Blood of the Vampires

Starring:Eddie Garcia, Amalia Fuentes, Romeo Vasquez, Mary Walter, Johnny Monteiro, AndrÃ©s BenÃtez, Paquito Salcedo, Rosario del Pilar, Francisco Cruz, Luz Ãngeles, Quiel Mendoza, Linda Rivera, Tessie Hernandez
Director: Gerardo de Leon
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

In some ways, Blood and Iron captures more of graphic novelist Mike Mignola's original vision than Guillermo del Toro's lackluster feature did in 2004. Hellboy, the demon brought into this world by the Nazis, but raised by "Professor Broom" to fight for good, was conceived as a drawing, not an actor buried under make-up and latex. The story, which incorporates elements from Mignola's "Wake the Devil" collection, sends Hellboy, Abe Sapien, Liz Sherman, and Prof. Broom to the haunted mansion of a vulgar millionaire. Hoping to cash in on the supernatural angle, he's filled the house with relics of "Blood Countess" Erzsebet Ondrusko (based on the 16th century Hungarian noblewoman Elizebeth Bathory), whom Prof. Broom defeated in 1939. It's really haunted, and the gang tackles harpies, ghosts, witches, werewolves, vampires, and the goddess Hecate. The key actors from the live action film repeat their roles as voices: Ron Perlman (Hellboy), Selma Blair (Liz), Doug Jones (Abe), and John Hurt (Broom). Perlman makes a suitably underplayed Hellboy, growling his annoyance at everything from a bad donut to a vicious blow from the iron-clad goddess. The limits of the animation would be less problematic if the direction were more dynamic. Tad Stones and Victor Cook don't get the needed power out of the action sequences, especially the prolonged battle between Hellboy and Hecate. It would be interesting to see what a talented director like Kazuhiro Furuhashi (Ruruoni Kenshin) or Hiroyuki Okiura (Jin-Roh) would do with this material. Blood and Iron will appeal to some "Hellboy" fans, but it lacks the dark panache of the original books. (Unrated, suitable for ages 14 and older: violence, grotesque imagery, potentially offensive religious imagery) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Old Enemies Menace Hellboy's Surrogate Father.......2007-07-01

HELLBOY: BLOOD AND IRON is the second Hellboy animated movie released direct-to-DVD. The first was HELLBOY: SWORD OF STORMS. As in the first feature, Ron Perlman provides the voice for Hellboy. Other stars from the feature film lend their voices as well, including Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Peri Gilpin, and John Hurt. The story is taken from the second story arc of the Hellboy comics. It was originally called, "Wake the Devil".

This movie shows more of Hellboy's upbringing than the feature movie starring Ron Perlman. It also reveals a lot more of Professor (Bruttenholm) Broom's background before he found Hellboy back in the 1940s after the Nazi Germans brought him into this world. As it turns out, Professor Broom was quite the paranormal investigator long before Hellboy arrived.

During those days, the professor's arch-nemesis was Erzsebet Ondrusko, a vampire and worshiper of Hecate, the queen of witches. The opening sequence showing Broom's encounter with the villainess is appropriately chilling and a visual treat. In fact, the whole movie owes more to creator Mike Mignola's artwork than the feature-length movie. The scenes in the animated movie could have been ripped directly from Mignola's comics pages.

Hellboy is introduced while lurking through a sewer system and looking for a monster. He, admittedly, is up to his neck in crap. The humor mixes very well with the action and emotion in the film. This isn't Leo Tolstoy, but it's nice to have characters you feel like you know and can care about. Especially when they're dealing with old business that carries a lot of emotional baggage for them.

Hellboy puts down the creature with help from Abe Sapien and they quickly return to the hidden headquarters of the BPRD (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense). They sit around talking and the viewer gets to know more about the characters. One of the things I enjoy about the movies is that you don't have to know much to understand who the characters are. You're given what you need to know as you go along, and it's never dull even for the true fans that already know everything.

When assignments are given out, Professor Broom usurps control of the meeting and assigns Hellboy, Abe Sapien, and Liz Sherman to investigate sightings of ghosts in a mansion that's been remodeled into a top-of-the-line museum/lodge. The job was initially a low-priority for them. The professor offers no explanation and the rest of the team is left wondering what's going on. More than that, the professor is going along and that hasn't happened in years. All of them are concerned for his health.

Of course, when they arrive at the mansion, things are decidedly much worse than they were led to believe. There's not just one ghost; there appear to be dozens. And even more evil is afoot.

Interspersed for the current ongoing story line, there are flashbacks to Professor Broom's earlier encounters with Erzsebet Ondrusko. The story concerning Hellboy and the others definitely takes second-place to the overall storytelling until the very last of the movie. It's all the clues and backstory of what has gone on before that really captures the interest.

The fight scene at the end of the movie is multi-layered as Hellboy and the others are divided. It's all interesting to watch, but it tends to drag on the little, especially when you realize that time after time it is not over.

Due to the violence and the scary appearances of many of the monsters, this animated feature is and recommended for young kids. However, if you like cartoons and your kids do too, this is definitely one you can sit down and enjoy together. There's enough story and enough action to keep everyone happy. At 75 minutes, you can easily fit the movie into an evening.

An even better follow-up.......2007-06-16

Hellboy: Blood and Iron is the second animated release in the Hellboy series. This time, Hellboy and co. are asked to investigate a haunted mansion that a rich billionaire plans to turn into a tourist attraction. The case also has a mysterious connection to a Hungarian Blood Countess that Professor Bruttenholm fought in the 1930s.

I liked the first release, Sword of Storms, but Blood and Iron is an even stronger effort. The gothic trappings feel more familar to the style that made Mignola's original comic so acclaimed, and whereas the first film split up the main cast, Blood and Iron keeps them together with focus on the family dynamic. The script is tighter, and at points really pushes the 'older audience' rating; it's a vampire story with lots of blood. Perlman and crew again bring the characters to life with believability and charm.

There aren't quite as many extras this time, but it's still a solid release. The most fun is the "Iron Shoes" short, which adapts Mignola's comic of the same name to hilarious effect. All dvds come packed with a 32-page comic book called "The Yearning." Some exclusives also pack in an extra comic digest called "The Judgement Bell" or a Hellboy figurine.

A great recommendation. Hopefully Hellboy Animated spawns more films or a tv series soon.

Smashing.......2007-06-15

Chances are that if you enjoyed Sword of Storms, the first animated Hellboy straight to DVD movie, you are going to dig Blood and Iron just as much, if not more. Once again, the actors from Guillermo Del Toro's 2004 big screen adaptation return to voice their counterparts: Ron Perlman is Hellboy, Selma Blair is Liz, Doug Jones is fishboy Abe Sapien, and even John Hurt is on board this time around as Professor Broom. The story finds the B.P.R.D. assigned to a ghost crammed mansion, which turns out to be inhabited by a vampiric Blood Countess that Professor Broom took on years before. Featuring dynamic animation, superb voice work, and knowing nods to Mike Mignola's original comics; Hellboy: Blood and Iron is an animated treat. The only downsides to Blood and Iron are what plagued Sword of Storms: the animation may not be everyone's cup of tea, and the film as a whole may be a bit too slow moving for some. All that aside, Blood and Iron is still an enjoyable Hellboy yarn, and the wonderful set of DVD extras included on the disc round out an already sweet package.

'Hellboy': A Force to Be Reckoned With.......2007-06-15

'Hellboy' is an anime' comic book jumping to life. Sparring between good and evil, the titled hero (Ron Perlman) is a demon fighting against the agents of hell on earth. He joins forces with what could be called the comic strip version of 'Ghostbusters' or 'Scooby Doo'. The anime' venue, which sometimes lacks the flow of most animated adventures, looks entirely appropriate with it's Gothic look and feel. Images of wolves with glowing eyes, lady vampires, snakes, and ghosts jump out to challenge our heros after an associate professor "Broom" has let a vampire lady come to life. Complete with a score that rises and falls with the action, 'Hellboy--Blood and Iron' takes all the old horror stories and recreates it with a frightening splendor. While it won't make most teenagers lose any sleep, it does an effective job of telling its story while generating a morbid, creepy interest.

Overall, 'Hellboy-Blood and Iron' does much to impress without an overkill. With a good story and dialogue, Victor Cook and Tad Stones do effective things with Mike Mignola's comic-novel series. (The extras have interesting explanations about how they assembled this movie.)

not to bad..........2007-06-13

I liked Sword of Storms because it seemed more like the comic and less like the movie (even though they had the movie actors do the voices). I liked how Hellboy seemed less of a "big child" and more of a aged sort of "got it together" type of hero.
The little things like Abe not wearing a breathing apparatus and Kate Corrigan made me really happy.
The new movie Blood and Iron only ventures futher into the comic world, even using some of the direct dialogue from the comic. The animation is really well done as well as the voice acting. The movie even seemed like a Mike Mignola Hellboy issue, which I liked a lot.

The DVD extras are pretty cool as well. Behind the scenes features and it even has a Hellboy E-comic. It also includes the short IRON SHOES which is frame for frame of the comic story of the same title. It was really cool to see that animated.

As I was watching this movie I realized it was definitely NOT for kids. Some of the images in the movie would probably scar little kids for life.

Average customer rating:

Great spin on Dracula
Gerry Butler Must!
Just another version but oh what a Hot! vampire
karate vampires.....WTF
COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER

Dracula 2000
Starring: Omar Epps , Colleen Fitzpatrick , Locklyn Munro , Christopher Plummer , and Jeri Ryan
Director: Patrick Lussier
Manufacturer: Dimension
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00003CXSD
Release Date: 2001-07-03

Amazon.com

As a director, Wes Craven has been able to infuse his horror movies with humor and some smart, often genuinely creepy, thrills, even on his lowest-budgeted films. As a producer of horror movies, well, his record has been spotty at best. Craven tapped his longtime editor Patrick Lussier to direct Dracula 2000, and the movie ends up with all the good and bad of "a Wes Craven production." A modern-day update of the Dracula legend, the script has some genuinely good ideas. Christopher Plummer (The Insider) takes a relatively juicy role as Van Helsing, owner of an antiques shop specializing in ancient weapons. He takes exception to how his namesake was portrayed in Bram Stoker's classic novel, which he's more than happy to tell his assistant (Jonny Lee Miller, "Sick Boy" from Trainspotting) without telling him the whole story. When Omar Epps leads a band of high-tech criminals to break into Van Helsing's high security vault (thinking that with so much security there's got to be something extremely valuable in there), what they end up stealing is the body of Dracula, who of course awakens from his slumber. When the story shifts to New Orleans, where Van Helsing's estranged daughter is working for the local Virgin Megastore (here metaphor is replaced by product placement), Dracula is drawn to her. The undead start to multiply, and the vampire hunt resumes. Another excellent idea deals with a new origin to Dracula, flashing back to biblical times to explain his aversion to silver and crosses. But there is a downside. Under the inept direction of Lussier the movie is never scary, inspiring instead an occasional feeling of pity for the actors. Overall, this a vampire movie for the mind, not the heart. --Andy Spletzer

Description

The master of modern horror, Wes Craven, presents a riveting adaptation of the chilling classic featuring Jennifer Esposito (SUMMER OF SAM), Omar Epps (IN TOO DEEP), Jonny Lee Miller (TRAINSPOTTING), Vitamin C (GET OVER IT), and Jeri Ryan (STAR TREK: VOYAGER). When a team of techno-savvy thieves breaks into a high-security vault, they don't discover priceless artwork ... they find a crypt that hasn't been opened for 100 years! Suddenly, the ancient terror of Dracula is unleashed in the chaotic 21st century. Free to follow his pursuits of seduction and power, Dracula's first destination is America and the exotic city of New Orleans, a place where he feels right at home. Not far behind, however, is a young vampire hunter (Miller) from London, determined to save a young woman (Justine Waddell) with whom Dracula shares his dark legacy!

Customer Reviews:

Great spin on Dracula.......2007-06-04

I have always have a love for Dracula and Dracula movies and I must say that this one had a great spin on the fabled Dracula. Gerard Butler as Dracula was amazing. He mesmerized with his eyes just as you would imagine Dracula doing. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and seeing Gerard Butler, the rising star, in one of his earlier performances. Gerard Butler fans will love it.

Gerry Butler Must!.......2007-05-12

I originally got this movie only because Gerry Butler is in it, but after watching it, it's really not that bad of a movie. The acting isn't the greatest, but it's still pretty good.

Just another version but oh what a Hot! vampire.......2007-04-06

A so-so version produced by Wes Craven with a slightly different look
at Dracula's origins. Somewhat campy version but not very scary. Gerard
Butler is, however, mesmerizing as Dracula and very sexy and has a very
commanding presence in the role. One of those looks and I'd certainly
bare my throat for him.

karate vampires.....WTF.......2007-03-23

since when have vampires taken karate classes....This film is garbage. Buy Bram Stokers Dracula or the origional Dracula instead.

COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER.......2007-02-04

I bought this to add to my Gerard Butler collection....I am a huge fan of Bram Stokers Dracula--I felt the movie had excellent actors in it--and a different take on Dracula--but it just didn't work--weak plot-and it shouldn't have been..
If you like Gerard Butler--GET IT---seeing him in this movie--WOW--it was worth it just for that alone....

Average customer rating:

Nice movie, but feels like a teaser
Good but not great
I hope this is the last vampire
still has a hold on me
Mediocre

Blood - The Last Vampire
Starring: Youki Kudoh , Saemi Nakamura , Joe Romersa , Rebecca Forstadt , and Stuart Robinson (II)
Director: Hiroyuki Kitakubo
Manufacturer: Manga Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust
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ASIN: B00005NG6U
Release Date: 2001-08-28

Amazon.com

Saya, the last true vampire, battles the bloodthirsty demons attacking an American base in Japan during the Vietnam War. Much of the story takes place during the late afternoon and evening, and the artists use shadows, reflections, and light with exceptional skill: the look of the film is more interesting than the underdeveloped story. Saya wields a deadly sword and pursues her foes with chilling ferocity, but she's silent and sullen and fails to develop as a character: the viewer has no idea how she views her deadly occupation. Albeit a visually striking film, this dark, violent work fails to live up to its billing as "Japan's first fully digital animated feature film": the three-dimensional objects and effects are digital, but the two-dimensional characters are hand-drawn. Nor is the film really "from the creators of Ghost in the Shell." Blood came out of a group that Ghost director Mamoru Oshii organized to encourage young talent, but he didn't direct it. And at 48 minutes, it's very short for a feature, although this edition includes a rambling 21-minute making-of film and a 3-minute trailer. It seems unlikely that Blood "will transform Japanese animation," but other artists may use its visual style to tell more compelling stories with better-developed characters. Unrated; suitable for ages 17 and up for profanity, brief nudity, and considerable violence. --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Nice movie, but feels like a teaser.......2007-04-09

Blood - The Last Vampire is a riveting and involving piece of anime; probably one of the best I've seen in terms of artistry. The animation isn't as fluid as, say, Steam Boy or as technologically groundbreaking, but it uses shadows and sound to get some great suspense going. That said, a nicely tuned TV and audio equipment is a must with this movie.

I was supposed to give this movie a 4-Star rating, except for one thing: story, or the lack of it. As a feature film, Blood - The Last Vampire felt more like a teaser than anything else. Little plot, but lots of action, intrigue and excitement. What's more, the video promised a running feature length of 85 minutes...the movie is only about 45 minutes long. The rest is a behind-the-scenes look at the movie.

Good but not great.......2007-03-04

At around 45 minutes, Blood - The Last Vampire is an anime that could have been something. The story introduces the main character, Saya, quickly and gives very little history about her. You're given a little action right from the start then story begins to unfold, but it is never fully developed, leaving you with a bunch of questions. The last 15-20 minutes are filled with more action, but once its done, your left wanting more. The animation itself is great, but again, seeing what the animators are capable of makes you wish the film was longer. If your an anime fan, you should see it, to at least appreciate it for its merit.

I hope this is the last vampire.......2007-02-11

There is better vampire flicks out there. To be honest this is the worst one I ever saw. The first problem has to be the animation. Rarely does animation play a factor with me, because if the animation is great but the story and characters are weak, then the animation is the least factor. But the artwork in blood is so ugly, its seriously painful on the eyes. Those have to be the ugliest characters I have ever seen. The character development and plot was very weak due to the movies length. The action scenes were nothing special. There's lots of blood and some gory deaths. However I would say at that the most this is good for a rental. If you must see this, then you should purchase this as cheap as possible. Nobody should pay more than 5 bucks for this. If you want to check some anime vampire anime. Then I recommend these way before this.Hellsing, Vampire Hunter D and Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust.

still has a hold on me.......2007-01-10

Amazing.
Although it's shortness does not allow for in-depth character developement, the sensation from really immersing yourself in this movie is phenomenal. You can almost feel the main character so intensely that in such a short ammount of time, her persona is able to cause such a significant impact on the viewer which characters in other works take seasons and a plethora of gimmicks to accomplish.

Mediocre.......2006-12-11

Hmm... lets see first the good points...

Quasi interesting.
Promising plot,
Doesn't take long to get into the action.

Now the bad.

Short,
Little plot development or background.
Horrible voice overs. Even the japanese voice overs are horrible.
Medicore artwork.
This show mostly rides on the vampire stigma, japanese language and gore. None of which is enough to make it a good show.

Nosferatu: The Vampyre/Phantom Der Nacht

Average customer rating:

Resurrection of the legend:
Count Kinski
a good reinterpretation
Nosferatu, aka Dracula, has found a natural heir
GREAT REMAKE OF AN OLD CLASSIC

Nosferatu: The Vampyre/Phantom Der Nacht
Starring: Klaus Kinski , Isabelle Adjani , Bruno Ganz , Roland Topor , and Walter Ladengast
Director: Werner Herzog
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
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ASIN: B00005YJMX
Release Date: 2002-07-09

Amazon.com

Werner Herzog's remake of F.W. Murnau's original vampire classic is at once a generous tribute to the great German director and a distinctly unique vision by one of cinema's most idiosyncratic filmmakers. Though Murnau's Nosferatu was actually an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, Herzog based his film largely on Murnau's conceptions--at times directly quoting Murnau's images--but manages to slip in a few references to Tod Browning's famous version (at one point the vampire comments on the howling wolves: "Listen, the children of the night make their music."). Longtime Herzog star Klaus Kinski is both hideous and melancholy as Nosferatu (renamed Count Dracula in the English language version). As in Murnau's film, he's a veritable gargoyle with his bald pate and sunken eyes, and his talon-like fingernails and two snaggly fangs give him a distinctly feral quality. But Kinski's haunting eyes also communicate a gloomy loneliness--the curse of his undead immortality--and his yearning for Lucy (Isabelle Adjani) becomes a melancholy desire for love. Bruno Ganz's sincere but foolish Jonathan is doomed to the vampire's will and his wife, Lucy, a holy innocent whose deathly pallor and nocturnal visions link her with the ghoulish Nosferatu, becomes the only hope against the monster's plague-like curse. Herzog's dreamy, delicate images and languid pacing create a stunningly beautiful film of otherworldly mood, a faithful reinterpretation that by the conclusion has been shaped into a quintessentially Herzog vision. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Resurrection of the legend:.......2007-05-22

Fifty seven years after F.W. Murnau, Herzog resurrected the Dracula's legend with this film in which his favorite actor/best friend/worst enemy Klaus Kinski played the title role as a very tired, very quiet, very lonely Count Dracula who looked like he literally had not slept for centuries. The film is undeniably Herzog's and has many of his signature signs - the stunning views, the slow deliberate pace, the eerie music, the dreamlike atmosphere, the admiration by the nature and its indifferent to the humans' worries power and remote beauty; even the story of the ship with all crew members dead as the result of the horrible mystery. Breathtakingly beautiful Isabelle Adjani plays an object of Dracula's obsession and the contrast between his ugliness and her divine beauty is simply mesmerizing. In this film, the pure-hearted and brave woman takes it upon herself to face off the undead evil. By the time, Dr. Van Helsing arrives with the stake and hammer, his services are not required.

Count Kinski.......2007-05-15

Best Count Dracula I've ever seen.

Kinski is a marvel, in fact, the entire cast is spot-on perfect. Direction and writing, cinematography...just about flawless--and this is praise from someone who was never a huge fan of Dracula to begin with. A friend suggested I see it, and am glad I did.

Better than Bela, than Lee, than Peter Cushing, et al... Kinski is the man. Some talent.
R.I.P.

a good reinterpretation.......2007-05-12

This film is a wonderful reinterpretation of the 1922 original. It includes dialogue by the characters, while still maintaining a sense of being more visual than audio-based.

I recommend this to anyone who loves the Dracula mythology, especially if you like the 1922 original.

Nosferatu, aka Dracula, has found a natural heir.......2007-02-22

A remake of Murnau's Nosferatu. It speaks and it is full of colour. Very standard remake but a few changes are difficult to explain. For instance Mina and Lucy are inverted and Jonathan is married to Lucy. It may be Bremen but it looks like Amsterdam but with the sea next door. We have the same idea of a plague. But the director takes liberty with this plague and seems to organize at the end of it some kind of open air festivity and Last Supper for the survivors soon to be dead anyway. Morbid in other words. Herzog keeps the ending in which Lucy sacrifices herself by giving herself to Dracula to make him trespass the cock's crowing line. And she succeeds. A vampire in love is thus very silly and selfless enough to forget his survival instinct. But Herzog doubles up the ending with a good stake planted in Dracula's heart, but in the wings, and the arrest of Van Helsing for the murder of Dracula. He will be tried sooner or later. But the best change is that Lucy is dead and Jonathan has completed his transformation and has become a full-fledged vampire and we recapture the ending of the original where the danger of a next generation was left open. Here it is clearly stated and we see Jonathan crossing Europe again on horseback probably to go to his castle in Transylvania. The main interest of the film is not there. The main interest is in the phenomenal actors used for the main three characters and of course the absolutely astounding make-up of these actors. In other words, make-up added, this film recaptures the phenomenal body language and body expressivity of the old Murnau's film. It explains the fact that it does not seem to have very rich dialogues. It is all happening in the movement and syntax of the bodies on the screen.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Paris Dauphine & University of Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne

GREAT REMAKE OF AN OLD CLASSIC.......2007-01-14

I LOVE THE MUSIC AND FEELING OF THIS DVD. A GOOD CHOICE

Jess Franco's Count Dracula (Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Snooooooorrrrrrrrrzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Great Christopher Lee gem I am seeing for the first time.
Jess Franco's twist on Dracula is not to bad!!
Great !!!!
A special find

Jess Franco's Count Dracula (Special Edition)
Starring: Judi Bowker NOT in this movie? , Teresa Gimpera , Klaus Kinski , Christopher Lee , and Herbert Lom
Director: Jesús Franco
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000K7VL56
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Amazon.com

Jess Franco, the Spanish director known for soft-core films featuring vixens in various precarious situations, successfully incorporates Bram Stoker's Dracula into his repertoire with Count Dracula. Starring Hammer's Dracula Christopher Lee, this film is unrelated to the Hammer films, to its credit. This film may be the most accurate telling of Stoker's classic vampire story, so faithful is it to the novel, even to include many of the book's lines in the script. With an array of truly Gothic, medieval sets, and a cast well-versed in horror, including Klaus Kinski (Werner Herzog's Nosferatu) as Renfield, and Soledad Miranda (Vampyros Lesbos) as Lucy, Count Dracula authentically captures Stoker's careful blend of physical monstrosity and sexual fetish to portray the Count's quest for eternal life. For example, few vampire films besides Franco's take time to feature Lucy and her lover Quincy's blood transfusions that reinforce blood's metaphoric connection to sexual desire. Moreover, Maria Rohm plays Mina Harker with the proper innocence to serve as a foil character to her promiscuous friend, Lucy. Dr. Van Helsing, in this film, gets ample opportunity to sleuth vampirism. Franco relays the story of this Transylvanian count who leaves his castle in the Carpathian mountains for a house in England by accentuating the sexual aspects of the plot, which is what any Franco fan would hope for. Additionally enlightening is this DVD's featurette, in which Franco describes his theories about vampire films. --Trinie Dalton

Description

Count Dracula is a highly atmospheric adaptation of the classic Bram Stoker novel, directed with panache by auteur Jess Franco (Venus in Furs, The Diabolical Dr. Z).

Screen icon Christopher Lee (Horror of Dracula, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) portrays the titular Count Dracula, who flees the cold confines of his Carpathian castle for the shores of England, where he must feed on the blood of beautiful Lucy (Soledad Miranda, Vampyros Lesbos) and Mina (Maria Rohm, 99Women) in order to grow youthful and stay alive.

Also featuring excellent performances by Herbert Lom (The Ladykillers) as Van Helsing and Klaus Kinski (Nosferatu the Vampyre) as Renfield, as well as an ominous score by Bruno Nicolai (Eugenie de Sade, The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave), Count Dracula is presented for the first time on DVD in the U.S.

Customer Reviews:

Snooooooorrrrrrrrrzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......2007-06-12

THIS is Chris Lee's favorite version of the Count?! C'mon! It's slow, ponderous, and boring. Watching blood clot is more exciting. The author further fails in his leap of faith that everyone just knows the Dracula mythos and is familiar with Stoker's novel, by creating scenes and dialog that make no sense without the background knowledge. Bela and Todd, you're still the classic best, and this version doesn't even fly close.

Great Christopher Lee gem I am seeing for the first time........2007-05-21

This is a very moody, atmospheric adaption. The sets and costumes are great as well as the acting. The movie is well cast! I always enjoy Christopher Lee as Dracula and did compare this to the Hammer versions, definitely a different interpretation. Herbert Lom is great as always too. Some of the scenes could have been tied together better, it seemed like some scenes were inserted at the wrong time. The special effects, especially the bat sequences could have been better. It's worth watching in any event.

Jess Franco's twist on Dracula is not to bad!!.......2007-05-13

I enjoyed this version of Dracula more than I thought I would. Jess Franco did a pretty god job telling the story and of course with Chris Lee in it that is just a big bonus. It is definetly worth checking out.

Great !!!!.......2007-05-12

The best Dracula !!!
- Christopher Lee, Klaus Kinski, No comment !
+ good extras

A special find.......2007-05-07

I was very glad to have this dvd for my collection - my old tape has stretched some time ago and the dvd is a superb print of an interesting attempt to film Stoker's Dracula.
I was at a film convention thirty odd years ago when Christopher Lee was enthusing over playing the character "properly" after all the years he had been associated with it.
The extras are wonderful;Franco saying that Terence Fisher didnt take his Dracula "seriously" in his opinion caused me to smile - I had sat beside Terry when watching Franco's Count Dracula and when it finished he said, with his usual twinkle,"For the first ten minutes I thought, my God, it's better than mine - and then I thought - no it's not!" And I agree with him.
The other sheer delight was the audio recording of Christopher Lee reading a version of the novel - for so many years a thing of legend which few poeple possessed - and if they did it was a scratchy rendition committed to tape by kind friends in America.Now here it is in all its glory - a masterpiece by Mr Lee, made,according to him, on a reel-to-reel recorder in his bathroom so his infant daughter couldnt interrupt! And what a wonderful performance.So thank you Amazon for making it possible to acquire a long-sought after collector's item.Worth every penny!

Average customer rating:

I liked this!
More Classic Horror
The two stars are for Christopher Lee.
its a 2 fer at wally world
British Sterling

The House That Dripped Blood
Starring: Christopher Lee , Peter Cushing , Nyree Dawn Porter , Denholm Elliott , and Jon Pertwee
Director: Peter Duffell
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
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Similar Items:

The Asylum
The Creeping Flesh
Torture Garden
The Beast Must Die
Dracula A.D. 1972

ASIN: B0000A9GHP
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Product Description

Shortly after renting an old country house, film star Paul Henderson mysteriously disappears and Inspector Holloway from Scotland Yard is called to investigate. Enquiring at the local police station, Holloway is told of the house's history...

System Requirements:

Running Time 101 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

I liked this!.......2007-06-06

I liked this! While it doesn't rank as superb when it comes to intellectual prowess (most horror doesn't), I can say that I was effectively mesmerised by the tales to be told. My favourite? The "Salome" story, although the tale about the child-witch I found somehow abhorrent, as I do not like stories about evil little children.

More Classic Horror.......2006-11-07

I am a huge fan of Robert Bloch and he delivers in this movie. It's great fun. Lots of atmosphere.

The two stars are for Christopher Lee........2006-10-30

This Amicus horror anthology film has got to be the weakest in the series, the storylines were terrible and very dull and most of the time it looked like it was very outdated not to mention that the last episode about a washed up actor who turns into a vampire was not funny. Usually these Amicus films are fun to watch and not scary but good however this film just dragged along, the episode with Christopher Lee in it was the best one and the only one that was worth watching and Ingrid Pitt as a sexy vampire thats it, what a waste.

its a 2 fer at wally world.......2006-10-27

ya can get this in a double feature at walmart with an american haunting the drawback is it says walmart double dvd exclusive on it.

British Sterling.......2006-08-26

While the 'horror' factor of this type of movie has diminished if not disappeared altogether in todays sfx laden movie industry, the attention to character and detail is all the more moved to the forefront. What these movies lack in chills and thrills they more than make up for in story telling and riveting performances. Mr. Lee and Mr. Cushing and in this movie especially Mr Pertwee (of Dr. Who fame) have a high old time playing their roles to the hilt. Kids should still find some chills and parents will rediscover why these films have stayed in the collective memory. So go ahead...buy and enjoy...and critics be damned!

Average customer rating:

The first Hammer film I saw
Christopher Lee could replace his predecessor Bela Lugosi as Count
Christopher Lee...as Count Dracula
I Liked This One
BEST IN THE HAMMER DRACULA SERIES

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave
Starring: Christopher Lee , Rupert Davies , Veronica Carlson , Barbara Ewing , and Barry Andrews
Director: Freddie Francis
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Similar Items:

Horror of Dracula
Dracula A.D. 1972
Dracula Prince of Darkness/The Satanic Rites of Dracula
Dracula - Prince of Darkness
Hammer Horror Series (Brides of Dracula / Curse of the Werewolf / Phantom of the Opera (1962) / Paranoiac / Kiss of the Vampire / Nightmare / Night Creatures / Evil of Frankenstein)

ASIN: B0001FVE68
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Amazon.com

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave is the third Christopher Lee Dracula film from Hammer Studios. While trying to rid the former Dracula's Castle of evil after the mysterious death of a local girl, the Monsignor inadvertently raises the dark prince from his deathly slumber. Once awaken from the grave, the parched prince only has one thing on his mind, the yummy taste of blood which he fiendishly extracts from the local maidens. Though a little weak in plot, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave still comes off as a strong vampire film, delivering the goods on the gothic visuals, eerie sets, and Lee's performance. --Rob Bracco

Description

When the niece of a prominent clergyman becomes Dracula's victim, the monsignor vows to put a stop to Dracula's deadly ways.

Customer Reviews:

The first Hammer film I saw.......2006-11-01

I was like 10/11 and it was on one of the old cable "superstations." I had always loved old monster movies, but this was like Dracula on speed for me as a kid. As I've grown, I have amassed a large Hammer film library and was delighted to see this out on DVD. It's easily one of my favorites. For the newcomer to Hammer films, they all move fairly 'liesurely' (read, 'slow') and are driven by lots of exposition. But, to me, that plus the settings, cinematography and high-class acting really gives the Hammer films a special class that other horror films severely lack. I recommend this one highly.

Christopher Lee could replace his predecessor Bela Lugosi as Count.......2006-09-26

Christopher Lee could balance and continue his charismatic predecessor Bela Lugosi(1882 - 1956) in the 60's Hammer british Dracula series.

This film is a great example for Lee as Count.

The differences are:
- Lugosi was more a theatrical Dracula from Broadway. Lugosi acted very elegant, exclusive & gentleman as a Dracula star. His charming style becomes a legend.
- Lee is more a mainstream Dracula star. He is not a theatre star like Lugosi did in 1931. He'd prefer a type of cold elegant beast. His style is less charming because he has to accustom himself into various directions in eight Dracula series.

Lugosi played as Dracula three times:
1. Dracula 1931
2. Return of the Vampire 1944
3. Mark of the Vampire 1935

Lee played as Dracula 8 times (see Filmography Imdb)

Frankly Bela Lugosi was a bit more charismatic than Christopher Lee, but Christopher Lee could balance the great charisma of his great predecessor.

Christopher Lee...as Count Dracula.......2006-07-28

I have watched this film several times in my adult life and find it impossible to put down. I still get a kick out of it when I watch it again...I am used to watching Christopher Lee acting as Count Dracula and have a good collection of films with him as the main actor. In the late 1950s to early 1960's the Hammer Film Production (Pine Studios) of England did a splendid job both in cinematograph and conveying the Gothic mood in their films of Dracula. Its choice of Christopher Lee was splendid because he just fitted in the role appropriately. Other scenes included the frightened villagers gathered in a tavern to drink beer and discussed in whispers about the terrifying powers of the Count; the sound of horses galloping down the deserted village road on a driverless carriage; the final dissolution of the Count's body into dust only to be resurrected again with a few drops of human blood by his bat companion; the Count himself engaging the lonely traveller in a prolong dialogue in the candle-lit hall of the castle; and he telling the traveller that he had earlier "eaten", then the distant crowing of a village rooster which was hint for the Count to rise up and go back to his stone coffin before struck by the sunlight were naturalistic atmosphere that only Hammer Film Productions had successfully interpretted in all its classic films on Dracula.

It would be a good idea to buy this film as a starter and then gradually collect the entire series. [...]

I Liked This One .......2006-02-16

The Only reason this one surpasses "Dracula - Prince of Darkness"
is that Dracula Actually Talks in this one also Veronica Carlson is so Beautiful I don't know why but i liked this better than
"Horror of Dracula" I hate that when these Dracula Movies end and go on to a new one the story from the last one is forgotten and Dracula sees new people and sees another girl and he dies again i dont look at these as Sequels i look at them as assorted
storys sort of like "The Adventures of Dracula" but anyway even though after "Horror" Christopher Lee hated Doing Dracula and Peter Cushing was'nt in most of them this is My Favorite One along with "Horror" and Dracula A.D. 1972

BEST IN THE HAMMER DRACULA SERIES.......2006-01-30

This film, the fourth of the Hammer Dracula Series (third with Christopher Lee), is in my opinion, the best. As a few other reviewers have noted, HORROR OF DRACULA seems to have maintained it's status as "Best vampire film" based on years of people believing it because some film critic once said so. Is it a bad film? No, it's quite good, but this one is better.

Why? Because the film has such a dark, gothic look and sound to it. Because the story is interesting in that it is the holy men of the church who set Dracula loose (one of them even becoming his henchman), while the unbelieving atheist sets out to save the day (or least save his girlfriend). Further, this film clearly demonstrated the fact that for all their faith, knowledge and effort the protagonists can't always do it alone. They need for the antagonist (Dracula) to make a fatal error or series of errors to bring about his own destruction. This time around, Dracula does just that, setting-up his own demise on the cross.

This DVD version comes with language selection, scene selection, and has good picture and sound. A must have addition for any fan of Hammer.

Average customer rating:

Outtakes & Bloopers Make a Movie
HORROR LEGEND?. . . BITE YOUR TONGUE. [:-)
Lolana is in it!
Great babes --- bad, bad movie!
2 For The Quality Of The Vamps

Countess Dracula's Orgy of Blood
Starring: Joe Baisur , Eyana Barsky , Mark Bedell , Tony Clay , and Bella Diona
Director: Donald F. Glut
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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Vamps 2: Blood Sisters
Vampire Sisters
Lust for Dracula
Bloody Tease
Sexy Adventures of Van Helsing / Vampire's Seduction

ASIN: B00022PZ10
Release Date: 2004-06-08

Description

Horror legend Paul Naschy (Dracula's Great Love) stars in his first American film, a chilling and seductive saga of rampant bloodlust. Over a century ago, vampiric Lord Ruthven and his sister Diana stalked the same prey, lovely Roxanne Dumas. Now they're back to pursue the reincarnation of their lost love, with only one priest able to stop them from fulfilling their unholy desires! Featuring genre favorites Arthur Roberts (Not of This Earth) and TV horror host Count Gore De Vol Special effects by John Carl Buechler (Carnosaur, Friday the 13th Part IV: The New Blood). Goth music from Willow Wisp and Lucan Wolf

Customer Reviews:

Outtakes & Bloopers Make a Movie.......2005-08-14

No, it wasn't the absurdly lurid title that prompted me to buy CDOoB. Nor was it the DVD's cover showing an amply endowed buxom blonde
snarling, uh, fetchingly, as it were. It was the discovery, at IMDB, that Kennedy Johnston (fanfare, please), appeared in this horror flick.
(under a different stage name that held no sly, political connotation). My expectations were generously rewarded since Johnston's scenes are
plentiful, each more torrid than the last. Playing her role with her accustomed insouciance, she takes the liberty of abandoning her character,
now and then, and spoofing. In one such instance,during what was supposed to be an ardent lesbian scene in a pool, she shocks her co-player
by suddenly taking advantage of the water's buoyancy and raising her partner overhead. Her acting out her whims gives her extraordinary
beauty an added charm. Especially since the movies she plays in are, for the most part, pure trash. In this vein CDOoB is thoroughly enjoyable.
Lots of lovely ladies and bonus features on the DVD. One of these consists of outtakes, amusing but redundant, since the whole movie
seems like a series of outtakes and bloopers.

HORROR LEGEND?. . . BITE YOUR TONGUE. [:-).......2005-07-30

Well, I've never been a serious fan of "Dracula" movies, except when there were lots of babes running around in flimsy veils etc. [:-) Lately, I had been searching for more exposure of the dark haired beauty "Kennedy Johnston" and when I saw her listed as staring in this production, I went for it. The opening scene of "Orgy of Blood" made the purchase worth while for me. After that, I did find her in a pool with another dark haired sweetie but that did it for me.

Finally watched and listened to comments about the production. They were very interesting, Dracula &/or (Paul Naschy) fans WILL enjoy the commentary and background information. Watch it with a friend. [:-\

Lolana is in it!.......2005-05-23

First off, i want to say that Lolana is in this movie. Such a babe, a hottie, her alone is worth the purchase of this movie. Second, i would like to say that Lolana is in this movie! :) 5 Stars for Lolana, and -2 stars for the movie. So add or subtract that all up, 3 stars. The movie is set in the 1st century. Very old costumes, and time line. That alone makes the movie almost completely unwatchable. But my favorite adult actress Lolana, makes up for that. I think if the director and or producer made a movie with a 2000+ or even 1990's setting, they'd probably make a good movie. But this one, set in early times, really sucks. if they made a new setting type one, 1990'+ i'd see it. Well, they better put Lolana back in it! :)
Where ever you are Lolana, I love you! no wait, i LUST you! lol

Great babes --- bad, bad movie!.......2004-12-19

This 2004 direct-to-video erotic horror film starts off in 1897 Southern California where Countess Dracula gets the old stake-in-the-heart treatment when a local rancher finds her in the sack (and sucking the neck, among other things) of his wife.

Fast-forward to the present, where the local vampires are running around doing their sucking thing when one stumbles onto the body of the Countess, and of course, brings her back to life.

Things predictably suck forward from there until the Countess once again meets an untimely end with the stake thing. There's plenty of nudity and sex action, of course, mostly lesbian.

Yeah, it's really bad, and even worse, there isn't a sharp frame in the entire movie, but hey, you want your nudity and lesbian action sharp, too? Jeesh.

2 For The Quality Of The Vamps.......2004-09-11

As a lover of horror i knew from the title this one would be a cheezer but with Paul Naschy i figured it might be not so bad. Wrong! The bad acting and bad lines were good times to grab a snack in between lesbian love scenes. The babes are quality and there are lots of them but thats about all. Naschy was around from time to time but did little to improve this grade C attempt. If you want porn buy porn, if you want a vampire movie try something else. Mystery Science Theatre has shown and made fun of much better movies than this.

Average customer rating:

Immortality- At a Price
Wisdom of Crocs
THE WISDOM OF CROCODILES
Sigh
A decent attempt...

Immortality
Starring: Jude Law , Elina Löwensohn , Timothy Spall , Jack Davenport , and Colin Salmon
Director: Po-Chih Leong
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000056VOT
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Amazon.com

Jude Law makes the term emotional vampire literal in this somber, restrained tale of a modern-day bloodsucker in London. As the improbably named medical researcher Steven Grlscz (pronounced "grilsh"), he's a cool charmer who woos lonely women and feeds off them at the height of their emotional intensity. He begins his seduction of Elina Löwensohn (who played a vampire herself in Nadja) just as relentless police detective Timothy Spall starts an investigation of him for the murder of his former lover Kerry Fox. It's the start of an unusual battle of wits.

Equal parts AIDS metaphor, ancient myth with a modern twist, and shrewd mind game, Immortality (originally released as The Wisdom of Crocodiles) is an art-movie interpretation of the vampire myth, too chic and bloodless to be compelling but curiously fascinating in its way. Leong Po-chih directs with clockwork precision and emotional restraint, elegantly creating a handsome but impersonal world where Grlscz's painful need for love is an extreme symptom of modern life. Law plays his part as a fascinating paradox, hiding his feelings and schemes behind a mask of impenetrable ennui that periodically bursts in a gush of sorrow and disappears just as fast, while Löwensohn is almost as hard to read with her angular face and unusual accent. The meticulous detail and cool images make this more a dispassionate mind game than a horror movie, where the ideas never quite come to life but become a curious enigma. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Jude Law (THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, EXISTENZ) brings a powerful presence to a dark, mysterious crime thriller in the tradition of THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY and DOUBLE JEOPARDY. Steven (Law) is handsome, successful, charming ... and a lethal master of seduction! By the time the body of his latest conquest is found at sea, Steven has already moved on to his next victim. But as this moody, intelligent beauty (Elina Lowensohn) proves frustratingly elusive, it merely intensifies Steven's impassioned pursuit of a love he literally cannot live without! Stylish, suspenseful, and filled with terrific performances, you'll find this boldly unique thriller to be thoroughly entertaining!

Customer Reviews:

Immortality- At a Price.......2007-06-12

This is yet another film I purchased because Jack Davenport is in the cast. His part is very small and his haircut is not so good. But he does exhibit some sexy, boyish charm. Jude Law is the star of the film about a vampire who preys on vulnerable women. He is creepy and maipulative and feeds on love. He believes if he can find a woman to love him "perfectly", he will stop. There are some very bloody scenes and one tracheotomy scene that is absurd. I suppose it is an interesting variation on the vampire theme.

Wisdom of Crocs.......2007-06-08

This is a movie from say 1998. At first I wasn't sure about whether I liked it or not. It is now one of my favorite Jude Law movies. This movie portrays a man who is mysterious, vampirish, soul-less but finds the person which brings him into a soulful relationship and even with a conflicted mind as to how to deal with it. I love this movie. Great acting.

THE WISDOM OF CROCODILES.......2007-01-18

This movie shows up on late night cable once in a while. I caught it because I was intrigued that a Hong Kong director was used. Years ago, I only paid attention to Jude Law because someone said he resembled a young Anthony Hopkins channeling Hannibal Lector. Well, he's not playing the young Doctah Lectah in the movie so catch him in this nice movie to see why its a shame he didn't get to play the character (better this than ALFIE.) His character like Hugh Grant's character in About A Boy targets undervalued women. Strangely, this movie reminds me of Whit Stillman's Metropolitan which I just watched yesterday and is also about an undervalued woman.

Sigh.......2006-12-31

WHY, JUDE, WHY?! I thought this movie was completely boring. I felt the plot made little sense and the characters were lame. Wish I hadn't bought it.

A decent attempt..........2006-11-10

I like Jude Law. It seems like what gets forgotten when women are gushing about his looks is that he's a really great actor. He has enormous range and I've never been let down by his performance, and this movie didn't change my opinion.

I also think Elina Löwensohn is delightful. She's cute, but not in a conventional way, and that makes her interesting.

Still, good talent couldn't save this movie. "Immortality" is basically a vampire story without any of the trappings of your typical vampire tale. Jude Law, the vampire, is not afraid of the sun. He has a reflection. On the surface, he's just an eccentric guy living in London and seducing women.

Elina Löwensohn is a tough engineer, and in her Law meets his match. The plot of the movie focuses on their love affair and the tension that builds as you wonder if she'll survive. A secondary plot revolves around a police detective who's discovered on of Law's victims and has become suspicious of him.

The problem is that the two plotlines don't really tie together, and that seems to be a theme for the entire movie. The film can't decide what it wants to be. Sometimes it seems like an erotic thriller, similar to "The Hunger." At other times it's trying to be a tragic romance. There's even a bit of philosophy and action thrown into the mix. Ultimately, the movie is interesting and the acting is great, but it doesn't leave you feeling satisfied.

Average customer rating:

A Fine Vintage
What happened?
Christopher Lee could replace his predecessor Bela Lugosi as Count
Just For The Taste Of It!
One of the Best in the Hammer Series

Taste the Blood of Dracula
Starring: Christopher Lee , Geoffrey Keen , Gwen Watford , Linda Hayden , and Peter Sallis
Director: Peter Sasdy
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Scars of Dracula
Horror of Dracula
Dracula A.D. 1972
Dracula Prince of Darkness/The Satanic Rites of Dracula
Dracula - Prince of Darkness

ASIN: B0001FVE9K
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Amazon.com

"Drac" is back once again in this fourth installment of Hammer's Dracula films starring Christopher Lee. Under the guidance of Satanic Priest Lord Courtley, three middle-aged professionals seek to add more spice to their love lives by dabbling in rituals to the Dark Prince. After drinking the blood of the Count, the pleasure seekers kill Lord Courtley, inadvertently awakening Dracula who is dead set on avenging his Priest's murder. Though not on par with Hammer's original "Horror of Dracula", Taste the Blood of Dracula does take all the key elements from the original (beautiful heroines, picturesque settings, gothic ambiance, and Lee as the "Count") and somewhat successfully "cheeses" it up for audiences of the '70s. Those wishing to expand their cheesy '70s Dracula experience will find Morrissey's "Hammeresque" Blood for Dracula a nice compliment. By all counts Taste the Blood of Dracula is a fun, campy romp --Rob Bracco

Description

Three elderly distinguished gentlemen are searching for some excitement in their boring borgoueis lives and gets in contact with one of count Dracula's servants. In a nightly ceremony they restore the count back to life. The three men killed Dracula's servant and as a revenge, the count makes sure that the gentlemen are killed one by one by their own sons.

Customer Reviews:

A Fine Vintage.......2007-05-13

"Taste the Blood of Dracula" was Hammer's fourth Dracula film to feature Christopher Lee and was a noticeable improvement on their previous outing "Dracula has Risen from the Grave." The move from Bray Studios to Elstree Studios in 1966, whilst not initially having a major effect on the films, was by the turn of the decade leading to rather dour and unassuming spectacles that were not aided by a forced economisation at Hammer. With this in mind "Taste the Blood..." was one of Hammer's last great productions. The Victorian milieu in which the film is set is beautifully realised - the gothic crypts, lavish drawing rooms and the camp squalor of iniquitous brothels makes for an enjoyably authentic mise-en-scene. But then Hammer never really had much difficulty in creating a mid-Victorian gothic sensibility. This visual beauty is aided by some fine location work, which gives this production a sense of space that earlier Hammer films lacked. The film is also interesting at the level of moral polemics and contains one of Hammer's most thinly disguised attacks on the hypocrisy of Victorian attitudes. This attack then functions allegorically as a treatise on societies new found permissiveness in the early 1970's. Sadly Christopher Lee has little to do, other than glare from the sidelines and bare his teeth a few times. The films real delight is in the chemistry between the trio of Victorian hypocrites, played with gusto and glee by John Carlson, Peter Sallis and Geoffrey Keen. It is this triumvirate that makes the film memorable, not Dracula. Peter Sasdy directs efficiently and occasionally very stylishly in this his first of three films for Hammer which also included "Countess Dracula and "Hands of the Ripper". These were three of Hammer's better productions of the 1970's and showed a lot of promise that Sasdy failed to build upon.

This DVD released by Warner Bros. is totally bereft of extras, save for a rather scratchy old trailer. However the picture looks good, with the colours particularly radiant in daylight scenes. If you're feeling thirsty then "Taste the Blood of Dracula", you know it makes sense.

What happened?.......2007-02-26

I'd rather watch AD1972 before I watched this one again. The storyline was cool, but certain things were just too cheesy. For one, look at Christopher Lee's hair in this one. It doesn't have that neat, slicked back look anymore. It bulges on the sides. Secondly, everytime he has one of the three men murdered that killed his servant, he counts it off. Like when the first one dies, he says, "the first." I began to suspect that he would say "the second" when next one died, and unfortunately, I was correct. And what's this at the end when he resorts to throwing things at the people who are trying to get rid oh him? This was the biggest disappointment of the movie. Dracula is superhuman, and you see that in Prince of Darkness when he breaks a sword in half with his bare hands. Yet, he is now reduced to chunking whatever he can pick up to defend himself. I may watch this one again, but that is only because I admire Christopher Lee.

Christopher Lee could replace his predecessor Bela Lugosi as Count.......2006-09-26

Just For The Taste Of It!.......2006-07-15

Dracula's becoming a bit like Jason Voorhees in that he gets wiped out at the end of each film, but some schmuck manages to resurrect him in the next. In this case it's four schmucks-a student of black magic, and three thrill seekers(one of them is "M" from the Roger Moore and Dalton Bond films). After buying Dracula's clothing and blood from Veruca Salt's dad, they perform a satanic ritual that brings back Dracula. Why anyone would want to do this for kicks is beyond me. The three guys chicken out when it comes time for them to drink Dracula's blood, and beat the black magic dude to death. Well, Dracula comes back and carries out his revenge on the the three guys. Dracula's motives for revenge are lame, but oh well. Of course he gets his little group of female vampire slaves to help him out, and yes he treats them like toilet paper as usual. When the leading lady's boyfriend, Paul(it seems like alot of Hammer films have a character named Paul for some reason) gets wind of all this, he reads a book about vampires and arms himself to the teeth within the space of about half an hour. Then he's off for the final confrontation with Dracula. How is Dracula defeated this time around? I'm still scratching my head about that one. It appears that it might be sunlight(along with some kinda LSD trip about a church), but how is this possible since night had just fallen five minutes ago? That's another thing-the sun rises and sets in this film as if it were controlled by a lightswitch. Anyhow, the film is actually very good. The acting is good, but it usually is in a Hammer film. And of course, the gothic look is right on and the women are all yummy. Lee does a good job with what he's given. Dracula's not given an awful lot of screen time, very few lines, and mostly he's standing around as he orders his slavechix to kill everyone. Lee has always been my favorite actor to don the cape, so maybe I'm a little biased here. When you step back and look at it, it's not an earth shattering performance, but hell, it's Christopher Lee, man! An above average Hammer film for sure.

One of the Best in the Hammer Series.......2006-02-19

Of the eight entries in the Hammer Dracula series (counting "Brides of..." and "Scars of...") "Taste the Blood of Dracula" is, believe it or not, one of the best, if not the best.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the story is "the circle" of three Affluent British thrill-seekers. Once a month they secretly meet together to taste of life's various taboo activities. Enter Lord Courtley, an Aleister Crowley-type servant of darkness. Ralph Bate's performance as Courtley is one of the highlights of the film; he's utterly twisted, diabolic, maniacal, self-centered and arrogant -- a great character to love to hate! Courtley offers the ultimate fiendish thrill to the circle of friends.

Geoffrey Keen plays the hypocritical William Hargood, who puts up the pretense of being a respectable, church-going aristocrat. His ill-treatment of his sweet, beautiful daughter Alice, played by Linda Hayden, is incredibly infuriating and reprehensible. (Thankfully, he gets his comupance).

The sequence where Courtley and the circle of three 'taste the blood of Dracula' is ingenious, not to mention utterly horrific. Commendations to screenwriter Anthony Hinds! [SPOILER ALERT!] This leads to the murder of Courtley and the resurrection of the ol' Count himself.

"Taste the Blood of Dracula" is completely lush in Gothic atmposphere (other reviewers have also noted this), plus the set-up of the story is refreshingly innovative and brilliant, not to mention engrossing.

The only reason I give the film 4 Stars rather than 5 is because it's kinda hard to buy Dracula's vengeful attitude toward the murder of his supposed servant (Courtley). Isn't Dracula the Prince of EVIL? Why would he care about Courtley? Wasn't Courtley's death the necessary catalyst to the Count's resurrection? Isn't Dracula a use-'em-and-leave-'em type of guy? Plus, maybe I'm not up on my 60's/70's vampire lore, but why did Dracula fail to convert Alice to the ranks of the undead? He obviously mesmerizes her to do his bidding, yet he fails to ever taste of her sweet blood (although he attempts to at the very end). By contrast he converts Alice's friend right away. This doesn't make sense.

CONCLUSION: "Taste the Blood of Dracula" is definitely one of the best in the Hammer Dracula series, it strongly blows away the sequels "Dracula, A.D. 1972" and the godawful "Satanic Rites of..." Don't miss out if you get the chance.

DVD:

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