An 18th century African statesman is transformed into a vampire, cursed with the name Blacula, and entombed in Dracula's Castle after he fails to convince the Count to support him in his cause to end the slave trade. Was this review helpful to you? Blacula touches on the conventional African American experience in the 1970s. Marshall is a good actor whose performance here raises what could have been mediocre schlock horror into a pretty good movie.A must-see for horror fans and recommended for just about everybody else too. Thomas and Mamuwalde briefly struggle, but Mamuwalde nearly knocks Thomas unconscious and flees, killing a police officer in a nearby alley as he escapes. Mamuwalde dispatches several of the officers, but one of them accidentally shoots and mortally wounds Tina. Blacula was the first horror movie to ever win “Best Horror” at the Saturn Awards and created a wave of other black-themed horror films. Blacula (1972) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Dr. Thomas, accompanied by Lt. Peters, arrives at the morgue to find blood smears on the corridor wall near the pay phone where Sam answered the call, but no sign of Sam himself. [3] Thalmus Rasulala, who plays Dr. Gordon Thomas, is best known for roles in episodes of The Twilight Zone, Perry Mason, Rawhide,[3] Roots (1977 miniseries) and What's Happening!!. As Blacula lays the mack down on Tina, the reincarnation of his long deceased wife. They walk into the exam room by the freezer, where Lt. Peters sees a sheet-covered body lying on a gurney and pulls the sheet back to reveal Juanita Jones rising up to attack him. Sort by. So if you've made it this far without seeing Blacula, I would recommend it even more.Blacula is portrayed as a somewhat sympathetic character, which I like. A scene from “The Office” in which a character appears in blackface has been edited out, Variety has confirmed. When her boyfriend is murdered by gangsters, Sugar Hill decides not to get mad, but BAD! After a scuffle with Dracula's minions, Mamuwalde is bitten by Dracula and transformed into a vampire. They locate a nest of several vampires there, including Bobby McCoy, and destroy them, but Mamuwalde manages to escape. The daily routine of cocaine dealer Priest who wants to score one more super deal and retire. Written by Director William Crain had directed episodes of The Mod Squad. The vampire Mamuwalde (Blacula) is stirred by African voodoo, and is forced to kill again. "Scream, Blacula, Scream" is an adequate vampire movie, which is to say that a satisfactory number of vampires spring out of hiding and sink their teeth into helpless victims, and there are abundant shots of vampires with blood drooling down their chins. Thomas uses the opportunity to question Mamuwalde of his knowledge of the occult in general, and vampires in particular. When interior decorators bring back a coffin from Transylvania, they unknowingly unleash the blackest of evils. As Blacula pursues a woman who resembles his long dead wife, her brother-in-law, a pathologist, investigates the string of carnage that follows in the vampire's wake. ‘Shaft’ on Independence Day: The Film That Changed History on July 4th Weekend 1971, 150 of the Best Vampire Movies Across all Genres, A History of Horror Movies: Part 1 - Dracula: Aristocrat of Blood, Blaxploitation: Through The History Of The Genre, Scariest Horror Movie With No Jump Scares, Unauthorized Remakes, Adaptations, Sequels and Cash-Ins, 6501 Yucca St, Los Angeles, California, USA. Prince Mamuwalde continues to kill and transform various people he encounters, including Nancy, a photographer at the nightclub where Dr. Thomas, Michelle and Tina celebrate Michelle's birthday, and where Mamuwalde shows up to return Tina's purse she dropped the night before. Mamuwalde precedes to follow Tina after she leaves the funeral home, but unintentionally frightens her, and Tina runs from him, dropping her purse in the process. This thread is archived. “‘The Office’ is about a group of people trying to work together with mutual respect despite the inappropriate actions of their boss and assistant manager,” Daniels told the outlet. Blacula (1972) Summary In 1780, Prince Mamuwalde (William Marshall) is sent by the elders of the Abani African nation to seek the help of Count Dracula (Charles Macaulay) in suppressing the slave trade. Released in 1972 to enormous box office success, Blacula is, narratively speaking, a fairly run-of-the-mill vampire movie, basically adhering to the template of the Bram Stoker novel on which it’s riffing. , Starsky and Hutch, and The Dukes of Hazzard. BLACULA (1972)/SCREAM BLACULA, SCREAM (1973) Blu-ray Directors: William Crain, Bob Kelljan Scream Factory/Shout! William Marshall is well-cast as a vampire. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Storyline An 18th century African statesman is transformed into a vampire, cursed with the name Blacula, and entombed in Dracula's Castle after he fails to convince the Count to support him in his cause to end the slave trade. Actress Pam Grier was a 1970s pop culture icon thanks to a string of roles as tough and sexy heroines in such blaxploitation classics as "Coffy" (1973), "Foxy Brown" (1974) and "Sheba, Baby" (1975). The film also stars William Marshall in the title role along with actress Pam Grier. 4 comments. Chicago citation style: William Crain, Gene Page, and Gene Page. [19] American International was also planning a follow-up titled Blackenstein, but chose to focus on Scream Blacula Scream instead. A couple invites a Count from Hungary, who recently immigrated to America, to conduct a seance for the woman's recently deceased mother, oblivious to the fact that he is actually a vampire. Blacula! When a scientist develops a formula to regenerate dying liver cells, it accidentally turns him into an albino vampire with a taste for prostitutes. A voluptuous black vigilante takes a job as a high-class prostitute in order to get revenge on the mobsters who murdered her boyfriend. Dracula is not exactly helpful, needless to say. Dr. Thomas, his colleague Police Lt. Jack Peters (Gordon Pinsent), and Michelle spend that night following the trail of murder victims as Thomas begins to suspect a vampire is responsible. After Thomas digs up Billy Schaffer's coffin, Billy's corpse rises as a vampire and attacks Thomas, who fends him off and drives a stake through his heart. "[9], On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 50% based on 26 reviews, with a weighted average rating of 5.3/10. Irrespective of context or time, Blacula represents a moment when independent films pushed for mainstream recognition without thinking of grosses, weekend box office … That evening, Dr. Thomas, Michelle and Tina are enjoying drinks at the club when Mamuwalde arrives to pick Tina up. hide. Blacula was directed by William Crain, whose TV work would include directing episodes of The Mod Squad, S.W.A.T. Blacula was an African prince in his previous, non-vampire life, who unfortunately travels to Transylvania. [7] American International Pictures also held special promotional showings at two New York theaters; anyone wearing a flowing cape would receive free admission. Witness the horror! 13 of 13 people found this review helpful. William Crain’s classic 1972 film Blacula gets a reissue thanks to the brilliant Eureka. It eventually grossed over a million dollars, making it one of the highest-grossing films of 1972. To save her life, Mamuwalde transforms her into a vampire. [9], Blacula received mixed reviews on its initial release. Dracula then curses him with the name "Blacula" and imprisons him in a sealed coffin in a crypt hidden beneath the castle. ‘The Office’ is the latest show to scrub blackface from re-airings of old episodes, after the creator edited out a scene from 2012’s “Dwight Christmas.” So the sequel Scream Blacula Scream was released the next year and the results were not nearly the same. "[15] Film4 awarded the film three and a half stars out of five, calling it "essential blaxploitation viewing. As Blacula pursues a woman who resembles his long dead wife, her brother-in-law, a pathologist, investigates the string of carnage that follows in the vampire's wake. In 1972, the coffin is purchased as part of an estate by two homosexual interior decorators, Bobby McCoy (Ted Harris) and Billy Schaffer (Rick Metzler) and shipped to Los Angeles. Incredible from The Incredibles Stanley - None Kelly - Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz Ryan - None Meredith- zombie Toby - Pajamas Devon- Hobo Clown Watch, as Blacula feeds his need for hot young blood! Blackenstein was eventually produced by Exclusive International Pictures. "[17] The Dissolve gave the film two and a half stars, stating that "The placement of an old-fashioned, Bela Lugosi-type Dracula—albeit much, much sweatier—in a modern black neighborhood is a great idea, but the amateurish production leaves Marshall as stranded in the film as his Mamuwalde is stranded in the times. The most popular color? The fact that Nancy, the club photographer, hasn't been seen since Michelle's birthday celebration is also discussed amongst them. Release Calendar DVD & Blu-ray Releases Top Rated Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Showtimes & Tickets In Theaters Coming Soon Coming Soon Movie News India Movie Spotlight. There are 66 blacula for sale on Etsy, and they cost $21.17 on average. The box office success of Blacula sparked a wave of other black-themed horror films. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Eddie is a Vietnam veteran who loses his arms and legs when he steps on a land mine. Sealed in a coffin for several lifetimes, "Blacula" reawakens in 1970s Los Angeles. "[10] A review from Roger Greenspun in The New York Times was negative, stating that anyone who "goes to a vampire movie expecting sense is in serious trouble, and "Blacula" offers less sense than most. [20], Bara no Konrei ~Mayonaka ni Kawashita Yakusoku~, The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blacula&oldid=1015379572, Articles to be expanded from October 2016, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Emily Yancy as Nancy, the nightclub photographer, Lance Taylor Sr. as Swenson, the funeral director, This page was last edited on 1 April 2021, at 04:07. But other critics (of all colors) had praise for the film and it made a killing at the box office. It stars William Marshall in the title role about an 18th-century African prince named Mamuwalde, who is turned into a vampire (and later locked in a coffin) by Count Dracula in the Count's castle in Transylvania in the year 1780 after Dracula refused to help Mamuwalde suppress the slave trade. Shudder at the fashion choices of the 70's! A look at the history of black horror films and the role of African Americans in the film genre from the very beginning. [2] Prior to its release, American International Pictures' marketing department wanted to ensure that black audiences would be interested in Blacula; some posters for the film included references to slavery. [14] Time Out gave the film a negative review, stating that it "remains a lifeless reworking of heroes versus vampires with soul music and a couple of good gags. Molly Rose Steed, I didn't see Blacula until 2006, 34 years after it was made, and I found it very entertaining. Title: Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Blacula was followed by the sequel Scream Blacula Scream in 1973 and inspired a wave of blaxploitation-themed horror films. share. Dr. Thomas keeps her at bay with a large crucifix long enough to open the window blinds and expose her to the morning sun's rays, which quickly destroy her. The next evening, Mamuwalde visits Tina at her apartment, and shares with her how he and his wife Luva were enslaved by Dracula, and how he was cursed into vampirism. However, Peters kills Tina with a stake, believing that Mamuwalde would be in the coffin instead. A sexy black nurse takes vigilante justice against inner-city drug dealers after her sister becomes their latest victim. Blacula was released to mixed reviews in the United States, but was one of the top-grossing films of the year. report. But beyond those two prerequisites, the movie isn't exactly the best thing in its line since "Taste the Blood of Dracula." Blacula as depicted in “The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy” on Cartoon Network. The film also stars William Marshall in the title role along with actress Pam Grier. There appears to be 1 scene of The Office in this image. save. Two hundred years later, a pair of interior decorators transport his coffin to L.A. where he awakes with an unquenchable thirst for human blood. There, he attempts to win support from Count Dracula to end the international slave trade. Movies. (1972). Menu. The show’s creator Greg Daniels issued the following statement rega… [4] Blacula was shot on location in Los Angeles, with some scenes shot in Watts and the final scenes taken at the Hyperion Outfall Treatment Plant in Playa del Rey. Shop high-quality unique Blacula T-Shirts designed and sold by artists. A sequel to the film titled Scream Blacula Scream was released in 1973 by American International. ... darryl, darryl philbin, the office, warehouse, foreman, paper company, dunder mifflin, scranton, dinkin flicka, fit, bring that booty, blacula, dracula, black, black lives matter, craig robinson. Use the HTML below. Scream Blacula Scream is a 1973 American blaxploitation horror film.It is a sequel to the 1972 film Blacula.The film was produced by American International Pictures (AIP) and Power Productions. Blacula Blacula ! "The Office is about a group of people trying to work together with mutual respect despite the inappropriate actions of their boss and assistant manager," executive producer Greg … Bobby and Billy open the coffin inside a Los Angeles warehouse only to become Prince Mamuwalde's first victims. [8], Scream Factory released the film on Blu-ray as a double feature with Scream Blacula Scream on March 2, 2015. He rolls her body out, but distracted by a phone call, Sam neglects to lock the door, and while on the phone, Juanita Jones rises and immediately attacks and kills him. The female cabbie, Juanita Jones (Ketty Lester), openly berates Mamuwalde when she realizes he is uninjured, which angers him enough for him to attack and kill her. Blacula is a 1972 American blaxploitation horror film directed by William Crain. Blacula was an African prince in his previous, non-vampire life, who unfortunately travels to Transylvania. Soon after, Dr. Thomas conducts a search of Nancy's house and finds a photo negative of Tina standing in front of the invisible Mamuwalde. "[12] The film was awarded the Best Horror Film title at the first Saturn Awards. [5] The film's soundtrack features a score by Gene Page and contributions by the Hues Corporation and 21st Century Ltd.[6], Blacula opened in Washington, Dallas, Seattle and Oklahoma City on July 26, 1972, and in Chicago two days later. [3] Marshall had previously worked in stage productions and in episodes of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Nurses, Bonanza, Star Trek and Mannix. Find where to to rent and stream the film here. 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