Blacula and Scream Blacula Scream
In 1972 Blaxploitation was in full swing with thanks to the likes of a certain Shaft and others. AIP in their infinite wisdom knew a good thing and mixed it with horror and so brought us Blacula.
When an African Prince, Mamuwalde goes to Castle Dracula with his bride to ask for help fighting the slave trade, he feels insulted by the Count's attitude who then turns him, pops him in a coffin in one of his crypts, seals it and lets his wife perish in there whilst the Prince is entombed. A couple of hundred years later, the coffin is unsealed by two rather camp dudes and Blacula is awoken. Spotting what he thinks is his long lost love reincarnated, he pursues her.
Just one year later, a sequel was released with the resurrection of Blacula thanks to some handy voodoo. With Blacula back to life he bites the fella who resurrected him and the plot thickens as an ex-cop interested in African artefacts meets Blacula in his Mamuwalde persona.
Blaxploitation isn't to everyone's tastes but these two films are pretty darn good horror in their own right. There is a magnificient central performance from William Marshall as Blacula who gives the role dignity with his substantial acting chops (he under studied Boris Karloff at one point) and looks mighty cool and electifying whenever he's on screen. The music is funky, the clothes are groovy and Pam Grier in the sequel, what else is there?
I've loved Blacula for years and this package from Eureka in HD is terrific and should sit on everyone's shelf as a couple of great horror films and a piece of historical cinema.
- Starring William Marshall Pam Grier Vonetta McGee
- Directors William Crain and Bob Kelljan
- Distributor Eureka
