Countess Dracula
The picture that appears behind the opening credits is an 1896 painting by Hungarian artist Istvan Csok. It shows the real Countess Bathory enjoying the torture of some young women by her servants. In an inner courtyard of one of her castles, the naked girls are being drenched with water and allowed to freeze to death in the snow.,When the young boys in the forest discover the body of the girl, they run way and holler for help. In the next shot, the girl is breathing.,Captain Dobi: And what will your daughter say? She arrives tomorrow and she'll find you as young as she is.,Although cinema cuts were requested by the BBFC (and the film remains listed as cut on their website) the edits were never made following an appeal by Hammer to chief censor Stephen Murphy.,Featured in Commander USA's Groovie Movies: Commander USA's Groovie Movies: The Aztec Mummy/Countess Dracula/Zorro's Black Whip/Undersea Kingdom (1985),"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.,