Countess Dracula / The Vampire Lovers (1972)

Hammer at it's best

If you like hammer horror you will love this twin offering of Countess Dracula / The Vampire Lovers. This is not the blood and gore of modern day horror films but rather a decent plot, good atmosphere and quite good looking female vampires. It is what Hammer does best. October 20, 2008

The Perfect Creame for Those Nasty Age Spots & Wrinkles

[This review is part of my 31 days of Halloween series.]

Oh my god, COUNTESS DRACULA is fantastic & never plays on the tube. It is another splendid example from the House of Hammer at its best.

The script is based on the notorious tales of the equally notorious 15th century Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Báthory (1560-1614), known to history as The Blood Countess. The Countess was widowed at a relatively early age and the lady had a lot of time on her hands & a lot of kinky ideas in her head. It seems that becoming single again brought her latent sadism to the fore. Not only this, but the Countess found the perfect form for her madness: She became convinced that bathing in the blood of young virgins would act as an anti-ageing tonic. Since her word was law in the area under her control, she basically had the run of the place (in fairness to the lady, it is said that she was an excellent administrator.) She started torturing girls in her own household first, then branched out to the nearby town, eventually going even further a field. Girls would be lured to the castle with promises of work & training in etiquette. The Countess devised her own implements & methods to torture the poor souls in order to extract their blood for her personal line of cosmetics.

It is said that over 600 women were murdered before the Countess went too far when she started to kidnap girls from the aristocracy. The Countess was condemned & walled up alone in a small, windowless room in her castle until she died. Remember, this isn't just a superstitious story--it's recorded fact.

The movie is rather tame in comparison to the reality.

But it's a great horror film, held together by actress Ingrid Pitt in a wonderful performance that comes pretty close to being high camp.

I know this sounds crazy, but the movie would be ok for kids over 14. This is one of those rare instances where reality is far more sordid than its cinematic reproduction.

The Vampire Lovers is more sexually focused.

COUNTESS DRACULA alone gets a lurid 5 Stars.

Transylvania
Vampires - Los Muertos
Countess Dracula's Orgy of Blood
The Erotic Rites of Countess Dracula
October 18, 2008

I thought I had seen all the Hammer films

I don't ever recall seeing these two movies before. It was a pleasant surprise. I thought they were both interesting in their own way. But don't be fooled by the title. 'The Vampire lovers' is the only vampire movie in the set. October 8, 2008

MGM'S Countess Dracula / The Vampire Lovers

MGM'S midnight double feature Countess Dracula / The Vampire Lovers is a great pair of vampire films! Good price also. September 13, 2008

Ingrid Pitt Is The Original "Queen Of The Damned"

This double feature from MGM has two classic horror films from Hammer Production. Both star the beautiful, voluptuous Ingrid Pitt ("The House that Dripped Blood") who delivers great performances in her roles as evil women. These beautifully photographed gothic films boast high body counts and a great deal of suspense and terror.

Everyone wants to stay young and beautiful. In "Countess Dracula," the wealthy widow Countess Elizabeth is no exception. She discovers that smearing her body with virgin blood rejuvenates her, but only temporarily. She must kill and kill again. Her depravity knows no bounds as she strives to obtain her desires. She is one of the most evil, selfish women I've watched on film.

The legend of Carmilla Karnstein is given new blood in Hammer's "The Vampire Lovers." The beautiful bisexual vampire Carmilla uses a host of false identities as she ingratiates herself into wealthy families. A reign of terror begins as she kills their daughters, their servants, nearby villagers, and anyone who discovers her secret. Oddly enough, this vampire can appear during daylight hours. Carmilla reminded me of Akasha in Anne Rice's "Queen of the Damned." Carmilla's saga continues in "Lust for a Vampire" and "Twins of Evil," both produced by Hammer.

This DVD double feature is a must have for fans of Hammer films, gothic horror, and vampire tales. It is a great introduction to film star Ingrid Pitt and to the legend of Carmilla Karnstein.

August 22, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...