Count Dracula's Great Love Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Count Dracula's Great Love Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 2, 2016

Interpretations of the Dracula story usually attempt a mixture of violence and romance, playing up the tragedy of a monster who loves hard but must kill to survive. Regality isn’t successfully captured in 1973’s “Count Dracula’s Great Love,” but director Javier Aguirre makes a game attempt to celebrate familiar elements of the tale while endeavoring to pull off a few new tricks to keep viewers interested. While talky, “Count Dracula’s Great Love” is an appealing take on bloodsucking and resurrection, emerging as a Spanish twist on Hammer Films and their legacy of gothic, tightly budgeted chillers.

“Count Dracula’s Great Love” sticks to formula, setting up shop inside the sanitarium home of Dr. Marlow (Paul Naschy), who welcomes four women for an extended stay after a carriage accident, soon attracting the attention of Dracula, who needs a virgin to bring his daughter back to life. Conversation mostly dominates the picture, but exploitation needs are met during bedroom encounters, providing ample nudity and bloodshed as a tortured villain works his way through victims and challengers. The effort is missing surprises, but mood is cared for, watching Aguirre capture macabre sanitarium encounters and make full use of long hallways and forbidden rooms.

Count Dracula's Great Love Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation (2K scan from 35m internegative) delivers a proper refreshing of "Count Dracula's Great Love," offering a generous amount of detail that supports the feature's horror intentions, taking in the particulars of the sets and the gore, with make-up effects open for inspection. Colors are wonderfully revived, submitting satisfying primaries and rich skintones, preserving sensuality. Delineation is never challenged, handling darker sequences with care. Grain is fine and filmic. Source is in healthy shape, but minor scratches, speckling, and cigarette burns are detected.

Count Dracula's Great Love Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD sound mix manages a dubbed event, leaving dialogue exchanges pronounced, always easy to follow. Highs can land on the sharp side, but it's not uncomfortable. Scoring is acceptable, supporting mood without overwhelming the action. Sound effects are defined. Hiss and pops remain a presence throughout the listening experience, but aren't distracting.

Count Dracula's Great Love Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (six pages) provides an essay by Mirek Lipinski.

• Commentary features director Javier Aguirre and star Paul Naschy.

• Interview (8:22, HD) offers time with actress Mirta Miller, who discusses her 50 year career in film.

• Still Gallery (2:16) is offered.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (3:04, HD) is included.

Count Dracula's Great Love Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While "Count Dracula's Great Love" isn't a scary picture, at least it resembles one, working through a ghoulish plot that highlights sacrifices and sexual submission, and it builds toward an unexpected finale, again emphasizing the titular character's lifelong misery. Aguirre doesn't conquer the feature's sluggish nature, but when it comes time to unleash vampiric fury, "Count Dracula's Great Love" provides an interesting take on a familiar menace.