TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA 1970
Christopher Lee (Dracula), Geoffrey Keen (William Hargood), Linda Hayden (Alice Hargood), Peter Sallis (Samuel Paxton), Anthony Corlan (Paul Paxton), John Carson (Jonathan Secker), Ralph Bates (Lord Courtley)
Directed by Peter Sasdy
Three men of some reputation lead alternate lives as seedy playboys seeking carnal thrills. Wishing to partake in something new and exciting, the three gentlemen meet up with the mysterious Lord Courtley. Promising them sights unseen if only they participate in a devilish ceremony, the three men eventually realize what Courtley offers isn't what expected. Leaving the Devil's disciple for dead, the three men make a pact to never repeat what they've done. However, Dracula is resurrected and seeks revenge for the murder of his apostate by using the three men's children as instruments of his vengeance.
Chris Lee returns in a direct sequel to the previous RISEN FROM THE GRAVE picture much to his dismay. What's funny about this one is that the script originally wasn't written as a Dracula movie, but to have revolved around his disciple played by Ralph Bates. As Lee was continuously asking for more money to appear as Dracula, the Hammer execs felt it would be too costly. Apparently, Warner Brothers was not keen on this idea and insisted that Lee be a part of the movie anyways and paid him enough extra for his liking. So the character of Dracula was worked in "as an afterthought", as Lee liked to put it in regards to the sequels he participated in. Lee has the least amount of screen time here than in all of the others.
He literally does next to nothing but stand around and look menacing. He puts the bite on one of the girls and that's about it. He commands the young adults to carry out the revenge which is a characteristically brutal touch just the same. But as has been stated time and time again, Dracula is reduced to a background character in his own movie.
Ralph Bates was chosen for his performance in a series entitled THE CAESARS which had Bates playing Caligula. It's a shame Bates didn't get to headline this Dracula production. Instead, he got to take the lead in the dismal and only occasionally humorous HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN that same year. His big break to show off his acting chops came with DR. JEKYLL & SISTER HYDE (1971).
The films location was also changed from Transylvania to Victorian London. The change in locale adds a fresh approach to the production in addition to a contrasting set design. This was also a slightly sexier Hammer horror as there was nudity and added bloody violence with much of it being cut for the American release. The cuts made in the US version are quite jarring even disrupting the pounding soundtrack from James Bernard. Thankfully, the recent Warner DVD is the complete version. In the original script, the film was to have been even more violent as Courtley was to have been stabbed multiple times during his death scene.
For whatever reason, the accent on characterization is given a lot of attention this time out compared with the problems Freddie Francis had in the previous film. Little is done with Dracula, though. Chris Lee seemingly refused some of the dialog inherent in the original script from Anthony Hinds resulting in it either being altered or removed entirely. Hungarian director, Sasdy also directed the very good later Hammer horror, HANDS OF THE RIPPER (1971). He was also responsible for the mostly drab COUNTESS DRACULA (1971).
The ending is the most unusual and creative of the entire Dracula series. Since setting up camp within the defiled church, the couple are cornered there by Dracula who attempt to fend him off with a large cross. Now on an upper level of the church, Dracula smashes a stained glass window and suddenly you hear a prayer being echoed in the background. The church has suddenly been transformed into a house of holiness and Dracula is destroyed by God himself.
Containing great performances, an imposing musical score and a good script accompanied by added violence, TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA (1970) is easily one of the best entries in the series despite the amount of screen time afforded the King of the Undead.
This review is representative of the Warner DVD
DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE 1968
Christopher Lee (Dracula), Rupert Davies (Monsignor Ernst Muller), Barry Andrews (Paul), Veronica Carlson (Maria Muller), Ewan Hooper (Priest), Barbara Ewing (Zena)
Directed by Freddie Francis
With the evil spirit of Dracula still looming over the village of Keineneburg, the occupants continue to live in fear that he may return. Monsignor Muller enters the hamlet and asks a frightened priest to accompany him to Castle Dracula to exorcise the hellish citadel by affixing a cross to the front door. Later, Dracula is accidentally resurrected and promises revenge against the Monsignor and his family for profaning his home.
Struck by a motorbike breaking his leg, original director, Fisher was out of the picture as was the original producer who was likewise involved in an accident while playing golf of all things. Famed cinematographer, Freddie Francis stepped in. Francis wasn't entirely thrilled to be directing such a film, but he turned out one of the best in the series. Fisher's cinematographic eye is put to good use in the director's chair as this entry has some strikingly high quality shots. The color filters may go a bit overboard, but all the matte paintings are beautiful to behold.
Notice the reflection of Lee in the glass door to the left. In the film, Dracula also casts a reflection in a pool of water
Apparently, Fisher included a lot more romance between Carlson and Andrews. When the film was finished, he went on vacation and upon his return, he discovered much of said romance had been removed in favor of the horror. Regardless, the film was a monster of a success becoming the biggest hit of all the Hammer dracula pictures. Being funded entirely by Warner-Seven Arts, the famed British horror company would only savor big studio support for a few more years before such Gothic trappings as Dracula and Frankenstein became passe.
Some notable mentions include Christopher Lee's embarrassment when Hammer received the Queen's Award while shooting Dracula's demise. The character of Dracula has less to do than in the previous movie, but Lee makes do with what he has and is quite riveting in the few lines he's allowed to utter. For years, Lee showed much contempt for the sequence wherein he removes the stake from his chest because Paul (Barry Andrews) is an atheist and can't finish the prayer necessary to destroy the vampire! It's still one of the best scenes in the movie. It would be interesting to know what Lee thinks of it today.
Veronica Carlson is lovely to look at and ultimately became one of the best loved heroines in these movies. What little characterization between her character, Maria and Paul is still noteworthy especially the juggling of religious beliefs. The clash between those with faith and those without makes for an interesting plot point which figures wonderfully into the above mentioned staking sequence.
The subject of faith also figures into the cowardly priest who is so terrified for his own life, he lowers himself to being a slave to Dracula up until the end when it is he who finally sends Dracula back to rotten Hell. Dracula's destruction is also one of the best of the series. It's the first time he's done in with a staking, but it's more ingenious in that the instrument of his termination is the gigantic cross that covered the entrance to his castle. During this sequence, Dracula also sheds tears of blood, another nice touch.
The beginning of the movie presents something of a problem, though. The corpse of a pretty lady is found hanging from a church bell with blood dripping from her neck, the victim of a vampire. Since Dracula still remains dormant beneath a frozen river, how did she die? I am going to assume, then, that the vampires spirit was responsible for the death. The next film in the series was a direct sequel and ultimately shifted the location away from the typical Eastern European locations.
With a new director and a new look, DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE (1968) is a success all around and possesses an aura of a macabre fairy tale that wouldn't be seen in any other Dracula picture.
This review is representative of the Warner Brothers DVD
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Three men of some reputation lead alternate lives as seedy playboys seeking carnal thrills. Wishing to partake in something new and exciting, the three gentlemen meet up with the mysterious Lord Courtley. Promising them sights unseen if only they participate in a devilish ceremony, the three men eventually realize what Courtley offers isn't what expected. Leaving the Devil's disciple for dead, the three men make a pact to never repeat what they've done. However, Dracula is resurrected and seeks revenge for the murder of his apostate by using the three men's children as instruments of his vengeance.
Chris Lee returns in a direct sequel to the previous RISEN FROM THE GRAVE picture much to his dismay. What's funny about this one is that the script originally wasn't written as a Dracula movie, but to have revolved around his disciple played by Ralph Bates. As Lee was continuously asking for more money to appear as Dracula, the Hammer execs felt it would be too costly. Apparently, Warner Brothers was not keen on this idea and insisted that Lee be a part of the movie anyways and paid him enough extra for his liking. So the character of Dracula was worked in "as an afterthought", as Lee liked to put it in regards to the sequels he participated in. Lee has the least amount of screen time here than in all of the others.
The films location was also changed from Transylvania to Victorian London. The change in locale adds a fresh approach to the production in addition to a contrasting set design. This was also a slightly sexier Hammer horror as there was nudity and added bloody violence with much of it being cut for the American release. The cuts made in the US version are quite jarring even disrupting the pounding soundtrack from James Bernard. Thankfully, the recent Warner DVD is the complete version. In the original script, the film was to have been even more violent as Courtley was to have been stabbed multiple times during his death scene.
The ending is the most unusual and creative of the entire Dracula series. Since setting up camp within the defiled church, the couple are cornered there by Dracula who attempt to fend him off with a large cross. Now on an upper level of the church, Dracula smashes a stained glass window and suddenly you hear a prayer being echoed in the background. The church has suddenly been transformed into a house of holiness and Dracula is destroyed by God himself.
