ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

First of all, this is one damn fine poster! Not only is it great artwork, it's also a perfect likeness of the wild monster makeup used in this movie.

Producer Herman Cohen brought us I Was a Teenaged Werewolf and I Was a Teenaged Frankenstein. He could have called this one I Was a Teenaged Vampire, but he didn't, perhaps because he thought three separate I Was a Teenaged _____ movies in a single year would be too much.

Blood of Dracula is just as much fun as it's two teenaged brothers, and it borrows the hypnosis-can-create-monsters idea from I Was a Teenaged Werewolf.

The evil headmistress at an all-girls school hypnotizes young Sandra Harrison and turns her into a vampire. She sprouts sabre-toothed fangs, a satanic hair-do that peaks low on her forehead, a pasty complexion, wild eyebrows that extend up over her temples, and large black circles under her eyes.



Also starring Richard Devon, Gail Ganley, Louis Lewis, and Thomas B. Henry (20 Million Miles to Earth, many others). Directed by Herbert L. Strock.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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This trailer certainly makes the movie look exciting!
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_____________ Blood of Dracula (1957) Trailer


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Custer]

Here's a slightly better copy of that poster:





A blogger online here remarks that "it's a fun little fun, and doesn't outstay its welcome, and would be a good companion piece to AIP's other famous teenage angst flick, I Was A Teenage Werewolf (1957) - which itself had the working title of Blood of the Werewolf before settling for the much more memorable name."

[The Spike]

A teenage girl, bit of a rebel, is sent away to a girls school. Her fiery nature brings her to the attention of the science teacher, who, using a Carpathian amulet, uses the girl for nefarious deeds.

OK! You understand why plenty of folk love the cruddy schlockers of the 50s (I love me plenty as well), the films that were the bottom half of a bottom of the barrel drive-in double bill. Quite often there's a charm to be found, even some that genuinely have craft, guile and surprise enough to warrant love and affection. Blood of Dracula (AKA: Blood Is My Heritage) is devoid of charm and doesn't work hard to earn support.

As has been pointed out by the horror faithful over the years, there is no blood and no Dracula in this film - though Dracula as plural does get a mention during one of the many many long and dull passages of chatter within. The narrative plods along until angry girl meets angry science teacher and it's hypnotism time! Yay. Enter a creature that looks like Eddie Munster with bad teeth. All violent damage is done off screen, an interim pop tune and dance sequence is just bizarre, and the plot's motives really don't make any sense.

Herman Cohen (producer) was not dumb. I Was a Teenage Werewolf and I Was a Teenage Frankenstein, the two other films in this schlocky trilogy, are good fun. He was capable of overseeing some good movies pitched at a teen audience - even having something to say about the youth/adult divide. Sadly his vampire excursion is not only lazy, it's also very dull. 2/10
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The quality of mercy is not strnen.

[Gord Green]

There is a great co-ordination between vampirism and sexuality. At least from the feminine perspective. Both are the surrender of the physical to the spiritual phases of existance. These films attempted to address these aspects of the dicatomy of these concepts.

A person who is really in concert with the Vampirism idea would understand this.



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There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.