The Scars of Dracula

Rating:
Summary: No bonus DVD as the cover claims!!
Review: The movie itself is very good if your a Dracula fan like me,however, I bought this movie for the bonus DVD thats suppose to come with it, however, there is no bonus DVD! I was sent a replacement movie hoping It would come with the bonus DVD as the front cover claims, but it did not. One reviewer out there says he got the bonus DVD but I don't understand why twice I did not get it. If anyone out there bought this movie and got the bonus DVD I sure would like to hear about it. You can email me at; [e-mail] and I thank you!

Rating:
Summary: Slow-moving
Review: The Scars of Dracula spends more time with folks riding through the woods in horse-drawn carriages than it probably should. However, that won't affect the five-star rating I will most always affix to Christopher Lee's films. My admiration is not without merit. Mr. Lee looks great at every age, his elegant, poised and generously feeling demeanor lends itself beautifully to all his workmanship. Fans will not be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT ATMOSPHERIC HORROR!
Review: This entry in the series is perhaps the best, though it can be surpassed by HORROR OF DRACULA in some respects. A young couple runs afoul of the revived Count Dracula and his servant Klove, while in search of the man's missing brother. This film benefits greatly by an original and more elaborate screenplay, and Lee's phenomonal performance. Dracula is once again a more central character, giving him more to do and better lines. Lee gives his GREATEST performance yet, even though he personally disliked doing alot of Dracula films. Hammer also borrowed Universal's classic "firey mob" sequence for this film's opening, which also adds some early excitment as the mob of villagers attempts to end Dracula's reign by burning his castle. More is borrowed from Stoker's novel, such as Dracula scaling the castle walls and his vampire bats, whom he commands. This film is a bit gorier and has more sex than its predecessors, but don't let that stop you from buying this film(the gross scenes are few and brief). The night scenes filmed in daylight didn't bother me. Who cares? When you see Dracula awake, its night, so it doesn't matter. It helps the mood. The scenes outside the castle are dark, others are more light. This entry is very eerie, and well acted. Dracula's demise, while unorthodox, is the most original and is pretty cool!! Don't waste time, get SCARS OF DRACULA. It's the best example of Lee as Dracula, and is perhaps the darkest of the series!

Rating:
Summary: A Dracula Delight
Review: This film comes from the period when Hammer was getting "spicy," tossing a little nudity into their films to increase the sensation. I remembered the film as being much racier than it turns out to be. All-in-all, it's an entertaining Hammer Dracula entry with Christopher Lee in top form, more savage and sadistic than we've ever seen Dracula before. This is another film in which Hammer tried to inject a touch of Bram Stoker into the tale by having a hero held captive in Dracula's castle watch as the vampire scales the walls similar to the scene described in Stoker's book. The only real drawback here is that Dracula is pretty much castle-bound throughout the picture so all of the action comes to him. Not the best of the Hammer Dracula films, but still a delightful envenings viewing for the horror fan.

Rating:
Summary: It must be me
Review: This has always been one of those movies, where the generally negative reaction genuinely mystifies me. There are plenty of "guilty pleasure" films where I can objectively see why people dislike them, and yet I don't. This is one of those rare cases where I just don't get the criticism. It's almost as if the rest of the world saw a different movie than I did. I first saw "Scars" probably 20-odd years ago on TV, and remembered loving it. When I saw this DVD advertised recently, and started reading various reviews about how bad it was, I thought:"Hmmm well..I was 13 years old or so", but when I saw that Anchor Bay was releasing a neat special edition with a bonus documentary I had to have it anyway. I thought if it really was bad, I could always sell it on Ebay. Well, to my semi-suprise, I liked it almost as much as I remembered, and (get those not helpful buttons ready folks), I found it far more fast-paced and fun than Horror of Dracula or the unbelievably boring Dracula-Prince Of Darkness. Christopher Lee has by far the best role of the series here. He even has dialogue! The women are beautiful, the small amount of gore was a neat suprise, and the demise of Dracula at the end was alot less anti-climactic than the previous films. Compared to the "Room with a View" tedium of Prince Of Darkness, Scars is a roller coaster ride. As far as the criticism that the bat was phoney-looking, ummm here's some news for those who don't know...ALL the bats in the series are phoney-looking. It's Hammer, not Spielberg. The effects here are no worse than any other of the films in the series. I guess there's no way to know whether you'll like this or not until you see it, so try a rental first, but I suspect some of the bad reviews are coming from people who simply follow the popular line. As far as the package goes, it's Anchor Bay. They are as close these days to a guarantee of quality as you're likely to find. The Video transfer looks great, the audio is mono, but perfectly servicable, and the bonus interview with Lee is a gem. If you like this movie, then you should be more than happy with this release. Just remember, Christopher Lee didn't care for this movie because he felt there was too much nudity and violence in it. Hmmmmmmmm...and this is supposed to dissuade a horror fan? :)

Rating:
Summary: The blood is the life!
Review: This is a good entry in Hammer Films' Dracula series. Dracula, revived by a blood-drooling bat, emerges from his castle and wreaks havoc on innocent victims. As time and the series progressed, sexual content was more overt. However, the delectable burgomaster's daughter and her bare bottom are as "PG" as things get. Some of the bloody murders may be too gruesome for younger viewers. The towering, menacing presence of Christopher Lee, dressed in the familiar flowing black cape, is the film's great allure. Lee's demonic demeanor transmits a spellbinding threat to sanity in each dreadful glare. Young women with deep cleavage are particularly vulnerable to his mesmerizing influence, as if that's a surprise! Dracula's hypnotic tendrils excite the bestial instincts of bats and wolves, a throwback to Bram Stoker's version of the character. The plot elements, from the blood induced resurrection at the beginning of the film to the mysterious seductive woman that inhabits Dracula's castle, have been seen before. Once again, unwitting victims spend the night in Castle Dracula. These familiar factors blend together in an entertaining way that holds the viewer's interest. Dracula's spectacular fate is electrifying and compensates the viewer for a few technical flaws (e.g., the fake bats, the "night" scenes clearly filmed in daylight, etc.). This is the last of the Hammer Dracula films set in the 19th century. The series went "modern" in 1972. Hammer horror fans and those who want a change from the "insane killer stalking teenagers" type suspense flick will enjoy this movie. For best results watch it as the wind moans through the trees while a distant dog howls at things going bump in the night. An approaching thunderstorm would be a nice touch. The blood is the life!

Rating:
Summary: Christopher Lee's Last Period Dracula Film
Review: This is a very Good Film. The cast is first rate, in this one Lee has more to do than in his other Dracula movies. A very fine performance by Christopher Lee, the rest of the cast is great! Patrick Troughton as the servant Klove is quite good, look also for Michael Gwynn as the priest. This was Hammer Films last period Dracula movie.

Rating:
Summary: A wasted effort...
Review: This is one bad film. I'm a huge Hammer fan but my, what a waste of time and money. Sure Christopher Lee has more lines but they're awful lines and the film has absolutely zero artistry whereas the direction is concerned. The camerawork and photography have none of the excitement of the earlier Dracula films. The continuity is very bad indeed--night, now day, now...night again, all in the same sequence! The best set in the film is the bedroom with its black and deep red--a great looking set. Even on a low budget much can be done with lighting and camera angles, not to mention camera speeds and editing but apparently no one thought of those things when this film was made. This film is only slightly better than Dracula AD 1972, and not as good as Satanic Rites of Dracula which was awful. The only reason to own this DVD is if you're a Hammer completist. Then again, the commentary is mildly interesting because of Christopher Lee--also the bonus disc in interesting. In Dracula Prince of Darkness, Lee may have had no lines but it was an infinitely better looking film with more interesting characters and better direction by Terence Fisher. Sometimes not saying much speaks volumes.

Rating:
Summary: ONE OF CHRISTOPHER LEE'S BEST!!!!!!!!
Review: This is such a great movie.The scenry and atmosphere is incrediable.This is one of the most violent in the Hammer series.
With its high level of gore,violence,and sex this movie really makes the other Draculas squat.

The legendary Christoher Lee is back as Dracula,bringing unspeakable terror upon a local village that defies his evil reign.But when a young man and his beautiful girlfriend unwittingly visit the Count's castle,they find themselves trapped in a face-to-face frenzy with bloodthristy vixens and sadistic torture.SCARS OF DRACULA IS THE MOST VIOLENT FILM IN THE ENTIRE SERIES.A MUST SEE FOR DRACULA FANS.

RATED R for violence,gore,and nudity.

Rating:
Summary: Four Stars for the Bonus Disc
Review: This movie was almost enjoyable but not up to par with the earlier Hammer offerings. The Bonus material is what (in my eyes) earned it Four Stars. The interview with Christopher Lee was very interesting and the music videos are a real treat. Fans of Lee should enjoy this item and the movie wasnt terrible, just not what Hammer fans expect(or should expect) of the Dracula movies.