★ 6 / 10
Somehow, the sound of Dennis Waterman with a
CinemaSerf
Somehow, the sound of Dennis Waterman with a plummy accent doesn't quite work in this standard Hammer production. He is "Simon" who is keen on "Sarah" (Jenny…
Somehow, the sound of Dennis Waterman with a plummy accent doesn't quite work in this standard Hammer production. He is "Simon" who is keen on "Sarah" (Jenny Hanley) who is, in turn, rather keen on his Lothario of a brother "Paul" (Christopher Mathews). When the latter man's antics cause him to flee the anger of the burgomaster, he alights on a fire-damaged castle where he is soon, well... "Simon" and "Sarah" along with the local priest (Michael Gwynn) are soon on the trail but can they rescue him - or, indeed, save themselves from the evil that is "Dracula" (Christopher Lee)? Patrick Troughton is quite effective as the put-upon factotum "Klove" and Lee does just enough but the rest of the cast are really pretty lacklustre as the story follows a predictable pattern - complete with bat-on-a-string and plenty of ketchup and Ribena. It's watchable, but there's way too much dialogue and not enough action until the very last few moments - and even that is too heavily dependent on a thunderstorm to create any sense of impending menace.
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★ 7 / 10
_**Adds some needed pizzazz to the Hammer series**_
Wuchak
_**Adds some needed pizzazz to the Hammer series**_ A young man (Christopher Matthews) running from the law ends up at an ominous castle and goes missing. Thus…
_**Adds some needed pizzazz to the Hammer series**_
A young man (Christopher Matthews) running from the law ends up at an ominous castle and goes missing. Thus his brother and a friend (Dennis Waterman & Jenny Hanley) travel to the dubious dwelling to find him, but come face-to-face with a formidable fiend (Christopher Lee).
“Scars of Dracula” (1970) is a sort of reboot of the Hammer series in that it’s basically a redo of Lee’s first two stabs at the undead Count: “Horror of Dracula” (1958) and “Dracula, Prince of Darkness” (1966), not to mention it mixes in aspects of “Dracula Has Risen from the Grave” (1968) and, most significantly, the plot of “Psycho” (1960). For those who question the latter, just reread the plot description above.
Some viewers gripe that this one doesn’t fit the chronology of the series for a couple of reasons, yet these supposed conundrums are easily explained: Dracula was reduced to dust at the end of the prior film, “Taste the Blood of Dracula” (1970), but Klove had instructions to seek out and acquire the Count’s ashes if he was ever slain and bring them back to the castle in Transylvania where one of his creatures of the night would supply the blood necessary to resurrect the Prince of Darkness. As for the differences in the look of the castle, Hammer had moved to a different studio and so of course it looks different than it did when they made “Horror of Dracula” thirteen years earlier.
Although marred by the cheesy bat sequences, “Scars of Dracula” is one of the more entertaining installments due to the spirited Paul, a bit o’ genuine amusement in the first act and a generally compelling story (hey, it worked for “Psycho,” why wouldn’t it work here?). The female cast doesn’t hurt, particularly the lovely Hanley as Sarah, but also Anouska Hempel (Tania), Delia Lindsay (Alice) and Wendy Hamilton (Julie).
For those interested, Hammer did nine Dracula-themed films from 1958 to 1974 as follows:
Horror of Dracula (1958); The Brides of Dracula (1960); Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966); Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968); Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970); Scars of Dracula (1970); Dracula AD 1972 (1972); The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973); and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974). Lee plays Dracula in all of them except “Brides” and “7 Golden Vampires” while Peter Cushing appears in five of them as a Van Helsing.
The film runs 1 hour, 35 minutes, and was shot at Elstree Studios & nearby Scratchwood, just northwest of London.
GRADE: B
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★ 7 / 10
Christopher Lee's 5th Hammer entry better than its reputation
kevinolzak
1970's "Scars of Dracula" topped the only Dracula-Frankenstein double bill ever offered by Hammer, Christopher Lee's 5th performance in the series coupled with…
1970's "Scars of Dracula" topped the only Dracula-Frankenstein double bill ever offered by Hammer, Christopher Lee's 5th performance in the series coupled with the already completed "The Horror of Frankenstein" for a brief run on the drive-in circuit by American Continental Films (along with "Lust for a Vampire"), quickly sold to television and popping up in record time before disappearing from the airwaves. "Scars" began shooting only five months after the previous Hammer entry "Taste the Blood of Dracula," seven months after Jesus Franco's adaptation "Count Dracula," and actually returns to Stoker for many plot devices that had never been done in films. The climax of "Taste" had Dracula destroyed in a London church, kicking things off here back in Transylvania with his ashes revived by dripping blood from a very large and rather phony rubber bat (the only previous entry that employed bats was 1960's "The Brides of Dracula," the one without Lee). The torch bearing villagers decide to storm Castle Dracula for a proper burning, only to return to their loved ones at the church mutilated by vengeful bats in their absence (the same set reused in Jimmy Sangster's "Lust for a Vampire"). The philandering Paul Carlson (Christopher Matthews) escapes the clutches of the law only to find himself arriving at Castle Dracula, welcomed by the beautiful Tania (Anouska Hempel) and her master, introducing himself with three simple yet familiar words: "I am Dracula." With no possible escape, Paul tries to make himself comfortable, receiving a visit from Tania as willing bed warmer, having just been bitten by Dracula (only the second time we see Lee perform the actual bite). The approaching dawn has Tania ready to sink her own fangs into her lover's neck, an enraged Dracula emerging to stab her repeatedly in an unexpected and illogical demise for a vampire. Paul discovers an opening some yards below his room, making his way down the wall to find himself hopelessly trapped in the Count's private sanctuary, later found impaled on a meat hook. Director Roy Ward Baker was proud of restoring the Count's ability to use creatures of the night to perform his bidding, either as winged angels of death or like carrier pigeons, as well as having doors open and close by themselves whenever Dracula requires. By far the most notable idea from Stoker was the sight of Dracula crawling down the castle wall (recreated for Frank Langella), seen here as walking up the wall from his hidden coffin location. Lee also receives more screen time than in any other Hammer entry, over 11 minutes for a more balanced approach that keeps him involved right from the start. Simon Carlson (Dennis Waterman) and girlfriend Sarah (Jenny Hanley) search for his missing brother, barely escaping Castle Dracula through the help of the Count's manservant Klove (Patrick Troughton), who keeps a framed photo of the lovely Sarah and only defies his master in her defense. Klove was introduced in Lee's second entry "Dracula - Prince of Darkness," earning forgiveness by bringing new blood in the shapely form of Wendy Hamilton as Julie, instantly killed by Dracula's bite. The idea of a church desecrated by evil previously appeared in "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave," the ineffectual priest played by the distinguished Michael Gwynn, Peter Cushing's creation from 1958's "The Revenge of Frankenstein." Despite the savage critical backlash upon release (even cofeature "The Horror of Frankenstein" was received with greater leniency), Lee himself was surprised at how well it turned out during his 2000 commentary track, perhaps mollified by the numerous Stoker touches that he was usually calling for and, for once, accepted by screenwriter Anthony Hinds, under his regular pseudonym John Elder. This turned out to be the final Gothic sequel, two modern era vehicles to close out Lee's participation, "Dracula A. D. 1972" and "The Satanic Rites of Dracula."
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