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The Plot: It’s 1780 and Prince Mamuwalde (William Marshall) and his wife Luva (Vonetta McGee) are at the dinner table with Count Dracula. The Prince and his wife are there on a mission and seek Dracula’s help in suppressing the slave trade. Dracula laughs at the plea as he sees the slave trade a good thing for mankind. Dracula then proceeds to turn the Prince into a vampire and shortly thereafter, imprisons him in a sealed coffin. Luva would also be imprisoned but would later die in captivity.
Some 200 years later Dracula’s estate is purchased by two decorators. They have the contents of the castle (including the coffin) shipped back to Los Angeles and in the process of unpacking everything, unleash the now dead Prince, Blacula. After killing the two men, Mamuwalde (Blacula) waits for the sun to set and then hits the streets. It’s here he spots Tina (also played by Vonetta McGee), a spitting image of his deceased bride Luva. Tina, frightened by Mamuwalde, runs away from him. The next night however Mamuwalde catches up with her at the local night club and the two immediately become close.
As Mamuwalde continues to feed on various victims (turning most of them into his vampire slaves), Dr. Gordon Thomas (Thalmus Rasulala) is assisting Lieutenant Peters (Gordon Pinsent) in the police investigation. As the two get closer to figuring out what’s going on, Tina falls in love with Mamuwalde and is turned into a vampire by him after hearing his plight. It’s here that both the doctor and the lieutenant figure things out and head off to stop Mamuwalde and Tina.
The Takeaway: Joan Torres and Raymond Koenig’s script, while not very thorough in terms of plot, did take a few chances in characterization. The first was to cast a black male in the role of Dracula (well, it wouldn’t be Blacula had a white male been cast). William Marshall was the prefect man for the role as his performance brought to the screen an intelligent and dignified vampire. Also, the films interior decorators where not only gay, but were an interracial couple. That in itself was a daring addition to the storyline. Bravo to the screenwriters for being so ahead of their time. Blacula’s direction, editing and score, while average at best, does its job just fine and really did help propel future black horror and black non-horror films alike.
Film Facts: Blacula was directed by William Crain and written by Joan Torres and Raymond Koenig. Prior to his duties as director, Crain paid his dues in the TV market working on such classics as The Mod Squad and The Dukes of Hazard . Blacula’s production wrapped in March of 1972 and was distributed by American International Pictures just 5-months afterwards in August. The films initial reviews were mixed, but it turned out to be a box office smash as it brought in over a million dollars that year making it the most successful horror film of the year. This success lead to the sequel, Scream Blacula Scream , also starring William Marshall in the lead role with Pam Grier at his side. It would later spawn the blaxploitation film Blackenstein.
Thoughts In My Head: – As Blacula , William Marshall sports some amazing eyebrows – Thalmus Rasulala’s moustache is unlike any other I’ve seen. It’s simply magnificent – I wish I could use the nickname ‘Skillet’ and get away with it – Afro’s were sexy as hell back in the day – I’d like to see 70’s clothes attire come back into style
Favorite Badass or Badass Moment: Blacula Favorite Boobs or Boobs in a Scene: Sorry kids, no boobs in this one Favorite Death Scene: Blacula’s death, but is he really dead?
Boob Count: 0 pair Body Count: 12
IMDB Rating: 5.4 / 10 My Rating: 6.5 / 10
Final Thoughts: I highly recommend Blacula as it’s one of the finer blaxploitation horror films available and it’s a boat-load of fun looking back at the 70’s black scene and life-style.
Marisa on April 24, 2012 at 11:21 pm said: A blaxploitation classic perfect in its awesomeness. William Marshall is THE MAN. Great review, home skillet. Reply Mike on April 25, 2012 at 12:44 pm said: Lol, home skillet, thanks Marisa. Reply
A blaxploitation classic perfect in its awesomeness. William Marshall is THE MAN. Great review, home skillet.
Mike on April 25, 2012 at 12:44 pm said: Lol, home skillet, thanks Marisa. Reply
Lol, home skillet, thanks Marisa.
Bryan on August 12, 2012 at 4:07 pm said: Great review. I just saw this movie again (with my kids). They had never seen it, but knew what movie it was. We all enjoyed it, even though it was tame by today’s standards. Reply Mike on August 12, 2012 at 4:47 pm said: Thanks Bryan. And yeah I agree. Although now tame, it’s still a great watch. The sequels pretty good too. Reply
Great review. I just saw this movie again (with my kids). They had never seen it, but knew what movie it was. We all enjoyed it, even though it was tame by today’s standards.
Mike on August 12, 2012 at 4:47 pm said: Thanks Bryan. And yeah I agree. Although now tame, it’s still a great watch. The sequels pretty good too. Reply
Thanks Bryan. And yeah I agree. Although now tame, it’s still a great watch. The sequels pretty good too.
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Recent Posts EP155 – Porno Holocaust EP154 – The Astro-Zombies EP153 – Erotic Nights of the Living Dead EP152 – Miami Connection Drive-In Cult Cinema Collection Give-a-way EPB02 – Dinosaur Island EP151 – Contamination EP150 – The Legend of Boggy Creek EP149 – Sugar Hill EP148 – The Strange Colour of Your Body’s Tears EP147 – Bikini Drive-In EP146 – Hey Slappy (Jason X) EP145 – Savage Vengeance EP144 – Westworld EP143 – Gila! EP142 – The Killer EP141 – The Hamburger Pimp EP140 – Detroit 9000 EP139 – Viva Knievel! EP138 – Night of the Comet EP137 – The Amazing Transplant EP136 – Night of the Bloody Rapes EP135 – Virgin Witch EP134 – Hideout in the Sun EP133 – Skinner EP132 – They Call Her One Eye EP131 – The Devil Within Her EP130 – Louisiana Hussy EP129 – Zombeavers EP128 – Mamorial Day Special
EP155 – Porno Holocaust
EP154 – The Astro-Zombies
EP153 – Erotic Nights of the Living Dead
EP152 – Miami Connection
Drive-In Cult Cinema Collection Give-a-way
EPB02 – Dinosaur Island
EP151 – Contamination
EP150 – The Legend of Boggy Creek
EP149 – Sugar Hill
EP148 – The Strange Colour of Your Body’s Tears
EP147 – Bikini Drive-In
EP146 – Hey Slappy (Jason X)
EP145 – Savage Vengeance
EP144 – Westworld
EP143 – Gila!
EP142 – The Killer
EP141 – The Hamburger Pimp
EP140 – Detroit 9000
EP139 – Viva Knievel!
EP138 – Night of the Comet
EP137 – The Amazing Transplant
EP136 – Night of the Bloody Rapes
EP135 – Virgin Witch
EP134 – Hideout in the Sun
EP133 – Skinner
EP132 – They Call Her One Eye
EP131 – The Devil Within Her
EP130 – Louisiana Hussy
EP129 – Zombeavers
EP128 – Mamorial Day Special
Follow BB&BCs via Email Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Join 1,004 other followers
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