Countess Dracula
Tags: tragedy, gothic, murder

Plot synopsis:
Count Nodosheen has died, and all have gathered to hear the reading of his will. To Julie Sentash [Patience Collier], the castle nurse, he leaves 1,000 koronas and food and lodging for the rest of her days. To Master Fabio [Maurice Denham], the castle historian, he leaves his library. To Lt Imre Toth [Sander Eles], son of his old army companion, he leaves his stable, horses, and cottage. To his aging wife Elisabeth [Ingrid Pitt], he leaves his estate to be shared equally with their only child Ilona. And to Captain Dobi [Nigel Green], the castle steward, he leaves his arms and uniforms. Dobi isn't pleased with his bequeathal after 20 years of service, but there is one thing he's happy about. After 20 years as the Countess's secret lover, Dobi finally has her to himself. Not that the Countess is equally as happy to have Dobi, for she is too distracted by young Imre's good looks and youthful manhood.However, there is much to do. Ilona, who has lived in Vienna since she was six years old and is now a grown woman of 19 years, is returning to the castle on the morrow. The Countess, who is not known for her kindness, is preparing to bathe, when she notices that chambermaid Teri [Susan Brodrick] has made the bathwater too hot. After chastizing Teri, Elisabeth requests a peach. The frightened maid, in slicing the peach, also slices herself. Some of her blood spills on the Countess' face, and Elisabeth later notices that she looks much younger. Dobi is astonished at the change in Elisabeth, but he won't go so far as to bring Teri to her, so Elisabeth goes to Teri. The next morning, Teri is missing, and Elisabeth looks half her age. Knowing that her daughter is due to arrive and not wanting any competition, Elisabeth arranges to have Ilona [Lesley-Anne Down] kidnapped en route and held captive in a cabin in the woods with only the mute old gamekeeper Janco [Peter May] for companionship. That evening at dinner, Elisabeth presents herself as her daughter, saying that her mother is not feeling well. Imre is smitten with her beauty and so starts the love affair between Ilona/Elisabeth and young Imre...much to Dobi's dismay.Two nights the lovers spend in each other's arms, and Elisabeth has never been happier. Then, sometime during the second night, she suddenly reverts to her old self (literally). Knowing that Elisabeth must have the blood of another girl, Julie invites a gypsy girl [Nike Arrighi] into the castle to read Elisabeth's fortune and become her next victim. And so it goes. Imre courts Ilona/Elisabeth, Julie finds fresh blood every few nights, and Dobi seethes in jealousy. Imre, utterly obsessed with Elisabeth, asks her to marry him. Elisabeth says yes.Dobi has had enough. He wants his Elisabeth back and decides to set Imre up. Dobi and Imre go drinking together one night, and Dobi arranges for Ziza [Andrea Lawrence], the pub whore, to accompany Imre home and sleep with him. Dobi makes Elisabeth watch. Elisabeth decides to use Ziza's blood when she suddenly turns old again, but it doesn't work. Master Fabio, who is beginning to catch on, informs them that it must be the blood of a virgin, so Dobi buys the plainest girl he can find, thinking she could only be a virgin. Elisabeth's beauty restored, she begins to make plans for the wedding.Meanwhile, Ilona has a plan to escape her captivity. She pretends to offer herself to the mute. While he is slobbering over her, Ilona steals the key from his pocket and gets away...only to fall into a stream where he catches her and carries her back. Fabio is getting wise, so Dobi has him hanged. Then Dobi takes Imre to Elisabeth who confesses her real identity. Imre is appalled, but Elisabeth assures him that he will be charged with the whore's murder if he should leave her, so there is no escape for him. Plus, the chief bailiff sends away all the serving girls and sequesters the castle until Fabio's killer can be found. With all the girls gone, Elisabeth has no virgins at hand, so she pleads with Dobi to sneak a girl into the castle for when needed. Dobi promises to do so, but the girl he brings is Elisabeth's own daughter, the real Ilona. When Julie finds out that Ilona, the child she nannied since birth, is to be the next sacrifice, she can tolerate Elisabeth's depravities no longer. She introduces Imre to Ilona and tells him that he must get Julie away. They make plans for Julie to free Ilona tomorrow during the wedding ceremony.It is the day of the wedding. Elisabeth is radiant. Imre is resolved to his fate. As the ceremony begins, Julie fetches Ilona and leads her to escape. But Ilona hears the music and the priest's voice and refuses to go until she's had a peek. As Ilona watches, Elisabeth suddenly turns old, shocking the priest. Elisabeth runs out, looking for she who is to be the next victim. Imre tries to stop her, but he is stabbed and killed by the knife being carried by Elisabeth herself. Elisabeth is subsequently imprisoned and known thereafter by the villagers as Countess Dracula, devil woman. [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl.]

Review: It seems that director Peter Sasdy (who also made the very decent Taste the Blood of Dracula for Hammer) thought that the implications of the plot would be enough to carry it; and while this is true to an extent, the film does become a little too dreary at times.
Shocking, poetic, well-done story loosely based on the legend of Countess Bathory of Hungary who, it is said, bathed in the blood of young virginal women for the purposes of rejuvenating her skin.
The tale of Countess Bathory who, horrified by her own ageing, discovers taking a bath in a virgin's blood will restore her lost youth and get her noticed by dashing Sandor Eles.
Director Peter Sasdy may have let the brilliant Ingrid Pitt run a little wilder amongst the drab sets with the roles of Bathory young and old, but her joy at hamming it up helps place this as one of the better later Hammer productions.
Based on true history of Hungary's early 17th Century, Countess Elizabeth Bathory, Hammer Film's, "Countess Dracula" was meant to be entertaining historic horror, with no aspirations towards anything more or higher.
If one could fault Hammer Films for anything, it would be its blatant inaccurate film title, which was a transparent marketing ploy to capitalize on the studio's heretofore financially successful vampire horror films.Nonetheless by reading all the subsequent readers' comments herein, one consistently encounters complaints on "Countess Dracula's" purported shortcomings in plot, acting talent, budget, sets quality, etc., as if the critics were evaluating a multi-million dollar budgeted aspiring blockbuster.
If you watched, "Countess Dracula" and came away entertained, amused, or disturbed then everyone got someone and should be happy.I won't rehash old observations expounded upon in previous viewers' comments as I have similar ones so I will offer new comments.One or two viewers previously commented on the horrible aging makeup of Ingrid Pitt/Countess Nodosheen.
True, elderly Countess Nodosheen is selfish, mean-spirited, discourteous, and short-tempered, but she doesn't embark upon her amoral path of self-gratification, fornication, and murder until she accidentally discovers the "secret" of youth.The excellent Nigel Green/Captain Dobi character doesn't start off evil, either, despite being a true SOB.
This Hammer horror made during the company's swansong years is based on the real life tale of the Hungarian Countess Bathory who bathed in the blood of young virgins in order to preserve her youth.
"Countess Dracula" concerns itself with the mysterious events that slowly unfold around the time of the ascension of the witch-like Countess Elisabeth(Ingrid Pitt),a corrupt and mysterious woman who discovers that by bathing in the blood of virgins,she can restore some of her former beauty.Attempting to not only reap the more favorable parts of her husband's will,but also marry the young Lt. Toth(Sandor Eles),she manipulates the love-struck Captain Dobi(Nigel Green)into doing her dirty work."Countess Dracula" by Peter Sasdy deals with Erzebet Bathory who bathed in the blood of young virgins to maintain her vitality.The film is well-directed and superbly acted and offers a little bit of nudity.Ingrit Pitt is excellent and she brings a lot of mystery to the role of the near-dead,rotting Countess who discovers the sanguine curative powers of life liquid.Give this Hammer classic a look.8 out of 10..
The old and evil Countess Elisabeth Nodosheen (Ingrid Pitt) uses blood sacrifice to bath with the blood of virgin women and restore her beauty and youth helped by her servant Julie Sentash (Patience Collier) and her former lover, Capt.
Indeed it is a dramatic and theatrical horror story, very well constructed and supported by a great cast, highlighting Ingrid Pitt in a double role of a fresh young woman, and also a very bitter and evil old woman.
Although certainly not one of Hammer's great films from the early 70s, "Countess Dracula" is another imaginative, atmospheric and also quite unusual movie from this great production company.
That doesn't bother me the slightest bit however, since historical accuracy is no compulsory element for a good horror film, and the movie is definitely creepy, atmospheric and in parts also nasty little film.The movie is, of course, a one-woman show for the sexy Ingrid Pitt, who is great as the countess.
Lesley-Ann Down's role as the young Countess is hopelessly under-developed.Apart from Pitt's few instances of exposed flesh, the film's nude content is entirely gratuitous, as was Hammer's style at this late vintage of their life-span; the violence is occasionally effective (for instance, Nike Arrighi's murder) but mostly rather tame.
This film pales in comparison to its original co-feature on the double bill, "Vampire Circus," but it's still an acceptably enjoyable Hammer film with good direction from Peter Sasdy and a commanding performance from the wonderfully sexy Ingrid Pitt..
Hammer's take on the real life Hungarian Countess Bathory, who tortured and murdered some 600 odd young girls, believing that their blood would retain her beauty.
I grew up watching Hammer movies and although this is far from their best it is still a good film, combining a love story with a different take on vampirism..
Countess Dracula is an excellent, erotic Gothic horror film starring 60's/70's megababe Ingrid Pitt, brought to life by the legendary Hammer Horror studios.
Made shortly after the Ingrid Pitt Hammer film, Vampire Lovers and falls somewhat short of the standards of that movie.
RELEASED IN 1971-1972 and directed by Peter Sasdy, "Countess Dracula" chronicles events in medieval Hungary where the aging Countess Elisabeth (Ingrid Pitt) cruelly reigns with her Steward, Captain Dobi (Nigel Green).
The incredible number of her victims (650) is probably exaggerated and the bathing-in-blood angle is likely just lore emerging well after her death.The film's cheesy title is figurative because there's no vampirism; "Dracula" was a hot item at the time and producers simply hoped to capitalize on the name.
One only has to take a look at Ingrid Pitt as she changes from Countess Elisabeth Nodosheen to a nineteen old version to immediately know why she is the Most Beautiful Ghoul in the World.A retelling of the Elizabeth Bathory tale with the gorgeous Pitt is certainly one worth watching if not for her, for the ample flesh that is displayed as girls are murdered to keep her beautiful.Nigel Green is the unfortunate Captain Dobi, the Countess' lover, who is charged with providing girls to die for her, only to see her go after a much younger man.Elizabeth has her own daughter Ilona (Lesley-Anne Down) imprisoned so she could pretend to be her.It gets more horrible when it is found that only virgins will do, and you can imagine Ilona's eventual fate.An exciting tale with a beautiful woman who we lost just this week..
At the time of its release, Countess Dracula ticked every check box for what you might expect to find in a Hammer film of the period - a beautiful Gothic setting, death scenes that are actually shown on camera, several topless women and a cheesy 'boy meets girl' storyline that, really, takes second stage to the main storyline, which in this case is of a blood-obsessed countess.
For those who wish to know more about Bathory, it would probably be easier to do a quick Wikipedia search on her, but, in short, she believed that she could make herself younger by bathing in the blood of virgins and, as a result, killed a lot of young girls in order to achieve this.As long as you watch Countess Dracula in the context that it was intended, it is a thoroughly enjoyable film, featuring a career-defining performance from the great Ingrid Pitt (both for her acting, as well as her lack of clothing...), as well as a solid storyline and some great location work.On the downside, not that I look for a lot of gore and bloodshed in my films (far from it!), I was surprised at the lack of deaths of in the film - as the historical character was supposed to have murdered hundreds of young girls, you can count all of Countess Dracula's victims on a single hand.Overall: Highly recommended for fans of Hammer and vintage horror, but, for those looking for a traditional vampire film, look elsewhere - there are no blood-suckers here, just blood-bathers!.
Boobs can do a lot, you see, but in the long term they're no substitute for good writing.Although the film refers to Dracula it contains no vampires, merely an ageing countess who discovers she can temporarily resurrect her youthful beauty by having a quick sponge down in virgin's blood.
"Countess Dracula" may probably be the beginning of the weakest era for Hammer, but it still has bits of that magic that filled their earlier Gothic horrors; besides, this was their second film with the beautiful Ingrid Pitt, an actress that soon became a favorite thanks not only to her great beauty, but also because of her real acting talent.
In the movie, Ingrid Pitt plays Bathory as the Countess Elisabeth Nodosheen, who now that her husband the Count, has died, feels free to rule the country along her lover, Capt.
Young again, the Countess uses her regained beauty to pose as her own daughter Ilona in order to seduce young Lt. Imre Toth (Sandor Elès), making Dobi jealous and everybody else suspicious of her actions.Written by mainly by Jeremy Paul and Alexander Paal, the script literally makes the real story its own by transforming it into a dark and intriguing period drama.
Of course, Sasdy had to keep up with the times, so there are some scenes where nudity fills the screen, although obviously, through the Gothic elegance that Sasdy gives to the film.Ingrid Pitt makes a surprisingly great performance as the Countess, both in her incarnation as an old crone as when she shines with the beauty of youth.
The young Lt. Imre Toth is played by Sando Elès, and while his performance seems sub par when compared to his cast-mates, he really plays well the role of the confused victim in the Countess' series of intrigues.Personally, I think that in the end "Countess Dracula" is a film that one either loves or hates, as it's not as well-crafted as Pitt's previous venture "Vampire Lovers" or as focused as Hammer's previous classics (the choice of drama as genre will definitely turn off some fans).
Sure, the script has several problems, but I found the movie to be an interesting mix of horror and melodrama."Countess Dracula" may not be a film for everyone, not even die hard Hammer fans seem to like it completely, but watching it without any real expectations may allow the film to shine with its own light and to discover another side of Ingrid Pitt, who here proves that she is more than a gorgeous body.
I was geared up ready for the worst and it just didn't deliver in any real way, certainly not as a horror, and not even as a decent retelling of the life of the real Countess Elizabeth Bathory, upon which this film was (very loosely) based.There's little similarity between the two countesses beyond the name and "bathed in blood." The real Countess only *believed* that blood made her appear more youthful - even if this were true, I doubt it would've done so to the same extent as shown here!
Despite the title, "Countess Dracula" spends an inordinate amount of time on the romantic scenes between the title character - an old countess who finds the fountain of youth by washing herself in virgins' blood - and a young, unsuspecting soldier.
While it's fun to watch pros like Nigel Green, Maurice Denham, and Patience Collier play at court intrigue, the rest of the cast is variable.Ingrid Pitt has some scenes where she attempts to chew the scenery, but she's not good at it.
It's about 16th century Hungarian Countess Erzsebet ("Elizabeth" in English) Bathory, who reputedly bathed in the blood of virgin girls, hoping to stay young.
Of course it's inspired by the real life case of Countess Elizabeth Bathory who may have killed scores of young women in the delusion of bathing in their blood would give her back her youth but that was down to wish fulfillment motivated by psychosis rather than any scientific fact Regardless of its poor reputation at the time it does work best at showing the cruelty of Serfdom and of Hammers rabid contempt of the class system .
The Countess, who bathed in virgins' blood in an effort to maintain her youthful beauty, was responsible for the murders of some 650 young women and girls, many of whom were bitten to death.
The premise of this movie is that the Countess's blood baths are successful, not simply in maintaining her beauty, but in restoring it.This middling Hammer entry includes several good cast members, with lovely Polish actress Ingrid Pitt in the title role (even though that's not the character's name), and veteran character actor Nigel Green (who played a crusty Hercules in "Jason and the Argonauts") as her longtime lover and chief thug.
An old, evil countess (Ingrid Pitt, chewing the scenery) discovers she magically turns into a beautiful young woman by bathing in the blood of virgins.
In the 70's, the old expression was, "Seen one lesbian vampire film and you've seen them all."COUNTESS Dracula is not a lesbian though, but the historically infamous Elizabeth Bathory, which this not so great effort is loosely based on, undoubtedly was.
Peter Sasdy directed this (loosely) based on fact historical account of the Countess Elizabeth(played by Ingrid Pitt) an aging ruler who discovers the secret of youth by bathing in the blood of innocent young women, which restores her own youthful beauty, and inspires her take on younger men as lovers, much to the consternation of her loyal lover Captain Dobi(played by Nigel Green).
Film has nothing to do with Dracula or Vampires, and is basically an interpretation of Madame Bathory, who back in olde Hungary killed any number of girls for kicks and a vain belief that bathing in virginal blood would keep her young.
Today's beauty experts claim that super-concentrated amino-peptides are the way to go for younger looking skin, but ask Countess Elisabeth Nodosheen (Ingrid Pitt) and she'll tell you that nothing beats bathing in the blood of virgins.
With loyal steward Captain Dobi (Nigel Green) and faithful servant Julie Sentash (Patience Collier) at her side to lure a steady stream of pure young women to her castle, the elderly Countess is able to keep wrinkles at bay and continue her love affair with handsome young soldier Lt. Imre Toth (Sandor Elès).Hammer's Countess Dracula is based on the real-life figure of Countess Erzsebet Bathory (1560–1614), who was responsible for the torture and deaths of over 600 virgin girls and, as legend would have it, bathed in the blood of her victims in order to retain her youth; surprisingly, given it's gore-drenched historical background, the film turns out to be a relatively 'dry' affair, director Peter Sasdy focusing his attention not on the more grisly details of the Countess's drastic beauty regime, but rather on its central character's controlling, self-obsessive nature and abuse of power.
"Countess Dracula"Aspect ratio: 1.85:1Sound format: MonoThe title is a cheat (no fangs here, I'm afraid), but Peter Sasdy's atypical Hammer horror takes its cue from historical fact in an effort to distinguish itself from the studio's regular formula, casting Ingrid Pitt (only recently established as a horror icon at the time, through her appearances in THE VAMPIRE LOVERS and THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD) as an ageing Countess in 16th century Hungary who discovers that her youth is restored by the blood of virgin girls.
But Jeremy Paul's complex script makes an anti-hero of its central character, revelling in Pitt's villainy whilst petitioning audience sympathy for the consequences of her sickening deceit (she keeps reverting to old age, each time looking worse than before, requiring more victims, more blood), and the dichotomy is crudely resolved during a melodramatic climax in which Pitt's secret is revealed at the worst possible moment.In key character roles, Nigel Green and Maurice Denham are every bit as good as Pitt, though Elès and Lesley-Anne Down (as the daughter whom the Countess impersonates whilst romancing the younger man) are pretty nondescript as the underwritten juvenile leads.
An ageing countess discovers by accident that she can restore her youth by bathing in the blood of virgins, and murders a series of young women in order to seduce a young soldier she is in love with.
Based on the legend of Elizabeth Bathory, a 16th-century Hungarian Countess said to have bathed in blood, its prime asset is an incredible performance from Pitt, who plays both versions of the Countess (old crone and young hussy) with incredible skill.
Elizabeth Nodosheen gets the ultimate makeover in Hammer's Countess Dracula, and all it required was just a bit of virgin blood.Virgin after virgin dies in this well made seventies horror film.
Hammer Studios look like they blew more than a wad on "Taste the Blood of Dracula" director Peter Sasdy's "Countess Dracula," with beautiful Ingrid Pitt as the titular protagonist.
Countess Dracula may not be Vampire lovers, but again it has cult favorite Ingrid Pitt (both as herself and in old-age make-up and grey wig), sumptuous costumes, lighting and scenery, lovely score and young Lesley-Anne Downs as angelically pretty heroine.
Based loosely on the true Countess Elizabeth Bathory who was said to bathe in the blood of virgins here we have the story of Countess Elisabeth Nadasdy (Ingrid Pitt) whose husband has recently died.
Loosely based on the story of Elisabeth Bathory, it is about an evil countess who murders young virgins to restore her youth in their blood.
To those who don't know the story, it's a takeoff on the Bathory mythology, with Ingrid Pitt the mad countess, bathing in the blood of virgins to recapture her youth.This is not a very good movie, frankly, although Ingrid Pitt does get naked in it, and that's always a pretty good thing.