Scream Blacula Scream!

William Marshall is so convincing as "Blacula" and brings such heft to the part that you know that even a movie titled Scream Blacula Scream can't be all bad. Actually for a "blaxpoitation" bit it's no t bad and once again casting saves the day. Tagging in to help Marshall this time is the vivacious Pam Grier and Don Mitchell (of Ironside fame). They are all mingled in and around voodoo and it's by use of this practice that the deadly Blacula once again treads the night.

This one also has the charm of a movie which doesn't take itself too very seriously. The animating villain is a loathsome cat played by the novice Richard Lawson, a douche who is jealous that he hasn't been named head of the local voodoo cult. He lost out to Pam Grier and from where I sit, it was a wise move indeed. He uses his powers to revive (wrong word I know) Blacula who immediately makes him his vampire slave. One of the funniest scenes is where this utterly vain character realizes for the first time that as a vampire he cannot see himself in a mirror.

Other victims come and go and go and come and the cops get involved. We get a finale with zombie-like vampires battling cops in the passages of a large mansion and it's above average stuff for movies of this ilk. Michael Conrad is a hoot as the obligatory decent white guy and he and Mitchell have actual chemistry. The director of this movie is Bob Kelljan who also directed both the Count Yorga movies and some of the same gimmicks show up here.

This one is a ton of vampire fun if you give it a chance.

Rip Off