Comtesse of horror
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Comtesse of horror |
| Original title | Countess Dracula |
| Country of production | United Kingdom |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1971 |
| length | 93 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Peter Sasdy |
| script | Jeremy Paul |
| production | Alexander Paal |
| music | Harry Robertson |
| camera | Kenneth Talbot |
| cut | Henry Richardson |
| occupation | |
| |
Comtesse des Grauens is a 1971 British horror film from the Hammer Films production . Ingrid Pitt can be seen in the title role of Countess Elisabeth Nadasdy, based on the traditions of the historically guaranteed Hungarian Countess Bathory. Although the English original title insinuates a vampire story about a Countess Dracula, this film has nothing to do with bloodsuckers.
action
Hungary in the 17th century. After her husband's death, Countess Elisabeth Nadasdy, who was once beautifully in bloom and resided in a country palace, inherited half of his lands, the other half went to her daughter Ilona Nadasdy. Due to an accidental mishap of one of her maids, Countess Elisabeth made the discovery that the blood of young girls smooths and rejuvenates their skin and, when applied across the board, acts like a fountain of youth on them. Her desire for eternal youth and beauty soon developed into a real madness, which had to end in a blood frenzy: for the countess asked for virgins to be brought to her and in whose blood she could bathe. The castle ruler, Captain Dobi, who also lives in the castle and also serves as Elisabeth's part-time lover, is her loyal servant and helps with the bloody deeds as best he can.
The urge for eternal youth is growing in Elisabeth, and the intervals at which the Countess of Horror needs new blood in order to delay the ever faster aging process, are getting smaller and smaller. Countess Elisabeth, who has long since wrapped Dobi around her finger and harnessed for her machinations, does all this primarily to please Hussar Lieutenant Imre Toth. This is a pretty soldier who is significantly younger than she and whom she really wants to marry. Finally, on Elisabeth's orders, with the help of Captain Dobis, daughter Ilona disappears from view (and into a secret hiding place), and Elisabeth pretends to be her own daughter. When she finally wants to tie the knot with Imre, what has to come comes: the bride ages in fast motion, her skin becomes extremely wrinkled and huge warts dot her face. Elisabeth finally wants to stab the returning Ilona, the last hope for new virgin blood, but Imre prevents the murder and dies instead of Ilona. Elisabeth and Captain Dobi have to go to prison for their crimes, where they await their execution. Outside the prison walls, the mob rages and chants "Devil" and "Countess Dracula".
Production notes
Comtesse des Horens premiered in London on January 30, 1971. The German premiere took place on February 1, 1974.
Historical background
The story of the Blood Countess, or as the original title calls her "Countess Dracula", is based on traditions relating to the Hungarian Countess Elisabeth Báthory (1560–1614). Over the centuries, the facts of her misdeeds became assumptions that she murdered and bleeded around 600 girls and young women (allegedly all virgins) in order to bathe in their blood to preserve eternal youth.
Reviews
New York Times critic Howard Thompson found the horror comtesse "better than most in a sea of trashy competitors"
Donald Guarisco wrote on allovie.com that "Countess Dracula" was one of the "more underrated films of the later years of the Hammer Films dynasty." In addition, the film shows a "well-balanced mixture of horror scenes and boldness at a fast pace". Leading actress Ingrid Pitt, on the other hand, throws herself into her role with "melodramatic élan and creates a character that can be seductive, terrifying and terrifying - all in just one scene."
"Naive horror film in a beautifully crafted packaging."
The Movie & Video Guide thought the film was an “OK shocker”.
Halliwell's Film Guide saw this as a “sub- Freudian addition to the grotesque monsters' hammer gallery”.
Individual evidence
- ↑ The New York Times, October 12, 1972
- ↑ Review on Allmovie.com
- ↑ Comtesse des Grauens in the Lexicon of International Films , accessed on September 9, 2018
- ^ Leonard Maltin : Movie & Video Guide, 1996 edition, p. 267
- ^ Leslie Halliwell : Halliwell's Film Guide, Seventh Edition, New York 1989, p. 225
Web links
- Comtesse des Horens in the Internet Movie Database (English)