Blood For Dracula

Origin: USA

Label: Tartan DVD

He couldn’t live without a virgin’s blood….. …So a virgin had to die!

Paul Morrissey, Andy Warhol and Andrew Braunsberg team up again to take on the classic story of Dracula.

Udo Kier plays what could be the sickliest Count Dracula of all time! He needs the fresh blood of “wurgens”… without it he is edging closer and closer to death! The shortage of pure women in his homeland of Transylvania forces him to travel further a field for his meal. So the Count and his servant Anton (Arno Juerging) set off to Italy thinking that as it’s a Catholic country they will have a better chance of finding a virgin. Once in Italy they befriend an upper-class family who have fallen upon hard times financially. Their four beautiful daughters, who are presumed virgins, are of much interest of the Count.  Their servant Mario (Joe Dallesandro) has unintentionally thwarted the Counts plans though by having his wicked way with the two daughters that were presented to the Count for marriage. The Count gets a bit bitey with the two un-pure daughters, in-thralling them in the process, but their blood gives him an upset stomach. Mario soon becomes wise to what the count is up to and sets about to kill him.

Blood for Dracula, also known as “Dracula cerca sangue di vergine… e morì di sete!!!” or “Andy Warhol’s Dracula” is Morrissey’s follow up film to “Flesh for Frankenstein”. Both films share the same key cast and even share some of the same sets.

Udo Kier once again steals the show here; he manages to portray the Count as fragile but still holding an air of menace about him.

Overall I found this movie very funny, while it may not the best vampire story out there if you don’t take it too seriously it’s a great watch! This film caused some controversy when it was released back in 1975 for the simulated sex scenes they seem rather tame to today’s viewer. Two of the sisters who have more than the normal “sisterly love” for each other and the sex/rape scene with the youngest daughter who is only 14 (Played by Silvia Dionisio who was 23 at the time) may have added to the controversy. Gore wise; it doesn’t have any of the severed heads or flying entrails that Flesh for Frankenstein is famous for, it is however still somewhat gory… The scene where the Count is vomiting up the un-pure blood or his gruesome death scene should please fans of gore!  Where this film lacks in gore it makes up with in style… oh and sex scenes!  I highly recommend this film to anyone who fancies something a bit different!

Rating: 8/10

Possibly my favourite line in the film…