MovieChat Forums > Dracula (1974) Discussion > DVD Version is Censored TV Version (Spoi...

DVD Version is Censored TV Version (Spoilers)

posted 13 years ago by WeRNotAfraid
10 replies | jump to latest

I love this movie, but the one they released on DVD is not exactly the same as the one I originally saw. I bought a copy of the film on VHS back in the '80s, and it was hosted by Elvira and released as part of her "Movie Macabre" film series. Anyway, the version I saw was much bloodier; when stakes were driven through Lucy and the vampire brides, you saw the stakes go in, and blood welled up out of their mouths and flowed all over their faces. Likewise, at the end when Dracula is staked against the overturned table by Van Helsing, bright red blood comes spurting out of his mouth and drips down his chin. They must have shot two versions of all of these scenes, because none of the blood-vomiting appears in the version I have on DVD, and it wasn't something that could have been removed via editing. So, I'm guessing there was a less bloody TV version, and a more bloody video version.

I no longer have the VHS version, but I wish I did, because I miss seeing the film as I originally saw it. Does anybody else remember these differences?

[–] ekmyers 13 years ago

I sure do! I grew up watching this on VHS (the Elvira version, which sadly died a premature death at the hands of a tape-chewing deck); and the DVD version omits the blood. In fact, seeing this version as a Dracula-obsessed child made me realize for the first time that staking a vampire (or a human being, for that matter) wasn't as "clean" as depicted in the admittedly-gruesome Hammer films. Quite shocking for its day.

ekm
Writer/Director -- ROULETTE
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1294794/combined

[–] Cult_of_Kibner 12 years ago

Oh God damn it. So my version's censored then.

Just enjoy the *beep* movie!

[–] TheGuyWithTheFeet 11 years ago

Maybe the Blu-Ray will be the uncensored version.

[–] Gordon-M 11 years ago

The Blu-ray is the uncut European version, transferred from the original camera negative and restored in 2K in 1.78:1 widescreen.

[–] Wonka399 11 years ago

A local FYE put the blu-ray out early..I am an hour into the film and it is uncensored.
The special features also show the theatrical/tv differences which is great..and the out-takes show them filming the two Lucy staking versions.

All in all, a great blu-ray presentation!!!

[–] ElectricWarlock 11 years ago

I assume the picture quality is better on the Blu-Ray than it is on the DVD? On the DVD, at certain scenes the picture was so dark that you almost couldn't tell what was going on. It was also kind of grainy at times. Anyways, I enjoyed this film a lot more the second time around.

Death lives in the Vault of Horror!

[–] VinnieRattolle 10 years ago

Haven't seen the DVD but they ported over interviews with Dan Curtis/Jack Palance to the bluray, and the quality of the clips shown in those featurettes really sucks compared to the crisp blu-ray print. That said, the blu-ray is still sorta dark, presumably due to the film stock that was being used in England at the time and the fact that they did a lot of shooting day-for-night. Similarly, film has grain, it's unavoidable, but the only time the blu-ray looks overtly grainy is during the credits sequences (virtually all credits sequences prior to the '90s look like crap on blu-ray due to the way they were created). And as a post-script, the blu-ray also includes a comparison of the European theatrical scenes and their less explicit American TV counterparts.

[–] ElectricWarlock 9 years ago

Thank you. I still watch the movie on DVD but may get the Blu-Ray immediately. So many movies and other stuff to buy but so little money. 

[–] lm362 10 years ago

I much prefer the edited version.

[–] marigrace_r 9 years ago

I hadn't seen it in several years, but just found it on Hulu and it appears to be the unedited version. "Bloody" good, literally ;)