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Special Features
- Countess Dracula: 1.66 letterbox
- The Vampire Lovers: 1.85 anamorphic
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Polish-born actress Ingrid Pitt's erotically supercharged presence is the highlight of this double bill of vampire chills from Hammer Films. In Countess Dracula, Pitt stars as an aging noblewoman (inspired by the real-life Erzebeth Bathory) who discovers the secret to eternal youth in the veins of young virgins, while in The Vampire Lovers (based on J. Sheridan LeFanu's "Carmilla"), Pitt's sensuous bloodsucker seduces Hammer starlets Madeleine Smith and Kate O'Mara and incurs the vengeful wrath of Peter Cushing. Countess is the more sober of the two films, with Jeremy Paul's script and Peter Sadsy's direction playing out more like an Old Dark House mystery than Hammer horror, while Lovers' aims for comic-book thrills with plenty of nudity and violence (much of which was trimmed from the American version, but reinstated here); in both cases, Pitt's sexy/scary performances make this DVD a memorably viewing experience for vintage and new-school horror fans alike. --Paul Gaita
Product Description
COUNTESS DRACULA VAMPIRE LOVERS
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
60 of 63 people found the following review helpful
By Michael Wilk
Format:DVD
My hat is off to the folks at MGM/UA for this fabulous pair-of films, that is, on this DVD. Luscious, Polish-born Ingrid Pitt scored a triple home run in 1970, appearing in 3 entertaining horror films, "The Vampire Lovers", "Countess Dracula", and "The House That Dripped Blood". Ms. Pitt had lived through real-life horror, having been born in a Nazi concentration camp. Hammer executive James Carreras was charmed by Ms. Pitt (they met at a dinner party), and cast her as Carmilla in "The Vampire Lovers", based on Sheridan leFanu's famed vampire novella. To be brief, the story is about Countess Mircalla Karnstein, (she uses her name as an anagram, i.e. Marcilla and Carmilla),undead for 250 years, who ingratiates herself into various households, and preys upon the young daughters of her hosts. The film, directed by Roy Ward Baker, follows the book fairly closely, though Ms. Pitt's Carmilla is not the morose, wan girl as depicted by leFanu. Pitt's Carmilla is a worldly, enticing, and very sexy woman. She is also a voracious predator, and does not discriminate. Men and women, especially women, are all fair game to her! The film plays up the lesbian angle of the story, and Ms. Pitt's gorgeous figure is displayed to great advantage. Her husky, "continental" accent and style make a great contrast to the "English roses" of Madeline Smith and Pippa Steel. Hammer great Peter Cushing lends his usual fine presence to the film, as well as a young Jon Finch, Ferdy Mane, Kate O'Mara, and Dawn Addams as "The Countess", working a hairdo that would fit right in with the B52s! My only real gripe about this film is the women's hairdos, which date the film "big time". The women look like escapees from "Love American Style", with the exception of O'Mara's accurate Regency-style hairdo. The sound and picture quality are superb, and Harry Robinson's musical score is a winner. Some purists may balk that the film does not live up to leFanu;s book, but in my opinion, it comes pretty darned close! This is a good-looking, shocking film. The other film on this DVD is the much-maligned "Countess Dracula", based on the exploits of real-life 17th century Hungarian countess Elisabeth Bathory. Bathory had a unique beauty treatment-she bathed in the blood of virgins, in the belief that it kept her young and beautiful. Some 600 girls disappeared from neighboring villages before Ms. Bathory was finally "put away". In this film, the premise is taken a little further, ala "The Leech Woman". Elisabeth's "beauty baths" DO work, but like collagen and Botox, their effect is only temporary, and when they wear off, she becomes uglier, leading to a very bad habit! Ms. Pitt is a lot of fun to watch, tho for some strange reason, her voice was dubbed by another actress. Virile Nigel Green plays Elisabeth's cast-off middle-aged lover Captain Dobi, Sandor Eles plays her boy-toy Imre Toth, and a very young Lesley-Anne Down plays her daughter, Ilona. The sets, costumes, and music are great, and the film does have a real flavor to it, no doubt helped by the fact that its director, Peter Sasdy, is Hungarian, as well as co-star Sandor Eles, and screenwriter Alexander Paal. The picture and sound quality are excellent as well. There are some wonderful extras on the DVD as well, such as an audio commentary by Ms. Pitt, and excerpts from "Carmilla" read by her as well, accompanying a terrific photo gallery. And you can't beat the price! Ingrid Pitt in "Countess Dracula" and "The Vampire Lovers". What a pair!
42 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Being a self described Hammer fan, I must say that these two films are top notch later Hammer productions. Countess Dracula really doesn't have anything to do with DRACULA or VAMPIRES as an aging noblewoman finds the secret to eternal youth by bathing in the blood drained from virgins in the noblewoman's kingdom. No FANGS, no crosses, no stakes or drinking of blood- just bloody bathtime fun with Ingrid Pitt! The Vampire Lovers film (better of the two) with REAL vampire/dracula references and lots of weird lesbianism goin' on between Ingrid Pitt & the other young, nubile, (& unfortunate) women victims in the film. I would definitely recommend both films to anyone who likes classic horror and/or vampire tales...
30 of 31 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
MGM has done an amazing job of remastering these great films from 1970. These two films belong to the era when Hammer Films was trying to update their image by featuring nudity and more violence in their films. Both of them star sexy, enigmatic Ingrid Pitt. "Vampire Lovers" is the superior movie with good suspense sequences, very sexy scenes with Ingrid and Madeline Smith and a great cameo by the wonderful Peter Cushing. The transfer on this movies is amazing. It has never looked so good. It also restores a deleted scene cut by AIP that features full frontal nudity by Ingrid Pitt.
"Countess Dracula" is also a good Hammer Film. It is loosely based on the legendary Blood Countess Elizabeth Bathory. It is less explicit both in terms of violence and nudity. It could easily carry a PG-13 rating today. It's worth seeing for some great supporting actors including a very young Leslie Ann-Down. The sets are very lavish for Hammer standards since they were left over from "Anne of a Thousand Days".
The DVD features some very interesting commentaries by directors and scrrenwriters. I'm usually bored by these commentaries, but I wasn't by the ones here.
This DVD is a true Hammer lover's dream and for such a low price!!!!!! Thank you, MGM!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Countess Dracula" is also a good Hammer Film. It is loosely based on the legendary Blood Countess Elizabeth Bathory. It is less explicit both in terms of violence and nudity. It could easily carry a PG-13 rating today. It's worth seeing for some great supporting actors including a very young Leslie Ann-Down. The sets are very lavish for Hammer standards since they were left over from "Anne of a Thousand Days".
The DVD features some very interesting commentaries by directors and scrrenwriters. I'm usually bored by these commentaries, but I wasn't by the ones here.
This DVD is a true Hammer lover's dream and for such a low price!!!!!! Thank you, MGM!!!!!!!!!!!!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
England's Legendary Hammer Horror.
Viewed: 4/13
Rate: 7
4/13: A lot of Hammer Horror films is not well made, but Countess Dracula is the exception among the bunch. Read more
Rate: 7
4/13: A lot of Hammer Horror films is not well made, but Countess Dracula is the exception among the bunch. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Austin Somlo
1.0 out of 5 stars
countless dracula bites
poor plot; poor action; less scary than the brain that wouldn't die.; ridiculous characters; poor dialogue; waste of time; great big razzie
Published 21 days ago by john
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic B Horror Film
If you enjoy the old British B horror films then this double set is a must. Just don't expect it to follow the story by Sheridan La Fanu closely.
Published 4 months ago by erin k.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Coming in 2013 from Synapse Films and Scream Factory
I have yet to see either of these movies, but wanted to give everyone a heads up that Synapse Films now has the rights to Countess Dracula and Scream Factory (the horror branch of... Read more
Published 6 months ago by K-Fleet
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not perfect, But of its Kind--One of the Best
The film is a fairly accurate adaptation of L. Sheridan Le Fanu's "Carmilla"--which is also not perfect but nevertheless dear to the hearts of lovers of vampire lit. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Andrew Silverman
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Countess Dracula" Hammer Masterpiece
1971's "Countess Dracula" starring Ingrid Pitt is double-billed with Ingrid Pitt in 1970's AIP/Hammer "The Vampire Lovers" based on the story "Carmilla" by J. Sheridan Le Fanu. Read more
Published 16 months ago by V. Risoli
2.0 out of 5 stars
Vampire Lovers?
This review is only for "the Vampire Lovers." I've seen "Countess Dracula, but it's been 25 or more years ago, so I can't do a honest review for that film, though I remember liking... Read more
Published 16 months ago by JAMES MCCORMICK
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good ole 70s Female Vampire movies
I'll admit I bought this to see some 70s Vampire babes and it delivered. Not vintage classics but I enjoyed them anyway.
Published 21 months ago by Brian Brocksmith
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not what I expected, but still decent
First off, if you know the story of Elizabeth Bathory, then this is an adaptation of that story. However, the real life version was MUCH nastier and more gruesome! Read more
Published 22 months ago by S. Funk
5.0 out of 5 stars
"It was a cat , a huge cat , it was choking me"
We should all be so lucky . These wonderful films featuring the late Areola Pitt and directed by two of hammer's finest , are not to be missed . Read more
Published on March 4, 2011 by Hammer + Jazz
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