Review of Scars of Dracula (1970) by Stuart K — 10 Mar 2013

From Hammer, this was their 6th Dracula film, and Hammer started production on this one nearly immediately after Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) had wrapped, and when it was released in the UK and America, it was shown on a double bill with The Horror of Frankenstein (1970).

It's a good Dracula, with it's star being given a lot more to do this time around, and even a lot more dialogue to say as well. Count Dracula (Christopher Lee) has been resurrected yet again, and he has an army of bats to wreck havoc on the village that surrounds his castle.

Meanwhile, libertine Paul Carlson (Christopher Matthews) has incurred the wrath of the town of Kleinenberg, after having it off with many of the young women in the town, including the daughter of the Burgomaster (Bob Todd), he flees up to Dracula's castle, where he's greeted by the count, his beautiful companion Tania (Anouska Hempel) and his manservant Klove (Patrick Troughton).

But, Paul soon discovers he's being held prisoner, and it's before long that his brother Simon (Dennis Waterman) and his fiancee Sarah (Jenny Hanley) go looking for him. It's more of the usual fare that you would expect from Hammer, but it is a good one, and it does have a few suspenseful moments, and a lot more blood this time around, and even Lee doesn't come across as an extended cameo, he relishes the part here.