In the pre-credits scene for this Paul Naschy vampire flick, two men deliver a large crate to an old abandoned sanatorium which has recently been sold to a mysterious doctor. Taking the crate to the cellar as instructed, the men allow curiosity to get the better of them and find a coffin inside. As the men try to leave in a hurry, one of them is attacked by a vampire and the other has an axe planted in his skull (a nice spot of bright red '70s gore). The credits roll as the axed man is shown repeatedly falling down a flight of stone steps in slow motion, the axe falling free, allowing the viewer to clearly see the semi-circular 'cut-out' in the blade where it fitted over the actor's head. We're most definitely in cheesy Euro-horror territory...
The film starts proper as a coach carrying five passengers -- Imre Polvi (Victor Barrera) and four attractive young women -- loses a wheel, and the very unlucky driver gets kicked in the head by one of his horses. Forced to continue their journey on foot, the five travellers seek refuge at the sanatorium, now home to Dr. Wendell Marlow (Naschy), the guests unaware that their host is actually Count Dracula, who proceeds to put the bite on them during the night. However, the Count becomes smitten with the prettiest of the girls, virginal Karen (Haydée Politoff), and becomes torn between using her to bring his daughter back to life, or keeping her at his side as his bride.
Javier Aguirre directed two Naschy flicks in 1973: Count Dracula's Great Love and Hunchback of the Morgue. The latter is a thoroughly enjoyable horror romp full of demented silliness, easily my favourite Naschy flick so far; Count Dracula's Great Love is less satisfying, the plodding pace and weak story (by Naschy) making it a mediocre effort at best, despite plenty of topless nudity and a smattering of reasonable gore (a vamp is thrown out of a window and impaled on a metal railing and one of the female bloodsuckers is staked, resulting in lots of blood). The very silly ending sees a despondant Dracula staking himself (vampire suicide!!) having been unable to convince Karen to renounce her human existence.
The film starts proper as a coach carrying five passengers -- Imre Polvi (Victor Barrera) and four attractive young women -- loses a wheel, and the very unlucky driver gets kicked in the head by one of his horses. Forced to continue their journey on foot, the five travellers seek refuge at the sanatorium, now home to Dr. Wendell Marlow (Naschy), the guests unaware that their host is actually Count Dracula, who proceeds to put the bite on them during the night. However, the Count becomes smitten with the prettiest of the girls, virginal Karen (Haydée Politoff), and becomes torn between using her to bring his daughter back to life, or keeping her at his side as his bride.
Javier Aguirre directed two Naschy flicks in 1973: Count Dracula's Great Love and Hunchback of the Morgue. The latter is a thoroughly enjoyable horror romp full of demented silliness, easily my favourite Naschy flick so far; Count Dracula's Great Love is less satisfying, the plodding pace and weak story (by Naschy) making it a mediocre effort at best, despite plenty of topless nudity and a smattering of reasonable gore (a vamp is thrown out of a window and impaled on a metal railing and one of the female bloodsuckers is staked, resulting in lots of blood). The very silly ending sees a despondant Dracula staking himself (vampire suicide!!) having been unable to convince Karen to renounce her human existence.