zardoz-13 Hammer Studios look like they blew more than a wad on "Taste the Blood of Dracula" director Peter Sasdy's "Countess Dracula," with beautiful Ingrid Pitt as the titular protagonist. Mind you, this blood-soaked and sex-drenched saga has nothing to do with the infamous Count Dracula, Hammer's most profitable franchise. Instead, at the end of the movie, as Countess Elisabeth and her minions Captain Dobi and Julie are being taken to a place of execution, we hear some of the spectators scream "Countess Dracula." This elegantly produced, atmospheric, horror movie concerns the notorious Hungarian noblewoman Countess Báthory de Ecsed who restored her beauty by bathing in the blood of virgins. Hollywood and the European film industry have made at least forty movies about this wicked wench. Gothic as all get-out, the story is set during the 17th century, and Hammer has gone out of its way to make this eerie but far from horrific tale look dignified. This isn't a Jesús Franco sex orgy, but Sasdy does indulge in frontal nudity, with Ingrid Pitt baring her breasts. Leslie-Ann Downe had gotten to that point in her career, but she delivers an entirely sympathetic performance as the leading lady's daughter Ilona. The crisis begins when our protagonist discovers that she can bathe in the blood of a virgin and her beauty is restored despite the ravages of time. Meantime, the young and beautiful Countess Elisabeth has her guardian, Captain Dobi (Nigel Green of "Play Dirty"), see to it that her daughter is waylaid and turned over to the care of a grimy farmer to keep her confined and away from the castle. The Countess has taken an amorous interest in Imre Toth's recent arrival. Toth (Sandor Elès of "Love and Death") has come to not only attend the funeral of the Countess' late husband but also remain for the reading of the will. Gorgeous and hot-bloodied as she is, the Countess decides to masquerade as her daughter and say that her mother is locked up in her room. Eventually, the Countess realizes to her horror that the blood of one dead dame isn't enough to insure her immortal beautiful. She arranges it so that Captain Dobi and her trusted servant Julie (Patience Collier of "Fiddler on the Roof") to procure her some fresh flesh and blood. Naturally, in the castle as well as the village, fear runs rampant and everybody is paranoia. Pitt is perfect for the starring role, but she is forced to wear some awful old lady make-up to look ancient. Again, she does flaunt her breasts. The conspiracy goes on for a while until she is at the wedding altar when her face shrivels up and appalls Toth. There is some violence, primarily a butcher cutting up meat. At 93 minutes, "Countess Dracula" won't traumatize anybody, but this film looks genuinely respectable, with a first-class cast and exceptional production values.

Leofwine_draca This unusual and stylish entry from Hammer studios is well worth a watch for those looking for a different kind of vampirism. This take on the legend of the infamous countess Elizabeth Bathory, who enjoyed torturing and mutilating hundreds of young virgins throughout her life, is actually rather muted when it comes to the violence. You would imagine lots of blood and guts on display here, but no, instead all we see are a few slashed wrists and a jumpy moment where an unsuspecting woman gets a hairpin jammed into her neck.For exploitational value, though, the film offers up ample naked flesh to satisfy any red-blooded male; indeed just about all of the female cast are required to lose their clothes at various intervals (Countess Dracula was one of the films to usher in the "new wave" of Hammer horror, along with THE VAMPIRE LOVERS: films which followed in their wake were made more appealing to the general public by the liberal inclusion of gore and nudity wherever possible). However, the main strength of this movie is its visual power; director Peter Sasdy gives it a unique style all of his own which effectively conveys moods of decay, regret and sadness.Physically, the movie is very colourful in places (when involving the young lovers), grey and gloomy in others; the photography is sharp and really helps to bring out the atmosphere of the castle in which this film is set. Incidentally, the sets were left over from a bigger production (of which the name escapes me) which accounts for the whole expensive look to this film. Add to this the authentic-looking costumes and village scenes, and you have a great-looking film.Sadly, however, this isn't a great movie. There are some great actors and scenes in it, yes, but as a whole it is flawed by the inclusion of some laughably cheesy love scenes between the wooden Eles and Pitt. At each of these moments, loud soapy music plays on the soundtrack. I was lucky enough to see this film on the big screen and the audience found these scenes very amusing indeed. Countess Dracula is also slightly too arty for its own good in places, and personally speaking I would have preferred to see some more traditional elements in the film (like more of the superstitious villagers, perhaps). There are some fine moments, like the opening where Pitt's cart rides over a peasant, crushing him to death, it's just a shame that there aren't more of these moments throughout the film.Ingrid Pitt is fine in the title role, although it's difficult to judge her entire performance as her voice is dubbed by another actress. However, she convincingly plays two versions of the same woman - the young and the old - and positively glows when appearing as the younger. The anguish that Elisabeth feels when she reverts to her proper age again is well done, only resorting to histrionics in one rather embarrassing scene where Pitt bangs her fists against the carpet. Pitt is ably supported by a distinguished cast. Leading this is Nigel Green (THE FACE OF FU MANCHU) who is very good indeed as the complex, lovelorn servant who worships Pitt but is snubbed by her every day. Maurice Denham is also on hand as an amusing librarian and makes a very atypical and interesting character out of his role.Sadly the younger performers are less convincing. Lesley-Anne Down is pretty but vapid as Pitt's daughter, while Sandor Eles is nothing more than a male pin-up, all looks but no brain; his dumb attitude threatens to have the whole film crashing down in places, and it's a good thing that the cunning Green is there to sort him out. One other actor I have to mention is the guy playing the moustachioed gamekeeper; he's one of the funniest bit-actors I've ever seen! Just check the moment where he attempts to lick a woman's shoe or the various amusing expressions on his face - classic!It seems to me that sometimes this film works at a purely soap-opera level, what with all the love triangles, lust, and passion on display. But underneath all this are subtle undercurrents about the price people are willing to pay to stay young and the dangers of hiding your true self from those you care about. Countess Dracula also has a superb ending, a simple freeze-frame on the horrible face of a decayed Pitt, which is both chilling and fascinating in equal measure. This marks the end of what has been an intelligent and highly interesting movie; although it lacks the pacing and excitement of a routine Hammer film, it more than makes up for this in terms of visual brilliance and an offbeat tone. Worth tracking down.

AaronCapenBanner Peter Sasdy directed this (loosely) based on fact historical account of the Countess Elizabeth(played by Ingrid Pitt) an aging ruler who discovers the secret of youth by bathing in the blood of innocent young women, which restores her own youthful beauty, and inspires her take on younger men as lovers, much to the consternation of her loyal lover Captain Dobi(played by Nigel Green). The number of missing young women draws the wrath of the village, who begin a revolt, but Elizabeth only cares about herself, which will encourage Captain Dobi to abandon her, and leave her to face the consequences of her murderous actions. Good cast and direction, but film is lurid and unoriginal; ultimately a misfire, though Pitt certainly makes it semi-watchable at least.

Spikeopath Countess Dracula is directed by Peter Sasdy and written by Jeremy Paul. It stars Ingrid Pitt, Nigel Green, Sandor Eles, Maurice Denham, Patience Collier and Lesley-Anne Down. Out of Hammer Film Productions, music is by Harry Robertson and Eastmancolor cinematography by Kenneth Talbot.Why didn't they just call it Countess Bathory? Or just Elizabeth Bathory? Film has nothing to do with Dracula or Vampires, and is basically an interpretation of Madame Bathory, who back in olde Hungary killed any number of girls for kicks and a vain belief that bathing in virginal blood would keep her young. It's this last aspect that Hammer focus on, unfurling a story where the Countess strikes on the secret of eternal youth, and who then promptly has her daughter kidnapped and proceeds to impersonate her. Thus with that she gets to romance a young man, but of course as the bodies start to pile up, and the Countess' suitor and confidant's begin to get their noses pushed out of joint, things quickly go downhill fast.As a technical production it's good Hammer fare. Costuming, colour photography, set design and acting performances are perfectly pleasing. Unfortunately it's all very predictable, and worse still considering the plot points of interest, it's pretty bloodless, playing out as some sort of period based drama with the odd bit of dastard behaviour thrown in for good measure. Nothing really happens to perk up the story, and sadly the finale is something of a damp squib. The red blooded amongst us can't help but enjoy the twin lovelies of Pitt and Down, and the wonderful Nigel Green can't believe his luck as he gets to canoodle with our Ingrid! But all told it's not very sexy, not very horror and only works as a good period drama if you set expectation at that level. 6/10