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Customer Reviews of Taste the Blood of Dracula

TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA
I rented this film some time ago, and I had sort of mixed fellings for it. Some parts were a bit of a letdown, but other sequences worked quite well. When a devil worshipper named Courtley (Ralph Bates) and a trio of high society Victorian England thrill seekers attempt to ressurrect Dracula by drinking his blood, Courtley chokes on it, forcing the others to drop their cups and beat him to death. Dracula is reborn, using his disciple's corpse. Dracula then proceeds to take vengance on Courtley's killers by killing them. With the help of one thrill seeker named Secker, a courageous young man out to free his girlfiend from Dracula's hypnosis, ends the vampire's terror. The plot was somewhat slow and unoriginal. Lee gives his usual sinister performance, and his scenes are the best in the film. By the way, Lee originally refused to do this film. Ralph Bates was enlisted as Dracula, but at the last minute, Lee was convinced to play Dracula. And of course, the role of Courtley was given to young Ralph Bates. This film can be pretty enjoyable. Fans of the series should definitely get this film! If you are interested in starting on viewing the Hammer Dracula series, watch them in order. They all have a sense of continuity and order matters!

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The last decent film in Hammer's Dracula series
"Taste the Blood of Dracula" begins with the conclusion of "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave," as a traveling salesman makes off with the count's cape, ring and some of his blood. Figuring these mementoes will be worth something, the salesman returns to England. A few years later we find three decadent London gentlemen--William Hargrove (Geoffrey Keen), Samuel Paxton (Peter Sallis), and Jonathan Secker (John Carson)--who spend their nights drinking and whoring in the East End under the guise of "charity work." The trio have become bored with their indulgences and then have the misfortune of encountering Lord Courtley (Ralph Bates), who comes up with the bright idea of bringing Dracula back to life for fun. The three purchase the relics the salesman brought over from Transylvania but freak out during the magic ritual that involves drinking the potion made from Dracula's blood (one thing you have to say for Hammer films, the titles usually come into play at some point in the narrative). The trio beat up Courtley and flee, but the potion transforms the Lord into the Count (Christopher Lee). Dracula immediately decides Courtley is worthy of revenge and goes after the three men through their children, whereupon much blood-letting ensues.

This is yet another one of Hammer's Dracula films where it ends up being less about the title character and more about what the director is up to. Unlike those films in the series directed by Terence Fisher, who had great affection for the 19th-century, director Peter Sasdy is more interested in seeing the Victorians as hypocrites who basically get what they deserve in the end. "Taste the Blood of Dracula" not only lacks the strong moral counter-presence of a Van Helsing type, it lacks a true hero. Dracula again meets his fate at the end of the film because that is what is supposed to happen, not because we have any vested interest in the boy rescuing the girl. Dracula is clearly an erotic figure whose seduction of the children of the Victorian debauchers heralds their sexual awakenings (e.g., Linda Hayden as Alice Hargood laying sensuously on the lid of Dracula's sarcophagus). For those of you looking for Freudian overtones, look no further, because things get pretty blatant in this film. "Taste the Blood of Dracula" is the last decent film in the Hammer Dracula series, so if you are working through the series in order, you might consider stopping here.

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bloody good !
well we had prety much given up hope of ever seeing a decent version of this classic Dracula adventure when Warner anounced
it's release in an unbutchered state.the image is flawless , the sound is good if not expansive but the real treat is that the 4 minutes missing from every print released so far has this time been included.The bordelo scene is now free of the savage editing done by warner in the early 70's to be able to market it to the kiddies.The other additions are very short scenes juged to violent at the time.The result is a film that flows better & has a stronger story & that's it rates a 5 on my scale.
review of the DVD edition