golden Vampires.

Opening in Transylvania in 1804, a man named Kah has travelled all the way from China to enlist the services of Count Dracula. Kah has a plan to revive the legendary 7 Golden Vampires so they can continue their reign of terror across China. Flash forward 100 years to Chungking, China, where Professor Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) is lecturing on the Chinese myth around the 7 Golden Vampires. After his lecture, one of his students reveals to Van Helsing that the legend is true, asking him to join him and his seven brothers in travelling back to their village to eradicate this evil once and for all. Once there, the motley crew find themselves battling the evil Count and his army of the undead.

Curator's note
Famed British film company Hammer Films was sliding into obscurity as its heyday as the premier horror film company slipped away. Seeing an opportunity for relevance, the studio teamed up with Hong Kong-based Shaw Brothers to capitalise on the kung fu craze that was dominating the box office. The result is this fun mashup of old-school Hammer horror and kinetic martial arts action. Along for the ride are Hammer star Peter Cushing, reprising his role as the famous vampire hunter Van Helsing, and Hong Kong action star David Chiang (Kung Fu Vengeance, 1970). The film failed to revive Hammer's fortunes and a planned sequel set in India never eventuated, but over the years it has gained a strong cult following and a well-deserved reappraisal.