Soul Cinema - Blacula Double Feature!

Blacula is everything you're looking for in an exploitation film. First it's a major part of the sub-genre "Blaxploitation" which in the late 60's and early 70's especially created low-budget entertainment for black audiences and others who wanted to see different faces in familiar stories. Blacula is directed by Willaim Crain and based on what I've seen by him, I have little to complain about. He tells his stories clearly and with limited confusion, something low-budget films often fail on.

The central strength of this film is William Marshall in the lead role of Prince Mamuwalde who along with his princess Luva visit Dracula who is an unknown quantity. Mamuwalde wants to convince Dracula to help him end slavery but of course the sadistic Dracula has other plans. He turns the Prince into a vampire and then locks him away in the bowels of his castle for hundreds of years. Needless to say when he emerges thanks to two hapless antiques dealers. Unleashed on the modern world "Blacula" goes about getting his fill of blood and creating vampires in the wake.

He is opposed by the cops led by Thalmus Rasulala an actor with the chops to stand up to Marshall's character with some level of credibility. These two are joined by a strong cast with the likes of Denise Nichols and Vonetta McGree. Smaller parts are a pleasure to watch with Ketty Lester as the most memorable taxi driver you'll ever see and Ji-Tu Cumbuku was is a delight to see but adds nothing to the plot that I can remember. The legendary Elisha Cook is around as a morgue attendant and Gordon Pinsent of Red Green fame is a cop.

This is a top-of-the-line thriller, not really scary all that much but with lots of bombastic scary-like bits that entertain immensely. But Blacula was not done. 

William Marshall is so convincing as "Blacula" and brings such heft to the part that you know that even a movie titled Scream Blacula Scream can't be all bad. Actually for a "blaxpoitation" bit it's not bad and once again casting saves the day. Tagging in to help Marshall this time is the vivacious Pam Grier and Don Mitchell (of Ironside fame). They are all mingled in and around voodoo and it's by use of this practice that the deadly Blacula once again treads the night.

This one also has the charm of a movie which doesn't take itself too very seriously. The animating villain is a loathsome cat played by the novice Richard Lawson, a douche who is jealous that he hasn't been named head of the local voodoo cult. He lost out to Pam Grier and from where I sit, it was a wise move indeed. He uses his powers to revive (wrong word I know) Blacula who immediately makes him his vampire slave. One of the funniest scenes is where this utterly vain character realizes for the first time that as a vampire he cannot see himself in a mirror.

Other victims come and go and go and come and the cops get involved. We get a finale with zombie-like vampires battling cops in the passages of a large mansion and it's above average stuff for movies of this ilk. Michael Conrad is a hoot as the obligatory decent white guy and he and Mitchell have actual chemistry. The director of this movie is Bob Kelljan who also directed both the Count Yorga movies and some of the same gimmicks show up here.

This one is a ton of vampire fun if you give it a chance.

Note: This post originally appeared at Rip Jagger's Other Dojo. 

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