Agreed ILS, and while “Taste the Blood of Dracula” (1970) isn’t my favorite Hammer film, despite any flaws it’s always fun to watch and Peter Sallis had the most challenging role of anyone in the movie, his character had the widest arc. Initially confident and incredulous of the claims of Ralph Bates and Roy Kinnear, then against his better judgement bullied by Geoffrey Keen into participating, and finally terrified out of his wits. Good to see those 1970 locations then unsullied; Black Park and the approach to the Courtley (Ralph Bates) chapel was Highgate Cemetery.
Ilovesteptoe wrote:...as seen in the previous film in which Andrew Keir staked him with a cross...
A courteous correction mate, brilliant Andrew Keir did not appear in the previous picture, “Dracula Has Risen From the Grave” (1969), in that film Christopher Lee falls backwards onto a gigantic cross. You might be thinking of the
excellent “Dracula, Prince of Darkness” (1965) in which Keir plays a courageous priest, but there Lee was drowned, not staked. Sallis is
terrific but the most interesting bit (for me anyway) about “Taste the Blood of Dracula”....is the depiction of how sublimated sexuality combined with blind religious fervor often manifests itself as excesses of all kinds and not infrequently violence. Sallis was also in "The Curse of the Werewolf" (1961), another Hammer classic.
Watched the film yesterday and was genuinely surprised to find Sallis in the Werewolf cast list. Hadn't recognized him before, with the Mitch Miller style (van dyke) waxed moustache & beard. A very fine and versatile actor.