Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)
When it came to finding a U.S. studio distribution deal for their Christopher Lee Dracula outings, Hammer films got around to sampling almost all the studios as partners at one time or another. As the 70's commenced, their Drac found a home with Warner Bros., not that it really mattered whose logo popped up before the main titles. The Hammer gloss and sheen remained constant as always.
As with all Hammer gothic product, you could depend on "Taste the Blood" to look lushly photographed despite its cheap budget and with the ability to dive deep into that wondrous British pool of skilled, distinguished acting talent.
The only way in which this one somewhat disappoints.....its very stingy use of the legendary Lee, towering over and glowering at the cast with few words but with massive, withering contempt. He only pops up sporadically in this one, as if he's only stopping in for a few guest starring cameos.
But we're off to a great start here, with roly-poly comic actor Roy Kinnear as a shady salesman who stumbles upon Drac already impaled and dissolving. Seizing the day, Roy grabs the Count's ring and cloak, coated with fresh dried vamp blood. And since you can consider him like an 18th century E-Bay, you know that merch will soon be up for grabs......
We quickly move on to familiar character actors Geoffrey Keen, Peter Sallis and John Carson, playing three sanctimonious uppercrusts who secretly sneak out on their families to go whoring in plush London clubs. On the hunt for new perverse pleasures, they meet up with a depraved young rake (Ralph Bates) who takes them to Roy and encourages them to lay out the coin to buy Drac's dried blood.
Bates' satanic ritual, using the blood like instant coffee to resurrect Drac, repulses the three uppercrusts......they beat him senseless and flee just before Bates dissolves and turns into...ta-daaaa! You know who.
Our guy Chris shows up in all his imperiously evil glory......and goes on a biting and staking rampage, deploying the minion-ized mesmerized grown children of the uppercrusts...(Linda Hayden, Isla Blair, Martin Jarvis.) And you can bet your blood-stained fangs that not many of them stay alive before the final credits roll.
And not to worry that the film won't include a grand opera-ish demise for our all time favorite Drac-inator. He doesn't go quietly at the end of that good night....and rages, rages at the dawning of the light.....
Overall, 'Taste' plays out as a sturdy, typical but not very exceptional entry in the Hammer filmography. The pacing never hurries all that much, but there's James Bernard's always threatening score on board and sure enough, Hammer's ever present touchstone Michael Ripper shows up as a local detective with no idea of what's really going on.
For Hammer and Christopher Lee completists, it's a must. And for those who'd prefer their Halloween chills 'n thrills with some stylish class but no excessive gore, this fits the profile perfectly.
2& 3/4 stars (**3/4)
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