Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9786305650669
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
ISBN: 6305650667
Label: Starz / Anchor Bay
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
Number Of Items: 1
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Publisher: Starz / Anchor Bay
Release Date: November 02, 1999
Running Time: 92 minutes
Sales Rank: 107733
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Theatrical Release Date: April 06, 1966
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Editorial Review:
Amazon.com:
The life of the legendary Russian villain Grigori Rasputin was a natural for the Hammer's Gothic style and lurid edge, and the commanding Christopher Lee is the perfect star for the role. With his deep baritone voice and dark, deep-set eyes, Lee creates an intense figure as the diabolical healer and mesmerist with a thirst for power. The film begins with the unapologetically crude and barbaric Rasputin expelled from his monastery for his hard-drinking hedonism and violent behavior, and before long he sets his sights on the bustling city of St. Petersburg. Within no time he has seduced Sonia (Barbara Shelley), lady-in-waiting to the Queen, with his hypnotic gaze and soon insinuates himself into the Royal Family. Lee's lusty portrayal is the highlight of this modest production, which presents an all-too-brief rise to infamy and disappointingly cuts short his notorious death. But if it's not prime Hammer horror, it remains a moody chamber piece with a mesmerizing performance from Lee (one of his best for the studio) and a very different take from MGM's handsome, classy 1932 production Rasputin and the Empress starring the three Barrymores. --Sean Axmaker
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Hammer Horror
Whilst this isn't a classic a Hammer film by any means, it does make for strangely compelling viewing. The film was obviously made on a very small budget, and I suspect it was filmed soon after Dracula: Prince of Darkness as the cast is very similiar and some of the same sets look the same.
Rasputin is a drinker and womaniser who has healing powers. Using these he becomes the trusted Doctor to the Zsars wife. However his motives are suspect.. Christopher Lee plays the title role (based on a real historical person and in part true) and is the best and worst thing about the film. Without Lee's screen presence this simply wouldn't have worked. However in places I found his performance a little over the top (dare I say even a little hammy).
In the UK on region 2 this is available as part of "The Hammer Collection" boxed set of 21 films. If you're a fan of Hammer films it would make sense to buy it in that set if you can get it at the right price. Having seen the film once or twice before I bougght the DVD I knew what to expect from this. Overall it is an entertaining film but I don't think it will hold up to repeated viewings.
Rating:  - More vintage Hammer
By no means is this Hammer's greatest picture, but it is nevertheless a vintage piece of grand guignol from Britain's most famous horror studio.
Christopher Lee turns in one of his finest performances as the monk who uses his hypnotic and shamanistic skills to manipulate his way into the royal household in pre-revolutionary Russia. The concern isn't so much with historical accuracy -- most of the plot is fictional, although some details are based loosely on the "true" story -- as with suspense and terror.
Hammer afficionados will delight in spotting how the sets were ingeniously revamped from Dracula, Prince of Darkness, made only weeks previously (1965) with the same cast.
Bonus commentary with cast members Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley, Francis Matthews and Suzan Farmer is riveting, and there's a World of Hammer episode (basically twenty-five minutes of Hammer clips) thrown in for good measure.
A good buy.
Rating: - Christopher Lee Excels As Rasputin
Hammer Studios rarely ventured outside their great work in the horror genre so when they occasionally did diversify the results often proved quite interesting. While "Rasputin: The Mad Monk", could never be viewed as an accurate historical account of the rise to power of Rasputin at the Rusian Court, it still makes enjoyable viewing as a piece of fiction based on historical details. Christopher Lee, still best known for his brilliant work as Count Dracula was born to play Rasputin and his performance is the thing that really inpresses in this film effort. With his height, deep commanding voice and amazingly similiar appearance to the real Rasputin , Christopher Lee is the ideal casting choice. It is just a pity he was not matched with a screenplay that told the real facts of Rasputin and his ultimately tragic influence on the Russian Royal family. The best way to view "Rasputin: The Mad Monk", is as a piece of enjoyable historical fiction centred around Lee's strong central performance.
The lack of historical fact in "Rasputin: The Mad Monk", really of course can't be placed solely at the feet of Hammer productions as when this film was produced in 1966 the real assassin of Rasputin, Prince Felix Yusupov was still alive. Having already won a number of famous law suits against film Production over portraying the events leading up to Rasputin's murder Hammer productions had to tread carefully about how they depicted them. Made almost back to back with Hammer's earlier effort "Dracula, ... Read More
Rating: - Rasputin movie review...from a true follower
This movie is very well put together, with many facts and so forth...yet the one negative is the assassination scene. It is NOTHING like the REAL assassination poor ole' Grigory Rasputin had to face...in this movie...he's just poisened and thrown out a window...THE END. In real life, much more had to take place to take down the "Saint Who Sinned".
Rating:  - Rasputin, the clever manipulator
An attractive film by Hammer and a wonderfully powerful performance by Christopher Lee. Lee, an actor who always appears to put his "all" into his characters, doubly delights fans in this version of the Rasputin story. Rasputin is portrayed as an evil, manipulative, slick opportunist who delights in an over abundance of booze (just call him old pickle head!), sex (he can't have just one), and generally irresponsible behavior. He is deliciously amoral and "pig-like." It is a bit odd that everyone in this part of the world sports a British dialect, but no matter -- it's fun!
I do believe this demonstrates the great range of Christopher Lee -- an actor who has never been given ample credit for his tremendous acting talent and distinguished demeanor. A must see for all fans of Christopher Lee and the Hammer films.
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