Rasputin: The Mad Monk

"Ladies' Man - And Lady Killer!"

1966 1h 31m EN

😐

5.9

MID

★5.9TMDB · 95

Horror

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Rasputin, a crazed and debauched monk wreaks havoc at the local inn one night, chopping off the hand of one of the drinkers. As the bitter locals plan their revenge, the evil Rasputin works his power over the beautiful women who serve at the Tsar's palace. Even the Tsarina herself is seduced by his evil ways and, as his influence begins to dominate government policy, there is only one course of action left... to destroy him before he destroys them all.

“Ladies' Man - And Lady Killer!”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Christopher Lee
Grigori Rasputin
Barbara Shelley
Sonia
Richard Pasco
Dr. Zargo
Francis Matthews
Ivan
Suzan Farmer
Vanessa
Dinsdale Landen
Peter
Renée Asherson
Tsarina
Derek Francis
Innkeeper

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Don Sharp
Writers: Anthony Hinds
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

60 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Don Sharp, shot by Michael Reed. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Don Banks. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Roy Hyde shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Christopher Lee and Barbara Shelley and Richard Pasco carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Ladies' Man - And Lady Killer!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0059635 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 95 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Don Sharp directs. Michael Reed behind the camera. Don Banks scores. Roy Hyde cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

160 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Don Sharp, shot by Michael Reed. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Don Banks. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Roy Hyde shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Christopher Lee and Barbara Shelley and Richard Pasco carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Ladies' Man - And Lady Killer!".
7IMDB entry: tt0059635 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 95 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
9Classified under 18 themes, including "assassination", "peasant", "mystic", "st. petersburg, russia".

The technical file

Cinematography: Michael Reed
Original score: Don Banks
Editing: Roy Hyde
Production design: Bernard Robinson
Makeup / hair: Roy Ashton
Runtime: 91 min · 1h 31m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Rasputin: The Mad Monk (1966)

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Don Sharp

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2016-03-28
★ 6/10
I offer him sins worth forgiving! 1966 was a prolific year for Hammer Films, the company would have 6 films released this year, unsurprisingly the quality of such was variable. Rasputin the Mad Monk was filmed back to back with Dracula Prince of Darkness, yet even though the BBFC afforded it the "X" certificate, it's somewhat tame and more a historical drama than horror film. In truth it's Christopher Lee as the title character who keeps this from plunging the depths of stinkerville, and this in spite of sporting a most distracting and ridiculous beard. Plot simply - and fancifully - shows Rasputin as a hard drinking, womanising bully with a penchant for hypnotism, all of which he uses for his nefarious ends. It's all very colourful, with Lee holding court as male saps and beautiful dames (Barbara Shelley oh my eye!) come and go, which all builds to a furious finale in the Hammer Films tradition. Yet the slow pace, weakness of the story and the overt feeling of watching a rush job, stops this from being anything but a Hammer time waster. 6/10
Wuchak2021-10-04
★ 7/10
Holy man or unholy devil’s child? A mysterious licentious monk named Grigori Rasputin (Christopher Lee) emerges from western Siberia with powers of healing and hypnosis. He worms his way into favor with the imperial family in prerevolutionary Saint Petersburg, in particular Alexandra (Renée Asherson), but his negative influence and debaucheries prompt conservative opponents to action. The cast is rounded out by Barbara Shelley, Richard Pasco and Francis Matthews. "Rasputin: The Mad Monk” (1966) is a Hammer historical drama/thriller with a bit o’ horror. It’s not a detailed real-life account, but offers the gist of the story in an entertaining manner, which inspires viewers to look up the actual history. Christopher Lee is outstanding as the eponymous character, both commanding and convincing. Meanwhile Shelley is a highlight on the feminine front. Rasputin was assassinated in late, 1916. It is said that his corruption of the government was responsible for the rising discontent of Russians, leading to the October revolution the next year and downfall of the monarchy. The movie runs 1 hour, 31 minutes, and was shot at Bray Studios, just west of London. GRADE: B/B-