Evil of Dracula (1974)

Toho do Hammer

Of the Bloodthirsty trilogy, Evil of Dracula feels the most traditional of the lot; yet, I thought only Hammer would have attempted to set a vampire loose amongst girls' college with predictable results. It certainly feels like the type of film Hammer would make given the gratuitous amounts of bare flesh and blood that permeates the runtime, all that's missing is Christopher Lee. It's noticeably crueller than its predecessors adding a layer of disturbing unpredictability but also relishes in a dose of campy surrealism with director Michio Yamamoto delivering a healthy portion of atmosphere and unnerving imagery, especially towards the end. The attempts to mimic Hammer's early gambles are appreciated, especially given the talents of the crew involved, with a particular scene midway through that certainly sticks in my mind. While several elements are revisited from the previous movies, the back story is the most expansive of the two and also adapts ideas straight out of Stoker's novel. It's another gorgeous effort in terms of visual design with strong performances and another so-so-jazzy soundtrack, Evil of Dracula may not break any major new ground for its subgenre but remains chilling enough to frighten even the most timid of viewers.

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