Okay, Hammer experts.....come forth!
 

Here's a photo that supposedly shows Jonathan Harker in "HORROR OF DRACULA." (Or at least, that's how I've read it in a few magazines.) Looks more or less like Harker, so that seems right. Now we all know the Hammer films were released in different versions (with different levels of graphic gore) depending on the country.

Here's the question, now. Van Helsing stakes the sleeping body of Harker in the film, which presumably would turn him into a dessicated husk like you see in the photo here. But there's no stake in the dummy's chest, as you can see. And although this is a really gruesome and wonderful looking dummy, I don't know for a fact that it ever appeared in the film. In the American version, Harker's demise occurs basically offscreen.

Was this built for HORROR OF DRACULA and never used? Is this something that ended up being a publicity still but was never featured? Is there a version of "HORROR OF DRACULA" out there that features this prop?

Or, am I totally crossing wires and is this from some other Dracula film entirely?

I'd love to help you, pal.

Unfortunately, I'm not as familiar with the Hammers. :(

I'm familiar with Axes, Shotguns and Wrenches. Not hammers though sadly. :(

When someone steps forward and answers this question, that person will then be respected as a TRUE EXPERT OF THE FILMS OF HAMMER. Moo ha ha. I told you it was a tough one!

as far as i know, there aren't any different versions


but i have no idea where my copy is :(

i got nothin, but I just came across this really cool one-sheet for the Horror of Dracula. It's playing as part of a vampire film fest at the Egyptian Theater in LA

Hammer seems to have had a few difficulties with the censors for this film:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A793721

However no mention of the existence of this scene.

That's some fascinating reading there, thanks!

Not a problem

It's nice to see that we have a few Dracula fans posting here and sharing their knowledge and stuff. I've loved this film ever since I first saw it on Halloween evening, I think it was in 1975. Still a rather scary flick, too, and lovely to look at.