Scars of Dracula
by Roy Ward Baker
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Christopher Lee, Christopher Matthews, Dennis Waterman, Jenny Hanley, Patrick TroughtonDirector: Roy Ward Baker
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Anamorphic, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 96 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-08-07
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Movie Reviews of Scars of Dracula
Movie Review: "Open the door! I've something for you!"
Summary: 5 Stars
"Scars of Dracula" is a sort of 'odd man out' in the series of films released by Hammer Studios in that it has no place in the continuity (rather like the final film in the series, "Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires"). Basically, it re-writes the series as a sort of alternate "part one" ... therefore, it's a good place to start for anyone who hasn't seen any of these movies before.
"Scars" opens unpromisingly, I must begin by saying, but a lame resurrection for Our Favorite Vampire is compensated by some unforgettable moments immediately following it ... there's the torching of Dracula's castle following his murder of a young girl by the frightened townspeople, who are then led by their priest to the church where they discover ... well, I can't really tell you, but you'll certainly never forget. Some time passes following this incident, and we're soon introduced to a pair of brothers, the nice Simon and the naughty Paul (who's given a most amusing introduction), our protagonists for the remainder of the feature. Paul finds himself, as a result of his high spiritedness, at Dracula's doorstep and up to his kneecaps in a sludge full of trouble, only to be followed soon afterward by Simon and the lovely girl both brothers are sweet on in an effort to save him.
Though the plot is rather thin, the film succeeds thanks to a number of striking images/scenes ... Drac gets a lot of lines, which is great because Christopher Lee has such a fantastic voice, there are some nice sets, particularly the bedroom where the stabbing occurs (love the red candles and curtains ... I want a room like that! and the stabbing, though unexplained in the movie, is certainly unforgettable). There are also some nice moments like Paul's escape from that bedroom to Dracula's resting place in a virtually inaccessible crypt hollowed into the side of the mountain ... the mere idea of being trapped there with no way out, knowing it would be just a matter of time till Dracula wakes up and having no where to hide is just awful. The sight of the former "Doctor Who" himself, Patrick Troughton, hacking up the corpse of Dracula's stabbing victim is hard to shake (I particularly like the way he whistles cheerfully to himself as he gets ready to do it, laying out his tools and setting down drop clothes in case any blood splatters). Memorable too are the sight of Dracula's iris's glowing red from beneath his closed eyelids, along with the sequence featuring him spiderclimbing up the cliffside (which we also got to see in Francis Ford Coppola's version in 1992 ... but this movie did it first!). The music is excellent, especially the violins we hear when Dracula mesmerizes his young female victims. The climax of the film too is pretty nifty, with the cross-stealing bat (helpful friends, eh?), and a final act of God that helps Simon to put a stop to the vampire's mischief at the end (this isn't a spoiler ... don't tell me you really expected Dracula to win!).
"Scars of Dracula" was the last of the Gothic Dracula films ... from the next film on, the films of the series would either be set in budget-saving modern-day England or turn of the century China (seriously!) It works very well as an introduction to the series, as I said already, as it basically re-writes the back-story, making any of the previous films irrelevant, and as it was the last of its kind it works also as a nice stand-alone Dracula tale.
The DVD I purchased here at Amazon back in 2001 boasted some great extras, all of which were greatly enjoyed by me. There are extensive biographies of both star Christopher Lee and director Roy Ward Baker (both containing a lot of "Scars" specific comments from both of them), trailers, nicely, NICELY animated menus a slideshow style photo gallery that lets the pictures float by automatically while some creepy music accompanies the images in the background, and a highly informative and critical commentary by both Mr. Lee himself and the director (who are not afraid to voice their dissatisfaction with parts of the film). But the best extra of all comes in the form of a bonus disk ... it's a retrospective look on the career of Christopher Lee, given to us by the man himself as he looks into the camera and tells us about the various roles he was privileged to play over the years. The best part comes at the end when he mentions his fellow horror film co-stars "Peter" and "Vincent". Very sweet.
"Scars of Dracula" is not a perfect movie (as several things are never explained and the bats still look fake), but it's a lot of fun, and the things it does right are done so well that they more than compensate for the things that aren't. Do yourself a favor and buy a copy today. This film and it's extras will keep you entertained for hours.
Carry on Carry on,
MN
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