Review of Blood For Dracula

Introduction

I watched this hot on the heels of its predecessor, `Flesh for Frankenstein`, which makes perfect sense as the two films were shot back to back. In fact, Tartan had originally considered releasing them as a matching pair, and in truth, one is rarely discussed without mention of the other.

Rumour has it (and this is reiterated by Paul Morrissey in the audio commentary) that when talking about his ideas for Frankenstein with financial backers he was put on the spot and asked how much he needed to make the picture. Morrissey blurted out a figure that was seen as so low that the backers suggested that he produce the two movies back to back.

Like `Flesh for Frankenstein`, `Blood for Dracula` is a real curio. In many respects, this is standard Hammer/Amicus horror fare - though it`s relation to Warhol`s Factory output (however tenuous) can also be felt. This results in a film that never quite descends to Rocky Horror comedy, yet is never truly scary either.

Just to add to the confusion surrounding the making of the movie, it`s rumoured that credited Director Paul Morrissey had very little to do with the actual day to day technical direction of the film. This was left to Italian Horror genre director Antonio Margerhiti, or so the story goes. It was certainly a local effort though, other than the casting of a few Morrissey Stalwarts from the earlier Heat/Flesh/Trash days, using local crew and studios. This crew included some early (and particularly colourful) prosthetics effects work from Carlo Rambaldi who later did some fine work in Hollywood (not least with Spielberg`s ET and Ridley Scott`s Alien).

`Blood for Dracula` takes the original Stoker theme and makes it all its own. In this outing Dracula (Udo Keir - previously Baron Von Frankenstein) is able to exist in sunlight, though needs the blood of virgins (pronounced by Keir as `weergans` throughout). His assistant (Arno Jeurning) suggest that they need to travel to a village in Italy where there`s a fighting chance of finding a genuine `weergen` or two!

When they arrive in Italy they find a family with four (supposedly) virgin girls and Dracula begins his campaign of feasting. However, not all goes to plan. Not only does it transpire that some of the girls are not as pure as they seem (poisoning the pitiful vampire with their unpure blood), but the crazed communist servant of the family (Joe Dallesandro playing it with thick Brooklyn accent) intends to finish him off with a stake.

The whole movie is littered with that same deadpan dialogue as `Frankenstein` that leaves you wondering whether it`s intentionally camp or just plain bad, as well as with healthy doses of gothic nudity, lesbianism, and blood-sucking. So it`s not all bad.

Video

This is an absolutely first-class, almost flawless transfer. I don`t know whether this has been the subject of some serious restoration or whether this just came from a very good print. Whatever the case, for a movie that`s 35 years old it`s simply stunning. It`s also presented in its original Anamorphic 1.85:1 which is fantastic.

Audio

Presented in its original mono, this is a very reasonable transfer of a well recorded / post-dubbed soundtrack - in stark contrast to earlier `Factory` output!

Features

AUDIO COMMENTARY
Included is an entertaining, if a little serious, commentary from Morrissey and Keir. No mention is made of any directorial help, and Morrissey has this bad habit of analysing his own movies as works of art without a trace of irony.

ORIGINAL SCREEN TEST FOOTAGE
Inconsequential mute screen tests with more Morrissey commentary- for completists only.

PRODUCTION STILLS MONTAGE
These are presented (again) with a Morrissey commentary. (Is there no shutting him up?). In truth, it`s a viable alternative to the audio commentary proper as he covers much of the same ground in a shorter space.

BOOKLET
In common with the `Flesh for Frankenstein` release this set comes complete with a pamphlet. This time, it contains a number of reviews dating from the early seventies, as well as some photos and as essay entitled `Gallbladders and Wirgins: Paul Morrissey`s Flesh and Blood` by Ben Cobb. This traces the brief dalliance that Morrissey had with the horror genre, reminding us that he faltered badly on his follow-up to these pictures, `Hound of the Baskervilles` with Peter Cooke and Dudley Moore, which was a real stinker.

Conclusion

It`s difficult to know what to make of `Blood for Dracula`. In common with its predecessor, `Flesh for Frankenstein` it`s a potent mix of early seventies Euro- sex-horror and high camp. In common with Jean Rollin or Jess Franco, there`s plenty of gothic nudity and blood. But there`s also the lingering scent of the New York underground with political, social and existential themes also laced throughout.

In truth, it`s best not to take it too seriously. Udo Keir is hilariously camp as the Count, and he`s basically having a bad day.

On the plus side, it`s beautifully shot (unlike earlier Morrissey outings like Heat, Flesh and Trash) and this is a great print that really does it justice.

Whilst it`s not a frightening film by any stretch of the imagination, it is a bloody one and may not suit viewers with sensitive predispositions.

Whatever the analysis, I found this a thoroughly enjoyable 90 minutes and have no hesitation recommending it to anyone who enjoys the horror genre, or the `art cinema` of the Factory, or (like me) both.