Countess Dracula (1972)

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.

Copyright 1970 by Hammer Film Productions Ltd and The Rank Organisation Film Productions Ltd. U.K. release through Rank Film Distributors: 14 February 1971. U.S. release through 20th Century- Fox: October 1972. Banned in Australia. 8,356 feet. 93 minutes. SYNOPSIS: The aged Countess Elizabeth goes on a killing spree after discovering the rejuvenating power of blood.MY VIEW: Although not highly regarded by Hammer fans, "Countess Dracula" features a strong performance by Ingrid Pitt in the title role (aided by reasonably convincing make-up), but provides little else of interest, aside from a few glimpses of Andrea Lawrence. Fans of Nigel Green will feel especially aggrieved. Our hero is not only cast in a lackluster role, but he's given precious little footage. He doesn't even play second fiddle to Ingrid, but joins Patience Collier and the lovely Lesley-Anne Down on third. Maurice Denham, despite the handicap of a woeful costume, even steals a scene or two from him. No wonder Nigel looks pained and disgruntled and seems aimlessly to wander through the film as if fighting a severe attack of indigestion. Despite some attractive settings, the production looks scrappy and second-rate. The men's wardrobe has a hand-me-down air, the editing is slack and the sets are not sufficiently Gothic to be either frightening or atmospheric. Although colorful enough, the photography is often inappropriately over-lit. The script also presents a number of entertainment obstacles. Ill-constructed, it makes little or no attempt to paper over several gaping holes in the narrative, fails to add flesh to the characters, yet frequently employs marking-time dialogue to spin the scenario out to feature length. Worst of all, however, is Peter Sasdy's ruthlessly inadequate direction. Judging from his totally inept approach, I would estimate that he learned his trade (such as it is) in the bleakly undemanding world of British television with its slip-shod acting, its over-use of mechanical close-ups, and its total disregard for pace, suspense and atmospheric build-up.

Hammer Films kept me going to the cinema regularly in the late 60s and early 70s, particularly when they started spicing up their horror out put with nudity, just at the time when my adolescent sap was rising - this was, in my view, a Good Thing.There was some nudity in Countess Dracula - not much, but it lingers even now: Ingrid Pitt was a startlingly attractive woman.Having said that, Countess Dracula (notwithstanding its misleading, but highly marketable, title - this isn't about vampires) was actually a decent film in its own right, telling the true(ish) story of Countess Elisabeth Bathory, who had the habit of bathing in the blood of virgins, believing that this kept her young (no Oil of Olay in those days, presumably), albeit with a typical Hammer spin.I enjoyed, and made several visits to the cinema (and Ingrid Pitt was definitely a factor!).

Countess Dracula may not be Vampire lovers, but again it has cult favorite Ingrid Pitt (both as herself and in old-age make-up and grey wig), sumptuous costumes, lighting and scenery, lovely score and young Lesley-Anne Downs as angelically pretty heroine. "Old women are gross evil monsters" morality stinks like a compost it is; in real life, Countess Bathory's crime career (if real) had nothing to do with becoming old and envying young girls. Anyway, it is yet another Hammer classic, and novelization by Michael Parry seems also very interesting. By the way, Grimm brothers is another sumptuously dressed, silly and enjoyable fairytale about Bathory legend.