Blacula

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Buy This Item Blacula by MGM (Video & DVD)  Available from Amazon  $12.99  on 8-11-2008     Urban action and fatal attraction give rise to a groove from beyond the grave in this funkadelic, fangadelic Soul Cinema sensation! The eternally cool William Marshall puts a fresh spin on the age-old legend of the vampire, condemned to wander the earth with an insatiable lust for blood. In 1780, African Prince Mamuwalde (Marshall) pays a visit to Count Dracula in Transylvania, seeking his support in ending the slave trade. Instead, the evil count curses his noble guest and transforms him into a vampire! Released from his coffin nearly two centuries later by a pair of luckless interior decorators, Mamuwalde emerges as "Blacula," one strange dude strollin' the streets of L.A. on a nightly quest for human blood! Reader Reviews In 1972, when I was a child, I saw the trailer for "Blacula" at the theatre and always wanted to see it. Years later, I finally have and was not disappointed. I don't care if it's considered a "blaxploitation" film. It is merely a horror movie with characters who are primarily African-American. Count Dracula's depiction as a racist was a great idea; it is not farfetched considering that he has little respect for human life. Prince Mamuwalde begs Dracula to help him end the slave trade. Instead, Dracula curses him with vampirism and gives him a new name; the prince of darkness wants Prince Mamuwalde to be a "black version" of himself, thus he deems him "Blacula." I don't care for the name myself. It sounds racist and Dracula must've intended it to be that way. Mamuwalde is released from his coffin with an incredible hunger that he can't control. He makes a meal out of two gay interior decorators and the nightmare begins. Soon the vampires are multiplying in L.A, threatening to become an epidemic. (This reminds me of Stephen King's "Salem's Lot," which involves an entire town infested with vampirism.) If the police don't act fast, a plague of vampires will overcome L.A. This fast-paced movie has a great deal of action from beginning to end, and a high body count. The acting is good; the cast is composed of attractive African-Americans who were popular in the seventies. The vampires in this movie are extremely ghoulish and grotesque. They gave me the creeps. Some of those vampire women had fangs that would have shamed a sabre tooth tiger. They were long!! The movie also a strong romantic element. Mamuwalde is pursuing a beautiful, young woman who reminds him of his deceased wife. If only that meddlesome coroner wasn't getting in the way. My favorite scene: When the coroner and the police are tricked into going into a warehouse where they are trapped and beset upon by numerous vampires that are simply hideous. "Blacula" would be fun to watch as a double feature with "Dracula A.D. 1972." Both have a lot of hippie music and slang. "Blacula" is a welcomed addition to anyone's collection of vampire movies or Hammer films. I would've given it five stars if not for the overuse of certain prejudice terms that may have been appropriate for the seventies but are considered rude and offensive today.

Blacula Available from Amazon Price: $12.99 Updated on 8-11-2008.

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