Scars of Dracula (1970)

A young man, Paul Carlson, is on a trip and spends the night at Count Dracula's castle. He is murdered. After some time has passed, the young man's brother Simon comes to the small town where all the traces end to look for him.

Director:

Roy Ward Baker

Writers:

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

Stars:

Christopher Lee, Dennis Waterman, Jenny Hanley

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Lee	...	Dracula
Dennis Waterman	...	Simon
Jenny Hanley	...	Sarah
Christopher Matthews	...	Paul
Patrick Troughton	...	Klove
Michael Gwynn	...	Priest
Michael Ripper	...	Landlord
Wendy Hamilton	...	Julie
Anouska Hempel	...	Tania
Delia Lindsay	...	Alice
Bob Todd	...	Burgomaster
Toke Townley	...	Elderly Waggoner
David Leland	...	First Officer
Richard Durden	...	Second Officer
Maurice Bush	...	Farmer (as Morris Bush)

Storyline

A young man, Paul Carlson, is on a trip and spends the night at Count Dracula's castle. He is murdered. After some time has passed, the young man's brother Simon comes to the small town where all the traces end to look for him.

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Plot Keywords:

female rear nudity | big breasts | bare butt | buttocks | climbing up a wall | 

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Taglines:

Shock Show of the Year!

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

During an interview, Christopher Lee expressed his well-known frustration with this film: "I was a pantomime villain. Everything was over the top, especially the giant bat whose electrically motored wings flapped with slow deliberation as if it were doing morning exercises."

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Goofs

Just after Simon has given his speech at the party, the shadow of the boom mic is seen on the wall behind him.

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Quotes

Simon Carlson: [finding the picture of Sarah] Where did you get this? He was here, wasn't he? Paul was here. What happened to him? Tell me!
Klove: I won't tell you anything!
Simon Carlson: [pinning Klove against the wall] You will tell me everything! Tell me!
Klove: Alright, he was here. It's true, he was here. But he got away. You must get away too. Now! Take her with you. He'll do terrible things to her if you don't. Terrible things. Don't let him. I'll help you to get away. It may be too late. The broth!

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Alternate Versions

The UK cinema version was cut by the BBFC to remove a scene of Dracula lapping blood from Tania's chest wound, footage of Tania's dismembered limbs and a shortening of the Priest's scarred face during the bat attack. A further BBFC-requested cut to the torture of Klove with a poker was waived after the distributors made a music edit instead. The cuts have never turned up in any print to date and may no longer survive.

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Connections

Featured in The World of Hammer: Hammer Stars: Christopher Lee (1994)

User Reviews

Late nights on the blood, well just look at those eyes.

A bat drools blood on the smouldering corpse of its master to revive him from the dead, where Dracula causes terror to the locals and passing travellers. A young man Paul fleeing from the authorities, disappears when he drops by Dracula's castle. Soon his brother Simon and his finance Sarah have gone looking for him, where they encounter unwelcoming locals and learn that Paul has passed through to Dracula's castle.

Out of the Hammer Dracula films I've watched (which would be Horror of Dracula, Dracula - Prince of Darkness, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, Taste the blood of Dracula and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires), this particular entry (the sixth) would have to be the weakest, but not entirely bad. What stands out is how sadistic it is in its nauseating actions and grisly make-up, where the red, red blood runs freely and the shocks are explicit. Also flesh and sexual activity is more fruitful. There's no denying this is one dark and mean-spirited Gothic film, held together by its scorchingly sombre atmosphere and some sensationally brooding set-pieces of striking suspense and images. These effective moments mainly derived from the original novel. Director Roy Ward Baker does a sound job, even though it can get patchy. However the main problem is that basic story and wilted script doesn't really build upon anything and it gets rather repetitive, senseless and creates drawn out feel. The ending is somewhat anti-climatic too. It's hard to escape the cheap look, as the sets are a mixture of cardboard structures, nice oil paintings as background features from the castle and plenty of rubber bats dangling from strings. While the woodlands surrounding the castle where forebodingly captured. The intrusive flair seems to be lurking there, but not with the same energy. Clocking in is a routine, frenzy music score. Christopher Lee seems to be going through the motions with a called in performance, but his presence features strongly to forgive that. The supporting cast are capable in their deliveries. Christopher Mathews, Dennis Waterman, and a stunning Jenny Hanley are likable in their parts. Patrick Troughton, Wendy Hamilton, Michael Ripper and Michael Gwynn also are terrific.

Bloody, nasty and dread-filled, but due to its languid pace it nothing more than a modest attempt.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 December 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Scars of Dracula

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

GBP200,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

EMI Films, Hammer Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1