Movie review of Blood for Dracula

Horrorphile

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Horrorphile - August 2007

Blood for Dracula

August 8th 2007 01:26

“The blood of these whores is killing me!” whines Count Dracula to his man servant Anton. Yes indeed, in probably the sickliest version of the ever-lasting vampire myth of the Romanian lord of darkness, Count Dracula can only survive if he drinks the blood of “wurgens”.

The hilarious original title of this Italian/French co-production translated roughly as Dracula Wants to Live: He Seeks Virgin Blood … and Dies of Thirst!!! To the rest of the world it was known more commonly, and somewhat less hysterically, as Blood for Dracula (1974), the Andy Warhol presented follow-up to Flesh for Frankenstein (1973).

Blood for Dracula Udo Kier licking his lips

Udo Kier as Count Dracula

In Romania Count Dracula (Udo Kier) is ill. He needs sustenance in the form of pure blood; virgin’s blood. Without it he will die, forever. His servant Anton (Arno Juerging) suggests that they take a road trip to Italy where the many wealthy religious families will most certainly have an eligible virgin bride. Upon arriving in picturesque Italy they are not only welcomed by the affluent Di Fiore family, but one with four beautiful daughters, all ready for marriage.

Blood for Dracula Joe Dallesandro and Udo Kier

Joe Dallesandro as Mario with the Count

But all is not good for the Count. He discovers one-by-one that the girls are not as pure as they say they are. The handsome servant Mario (Joe Dallesandro), who offers communist claptrap at the slightest provocation, spends his free time screwing the two middle daughters, Saphiria (Dominique Darel) and Rubinia (Stefania Casini). While the Di Fiore parents (Vittorio De Sica and Maxime McKendry) are oblivious to the Count’s insidious designs on their daughters, Mario begins to observe strange behaviour from the girls.

Everything comes to a head when Mario realises, after already forcing himself on Rubinia, that the only way to save the youngest daughter Perla (Silvia Dionisio) is to ravish her - very dodgy tactics, especially considering she's only fourteen! The misogyny is justified by faux socio-politics, but there’s still the diabolical Dracula to contend with!

Blood for Dracula, like its debauched brother Flesh for Frankenstein, is a mélange of Gothic horror and risible camp excess. It’s perhaps not quite as gory as Frankenstein, although the blood-drenched finale rivals even Dario Argento for sheer over-the-top blood-letting. But it is just as perverse and repulsive in a highly stylised way; Dracula convulsing and endlessly vomiting up the impure blood of the sexually precocious daughters is a highlight of 70s exploitation cinema.

Blood for Dracula Joe Dallesandro and Stefania Casini

Mario discusses neo-Marxism with Rubenia (Stefania Casini)

The three main actors return for Blood for Dracula; Udo Kier, in a role he seems to have been born to play, Joe Dallesandro, the Brooklyn turk with the heart-shaped ass, and Arno Juerging, the crazed-looking underling. Italian director Vittorio De Sica spouts an incomprehensible paternal diatribe, Polish director Roman Polanski sports a great moustache and sideburns in an amusing tavern cameo, svelte beauty Stefania Casini flaunts the most luxurious bush this side of the Black Forest, and Milena Vukotic, as eldest daughter Esmeralda, takes wide-eyed hysteria to a new camp high!

The blood of zees hoors ees keeling me!

Blood for Dracula makes good use of its rural Rome locales, with some great cinematography, especially in a superb reverse tracking shot when wheel-chair bound Dracula searches the dimly-lit corridors and rooms of the Di Fiore estate. And it must be noted that although way too scarlet at film’s end, special effects man Carlo Rambaldi’s blood recipe looks damn convincing during the Count’s regurgitation scenes!

Blood for Dracula alternate movie poster

Both Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula make a suitably indulgent and provocative phantasmagorical couplet. Sex and death entwined and writhing with hedonistic abandon, yet while managing to stay strangely puritanical, they tackle the otherwise academic themes of serfdom and the bourgeoisie. Both films are visceral and seductive, at times compelling with their use of baroque beauty, other times grotesque and repulsive, but never actually that shocking. Writer/director Morrisey injects just enough wit and playfulness to keep the truly disturbing at bay.

Blood for Dracula is by no means a great vampire movie, but it sinks comfortably and snugly into a B-grade coffin alongside other deranged cult fanged fare, such as Vampyros Lesbos (1971).

Here is the teaser VHS trailer:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

6 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Damo

August 8th 2007 04:22

For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics

I think this will make to SBS one day.
After which we will never see it again.
"I just want my coffin Back"

Comment by Bryn

August 8th 2007 04:43

Horrorphile

Damo, surely it's played on SBS already? It has enough nudity and adult themes to satisfy the SBS late night criteria ... lol

Comment by KylieW

August 8th 2007 04:48

Celebrity Obsession

Surely it would have to have been shown at least once on SBS.

Sounds like a rather bizarre kind of film. I like that in a film.

Comment by Bryn

August 8th 2007 06:18

Horrorphile

Kylie, you'd think so ... I mean "Andy Warhol", "Udo Kier", "Roman Polanksi", "vampires", "gratuitious nudity", "Italian countryside" ... and yes, it is a bizarre one at that. Probably the most removed and eccentric version of Count Dracula ever put to film ...

Comment by andy b

April 28th 2008 23:09

this was a bizzar but amazingly proformed and hillarious film Udo Kier is great as dracula one to watch

Comment by Bryn

April 29th 2008 00:51

Horrorphile

andy, yeah, one of the weirder Dracula adaptations fer sure

[ Previous - CULT CLASSICS being REMADE ... The situation is OUT OF CONTROL! ]

[ Next - Flesh for Frankenstein ]

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