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| Blacula (1972) | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 5 2011, 03:59 PM (656 Views) | |
| Laughing Gravy | Feb 5 2011, 03:59 PM Post #1 |
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Centuries ago, Nubian Prince Mamuwalde and his lovely bride ask Count Dracula for his help in curtailing the slave trade. Drac responds, predictably, by biting the Prince and chaining him in a coffin for all eternity, and then helping himself to Mrs. Mamuwalde. Cut to 1972, where a pair of deliciously gay interior decorators have purchased a number of Transylvanian artifacts and transported them to L.A. Hey, let's find out what's in that coffin, eh? Bad move: it's BLACULA, who soon discovers his late wife's look-alike, and woos her in his inimitable vampire fashion whilst biting necks throughout Southern California. Meanwhile, a humorless doctor and inept police department investigate the ever-growing number of corpses, most of whom hop back up sooner or later and have to be staked through the heart. To say this film is a "period piece" doesn't begin to do it justice. Early '70s slang, inappropriate comments and prejorative names for both African-Americans and homosexuals, out-there costumes and soul songs (performed by the Hughes Corporation: remember "Rock the Boat"? No? Oh) give this a definite 1972 vibe. William Marshall, he of the booming voice, is terrific as the monster, not that easy a task when your name is pronounced "Mama Waldy". (He's beloved by all, at least in this house, as the King of Cartoons on Peewee's Playhouse.) Gorgeous Denise Nicholas and good-girl-who-dresses-like-a-hooker Vonetta McGee are the ladies, somebody named Thalmus Rasulala is quite good as the doctor, and - are you reading this, Stony? - Elijah Cook, Jr., electrified the FNF crowd with his surprise appearance as "the guy in the morgue who has victim written all over him." Some genuine shocks, too, if you don't mind the lousy makeup jobs on everybody. I loved the film, although much of the FNF crowd disagreed with me. Wonder what they'll think of the sequel, Scream Blacula Scream (1973), when we get to that? Our shorts included an Amos & Andy cartoon called "The Lion Tamer" (1934) that was very funny, if crudely animated (by the Van Beuren folks), a tuneful short called The Black Network, and episode 11 of G-Men vs. the Black Dragon. Rex Bennett got hisself all blowed up in a airplane. |
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| Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer | Feb 5 2011, 06:56 PM Post #2 |
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Sapient Balconeer
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Ah, yes... the "Rich man's Gene Roth" (although you wouldn't know that by this (Blacula) film). I was at the theater for this film, and for the sequel AND both Count Yorgas. Back then one moment from each series struck me as scary - and that is a vampire (Count Yorga in the honky film, and a dead black chick-vampire in a hospital (or morgue) from Blacula. Both were running down a hallway with arms outstretched and teeth bared, in slo-mo. A few years later, I saw Tod Browning's Mark Of The Vampire at the Art theater, and never noticed that Lugosi did the very same thing (running with arms outstretched). Only a few years ago, when I saw MOTV for the 2nd time, did I make the connection, and I thought the scene from the Lugosi film was creepy. I wonder if Browning had Chaney do the same in London After Midnight. Hopefully, that film will be unearthed one day. Edited by Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer, Feb 5 2011, 06:59 PM.
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| It's like Rodney King used to say, "Can't we all get a bong." | |
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| toddgault | Feb 5 2011, 10:08 PM Post #3 |
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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A favorite guilty pleasure. The movie itself is an average AIP horror flick, but William Marshall really elevates the material. He is menacing, sympathetic and extremely cool. That ending scene where he willingly walks out into the sun to die is great melodrama and I remember crying when I first saw the movie in the late seventies on late night TV. But then I always was a weird kid. |
| Todd Gault..........Serial Buff | |
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