Just perfect...

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Of all the horror directors to ever tackle a Dracula movie, 'godfather of gore' Herschell Gordon Lewis has got to be one of the most unlikely, his previous stock-in-trade being nudie cutie features and trashy splatter flicks—pure exploitation with a side order of schlock. For A Taste of Blood, Lewis tones down his usual boobs and blood technique for a more sedate, considered approach, the emphasis being on character development and atmosphere; the result is quite possibly the most boring Dracula movie I've ever seen.Technically, the film is fairly accomplished for a Lewis film, the director coaxing bearable performances from his better than usual cast, managing to keep most of his shots in focus, and even experimenting with lighting; however, at almost two hours long, A Taste of Blood is an endurance test even for Lewis aficionados, with only curvaceous blonde star Elizabeth Wilkinson's impressive cleavage and the occasional unintentionally funny moment to alleviate the extreme monotony.For those brave souls who intend to stay the distance, here's my I-Spy checklist of amusing/interesting details to help keep you awake: director Herschell Gordon Lewis providing what must be the worst ever London accent in the history of film; the world's largest letter knife; John's lighter, set to 'flamethrower' mode, his 'beautiful' ring, and his remarkable ability to memorise a telephone number and address; Mrs. Stone's extraordinary large knocker (the one on her door!), her scary drawn on eyebrows, and her inability to repeat everything as ordered; repetitive music on a constant loop; the letter supposedly sent from London that uses the US convention for setting out a date.2.5 out of 10, rounded up to 3 for Elizabeth Wilkinson's big old knockers (the ones straining to stay inside her dress!).

Herschell Gordon Lewis' own Dracula film is considered an overlong bore by many vampire (and HGL) lovers of the Bram Stoker character, with limited gore and extended takes of acting and dialogue in real, authentic locations in Miami. Uncharacteristic for HGL, "A Taste of Blood" is just about 2 hours in length and he admittedly took greater pains in setting the lighting and allowing for his performers to explore their characters with more depth. President of a company, John Stone (Bills Rogers), receives a package containing a small chest with two wine bottles inside containing the blood of Dracula. Stone, thinking the bottles are filled with wine, takes a drink, and after multiple tastes of the blood slowly is overtaken by the evil of Dracula soon pursuing humans when he runs out. Using a blue light and pasty make-up, Rogers is presented as a Dracula more akin to a zombie in Bob Clark's "Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things" than the Hammer movies. While not as overly gory as the renowned "gore trilogy", there are some instances of bright red stage blood and open wounds (the most gruesome is where a female victim's throat is torn open by a voracious, unhinged Stone, fully overwhelmed at this point by Dracula's power). Because the movie is so dialogue-heavy with plenty scenes of characters talking for great lengths, I imagine (and have read) that this particular movie will fail to generate the same order of jovial fandom as HGL's schlocky, campy, gory splatterfests. That may be the problem: his fans expect the absence of restraint, having embraced the gratuitous nature of HGL's movies, wallowing gleefully in the over the top performances and violence. Elizabeth Wilkinson is Helene, John's concerned wife who can see the personality change, her life soon in danger when he finally becomes completely vampire; Bill Kerwin is Helene's doctor friend, Hank (he's in love with her), who she confides in. Otto Schlesinger is Howard Helsing, one of the last descendants of those who killed Dracula in danger of being a victim at Stone's hands (Stone went to London on "a business trip" killing several of the descendants of those behind Dracula's death), appealing to Hank for help. Wilkinson, while not much of an actress, is quite a pleasure to look at (I found my eyes always wandering to her boobs, although she is costumed in tight-fitting wardrobe elaborating her nice curvaceous figure). HGL has a small part as a British seaman (he even uses British dialect!)! The film includes all the requirements of vampire movies: the danger of the sun, annoyance of the crucifix, and the staking of the heart is how to kill Stone's vampire.

PRobably HG's most ambitious project even more so than 200 maniacs, and I really loved it. It is very talky but unlike other HG and exploitation flicks the acting from bill rogers and willy kerwin is quite good and makes you care about the characters and what they have to say. Since its an HG flick we have some gore but its not one of his intensive gore flicks. There is a great scenes where the vampire stone takes a nice chunk out of a stripper dancer. I do have to point out however that almost all of HG Lewis flicks have a certain style to them to make you know its an HG Lewis flick. There's the out of focus closeups, lingering gore scenes, but there is also these horrendous day-for-night shots. This movie is no exception to that as the last 20 minutes feature some of the worst day-for-night shots ever filmed. Bad movie lovers and exploitation fans should be very pleased.

A taste of Blood is Herschell Gordon Lewis's answer to a Vampire Film. Husband (Bill Rogers) and Wife (Elizabeth Wilkinson) get a mysterious package in the mail from England filled with brandy bottles and a message telling them to toast Their ancestors. The husband starts to nip away at it slowly despite his wifes insistence not too. Bad move, turns him into a creepy lookin, blue make-up, type vampire, with a funky looking ring that can hypnotize people. This movie has all the HGL trademarks, including the unstable camera shots, cheap locations, quit editing during exciting moments, and bad acting. Bill Kerwin (from Blood Feast and many more HGL's films) has a role in this one too as an overly bothersome friend of the family. There is even a Howard Hesling doing the Dr. Van Hesling thing here. Good 'OL Hersch has a cameo as an English sailor. This film has it's moments, but at 118 min. is way too long, it can easily be trimmed to a nice 75 min. and still have the same outcome. Also I might add for a HGL film the gore is rather tame, and it takes a good 45 min. to see any blood, and when you do see it, it is rather lame.