Synopsis
Expropriated from his castle by the Romanian government (the place is going to be turned into a training facility for Olympic athletes), Count Dracula (George Hamilton) and Renfield (Arte Johnson, mimicking Dwight Frye’s laugh from the 1931 Dracula) make their way to New York. Dracula has fallen for a fashion model (Susan Saint James), convinced that she is the reincarnation of a woman he has loved before. Though something of a fish out of water, Dracula does his best to adapt to his …ew surroundings and romance Saint James, while being opposed by Richard Benjamin, his rival for Saint James’ affections.
This is not high comedy, it need hardly be said. This is very much in the vein (har har!) of Mel Brooks’ Dracula: Dead and Loving It, with plenty of groaner jokes, and appearing in 1979. It does have a bit more of a plot and character comedy than the later vampire spoof, building an honest-to-god romance. This isn’t a towering achievement, but it is a mildly amusing hour and a half, and it has gathered a whole new layer of entertainment thanks to its extremely seventies setting.
Audio
The mono is very much good news/bad news. On the positive side of the ledger, the Charles Bernstein score has quite a rich sound. On the negative side, the dialogue levels fluctuate, the voices are sometimes a bit thin, and there is a fair bit of distortion.
Video
Both fullscreen and 1.85 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratios are provided. There is some minor grain, but the colours are rich, the blacks deep, and the image is sharp. The print is in goo shape, too. I’ve seen far more recent movies looking a lot worse.
Special Features
Nothing here but the theatrical trailer. The menu is basic.
Closing Thoughts
If you’re feeling like something light, and you’re in a very undemanding and forgiving frame of mind, this could work as a little slice of nostalgia. (It was much funnier when I was 12, though.)
Special Features List
- Theatrical Trailer
