Scars of Dracula (1970)

Director:

Roy Ward Baker

Writers:

Anthony Hinds (screenplay)
Bram Stoker (characters)

Release Date:

23 December 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

A young man, Paul Carlson, is on a trip and spends the night on count Dracula's castle. Needless to say...

Plot Keywords:

Castle | Brothers | Dracula | Blood | Dead Animal

Cast

Christopher Lee	...	Dracula
Dennis Waterman	...	Simon Carlson
Jenny Hanley	...	Sarah Framsen
Christopher Matthews	...	Paul Carlson
Patrick Troughton	...	Klove
Michael Gwynn	...	The Priest
Michael Ripper	...	Landlord
Wendy Hamilton	...	Julie
Anouska Hempel	...	Tania
Delia Lindsay	...	Alice, burgomaster's daughter
Bob Todd	...	Burgomaster
Toke Townley	...	Elderly Waggoner
David Leland	...	First Policeman
Richard Durden	...	Second Policeman
Morris Bush	...	Farmer
Margo Boht	...	Landlord's Wife
Clive Barrie	...	Fat Young Man
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Olga Anthony	...	Girl at Party (uncredited)
George Innes	...	Servant (uncredited)
Nikki Van der Zyl	...	Sarah Framsen (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Roy Ward Baker

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Anthony Hinds		(screenplay) (as John Elder)
Bram Stoker		characters

Produced by
Aida Young	....	producer

Original Music by
James Bernard

Cinematography by
Moray Grant		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
James Needs

Art Direction by
Scott MacGregor

Makeup Department
Heather Nurse	....	assistant makeup artist
Wally Schneiderman	....	makeup supervisor
Pearl Tipaldi	....	hairdresser

Production Management
Tom Sachs	....	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
Tony Baines	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Don Picton	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Roddy Rodrigo	....	props buyer (uncredited)
Bob White	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ron Barron	....	sound recordist
Roy Hyde	....	sound editor
Tony Lumkin	....	recording supervisor
Dennis Whitlock	....	dubbing mixer
David Crozier	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Colin Needs	....	assistant dubbing editor (uncredited)
Barry Reed	....	sound maintenance (uncredited)
David Tappenden	....	sound camera operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Roger Dicken	....	special effects

Stunts
Eddie Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Neil Binney	....	camera operator
Roderick Barron	....	clapper (uncredited)
Roderick Barron	....	loader (uncredited)
Joe Pearce	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Bob Stilwell	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Peter Woods	....	camera grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laura Nightingale	....	wardrobe mistress
Don Mothersill	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Stephen Hyde	....	second assistant editor (uncredited)
Adrian McDonald	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Philip Martell	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Betty Harley	....	continuity
Philip Campbell	....	unit runner (uncredited)
Ken Gordon	....	production accountant (uncredited)
Stuart King	....	assistant production accountant (uncredited)
Chris Nixon	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• EMI Films (presents) (as EMI Film Productions Limited)
• Hammer Film Productions (as A Hammer Film Production)

Distributors

• Anglo-EMI Film Distributors (1970) (UK) (theatrical)
• MGM-EMI (1970) (UK) (theatrical) (as MGM-EMI Film Distributors) (released through)
• American Continental Films Inc. (1970) (USA) (theatrical)
• Levitt-Pickman (1970) (USA) (theatrical)
• Lumiere Pictures (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Thorn EMI Video (198?) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:X (original rating) | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) (2007) | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating: 2008) | Australia:M | Finland:(Banned) (1971) | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Elstree Film and TV Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

EMI Films

Trivia:

Dennis Waterman was Hammer's choice; Roy Ward Baker has said in interviews he thought Waterman was badly miscast.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Klove is preparing to make a bed for Simon, and when he says 'The young lady will be quite comfortable', the shadow of a microphone is visible in the left upper corner of the screen.

Quotes:

Paul Carlson: Hey! Hey, up there! Help! There's no way out! Help!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Midsomer Murders: A Tale of Two Hamlets (#6.4)" (2003)

Dracula Is Back... And More Evil Than Ever

Roy Ward Baker's "Scars Of Dracula" of 1970 is not only by far the goriest and most violent of the awesome Dracula movies from Hammer Studios, it is also one of the best sequels. Count Dracula, played once again with greatness by Christopher Lee, is more vengeful, blood-thirsty and sadistic than ever, and the (once again) excellent eerie Hammer atmosphere makes "Scars Of Dracula" an must-see for Horror fans.

The story is, admittedly, not too elaborate, in some minor parts the script has its flaws, and the film has some cheesy moments, but what the hell, it remains suspenseful and creepy and top-notch horror entertainment anyway! As mentioned above, Count Dracula is crueler than ever. His thirst for blood has not only increased, but he also has a big desire for torturous punishments and brutality in general. His powers include the ability to control animals (predominantly bats). Count Dracula has, of course, always been a scary and evil villain in the Hammer films, but in "Scars Of Dracula" he is the Devil himself!

The movie begins with Dracula's (admittedly slightly cheesy) resurrection when a bat drops blood on his rotting ashes. After some girls fall victim to the vampire, angry villagers try to burn the count's castle, and have to notice that they are not capable of fighting the Prince of Darkness, who immediately takes terrible revenge… When a young man has to flee his town after spending the night with the burgomaster's daughter, he comes to the area where Dracula is striking terror into people's hearts, people who are living in constant fear and who are therefore anything but hospitable towards strangers…

"Scars Of Dracula" is, in my opinion, one of the greatest Dracula-sequels from the Hammer Studios. The original of 1958 remains unmatched, of course, but out of the sequels, "Scars of Dracula" is certainly one of the creepiest and most atmospheric. The violence is more graphic than in any of the other Dracula movies from Hammer, and although some effects in the movie may look a bit fake, the gory parts are very well made, and the great score by James Bernard makes the whole thing even creepier. The movie may have some minor flaws (which certainly didn't bother me), but it is an extremely creepy and highly atmospheric flick, which I highly recommend to Horror fans. Hammer fans can't afford to miss this one. 8/10