Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)

Director:

Peter Sasdy

Writers:

Anthony Hinds
Bram Stoker (character created by)

Release Date:

7 June 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

DRINK A PINT OF BLOOD A DAY

Plot:

Three elderly distinguished gentlemen are searching for some excitement in their boring borgoueis lives...

Plot Keywords:

Dracula | Servant | Revenge | Ceremony | Bite Mark

Cast

Christopher Lee	...	Dracula
Geoffrey Keen	...	William Hargood
Gwen Watford	...	Martha Hargood
Linda Hayden	...	Alice Hargood
Peter Sallis	...	Samuel Paxton
Anthony Higgins	...	Paul Paxton (as Anthony Corlan)
Isla Blair	...	Lucy Paxton
John Carson	...	Jonathon Secker
Martin Jarvis	...	Jeremy Secker
Ralph Bates	...	Lord Courtley
Roy Kinnear	...	Weller
Michael Ripper	...	Inspector Cobb
Russell Hunter	...	Felix
Shirley Jaffe	...	Betty - Hargood's Maid
Keith Marsh	...	Father
Peter May	...	Son
Reginald Barratt	...	Vicar
Madeline Smith	...	Dolly (as Maddy Smith)
Lai Ling	...	Chinese girl (as Chai Ling)
Malaika Martin	...	Snake girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Amber Blare	...	Bordello Girl (uncredited)
Vicky Gillespie	...	Bordello Girl (uncredited)
June Palmer	...	Redhead Prostitute (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Sasdy

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Anthony Hinds		(as John Elder)
Bram Stoker		character created by

Produced by
Aida Young	....	producer

Original Music by
James Bernard

Cinematography by
Arthur Grant

Film Editing by
Chris Barnes

Production Design by
Scott MacGregor

Makeup Department
Mary Bredin	....	hairdresser supervisor
Gerry Fletcher	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Christopher Sutton	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Derek Whitehurst	....	assistant director
Nick Granby	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Lindsey Vickers	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Arthur Banks	....	construction manager

Sound Department
Ron Barron	....	sound recordist
Keith Batten	....	boom operator
Roy Hyde	....	sound editor
Tony Lumkin	....	recording supervisor
Dennis Whitlock	....	dubbing editor

Special Effects by
Brian Johnson	....	special effects (as Brian Johncock)
Bob Archer	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Terry Schubert	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Mike Tilley	....	special effects team (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Les Bowie	....	matte painter (uncredited)

Stunts
Peter Brace	....	stunts (uncredited)
Peter Diamond	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Neil Binney	....	camera operator
Bob Jordan	....	focus puller

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Brian Owen-Smith	....	wardrobe master

Music Department
Philip Martell	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Geraldine Lawton	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Hammer Film Productions

Distributors

• Warner-Pathé Distributors (1970) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1970) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1981) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Home Video (1989) (UK) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1991) (Finland) (TV) (as MTV2)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Canada) (DVD) (4 film collection)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD) (4 film collection)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content/nudity and brief violence (re-rating) (2004)

Runtime:

USA:91 min | UK:95 min (uncut)

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:15 (video rating) | UK:X (original rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Finland:(Banned) (1970) | Finland:K-18 (self applied) (2005) | Sweden:15 | Australia:M | USA:GP (certificate #22364) (original rating) | USA:R (re-rating) (2004) | Ireland:15

Filming Locations:

Aldenham Country Park, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

The film was originally not going to feature Dracula at all, much like The Brides of Dracula (1960), due to Christopher Lee becoming increasingly reluctant to reprise the role and the producers not expecting to be able to convince him to do so. Lee's increasing salary demands were also a factor. Ralph bates would have played the lead. The script was rewritten to include Dracula after the producers were finally able to coax Lee back to the role after Warner-Seven Arts refused to back the film without the actor's participation.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Lucy's front door has a Yale lock.

Quotes:

Dracula:Alice...
Alice Hargood:Who are you? How d'you know my name?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Wicker Man Enigma (2001) (V)

Reasonable latter-day Hammer.

Three wealthy gentlemen go out during one night of the month for pleasure seeking (supposedly for charity the wives think) and are becoming incredibly bored in what they do in that time, as they think that they've done everything. That's until they meet Lord Courtley (Ralph Bates) who claims he can give them power if they join him in some ritual to recreate his dead master, but first they have to buy a certain item off a shopkeeper to perform this task. So, with the help of Dracula's servant Lord Courtley they meet in a rundown chapel to revive Dracula (Christopher Lee) from his ashes, but they chicken out of fulfilling their end of the bargain and to keep this quiet they kill the servant. Thinking that it will just blow over, but there wrong as now Dracula has been revived through his servants' corpse and he plans to take vengeance on those three for killing his servant.

Decent latter-day hammer effort that has very good production valves and some solid performances on show. The polished Victorian sets standout with sharp detail and great use of shadowy and dim lighting for its Gothic atmosphere. Though, the atmosphere was good it wasn't that grand in stature and it's not terribly suspenseful as we've seen it all before. The overall feel might come across a rather glum, but it has its lively parts and an undertone of pervading sexuality and flesh for some added boost. The compellingly clever plot is well thought out to begin with (great intro) and there are some unpredictable moments, but then it does seem to follow the usual pattern of the earlier Hammer Dracula's and ends rather unconvincingly after it looked like there was going to be an exciting finale. After a promising first half it does kind of drag in parts after the resurrection of Dracula and comes up with an uninspiring romance tale. The script is utter ham and quite stilted. Christopher Lee as Dracula doesn't really get that much too do, but whenever on screen his presence or quick flashes has some hypnotic pull making you wish he had more screen time. Most of the time his sneaking about in the background, counting down his victims in a husky voice (1,2 & 3) and giving orders to others (their children) to do his dirty work. Most of the performances were good (some deadpan) from the likes of Geoffrey Keen, Peter Sallis and John Carson as the three gentlemen and Ralph Bates as Lord Courtley is incredibly over-the-top, but seemed well suited for it. The ladies of the film or you should say Dracula's victims Isla Blair and the ravishing Linda Hayden give fair performances and some added eye-candy. The direction by Peter Sasdy is top-notch in delivery and he adds in some great sequences. The fine camera-work had sprawling crane and ground shots. While not forgetting the look into my eyes camera zooms too. Even the make-up and gore effects (nice flowing rich blood) were pretty well conceived and didn't come across as too wretched. Another highlight of the film would have to be piercing, but also moody music score.

Anyway maybe the formula was starting to wear thin in this film? Well, it does rehash certain elements and the usual clichés follow, but what do you expect from these campy hammer films. Its their trademark and has been a winning formula for them.

A mildly enjoyable hammer film, even if it's by the books.