Rasputin the Mad Monk (1966)

A dark tale of a possessed "holy" man who runs riot in late Tsarist Russia. Rasputin (Christopher Lee) is not a very good monk. He likes to drink to excess and indulge in pleasures of the flesh so he has some proper sins to confess to. He moves to St Petersburg where he easily gains control of the hapless drunk Boris (Richard Pasco) and he comes to the attention of one of the Tsarina's ladies in waiting Sonia (Barbara Shelley).

Rasputin has his way with Sonia and then controls her through hypnosis to facilitate his entry into the palace and become the new favourite of the Tsarina (Renee Asherson). However, Boris and others (Francis Matthews and Dinsdale Landen) now realise the diabolical powers of Rasputin must be stopped...

Christopher Lee dominates this film completely. Without him this film would be a rather forgettable run-of-the-mill Hammer romp but with him, with his long beard, staring eyes and huge hands, the film is highly enjoyable and pretty dark.