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