February 27 is the official release date for Jess Franco's EL CONDE DRACULA, but this will be the English language COUNT DRACULA. DARK SKY FILMS will present the film in 1.33 full frame aspect ratio. It will be in English language 2.0. Extras include two featurettes: a 27 minute one with Franco and an 84 minute one with Christopher Lee, reportedly reading from Bram Stoker's DRACULA. I'm most interested in getting more details on this Lee featurette. Could this be Portabella's EL UMBRACLE (1970), which Phil Hardy's THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE HORROR FILM calls "....a fantasy poem about the actor with Lee...wandering about in a Barcelona transformed into a dream city."? I'm not referring to Portabella's VAMPIR (1971), which would also have been a terrific supplement. I've wanted to see both of these for some time. There's also a Soledad Miranda essay by Amy Brown.
It's about time a definitive DVD was available of this important Jess Franco title. But we'll have to see how it turns out.
My ideal presentation would contain both of the Portabella films and a Spanish language with English subtitles option for comparison sake.
I don't like the cover art. Those fangs...!
COMMENTARY COPYRIGHT ROBERT MONELL: 2006
6 comments:
What's really amazing is to see Jess' name so prominently positioned above the title like that. He's come a long way since those early VHS releases. I'm glad he has lived to see his international rediscovery and cult success.
That's a good point. It's always been promoted as Bram Stoker's DRACULA with Lee's name being the most prominent of the participants. His most financially successful films have never been because of his name, he didn't have above the title clout back then. He does now, on DVD at least. I like his other Dracula films better but this one is also a "Jess Franco" film, he's even in it, and deserves a definitive presentation and also a definitive critical study.
And THAT'S a good point: BRAM STOKER'S COUNT DRACULA has become JESS FRANCO'S COUNT DRACULA! Bravo, Jess!
Interesting that Franco's name can now sell a DVD whereas he never had that recognition theatrically. This all seems to have happened since the early 1990s with the books, the retrospectives the digital films produced by his fans. I hope he goes on forever...
For sure the Portabella films won't be part of the package, from the info we have of the package right now. The featurette will probably be an audio recording of DRACULA that Lee did years ago.
I, too, think those teeth have to go. I may have a quote from Lee somewhere in which he hated the poster artwork that gave him those drawn-in teeth.
Thanks for the info, Mirek. An audio recording! Hmmm. What will the visual element be? I'll be getting this disc in any case. I would like to see that quote from Lee if you have it.
Post a Comment