Sasdy’s feature debut ups the skin-baring and bloodshed while deploying a marvelous cast to augment Christopher Lee. Here the Count materializes to avenge the death of protégé Ralph Bates (in his first Hammer movie), engineering insidious fates for families of the noblemen he holds responsible; the latter are played by Geoffrey Keen, John Carson, and future Wallace and Gromit voice star Peter Sallis.

Print courtesy of the British Film institute