Scars of Dracula Blu-ray Review – 1970 Hammer Horror

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.

Scars of Dracula Blu-ray Review

If you like my Scars of Dracula blu-ray review you may want to check out these films:


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.

Scars of Dracula Blu-ray Review (1970)

The Amazon links on this page are affiliate / associate links. By buying through the links we may receive a commission for the sale. This has no effect on the price you pay.


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.

What Do You Think?
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
Summary: Scars of Dracula (1970) Blu-ray Review
Scars of Dracula Blu-ray Review (1970)

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
4.8

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!

Menu