Rasputin the Mad Monk

For the 1932 John Barrymore film, see Rasputin and the Empress.

Rasputin, the Mad Monk
File:Po rasp f01 leeholics.net.jpeg Original French film poster
Directed by	Don Sharp
Produced by	Anthony Nelson Keys
Written by	Anthony Hinds
Starring	Christopher Lee Barbara Shelley Francis Matthews Richard Pasco Suzan Farmer
Music by	Don Banks
Cinematography	Michael Reed
Edited by	Roy Hyde
Production company	Hammer Film Productions Seven Arts
Distributed by	Warner-Pathé Distributors (UK) 20th Century-Fox (US)
Release dates	6 March 1966 (UK) 6 April 1966 (US)
Running time	91 min.
Country	UK
Language	English
Budget	₤100,000 (approx)

Rasputin, the Mad Monk is a 1966 Hammer film directed by Don Sharp. It stars Christopher Lee as Grigori Rasputin, the Russian peasant-mystic who gained great influence with the Tsars prior to the Russian Revolution. It also features Barbara Shelley, Francis Matthews, Suzan Farmer, Richard Pasco, Dinsdale Landen and Renée Asherson. The story is largely fictionalized, although some of the events leading up to Rasputin's assassination are very loosely based on Prince Yusupov's account of the story. For legal reasons, the character of Yusupov was replaced by Ivan (Matthews). Yusupov was still alive when the film was released, dying on 27 September 1967.

The emphasis is on Rasputin's terrifying powers both to work magic and to seduce women.

Plot

The story begins in the Russian countryside, where Rasputin heals the sick wife of an innkeeper (Derek Francis). When he is later hauled before an Orthodox bishop for his sexual immorality and violence, the innkeeper springs to the monk's defense. Rasputin protests that he is sexually immoral because he likes to give God "sins worth forgiving" (loosely based on Rasputin's rumored connection to Khlysty, an obscure Christian sect which believed that those deliberately committing fornication, then repenting bitterly, would be closer to God). He also claims to have healing powers in his hands, and is unperturbed by the bishop's accusation that his power comes from Satan.

Rasputin heads for St. Petersburg, where he forces his way into the home of Dr Zargo (Pasco), from where he begins his campaign to gain influence over the Tsarina (Asherson). He manipulates one of the Tsarina's ladies-in-waiting, Sonia (Shelley), whom he uses to satisfy his voracious sexual appetite and gain access to the Tsarina. He places her in a trance to injure the czar's heir Alexei, so that Rasputin can be called to court to heal him. After, this success, he hypnotizes the Tsarina to replace her existing doctor with Zargo (who has previously been struck off after a scandal).

However, Rasputin's ruthless pursuit of wealth and prestige, and increasing control over the royal household attracts opposition. Sonia's brother, Peter (Landen), enraged by Rasputin's seduction of his sister, enlists the help of Ivan to bring about the monk's downfall. Peter, in challenging the monk, is horribly scarred by acid thrown in his face, and suffers a lingering death.

Tricking Rasputin into thinking his sister Vanessa (Farmer) is interested in him, Ivan arranges a supposed meeting. However, Zargo has poisoned the wine and chocolates, which the Monk starts to consume. Soon Rasputin collapses, but the poison is not enough to kill him. In the ensuing struggle between the three men, Zargo is stabbed by Rasputin and quickly dies. Ivan manages to throw Rasputin out of the window to his death.

Production

• This was filmed back-to-back in 1965 with Dracula: Prince of Darkness, using the same sets at Hammer's Bray Studios. Lee, Matthews, Shelley and Farmer appeared in both films. In some markets, it was released on a double feature with The Reptile.
• The original ending had the lifeless Rasputin lying on the ice with his hands held up to his forehead in benediction. However, it was considered controversial for religious reasons, and was removed. Stills of the original ending still exist.
• As a child in the 1920s, Lee had actually met Rasputin's killer, Felix Yusupov.

A novelization of the film was written by John Burke as part of his 1967 book The Second Hammer Horror Film Omnibus.

Cast

• Christopher Lee as Grigori Rasputin
• Barbara Shelley as Sonia
• Richard Pasco as Dr. Boris Zargo
• Francis Matthews as Ivan
• Suzan Farmer as Vanessa
• Dinsdale Landen as Peter
• Renée Asherson as Tsarina
• Derek Francis as Innkeeper
• John Welsh as The Abbot
• Joss Ackland as The Bishop
• Robert Duncan as Tsarvitch
• Alan Tilvern as Patron
• Bryan Marshall as Vassily
• Brian Wilde as Vassily's Father

External links

• Rasputin, the Mad Monk at IMDb
• Rasputin: The Mad Monk at Leeholics.net

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