Countess Dracula (1970)

[Scott]

COUNTESS DRACULA 1970 - Another film starring Ingrid Pitt.  The film is about a Countess Dracula who discovers that the blood from young ladies restores her youthful appearance. The movie isn't great, but is better than some that I've seen with a similiar story like THE AWEFUL DR. ORLOFF (good visuals), NIGHTMARE CASTLE(starring Barbara Steele), or the TWILIGHT ZONE episode. Maybe it's just me and am tired of this particular storyline. Maybe if I had seen COUNTESS DRACULA first I would appreciate it more. Anyway the DVD is good with commentary with those involved in the production of this film including Ingrid Pitt. The DVD is also a double feature on MGM's Midnight Movies with THE VAMPIRE LOVERS. The DVD commentary says they couldn't do alot because of censors, but did do some ground breaking moments for the times.




THE VAMPIRE LOVERS (1970) - Starring Ingrid Pitt and Peter Cushing. The film has a few good moments, but not enough to make it interesting. The sets are something similiar to the NIGHT GALLERY TV show. Left me a little dissapointed. A couple heads are cut off which was rather shocking.





Post Edited (08-26-04 21:34)

[Yaddo42]

I caught this one a few times on America One, edited with garden shears from the way scenes jumped during the edits, with the rabbit ears a few years ago, didn't even realize it was in color the first time I saw it, I had such a tough time getting the picture to come in worth a damn.

Not scary at all, but has a few interesting moments, more of a Gothic melodrama than a real horror film. I still get a chuckle thinking of the scene when she's being lead away in front of the townsfolk, and that old woman says "Countess Dracula" in a dubbed-in voice just to throw the title in like the viewer won't make the connection elsewise.

Just reminds me that I need to read "Carmilla" some day. But I can see how you'd say the "Carmilla/Elizabeth Bathory" storyline has been done to death, if you include the versions of "Wasp Woman" and other variations, the "older woman preying on younger women for their youth" story has been mined quite often.

[Scott]

Oh, that's right WASP WOMAN is the same type story.

The Midnight Movie DVD has Ingid Pitt reading from Carmilla as one of the special features.