Valerie Van Ost
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| - | '''''The Satanic Rites of Dracula''''' is a 1973 [[horror film]] directed by [[Alan Gibson (director)|Alan Gibson]] and produced by [[Hammer Film Productions]]. It is the eighth film in Hammer's ''Dracula'' series, and the seventh and final one to feature [[Christopher Lee]] as [[Count Dracula|Dracula]]. The film was also the third to unite [[Peter Cushing]] as [[Abraham Van Helsing|Van Helsing]] with Lee, following ''[[Dracula (1958 film)|Dracula]]'' (1958) and ''[[Dracula A.D. 1972]]'' (1972). | + | '''Valerie Van Ost''' (25 July 1944 – 10 September 2019) was an [[England|English]] [[actress]]. |
| - | ==Plot== | + | At school, she became the youngest adult dancer at the [[London Palladium]] before moving into films and television at age 18. She appeared in four [[Carry On films]] - ''[[Carry On Cabby]]'' (1963), ''[[Don't Lose Your Head|Carry On Don't Lose Your Head]]'' (1967), ''[[Carry On Doctor]]'' (also 1967) and ''[[Carry On Again Doctor]]'' (1969). Her other film roles included ''[[The Beauty Jungle]]'' (1964), ''[[Mister Ten Per Cent]]'' (1967), ''[[Casino Royale (1967 film)|Casino Royale]]'' (1967), ''[[Corruption (1968 film)|Corruption]]'' (1968), ''[[The Smashing Bird I Used to Know]]'' (1969), ''[[Incense for the Damned]]'' (1971), and the [[Hammer Films|Hammer horror film]] ''[[The Satanic Rites of Dracula]]'' (1973). She appeared as the dim-witted Penny in an episode of ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' entitled "Dead Man's Treasure" (1967), and a year later was considered for the part of [[Diana Rigg]]'s replacement as [[John Steed|Steed]]'s sidekick. |
| - | === Introduction === | + | She retired from performing in 1982 to form a casting company with her husband, Andrew Millington. |
| - | In 1974, a [[Secret Intelligence Service|Secret Service]] agent (Maurice O'Connell) barely escapes from an [[English country house]], in which [[satanism|satanic]] rituals are celebrated. Before he dies of his wounds, he reveals to his superiors that four prominent members of society – a government minister, a [[Peerage of England|peer]], a general and a famous scientist – are involved in the cult, led by Chin Yang ([[Barbara Yu Ling]]). Photos of the four dignitaries taken by the agent are developed, and a fifth photo, apparently showing an empty doorway, is assumed to be a mistake. In order to avoid any reprisals by the minister, secret service official Colonel Mathews (Richard Vernon) calls in [[Scotland Yard]]'s Inspector Murray (Michael Coles) to work on the case independently. Murray (who had appeared in the [[Dracula AD 1972|preceding Dracula film]]) suggests consulting noted [[occult]] expert Professor Lorrimer Van Helsing (Peter Cushing). | + | |
| - | === At the house === | + | She died from liver cancer on 10 September 2019 at the age of 75. |
| - | The cult kidnaps the Secret Service secretary Jane ([[Valerie Van Ost]]), who is later bitten by Dracula (Christopher Lee). Murray, Secret Service agent Torrence ([[William Franklyn]]) and Van Helsing's granddaughter Jessica ([[Joanna Lumley]]) arrive at the country house. They separate; Murray and Torrence investigate inside the house, where they meet Chin Yang. Jessica enters the house through the cellar, where she finds Jane chained to a wall; she is revealed to be a [[vampire]]. The ensuing commotion awakens other female vampires who are likewise imprisoned, but they attempt to feed on Jessica. The agents hear Jessica's screams and come to her rescue. Murray kills Jane with a stake, and he escapes the grounds with Jessica and Torrence. | + | ==Filmography== |
| + | {| class="wikitable" | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | ! Year | ||
| + | ! Title | ||
| + | ! Role | ||
| + | ! Notes | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1962|| ''[[On the Beat (1962 film)|On the Beat]]'' || Woman at Hairdressers || Uncredited | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1962|| ''[[Locker Sixty-Nine]]'' || Showgirl || Uncredited | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1963|| ''[[Carry On Cabby]]'' || Glamcab Driver || Uncredited | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1964|| ''[[The Beauty Jungle]]'' || Beauty Contestant || Uncredited | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1967|| ''[[Don't Lose Your Head|Carry On Don't Lose Your Head]]'' || Second Lady / Girl at Execution || | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1967|| ''[[Mister Ten Per Cent]]'' || Girl at Theatre Party || Uncredited | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1967|| ''[[Casino Royale (1967 film)|Casino Royale]]'' || Girl at Roulette Table || Uncredited | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1967|| ''[[Carry On Doctor]]'' || Nurse Parkin || | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1968|| ''[[Corruption (1968 film)|Corruption]]'' || Girl in the Train || | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1969|| ''[[The Smashing Bird I Used to Know]]'' || Amanda || | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1969|| ''[[Carry On Again Doctor]]'' || Out-Patients Sister || | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1971|| ''[[Incense for the Damned]]'' || Don's wife || | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1971|| ''The Insomniac'' || The Girl || | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1973|| ''[[The Satanic Rites of Dracula]]'' || Jane || | ||
| + | |} | ||
| - | Van Helsing visits his scientist friend, Julian Keeley ([[Freddie Jones]]), whom he recognized among the four conspirators. The mentally unstable Keeley is involved in [[bacteriology|bacteriological]] research designed to create a virulent strain of the [[bubonic plague]]. Van Helsing is shot by a guard and passes out. When he revives, Keeley's dead body hangs from the ceiling, and the plague bacillus is gone. | ||
| - | |||
| - | Keeley referred to the 23rd of the month, which Van Helsing discovers is the "Sabbath of the Undead". Keeley's research notes lead Van Helsing to the reclusive property developer D. D. Denham, who funded Keeley's research. Van Helsing speculates that the fifth photo of an empty doorway may actually have been of Dracula, whose image cannot be captured; he suggests that Dracula wants to exact revenge on humanity. Van Helsing visits Denham in his headquarters (built on the church yard where Dracula died in the previous film) and discovers that he is actually Count Dracula. He tries to shoot Dracula with a [[silver bullet]], but is beaten by the Count's conspirators. Dracula decides that killing Van Helsing would be too simple and has him moved to the country house. | ||
| - | |||
| - | Jessica, Murray, Mathews and Torrence, while observing the country house, are attacked by snipers. Torrence and Mathews are killed, and Murray and Jessica are captured. Murray awakes in the cellar and escapes the clutches of Chin Yang, revealed to be a vampire herself. After staking her through the heart with a mallet, he destroys the other female vampires with clear running water from the [[fire sprinkler system]]. | ||
| - | |||
| - | === Denouement === | ||
| - | |||
| - | Dracula arrives at the house with Van Helsing. He announces to his henchmen that Jessica will be his consort, uncorrupted by the plague that his "[[Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse|four horsemen]]" – including Van Helsing – will carry out into the world. The conspirators, who had considered the plague a threat not to be used, begin to question their master. Dracula's hypnotic command brings them back into his control. He commands John Porter (Richard Mathews) to break the vial, releasing the bacteria and immediately infecting the minister. | ||
| - | |||
| - | Murray overpowers a guard in the computer room. The guard's metal baton smashes a computer panel causing an explosion that starts a fire and unlocks the ritual room. Two uninfected conspirators escape, Murray rescues Jessica, and the infected minister and the plague bacteria burn in the fire. Dracula attacks Van Helsing, but his prey escapes through a window into the woods. Van Helsing lures Dracula into a [[Crataegus|hawthorn bush]] where he is entangled. Van Helsing grabs a fence post and drives it through his heart. Dracula disintegrates into ashes. Van Helsing retrieves Dracula's ring from the ashes. | ||
| - | |||
| - | ==Cast== | ||
| - | * [[Christopher Lee]] as Count Dracula | ||
| - | * [[Peter Cushing]] as Lorrimer Van Helsing | ||
| - | * [[Michael Coles (actor)|Michael Coles]] as Inspector Murray | ||
| - | * [[William Franklyn]] as Peter Torrence | ||
| - | * [[Joanna Lumley]] as Jessica Van Helsing | ||
| - | * [[Richard Vernon]] as Colonel Mathews | ||
| - | * [[Barbara Yu Ling]] as Chin Yang | ||
| - | * [[Freddie Jones]] as Dr. Julian Keeley | ||
| - | * [[Maurice O'Connell (actor)|Maurice O'Connell]] as Agent Hanson | ||
| - | * [[Richard Mathews]] as John Porter, MP | ||
| - | * [[Patrick Barr]] as Lord Carradine | ||
| - | * [[Lockwood West]] as General Sir Arthur Freeborne | ||
| - | * Peter Adair as doctor | ||
| - | * [[Valerie Van Ost]] as Jane | ||
| - | * [[John Harvey (actor)|John Harvey]] as the Commissionaire | ||
| - | * [[Maggie Fitzgerald (actor)|Maggie Fitzgerald]], [[Pauline Peart]], [[Finnuala O'Shannon]] and [[Mia Martin]] as vampire girls | ||
| - | * [[Marc Zuber]], [[Paul Weston (actor)|Paul Weston]], [[Ian Dewar]] and [[Graham Rees (actor)|Graham Rees]] as guards | ||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
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Valerie Van Ost (25 July 1944 – 10 September 2019) was an English actress.
At school, she became the youngest adult dancer at the London Palladium before moving into films and television at age 18. She appeared in four Carry On films - Carry On Cabby (1963), Carry On Don't Lose Your Head (1967), Carry On Doctor (also 1967) and Carry On Again Doctor (1969). Her other film roles included The Beauty Jungle (1964), Mister Ten Per Cent (1967), Casino Royale (1967), Corruption (1968), The Smashing Bird I Used to Know (1969), Incense for the Damned (1971), and the Hammer horror film The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973). She appeared as the dim-witted Penny in an episode of The Avengers entitled "Dead Man's Treasure" (1967), and a year later was considered for the part of Diana Rigg's replacement as Steed's sidekick.
She retired from performing in 1982 to form a casting company with her husband, Andrew Millington.
She died from liver cancer on 10 September 2019 at the age of 75.
[edit]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | On the Beat | Woman at Hairdressers | Uncredited |
| 1962 | Locker Sixty-Nine | Showgirl | Uncredited |
| 1963 | Carry On Cabby | Glamcab Driver | Uncredited |
| 1964 | The Beauty Jungle | Beauty Contestant | Uncredited |
| 1967 | Carry On Don't Lose Your Head | Second Lady / Girl at Execution | |
| 1967 | Mister Ten Per Cent | Girl at Theatre Party | Uncredited |
| 1967 | Casino Royale | Girl at Roulette Table | Uncredited |
| 1967 | Carry On Doctor | Nurse Parkin | |
| 1968 | Corruption | Girl in the Train | |
| 1969 | The Smashing Bird I Used to Know | Amanda | |
| 1969 | Carry On Again Doctor | Out-Patients Sister | |
| 1971 | Incense for the Damned | Don's wife | |
| 1971 | The Insomniac | The Girl | |
| 1973 | The Satanic Rites of Dracula | Jane |
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Valerie Van Ost" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
