Count Dracula-1970

This was written up big in the monster mags back in 1970, buddy. I really, REALLY wanted to see it! Christopher Lee in a serious, faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker's DRACULA. How was I to know Jesus Franco was a renowned hack? I was eleven! As I would find out later, Franco was certainly a fascinating filmmaker and taken on their own unique terms his films can be very enjoyable but GOOD they aren't...ever.

Outside of Franco, the other problem with COUNT DRACULA is that there was not much of a budget. Lee looks good in his white hair and mustache--completely different than his Hammer portrayals of the Count. He is clearly trying hard to give this his all but the effort is just as clearly in vain.

COUNT DRACULA was never even released around these parts and I finally saw it in the early 1980's in a sliced up TV edit. It is, at its best, sad in that one can only imagine what this could have been with a bigger budget and a better director. Here's a longish scene that makes you want for what never was. Sigh.