_**Dracula takes on members of the Hellfire Club (sort of)**_

Hammer did nine Dracula or vampire films from 1958 to 1974 as follows:

Horror of Dracula (1958); The Brides of Dracula (1960); Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966); Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968); Taste the Blood of Dracula (1969); Scars of Dracula (1970); Dracula AD 1972 (1972); The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973); and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974).

While "Taste the Blood of Dracula" has a kick-axx first act, a highlight of the series, the remaining hour is rather run-of-the-mill and flawed.

The most intriguing aspect of the story is "the circle" of three Affluent British thrill-seekers. Once a month they secretly meet together to taste of life's taboo activities. Enter Lord Courtley, an Aleister Crowley-like servant of darkness. Ralph Bate's performance as Courtley is one of the highlights of the film; he's utterly twisted, diabolic, maniacal, self-centered and arrogant, a great character to love to hate! Courtley offers the ultimate fiendish thrill to the circle of friends.

Geoffrey Keen plays the hypocritical William Hargood, who puts up the pretense of being a respectable, church-going aristocrat. Meanwhile his ill-treatment of his sweet, beautiful daughter Alice, played by Linda Hayden, is infuriating and reprehensible. It also proves that he's a counterfeit.

The sequence where Courtley and the circle of three 'taste the blood of Dracula' is ingenious, not to mention horrific. Commendations to screenwriter Anthony Hinds!

"Taste the Blood of Dracula" is lush in Gothic atmosphere, plus the set-up of the story is engrossing and refreshingly innovative.

There are a couple problems though. It's kinda hard to buy Dracula's vengeful attitude toward the murder of his supposed servant (Courtley). Isn't Dracula the Prince of EVIL? Why would he care about Courtley? Wasn't Courtley's death the necessary catalyst to the Count's resurrection? Isn't Dracula a use-em-and-leave-em type of guy? (which he does with others in the story). Then again, maybe it's an issue of pride and isn't Dracula a servant of the devil, whose downfall was his great arrogance?

Also, maybe I'm not up on my 60's/70's vampire lore, but why did Dracula fail to convert Alice to the ranks of the undead? He obviously mesmerizes her to do his bidding, yet he fails to ever taste of her sweet blood (although he attempts to at the end). By contrast he converts Alice's friend right away. This doesn't make sense. It also doesn't make sense that he sucks the blood of a vampire at one point, which kills the creature. I didn't know vampires could feed off the non-blood of fellow vampires.

The film runs 1 hour, 31 minutes, and was shot at Elstree Studios, which is just north of London, as well as areas nearby, like Aldenham Country Park, Highgate Cemetery, Tykes Water Lake and St Andrew's Church.

GRADE: B