Bored of drinking, and visiting the local establishments of ill repute, a group of Gents decide they need a new kick. It turns out, drinking the blood of Count Dracula seems to fit their bill. That is until they actually see what they are going to have to guzzle down. With this, they Decide to stick to copious amounts of whiskey, and it is left to a decadent, disowned, Aristocrat (Ralph Bates), to supply the body for Dracula, to be reborn through . Which is lucky, because we can now get on with the film.

More a look at the double standards of the Victorian Era than a typical Dracula film, and all the more engaging for it to. William Hargood is all bad, as a pillar of the community on the outside, but a thrill seeking drunk, and bully behind closed doors. He soon brandishes his riding crop one too many times, and comes a cropper through an altercation with a spade and his downtrodden daughter Alice.

Christopher Lee is kept to a low key performance here, and it is Linda Hayden's Alice who, under his spell does most of the foot work. With her help, The Count soon has his revenge on the three men, who didn't fancy downing a glass of his foaming life sauce. Of these three deaths, It's only Jonathan Secker (played by the very good but somehow slightly annoying John Carson) who you actually feel any sorrow for. So it's a bit of a strange film really. You are almost routing for Count Dracula, rather than any of the mortals (except Alice). Much is made of Dracula's ability to seduce the young ladies in this film, and by the look of the standard Victorian male I don't blame them for falling under his spell. Martin Jarvis indeed, and even the well meaning Paul is a bit of a tosser.

Linda Hayden Content:
Linda's one and only Hammer film, happens to be a very good one actually. Up until recently I had been fooled into believing that Hammer's Dracula films were a bit ropey. This was basically because of The Scars of Dracula. Anyone would think this was the cream of the crop, the amount of times it's shown on television. Unfortunately, it is the only film of the whole series that is total crap (Dracula AD1972 comes a close second though). So I was very pleased when I found my self really enjoying this one, even in a highly edited form. With a 8 whole minutes missing, the question would seem to be, why? It seems stupid do this and give it a 15 certificate, when they could have left it intact, and released it as an 18. Those wretched censors again.

Anyway on with Linda's role. Alice Hargood is a normal fun/boy loving teenager. Her fascist Father however is having none of it. He'd rather she spent her time in her room, than out mixing with 'sexually mature' young men. Linda's favorite, Paul Paxton being particularly in his firing line. He needn't have worried, the most they get up to is running around the garden (that's not a euphemism by the way). There is always much talk about Linda's weight when disguising this film, but from my point of view she still looks great. It's those eyes you see, and those fine period dresses. So give the girl a break. She does an excellent job as the repressed daughter, and then disciple of Evil. I do think her character is a bit under used, once Dracula has his hold over her. She's reduced to hanging about the church, for too much of the film. However, her and Lucy's nasty staking of Samuel Paxton makes up for some of this.

Over all the performances are rather good, but there are some very ridiculous script idea's for Linda, and the cast to deal with. Such as her (behind the bushes) appearance at her Fathers Funeral. Why the hell wouldn't Lucy find it strange, that Alice was not at her own Fathers burial. Instead of asking her where she has been, she agrees to meet her in secret later. Without mentioning to anyone, that she'd spoken her. Also the conversation between the young couples, when out riding, is the most excruciatingly stereotypical crap I have ever heard. If Paul, and Jeremy's jovial dress color conversation, had been over heard by any other living soul, there surely would have been an on screen massacre a lot sooner.

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