TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA

TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA is a Victorian morality tale with Dracula thrown in for good measure. This basic fact makes the film one of the best out of the Christopher Lee Dracula cycle of movies.


Christopher Lee rises again

During the time of Victorian England three 'respectable' gentlemen by the names of Hargood (Geoffrey Keen), Paxton (Peter Sallis), and Secker (John Carson) are bored and are constantly searching for some new way to get their kicks. On one of their debauched filled forays into the underbelly of society they run into the infamous Lord Courtley (Ralph Bates), who promises them power and privilege beyond their wildest dreams. The only catch is that they have to participate in a Satanic ceremony. Foolishly, and greedily, they help reconstitute Dracula, and boy is he pissed off when he wakes up to find out that the three of them have mangled his faithful servant.


All of this may sound like an average run of the mill occult type horror film, but the story goes much more deeper than that. Hargood may get to go out and flaunt his immoral ways with his buddies all he likes, but when it comes to his daughter, Alice (Linda Hayden), he thinks that she is nothing more than a wanton harlot. Why? She is innocently in love with Paxton's son Paul (Anthony Higgins-Corlan).


Screaming bloody murder

The themes of hypocrisy and revenge run heavily throughout this whole film and that is the reason why I enjoy it so much. You get to see Hargood project his guilt about cavorting with whores upon his innocent daughter, and you also have Dracula using the children of the men as his tool of revenge against them. I am a firm believer in the adage that a film can only be as good as the screenplay that it is based upon, and this movie is a successful example of that. Anthony Hinds writes a compelling tale that mirrors exactly the type of behavior that took place in Victorian England, and that makes this vampire film stand out. Instead of throwing in modern values upon characters that lived in the past he gives them more life by placing them directly into the time in which they live. While watching it I actually felt like I was in Victorian England.


As with all the better made Hammer films, TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA excels when it comes to production values. The sets look very well done and the outdoor graveyard scenes were actually filmed in the then decrepit Highgate Cemetery. This gives the movie a realistic touch that could not be duplicated using fake gravestones. The costumes are, of course, first rate and I would personally kill for Lucy's (Isla Blair) red dress! Peter Sasdy does an excellent job bringing all of these facets together, and his directorial style is unique; he uses unusual angles and focuses on specific objects in scenes. He makes it a visually entertaining movie and he had me wondering how he accomplished certain shots.


Raising the dead

Ralph Bates perfectly portrays Lord Courtley as a spoiled aristocrat and his performance is my favorite in the film. Originally, the movie was supposed to center around a vampire portrayed by Bates, but Christopher Lee was talked into playing Dracula in the film so that it would earn more money. It's a shame because I feel that Bates could have carried this film, like he did in DR. JEKYLL AND SISTER HYDE. That is not to say that Lee isn't great in this film, because he is. As usual, in the Hammer Dracula films, he doesn't have that much dialogue, but he gives a great performance none the less. This is due to his mere physical presence. The man projects anger and evil like crazy just by his stance, or by a simple gesture such as a raised eyebrow. I felt attracted to him and yet I was scared at the same time, and that is the magic that is his portrayal of Dracula.


You may recognize John Carson (Secker) and Michael Ripper (Inspector Cobb) from other Hammer films. Carson was in PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES and CAPTAIN KRONOS: VAMPIRE HUNTER. Ripper was a Hammer regular and appeared in over twenty of their films. Needless to say there isn't a bad performance in this movie, from either the Hammer veterans or from the younger actors.


TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA is a perfect example of a great gothic horror movie, and in my opinion it is one Hammer's best vampire films. I promise that you won't be disappointed; I'll stake my life on it. *cough*


5 out of 5 pints of blood


- Hammer Fangirl