Cheap The Scars of Dracula (DVD) (Roy Ward Baker) Price

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Customer Reviews of The Scars of Dracula

Buy it for the extras
This, ladies and gentlemen, is why God made DVDs. Though the film itself is one of Hammer's weaker efforts, SCARS OF DRACULA is very much worth buying, if only for the extras. For one thing, the commentary features director Roy Ward Baker and star Christopher Lee, and their reminiscences alone are worth the price of the DVD. Particularly amusing are Lee's veiled barbs at Baker's less-than-stellar direction, and the two aging gentlemen's blatant plugs for their (then recently published) books. Better still, the package includes a bonus DVD, THE MANY FACES OF CHRISTOPHER LEE, which includes some good clips, Lee's own always-interesting commentary, and a touching little tribute to his departed friends, "Peter and Vincent". The bonus disc is a must for any fan of this sadly underappreciated actor.

As for the film itself, we had a right to expect much better from Roy Ward Baker, who gave us the marvellous A NIGHT TO REMEMBER before his Hammer days. His best work for the studio (QUATERMASS AND THE PIT, DR. JEKYLL AND SISTER HYDE, the opening sequence of THE VAMPIRE LOVERS) is on a level with their very finest films, but when he's bad - well, he's bad. (MOON ZERO TWO, anyone?) Baker isn't quite at his worst with this picture, but neither is he far from it.

Nearly everyone who discusses SCARS OF DRACULA feels the need to praise its famous "Dracula climbing up the wall" sequence. If you ask me, this bit is just plain silly. Lee's got his rear end sticking up in the air the whole time, and the director of photography didn't even bother turning his camera so that the wall looks vertical. Despite its fame, it's actually a pretty shoddy scene. Then again, this is overall a fairly shoddy movie...

Fortunately, however, Lee's customary professionalism, along with a couple of semi-interesting scenes, make SCARS OF DRACULA at least watchable. Don't expect too much from the movie, and make the most of the DVD extras, and you won't regret the purchase.

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Underrated and Truly Chilling!
The first time I saw this movie was many years ago and I still remember being in complete awe over the fact that it was so much different than what I had expected. It was so incredibly dark and sadistic (which was very uncharacteristic for Hammer Studios, let alone any other film of this period) and it actually left a lasting impression on me for days. The entire look and feel of the movie was somehow EXACTLY the way I had always pictured old horror movies to be. I feel this is one of Hammer Studios best films and one of the best Dracula movies ever made. (which unfortunately isn't saying much.)

For once, Dracula gets to deliver some good dialouge and do some pretty cool things like scaling his castle walls, torturing his nim-witted servant, and might I also mention the inclusion of the most dramatic "Dracula demise" in the entire series. Christopher Lee will always be the irreplaceable crown prince of terror and the one and only Dracula! However, one has to wonder why Peter Cushing wasn't cast as the village priest. His great acting skills and shiny charisma always added a lot of needed credibility to these so called "B grade" imported horror films.

Anyway, if you like castles, costumes, and old fashioned gothic horror films you need to give this one a try! Just don't get yourself too upset over the fake looking bats!

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Not the best, but the most horiffic of the entire series!
Great movie although I still say "Horror Of Dracula" was the best of them all. This film is the best of the sequels. Only one confusing part of it though. In "Taste The Blood Of Dracula", he is destroyed and rots away into dust at that ruined church. "Scars" begins, presumably, right after that film, yet we see Dracula's remains lying on a stone slab at a castle. How did this happen? Did someone pick up his dust at the church and then sprinkle it in the castle? Maybe it was the bat who comes in to drip blood on the remains? Who knows?

In any case, this was a rather good film. Unlike the previous one, Dracula is present for nearly the entire film this time. And, a great demise at the end this time.

If you buy any of the Hammer "Dracula" films, stick with this and the previous ones. Stay away from the ones that take place in the 20th century. Not the same.