Jonathan Harker (Jan Schanilec) is sent to Transylvania to complete a real estate transaction with Count Dracula (Ilja Racek). Dracula is looking to purchase a property in London called Carfax and Harker has arrived with the paperwork. All that is needed is the Count’s signature. Harker is creeped out by Dracula but tries to settle in.
The next night Dracula appears in Harker’s rooms. Harker had been in the middle of shaving and cuts himself when he realizes that the Count has no reflection in his shaving mirror. Dracula has a reaction to Harker’s blood but is repelled by a crucifix that Harker is wearing. The crucifix was a gift from a peasant woman when she learned where Harker was going. Knowing that Harker is suspicious, Dracula grabs the mirror and tosses it out the window.
While Harker is at the castle he experiences some strange events. He is attacked by Dracula’s three brides (Olga Jirousková, Marie Joanovičová, Věra Křesadlová) and is saved by Dracula. The count gives the women a baby. A woman from the village comes looking for her child and is killed by wolves. Dracula turns into bat. A group of men load coffins onto a wagon. The events are almost dream-like but Harker knows they really happened and that his life is in danger. Searching through the castle he finds Dracula and his three wives in their coffins. Dracula awakens but Harker manages to escape.
Back in England, Harker is recuperating. His trauma from the events in the Carpathians resulted in his having amnesia. One evening he and his wife Mina (Klara Jernekova) are entertaining Dr. John Seward (Vaclav Mares), Arthur Holmwood (Jiri Zahajsky) and Arthur’s fiancé Lucy (Hana Maciuchova). Lucy passes out and quickly becomes ill. Not knowing what to do Dr. Seward calls on Professor Van Helsing (Ota Sklencka) to help.
Van Helsing is aware of what is happening to Lucy, but all his methods prove fruitless. Dracula transforms from a bat and turns Lucy into a vampire. Lucy’s mother (Marie Brozova) sees what is going on and dies from a heart attack. At their funerals Harker sees Dracula. His memory comes back, and he tells Van Helsing about what happened in the Carpathians. Sure that he is dealing with a vampire; Van Helsing has his work cut out for him but first he has to convince the others that they are dealing with the undead.
“Hrabe Drakula” was released in 1971 and was directed by Anna Prochazkova. It is a Czechoslovakian made for television horror film. This is a low budget film but considering it is a Czech television offering from the early seventies it manages to have a lot of atmosphere and some interesting little artistic touches that adds a lot to the viewing pleasure.
Hrabe Drakula is Czechoslovakian for Count Dracula.
The film is the first adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel to be directed by a woman. In addition to directing, Prochazkova also co-wrote the screenplay. It is said to be the closest adaptation to the novel done so far.