If you are a big Hammer fan like myself then you will no doubt have been waiting for many of their films to be restored and released on to blu-ray. Fortunately two compaines are indeed in the process of doing just that Studiocanal and Powerhouse Films. The one I’m reviewing today is from Studiocanal so without further ado here’s my Scars of Dracula Blu-ray Review.
- Scars of Dracula (1970)
- UK Rating 15
- Discs: 2 (Blu-ray & DVD)
- Released By Studiocanal
- Blu-ray Released: 30 October 2017
Plot
The villagers in the shadow of Castle Dracula are fed up living in fear and decide to take matters into their own hands. Meanwhile Paul Carlson flees the Kleinenberg authorities after been falsely accused of rape. He finds himself in the village close to Castle Dracula and decides to bed down in the local tavern however he finds the locals not at all welcoming. His next stop is Castle Dracula!
Style / Direction
Scars of Dracula is directed by Roy Ward Baker and the look is classic Hammer horror and pacing makes for an incredibly entertaining horror flick.
Music / Audio Effects
Make no mistake this is also a classic Hammer horror film score and provides the perfect chilling intensity that all great Hammer titles have.
Acting / Characters
The cast is pretty strong with Christopher returning as Count Dracula, any film with Christopher Lee is worth a look as he always delivers a top performance and Scars of Dracula is no exception. Elsewhere the main characters are played by Dennis Waterman and Jenny Hanley and whilst not Hammer legends they do put in very enjoyable performances and work well together. If you know your Hammer films Michael Rippers inclusion almost always enhances them, this time he plays the Landlord of the local tavern to great effect.
My favourite acting performance however is by the great Patrick Troughton as Klove, Dracula’s slave. Quite simply he is tremendous, it may be a lesser role but he makes it into a much more important one. So with a very good cast what’s not to like about Scars of Dracula.
- Christopher Lee as Count Dracula
- Dennis Waterman as Simon Carlson
- Jenny Hanley as Sarah Framsen
- Christopher Matthews as Paul Carlson
- Michael Gwynn as The Priest
- Michael Ripper as Landlord
- Patrick Troughton as Klove
- Anouska Hempel as Tania
- Wendy Hamilton as Julie
- Bob Todd as Burgomaster
Conclusion: Scars of Dracula (1970) Film Review
Scars of Dracula is a thoroughly enjoyable horror film whilst not considered one of the very best it still manages to provide a compelling storyline.
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Conclusion: Scars of Dracula Blu-ray Review
Now to the important stuff the film may be enjoyable but what’s the picture quality like? Well its good news, no great news in fact Studiocanal’s release has perfect picture quality, its sharp and clean looking and the colours are perfect for the Hammer style. I pleased to say there’s not a speck of dirt anywhere to be found. Excellent job!
On the extras front there is a rather nice 18 minute documentary that gives plenty of insight into the making or Scars of Dracula which is well worth watching.
Extras
- Blood Rites: Inside Scars of Dracula (18 mins)
- Original Trailer
Popcorn Cinema Rating:
Scars of Dracula (1970)
MOVIE RATING: MUST SEE
BLU-RAY RATING: EXCELLENT
POPCORN CINEMA: RECOMMENDED
Purchase Scars of Dracula (1970) On Blu-ray
Scars of Dracula (1970) is available now on blu-ray.
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Scars of Dracula (1970) Trailer
For those of you yet to see the film I’ll leave you with a little taster…
Clip may not be representative of the blu-ray version
That’s Scars of Dracula blu-ray review, if you have any thoughts on this film you can leave a comment on our Facebook page.
Summary: Scars of Dracula (1970) Blu-ray Review
Movie title: Scars of Dracula (1970)
Duration: 95 mins
Director(s): Roy Ward Baker
Actor(s): Christopher Lee, Patrick Troughton, Dennis Waterman, Jenny Hanley, Michael Ripper, Michael Gwynn
Genre: Horror
- Movie Rating
- Blu-ray Picture Rating
- Extras
Summary
Scars of Dracula is a thoroughly enjoyable horror film with excellent performances from Christopher Lee and Patrick Troughton. The picture quality on this new Blu-ray version is simply perfect!
