Vampira (1974)

The usually suave David Niven stars (in his 87th film) as the present-day Prince of Darkness in this spoof horror film-with-a-difference.

Count Dracula opens his Transylvanian castle to tourists including a bevvy of beautiful girls who are the finalists of a competition to appear in a Playboy spread entitled “The Most Bitebale Playmate of the Month”.

The Count extracts blood samples from the visiting lovelies as they sleep in order to find the rare blood type that will revive his beloved moribund mistress, Countess Vampira.

The Countess had died a few centuries ago when she contracted blood-poisoning from a peasant.

Unfortunately, the plasma of the comely black playmate with the right blood group has an unexpected side-effect and Vampira wakes up as a black woman (Teresa Graves), much to Dracula’s surprise.

To correct the error, all concerned have to pack their bags (including an accordion-pleated coffin) and set out for London.

Sadly, there was not much of that “Swinging” city remaining in 1974 and director Clive Donner can’t conceal the fagged-out nature of the last half of the comedy as Dracula tours the nightspots like an American film producer wondering where the success story of the 1960s went to.

Peter Baylis is fun as Dracula’s Jeeves-like butler, Maltravers, serving his master some of the full-bodied ’53 vintage that comes into the blood bank in the cellars via a happy climbing accident.

Also featured are Linda Hayden, Bernard Bresslaw, Freddie Jones and Frank Thornton.

Count Dracula
David Niven
Countess Vampira
Teresa Graves
Maltravers
Peter Bayliss
Angela
Jennie Linden
Helga
Linda Hayden
Pottinger
Bernard Bresslaw
Rose
Minah Bird
Marc
Nicky Henson
Nancy
Cathie Shirriff
Eve
Andrea Allan
Ritva
Veronica Carlson
Milton
Christopher Sandford
Gilmore
Freddie Jones
Mr King
Frank Thornton

Director
Clive Donner

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