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Jenn and I are spending the month of May discussing Countess Elizabeth Báthory, the most notorious (and purportedly prolific) female serial killer in history. As Jenn explained in last week’s primer, however, the story has taken on the aura of myth and legend, to the point that it’s unclear what is fact and what is fiction.

For our second week of coverage, Bloody FM’s Murder Made Fiction checks out the 1971 Hammer Horror film, Countess Dracula, directed by Peter Sasdy. While the film, which stars Ingrid Pitt as The Countess, definitely contains elements of truth – including the setting and her noble position – it also features a fair amount of creative license, including an arbitrary name change, a young male lover (Sandor Elès), and an annoying daughter Ilona (Lesley-Anne Down) who exists solely to facilitate the film’s climax.

Set in the world of 17th-century Hungary, Countess Dracula tells...

Hammer Horror: Four Gothic Horror Films

Blu ray – All Region

Imprint

1971-72

Starring Ingrid Pitt, Peter Cushing, Eric Porter

Cinematography by Kenneth Talbot, Dick Bush

Directed by Peter Sasdy, John Hough, Robert Young

In December of 1959, Hammer Studios released a bit of Yuletide cheer called The Stranglers from Bombay, a censor-baiting melodrama highlighted by severed limbs and Marie Devereux’s cleavage. The studio would spend the next decade expanding upon those themes and wore the inevitable X Certificates like badges of honor. But as an ancient reprobate said, “Politicians, ugly buildings, and whores all get respectable if they last long enough” and by the seventies the bad boys of Bray seemed positively sedate. Though the power to shock had waned, Hammer was still a thriving business—there were two Dracula films produced in 1970 alone. Still, no one could blame them for shaking things up—Anthony Hinds, the studio’s guiding light,...

Hammer have had something of a renaissance on Blu-ray recently, with StudioCanal releasing a number of classic titles in new hi-def editions. And now, released as part of Network’s ‘The British Film’ collection, comes two of Hammer’s “sexier” films of the 70s: the infamous Twins of Evil, starring Playboy Playmates Mary and Madeleine Collinson; and Countess Dracula, which features a career-defining performance from Ingrid Pitt in the titular role.

Despite being made during Hammer early-70s fallow period, where the studio was running out of stories, out of budget and were being left behind by more “extreme” horror films and exploitation movies emanating from the Us (after all this was just after the release of Night of the Living Dead which ultimately changed the face of the genre forever), both Twins of Evil and Countess Dracula are beloved by fans of the studio, and with good reason.

Twins of Evil

Stars: Peter Cushing,...

I’ve seen at least a dozen Hammer Horror films, both old and new. As far as the classics go, I’d say I’ve seen more of them for the first time thanks to companies like Synapse, that constantly release them to Blu-ray. Such is the case for Countess Dracula. This was a first time viewing for me, so it was good to be able to sit down with Synapse’s new Blu-ray release of the film. The story, you’ll recognize immediately. Old countess, feasts on the blood of young virgins in order to regain her youthful outer appearance. It is a story that has been told to death, but nobody does it quite like Hammer. I recognize the appeal of a film like Countess Dracula, and I did enjoy watching it, but things like these are sometimes films I can only see myself watching once. I’m a patient man,...

Director: Peter Sasdy > Review Chris Sawin. Hammer Horror is notorious for being delectably campy and over the top with cheese so thick it could pave a driveway. If that's your definition of a horror classic, then "Countess Dracula" absolutely lives up to expectations. The insensitive Elizabeth Nadasdy (Ingrid Pitt) is thrown into a bitter state after the passing of her late husband. During the funeral arrangements, Elizabeth is drawn to Lt. Imre Toth (Sandor Eles), a young soldier who is also the son of a man who fought with her husband in the war. But her wrinkly, old age stands in the way of Elizabeth and her happiness. The Countess soon discovers that she can turn back the hands of time by bathing in the blood of young women. Women around the village go missing and are then discovered murdered just so Countess Elizabeth can feel young again and bask...

Hey everyone! Starting this week, Daily Dead is going to be bringing you a weekly DVD & Blu-ray release recap so that you guys and gals can better keep up on all the great home horror entertainment coming at you each and every week. Considering the amount of titles being announced these days, we figured this would be a handy reminder of just some of the awesome movies you can to add to your own DVD and Blu-ray collections.

Here’s a rundown on what’s coming your way this week including a ton of amazing classic titles in hi-def from Universal Studios, a handful of Godzilla sequels being released on Blu-ray, and more.

Spotlight Titles:

Rear Window (Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Blu-ray & Digital HD with UltraViolet)

None of Hitchcock’s films has ever given a clearer view of his genius for suspense than Rear Window. When professional photographer J.B.

Synapse Films has a new release heading our way in May that fans of classic 70's horror are sure to want to take note of. Hammer's dark and underrated Countess Dracula, starring the voluptuous Ingrid Pitt, will be available in a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack on May 6th.

The film was directed by Peter Sasdy and co-stars Nigel Green, Lesley-Anne Down, Sandor Elès, Patience Collier, and Maurice Denham.

Synopsis:

The beautiful Ingrid Pitt (The Wicker Man, Where Eagles Dare) stars as Elisabeth Nádasdy, an aging Hungarian Countess who discovers she can reverse her aging by bathing in the blood of young women.

While in her youthful state, the Countess falls for the handsome Lt. Imre Toth (Elès) and impersonates her own daughter (Down) to win his affections. Soon girls in the village go missing… kidnapped and murdered by the Countess and her steward, Julie (Collier), to satiate her horrifying bloodlust.

Synapse Films reps inform Shock that 1971's Countess Dracula, starring Ingrid Pitt, is arriving in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack on May 6th. Pitt stars as Elisabeth Nádasdy, an aging Hungarian Countess who discovers she can reverse her aging by bathing in the blood of young women. While in her youthful state, the Countess falls for the handsome Lt. Imre Toth (Sandor Elès), and impersonates her own daughter to win his affections.

The post Synapse to Release Ingrid Pitt’s Countess Dracula on Blu-ray appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.

We’ve known for a while that Synapse Films was going to bring Countess Dracula to Blu-ray and now an official release date has been announced. We also have details on a petition for Warner Bros. to bring their Hammer titles to Blu-ray. Thanks to DVD Drive-In, we know that Synapse Films will release Countess Dracula as a Blu-ray / DVD combo on May 6th:

“The beautiful Ingrid Pitt (The Vampire Lovers) stars as Elisabeth Nádasdy, an aging Hungarian Countess who discovers she can reverse her aging by bathing in the blood of young women. While in her youthful state, the Countess falls for the handsome Imre Toth (Sandor Elès), and impersonates her own daughter to win his actions. Soon, girls in the village go missing… kidnapped and murdered by the Countess and her steward, Julie (Patience Collier) to satiate her horrifying bloodlust. Can Elisabeth live a life of deception...

Although the Us will start seeing Hammer horror films on Blu-ray very soon, thanks to Millennium Entertainment, there are already multiple titles available on Blu-ray in the UK with more on the way. It was recently announced that The Brides of Dracula and The Evil of Frankenstein will be released on Blu-ray in the UK this summer.

Final Cut Entertainment will handle the release, according to Blu-ray.com, with The Brides of Dracula being released on June 24th and The Evil of Frankenstein being released on July 22nd. There are no details on bonus features at this time, but we’ll let readers know when more details become available. For those who are not familiar with either movie, we’ve included details and trailers below:

The Brides of Dracula: “A young teacher on her way to a position in Transylvania helps a young man escape the shackles his mother has put on him.

As our second annual 31 Days of Horror spectacle is now well and truly underway, check out WhatCulture!’s ten best Hammer Horror picks!

They were one of Britain’s most successful film studios throughout their heyday from the late 1950s to mid 1970s and within that time they produced some of the most memorable horror films ever to be made here. After disbanding in the late 1970s, after a slew of commercial flops, today Hammer Picture Productions is a fully-fledged, working company once again. With their production of The Woman in Black, starring Daniel Radcliffe, eagerly awaited in cinemas next year and in celebration of our 31 Days of Horror spectacular, it’s time to get nostalgic and remember the 10 Best Hammer Horrors! So dim the lights, grab a cushion…you’re in for some sheer terror!!

10. Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde (1971)

This has to be one of Hammer’s greatest films from the advertising campaign alone!