The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires is a 1974 horror action movie directed by Roy Ward Baker and produced by Hammer Film Productions. The film is a co-production between the British studio and the Hong Kong film company Shaw Brothers, and it stars Peter Cushing as Professor Van Helsing and David Chiang as Kah, the leader of the seven martial arts warriors.
The plot of the movie revolves around Count Dracula (John Forbes-Robertson), who has traveled to rural China and made an alliance with a notorious local warlord, Shen Hua (Chan Shen). Together, they have raised an army of the undead, which terrorizes the local population and threatens to spread chaos and destruction across the land.
Professor Van Helsing receives a letter from a colleague in China, asking for his help in dealing with the menace. He decides to travel to China, accompanied by his son Leyland (Robin Stewart) and a group of seven martial arts experts, who have been trained in the ways of vampire slaying.
The group reaches the village where the undead are based and discovers that Count Dracula is behind the sinister scheme. They decide to confront the evil vampire and his minions, but they soon realize that they are outnumbered and outmatched.
During a fierce battle, several of the martial arts warriors are killed, and Professor Van Helsing is captured by Shen Hua. Count Dracula decides to use Van Helsing's knowledge to strengthen his powers and become an invincible master of the undead.
However, Kah and his remaining warriors launch a daring rescue mission, which culminates in a final showdown between the forces of good and evil. In the end, the seven martial arts warriors are able to defeat Count Dracula and his army of the undead, saving China from a terrible fate.
The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires is a unique blend of Eastern and Western cinema traditions, combining the Gothic horror of Hammer Films with the martial arts action of the Shaw Brothers. The movie is considered a cult classic among horror and kung fu fans, and it represents a fascinating chapter in the history of international cinema collaboration.