Jess Francos Count Dracula (Special 

Edition) starring Christopher Lee, 

Herbert Lom, Klaus Kinski, Soledad 

Miranda, Maria Rohm 

 

 

 

Much Better Than The Television Version!

 

 

Jess Franco, the Spanish director known for soft-core films featuring 
vixens in various precarious situations, successfully incorporates Bram 
Stokers Dracula into his repertoire with Count Dracula. Starring Hammers 
Dracula Christopher Lee, this film is unrelated to the Hammer films, to its 
credit. This film may be the most accurate telling of Stokers classic 
vampire story, so faithful is it to the novel, even to include many of the 
books lines in the script. With an array of truly Gothic, medieval sets, and a 
cast well-versed in horror, including Klaus Kinski (Werner Herzogs 
Nosferatu) as Renfield, and Soledad Miranda (Vampyros Lesbos) as Lucy, 
Count Dracula authentically captures Stokers careful blend of physical 
monstrosity and sexual fetish to portray the Counts quest for eternal life. 

For example, few vampire films besides Francos take time to feature Lucy 
and her lover Quincys blood transfusions that reinforce bloods metaphoric 
connection to sexual desire. Moreover, Maria Rohm plays Mina Harker 
with the proper innocence to serve as a foil character to her promiscuous 
friend, Lucy. Dr. Van Helsing, in this film, gets ample opportunity to sleuth 
vampirism. Franco relays the story of this Transylvanian count who leaves 
his castle in the Carpathian mountains for a house in England by 
accentuating the sexual aspects of the plot, which is what any Franco fan 
would hope for. Additionally enlightening is this DVDs featurette, in which 
Franco describes his theories about vampire films. --Trinie Dalton 

 

Personal Review:  Jess Francos Count Dracula (Special Edition) 
starring Christopher Lee, Herbert Lom, Klaus Kinski, Soledad 
Miranda, Maria Rohm 

When I initially saw this film many years ago on television, I thought it was 
schlock.  I didn't care for the liberties Franco had taken with Bram Stoker's 
novel, apparently altering the plot to "improve" it, or the choppy editing and 
sudden closeups.  All in all, I felt like I'd wasted my time.  Still, being a 
collector and a completist, I decided to purchase this DVD.  I'm very glad 
that I did. 
 
This uncut version of "Count Dracula," while it occasionally strays from 
Stoker's original text, does follow the novel far more closely than any other 
movie version I've seen.  Despite being filmed in color, it retains a great 
deal of the eerie atmosphere exuded by the earlier black and white Tod 
Browning/Bela Lugosi version.  There are no sumptuous castle interiors, a 
la Hammer, nor is there excessive gore.  Many things are surprisingly 
understated and spare.  There's an occasional splash of blood, but a lot is 
left to the imagination, which actually works in the film's favor. 
 
I think I recall having read that this was Lee's favorite Dracula portrayal.  
Considering the amount of material taken directly from the book, that's 
understandable.  For example, Dracula is an old man when Jonathan 
Harker first encounters him, and he progressively becomes younger as he 
feeds upon new victims - something often left out of other adaptations.  
We're treated to the Count here as Stoker most likely envisioned him:  
gaunt, mysterious, alternately subdued and terrifying, the unconquerable 
warrior, the soulless monster, the nocturnal lover. 
 
With the exception of Lee, who is marvelous, the acting is adequate.  
Herbert Lom as Van Helsing seems a bit awkward at times, but I fault the 
script, rather than the actor.  Klaus Kinski is suitably creepy as the 
tormented and insane Renfield.  The music is done well and enhances the 
film, and the cinematography is often quite impressive.  Much of the 
aforementioned jumpy editing is gone here.  While many of the sudden 
closeups are jarring and seemingly pointless, they're occasionally put to 
good use.  At the film's beginning, when the camera zooms in to focus on 
Lee's mouth while he's speaking, we notice his fangs much the same way 

as Harker did in the novel, but I thought the scenes with the stuffed 
animals were ridiculous.  You'll have to judge for yourself. 
 
This is a good print, well made, and we're treated to several extras, 
including Christopher Lee reading from Dracula.  Despite the film's flaws, I 
would recommend this DVD to anyone who is a fan of Christopher Lee, 
Dracula movies, or vampire films in general. 

 

For More 5 Star Customer Reviews and Lowest Price:  

Jess Francos Count Dracula (Special Edition) starring Christopher Lee, Herbert Lom, 

Klaus Kinski, Soledad Miranda, Maria Rohm 5 Star Customer Reviews and Lowest 

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