Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)

Three distinguished English gentlemen accidentally resurrect Count Dracula, killing a disciple of his in process. The Count seeks to avenge his dead servant, by making the trio die in the hands of their own children.

Director:

Peter Sasdy

Writers:

Anthony Hinds (screenplay) (as John Elder), Bram Stoker (based on the character created by)

Stars:

Christopher Lee, Geoffrey Keen, Gwen Watford

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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	...	Cobb
Russell Hunter	...	Felix
Shirley Jaffe	...	Hargood's Maid
Keith Marsh	...	Father

Storyline

Three middle-aged distinguished gentlemen are searching for some excitement in their boring bourgeois lives and get in contact with one of Count Dracula's servants, Lord Courtley. In a nightly ceremony, they restore the count to life. However, the three men killed Courtley and, in revenge, the count ensures that the gentlemen are killed one by one by their own children.

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Plot Keywords:

vampire | servant | father disapproves of daughter's boyfriend | horse riding | ritual | 

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Taglines:

They drink his blood and the horror begins

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the few Hammer Dracula films that was R-rated, Taste the Blood of Dracula, was not only able to push the envelope with its depiction of nudity, and violence, but also with its dark themes.

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Goofs

During the prologue Weller hears a series of earsplitting, bloodcurdling screams, which lead him to witness Dracula's demise. However, whilst impaled on the cross during Dracula Has Risen From The Grave, the Count makes little in the way of noise - gasps rather than ear-piercing shrieks capable of pervading through the dead of night.

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Quotes

Dracula: They have destroyed my servant. They will be destroyed...

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Alternate Versions

The British version has nudity ( a couple of topless scenes) and a woman doing a provocative snake dance; a large consticting snake is draped around her body, as she is dancing to the men's delight. This takes place when the three men visit the bordella near the begining of the film. There is also close-ups of the mens faces with blood around their mouths when dracula has their offspring kill them.

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Connections

Referenced in Madeline Smith: Vampire Lover (2013)

User Reviews

Another solidly entertaining Hammer Dracula pic.

A trio of seemingly respectable, well-to-do Victorian gentlemen (played by Geoffrey Keen, Jonathen Secker, and Peter 'more cheese, Gromit?' Sallis) form a secret club in order to experience the wildest thrills that life has to offer. However, their limited imaginations mean that they soon become bored, and so they decide to take their lead from disgraced aristocrat and practising Satanist Lord Courtley (a marvellously slimy Ralph Bates), who suggests that they attempt a ritual to bring the infamous Count Dracula back to life.

When the three men panic during the ceremony, and beat Courtley to death, they flee the scene, not realising that Count Dracula (Christopher Lee) has indeed returned from the dead, and now seeks retribution for the killing of his loyal acolyte.

Although Hammer's Dracula movies rarely strayed far from their well-worn formula—Dracula lives; Dracula kills; Dracula dies—their lush Gothic atmosphere, fine ensemble casts, and sumptuous cinematography usually meant that, even when the script was somewhat lacking, there was still plenty to enjoy. Such is the case with Taste The Blood Of Dracula, which features a so-so story and a surprisingly unremarkable turn from Lee (who is forced to deliver some particularly dodgy dialogue), but manages to keep fans entertained with some gloriously camp performances from the rest of the cast, some fine direction from Peter Sasdy, and loads of Hammer's trademark Gothic trappings.

Plus, this entry in the series also stars the gorgeous Linda Hayden—one of my favourite actresses from the late 60s/70s—whose presence makes it a must-see as far as I am concerned. Her transformation from wide eyed innocent to slutty vamp slave (with cleavage on display, naturally) is reason enough to seek this one out!

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English Latin

Release Date:

7 June 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

Taste the Blood of Dracula

Filming Locations:

Tykes Water Lake, Aldenham Country Park, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hammer Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min (uncut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1