Day 178: Countess Dracula

Countess Dracula

The 70's were a crazy time

Hammer Films is a film production company based in the United Kingdom. They are best known for their “Hammer horror” series of movies from the 60's and 70's that focused on classic stories such as Frankenstein, The Mummy, and Count Dracula. They've had a recent resurgence in new movies with the acquisition of the library by Cyrte Investments. Many horror fans are well versed in Hammer's films, but they are almost completely unknown to me. What better way to dive in than with a classic, Countess Dracula?

Countess Dracula is a 1971 horror film starring Ingrid Pitt (Where Eagles Dare, The House That Dripped Blood) as Countess Elisabeth Nadasdy. After the death of her husband, Elisabeth attends his will reading with Captain Dobi (Nigel Green, Zulu, Jason And The Argonauts), the castle steward, Master Fabio (Maurice Denham, Oliver Twist, Hysteria), the historian, and a strapping young soldier named Lt. Imre Thoth (Sandor Eles, The Evil of Frankenstein, The Saint). Lt. Thoth receives the Count's horses, much to the chagrin of Captain Dobit and the countess, who are secretly lovers. After an accident with a servant girl, Elisabeth discovers that the blood of the servant restored her youth and beauty. She enlists Captain Dobi to acquire girls to murder in order for her to bathe in their blood. To explain her rejuvenated state, Elisabeth assumes the identity of her daughter, Ilona, who has been stuck on the other side of the river due to floods. Elisabeth seduces Lt. Thoth and they fall in love. Fabio is suspicious and finds a book that talks about blood sacrifice. He informs Elisabeth that only the blood of virgins will work. Fabio tries to tell Thoth the truth, but Dobi kills him and makes it look like suicide. What will happen to Lt. Thoth if he marries Elisabeth and what if the real Ilona finally arrives?

 It gets awfully drafty in these old castles

When you hear the title “Countess Dracula,” you immediately think of a female version of Dracula, neck-biting, turning into a bat, and lurking in the shadows with a cape. Sadly, we don't get that, but the title is actually quite accurate as this movie is essentially the story of Countess Erzsebet (Elisabeth) Bathory. It is believed that Countess Bathory killed hundreds of virgins and bathed in their blood to retain her youth and beauty. Since she is the basis for Dracula, the title is probably more apt than most horror movies. The movie brings to mind old versions of Robin Hood, with great looking costumes and sets. I don't know if they are particularly accurate, but they look good nonetheless. The story itself, though, is pretty much by-the-numbers. You have a pretty good idea of what is going to happen and to call this movie “horror” is a bit of a stretch. It's not scary so much as it is unnerving at points, like Elisabeth's addiction to virgin blood and the countess's maid Julie expressing not wanting to ever leave the castle.

What helps the movie most is Ingrid Pitt. She is absolutely beautiful, even more so when you see the transition between her old makeup and her actual face. She puts on a very good performance and I was shocked to find out that her voice had actually been dubbed. I have no idea why, but it didn't hinder her portrayal in the movie. Nigel Green is very good as Captain Dobi and Sandor Eles plays his part just as well. There are a few scenes of nudity, far more than there are scenes of violence. I can't really complain about that, so I won't!

Beard time!

I was expecting a vampire movie when I decided to watch Countess Dracula and was a bit disappointed when there was no blood sucking. Essentially a story about Countess Bathory, you pretty much know what is going to happen, so there is not a lot of mystery or excitement. What sets it apart is the very good acting all around and the fun costumes and sets. If you're like me and you're not well-versed in Hammer horror, Countess Dracula is a good starting point. It won't blow you away, but you'll still enjoy the movie for what it is.

6.5/10

Day 42: Black Death

Black Death

None more black

More horror movies need to take place in Medieval times. The era was scary enough as it is and throwing in elements of horror would crank the fear factor to 11. There are no cell phones, no electricity, no guns, just swords, arrows and your wits. Even something simple like a slasher movie set in Medieval times could be great just because of the setting. A damsel in distress running through a castle while a man in an iron mask gives chase with a morning star. Please let me know if this has been done because I'd love to see it.

Black Death takes place in plague-ridden medieval England. People are dying in the streets across Europe and funeral fire's are lighting up the night. A young monk named Osmund (Eddie Redmayne, The Yellow Handkerchief) is having a crisis of faith and is considering leaving his monastery to join the lovely Averill. Osmund prays for God to give him a sign if he should leave. A group of soldiers arrive at the moastery seeking a guide through marshlands to reach a secluded village untouched by the plague. It is the believed that the village is being protected by a pagan necromancer. Osmund volunteers for the task and joins the knight Ulric (Sean Bean, Lord of the Rings), the leader Wolfstan (John Lynch, Sliding doors) and a crew of Christian soldiers. During their journey, Osmund discovers that Averill has been killed and his struggles with his faith worsen. When they finally arrive at the village, they are shocked to discover that it is in fact free from the Black Death and, apparently, God. Are things what they seem? Does the absence of God really protect this village, are the soldiers safe and will Osmund renounce his faith?

What Republicans think the Democratic Convention looks like

Black Death's horror comes not from a particular ghoul or demon, but from an unnameable fear. The fear of the plague, the fear of death, and the fear of the absence of God. Every actor does a fantastic job in this movie and really create a sense of dread when the action gets going. The background music is one of the unsung stars of the movie. Where some movies overpower with strings or jump at you when scenes are supposed to scare you, Black Death's music has a creepy undercurrent that washes over the viewer. Religion and God do play a large role in the movie, but it is thankfully not crammed down your throat with obviously imagery. There are some similarities to the Wicker Man, but not enough to make you feel like you've seen this movie before.

Sometimes you watch a horror movie and you know they were just going for a direct-to-DVD release. Black Death was clearly meant for the big screen and it's a shame that it never got the nation-wide release it deserved. The movie was filmed throughout Germany and is absolutely stunning. There are some very good action sequences with a good amount of blood and decapitations. Unfortunately these scenes suffer by using quick, shaky camerawork. You want to focus on and enjoy the action, but the camera moves around so much that it's really hard to focus on anything. I call it the Bourne Identity effect. The ending feels slightly rushed, but at over 100 minutes running time, I can understand wanting to wrap things up.

Collect the whole set

Black Death is a very good movie, not just a horror movie. Great acting and scenery, coupled with a good story and music make Black Death a scary and intense watch. It's not your typical monster or jump-at-you-from-the-dark horror movie, but the kind that creeps into your soul and makes you feel uneasy long after it is over. The action is solid enough to keep you excited with a good amount of blood to keep gore hounds interested. Black Death is definitely worth your time.

8.5/10