Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Count Dracula 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 2, 2024

Jess Franco's "Count Dracula" (1970) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of 88 Films. The supplemental features on the release include multiple audio commentaries; interviews with cast and crew members; vintage promotional materials; and a lot more. In English or Spanish, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Jess Franco and the prolific producer Harry Alan Towers made several legitimately big films, meaning they were conceived and shot to look like mainstream films. Legitimate efforts were made to promote them as mainstream films as well. Count Dracula is one of them. However, even though plenty has been written and said about how Count Dracula was conceived and shot, only about thirty to forty percent of it might be true because there are contradictions galore.

For example, in the very beginning of Count Dracula, you will see the following statement: “Over fifty years ago, Bram Stoker wrote the greatest of all horror stories. Now, for the first time, we retell, exactly as he wrote, one of the first -- and still the best -- tales of the macabre.” It is a rather misleading statement because Franco and Towers did not deliver a cinematic adaptation of Stoker’s iconic story as it is written, and there is plenty of evidence that they did not intend to do so. However, contrary to what many critics have written over the years, Franco, Towers, and some of the big stars hired to make Count Dracula with them worked very hard to recreate accurately large portions of Stoker’s writings. So, what does all this mean exactly? While a legitimately big film, Count Dracula is, and always has been, a classic Franco film first and then everything else. This means that it was one film when Franco conceived it and convinced Towers to fund it, and then, as Franco began shooting, it gradually evolved into a different one. This is why so many stories about the conception and production processes and the complete film Franco shot contradict each other. (And yes, as he grew older, Franco embellished many of these stories as well, as he did with many stories about other films he shot).

Count Dracula is broken into three uneven acts. In the first act, the young and inexperienced English lawyer Jonathan Harker (Fred Williams) arrives in Transylvania to meet the aging Count Dracula (Christopher Lee) at his secluded castle. Harker has been hired to assist Count Dracula with legal matters before he relocates to England, a country his host knows practically nothing about. However, shortly after he is treated to a nice dinner, Harker discovers that he has become a prisoner, and while overwhelmed by fear, makes a desperate attempt to escape. In the second act, Harker awakes at a private sanatorium where Dr. John Seward (Paul Muller) oversees his recovery and Professor Abraham Van Helsing (Herbert Lom) eventually places his nightmarish experience with Count Dracula in a proper context. In the final act, Harker’s distressed fiancée Mina (Maria Rhom) and her friend Lucy (Soledad Miranda) arrive at the sanatorium, and several days later Count Dracula reappears, too. The inevitable decisive clash between Good and Evil occurs soon after one of the beautiful ladies discovers fresh bite marks on her neck.

While Count Dracula lacks the many dozens of quick zooms, pans, cuts, and transitions that Franco loved to have in his low-budget films, its atmosphere is unmistakably Franco-esque, which is the main reason to see it. However, because of this unique atmosphere, and despite the presence of big genre stars like Lee, Lom, and Klaus Kinski, Count Dracula instantly becomes an acquired taste like all other Franco films.

The atmosphere is a mixture of Gothic eeriness and contemporary eccentricity, which makes large portions of Stoker’s story look borderline hypnotic. This is probably how Franco should have shot the entire Count Dracula, like a hypnotic séance, because the most effective material in it is the one where his camera temporarily drifts away and finds unusual angles to observe Stoker’s famous characters and the places they visit.

Franco shot Count Dracula with Spanish cinematographer Manuel Merino, who assisted him on two of his greatest films, Vampyros Lesbos and She Killed in Ecstasy. Towers was able to the great Italian maestro Bruno Nicolai to create a soundtrack for Count Dracula as well.

Count Dracula 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

88 Films' release of Count Dracula is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray are both Region-Free.

Please note that some of the screencaptures that appear with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc, including the actual color values of this content.

Screencaptures #1-28 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #31-35 are from the 4K Blu-ray.

The release introduces a recent 4K makeover of Count Dracula that looks phenomenal in native 4K and 1080p. I have nothing but great things to say about it. I have in my library Severin's Blu-ray release from nearly a decade ago, and to be honest, I did not feel the need to perform any extensive comparisons because the gap in quality between the older and new presentations is huge. The old presentation gives the film a faded, video-ish appearance that is always at odds with the heavy atmosphere. The new presentation produces wonderfully rich and incredibly convincing organic visuals that make it possible to experience the film in an entirely new way. I was particularly impressed with the excellent color grade, which boasts terrific primaries and supporting nuances. The HDR helps certain areas look even a tad more impressive than they do in 1080p, though I think that native 4K and 1080p presentations are equally strong. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. There is only one short segment early into the film where it is easy to spot some minor anomalies effecting delineation and depth, but they are clearly on the negative. You can see an example here. There are no distracting surface imperfections to report. Fluidity is very, very good. All in all, the 4K makeover represents an incredible upgrade in quality, so the party that prepared it deserves an enormous amount of credit. My score is 4.75/5.00.

Count Dracula 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this release: English LPCM 2.0 and Spanish LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I viewed Count Dracula with the English track, which should be considered the original track because all of the main actors utter their lines in English. The dialog is clear and easy to follow. However, you should be prepared to hear an uneven audio with some noticeable flatness that leaves the impression that it might be compressed. It is not compressed. A lot of Jess Franco films have audio tracks with identical or very similar limitations because this is how they were finalized.

Count Dracula 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary One - this audio commentary was recorded by critics Kim Newman and Sean Hogan. The commentators share plenty of interesting information about the conception of Count Dracula and Jess Franco's treatment of Bram Stoker's original material. There are good comments about the casting choices that were made and how Christopher Lee and other stars viewed their involvement with the film. Also, the commentators share their thoughts on the film's production qualities.

• Commentary Two - this audio commentary was recorded by critics Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson. Here, the commentators again share plenty of information about the conception, production, and reception of Count Dracula, as well as the different versions of the film. The claim that the film offered the most accurate cinematic retelling of Bram Stoker's story is addressed, too. I also liked the comments about the scoring of the film, which is not identical in all versions.

• Commentary Three - this audio commentary was recorded by actress Maria Rohm and critic David Del Valle. I thought that this was the most interesting commentary of the three because it veers off in many directions and Rohm provides very interesting information. For example, Rohm comments on Jess Franco's creativity, the actors the cult director liked to work with, Harry Alan Towers' relationship with Bram Stoker (Rohm was married to Towers), the production of other films like 99 Women, the significance of jazz and sex in Franco's cinemaverse, etc.

• Trailer - presented here is a remastered vintage trailer for Count Dracula. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary One - this audio commentary was recorded by critics Kim Newman and Sean Hogan. The commentators share plenty of interesting information about the conception of Count Dracula and Jess Franco's treatment of Bram Stoker's original material. There are good comments about the casting choices that were made and how Christopher Lee and other stars viewed their involvement with the film. Also, the commentators share their thoughts on the film's production qualities.

• Commentary Two - this audio commentary was recorded by critics Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson. Here, the commentators again share plenty of information about the conception, production, and reception of Count Dracula, as well as the different versions of the film. The claim that the film offered the most accurate cinematic retelling of Bram Stoker's story is addressed, too. I also liked the comments about the scoring of the film, which is not identical in all versions.

• Commentary Three - this audio commentary was recorded by actress Maria Rohm and critic David Del Valle. I thought that this was the most interesting commentary of the three because it veers off in many directions and Rohm provides very interesting information. For example, Rohm comments on Jess Franco's creativity, the actors the cult director liked to work with, Harry Alan Towers' relationship with Bram Stoker (Rohm was married to Towers), the production of other films like 99 Women, the significance of jazz and sex in Franco's cinemaverse, etc.

• Bloodsucker - in this program, author and critic David Pirie discusses the Dracula phenomenon and its representation in cinema. There are some particularly interesting comments about Christopher Lee's relationship with Dracula and contribution to Jess Franco's film. In English, not subtitled. (24 min).

• Dracula in the South - in this program, critic Troy Howarth discusses Christopher Lee's background and cinematic career. Howarth also addresses some of the key films and parts in Lee's career and relationship with Dracula. The program was produced by Eugenio Ercolani. In English, not subtitled. (34 min).

• Archival Interview with Christopher Lee - presented here is an illustrated audio interview with Christopher Lee conducted by filmmaker Donald F. Glut in 1973. Lee discusses his contribution to Jess Franco's Count Dracula and explains how Cuadecuc Vampir came to exist. In English, not subtitled. (20 min).

• Beloved Count - in this program, Jess Franco recalls the exact moment in which he was approached by Harry Alan Towers with an offer to do Count Dracula and discusses its production history. In English, with English subtitles. (27 min).

• Handsome Harker - in this program, actor Fred Williams discusses the early stages of his career, which started in Italy, and initial encounter and professional relationship with Jess Franco. Williams also discusses Harry Alan Towers' business practices and the production of Count Dracula. In German and English, with English subtitles where necessary. (27 min).

• Interview with Jack Taylor - in this program, actor Jack Taylor recalls how he met Jess Franco and comments on his extraordinary sense of humor and the importance of sex in his work. Taylor also comments on his relationship with Harry Alan Towers and involvement with Count Dracula. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

• Stake Holders - presented here is an archival filmed appreciation of Count Dracula by French helmer Christophe Gans (Brotherhood of the Wolf). In French, with English subtitles. (8 min).

• Jess Franco's Bram Stoker's Count Dracula - in this program, critic Stephen Thrower discusses the conception, production, and unique qualities of Count Dracula. In English, not subtitled. (46 min).

• In The Land of Franco Segment - presented here is a segment from Stephen Thrower's documentary In the Land of Franco about Count Dracula. In English, not subtitled. (7 min).

• Alternate Title Sequences - presented in French, German, Italian, and Spanish. (8 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a remastered vintage trailer for Count Dracula. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Booklet - 16-page illustrated booklet featuring critic Barry Forshaw's essay "Back to Basics: Jess Franco's Count Dracula" and technical credits.

• Cover - reversible cover with vintage poster art for Count Dracula.

Count Dracula 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Everything French helmer Christophe Gans mentions in his appreciation piece is true. Count Dracula is more of a Jess Franco project that is part of a trend than an accurate (or inaccurate) cinematic adaptation of Bram Stoker's legendary story. It is very easy to tell, too, because what Franco does in Count Dracula in terms of atmosphere is dramatically expanded and improved in Vampyros Lesbos and She Killed in Ecstasy, arguably two of his best films, which were completed a year later. 88 Films' combo pack introduces a wonderful new 4K restoration of Count Dracula with a fantastic selection of bonus features. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.