Cast:
William Marshall (Prince Mamuwalde / Blacula), Denise Nicholas (Michelle Williams), Vonetta McGee (Tina Williams / Luva), Gordon Pinsent (Lieutenant Jack Peters), Thalmus Rasulala (Dr. Gordon Thomas), Emily Yancy (Nancy, The Nightclub Photographer), Lance Taylor Sr. (Swenson, The Funeral Director), Logan Field (Sergeant Barnes), Ted Harris (Bobby McCoy), Rick Metzler (Billy Schaffer), Ketty Lester (Juanita Jones / Taxi Cabbie), Charles Macaulay (Count Dracula), Ji-Tu Cumbuka ("Skillet"), and Elisha Cook, Jr. (Sam, The Morgue Attendant) Directed by William Crain.
Review:
The story of Dracula or stuff with vampires can go anywhere, particularly if the hands of American International Pictures had anything to say about it. Samuel Z. Arkoff obviously had a motivation, to, well, make money, so why not do a black vampire movie? AIP had already started with 70s stuff such as Count Yorga, Vampire (1970), so it only makes sense to make a different turn. Probably the only notable horror film with black actors before this one was Son of Ingagi (1940), three decades prior. This was the debut feature for William Crain, who had directed a bit of television along with serving as an apprentice director on Brother John (1972) before being selected to direct this film. The Columbus native (and UCLA graduate) would go on to direct exactly one more feature with Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde (1978). The film was written by Joan Torres, Raymond Koenig, and Richard Glouner, although when it comes to the title character, Marshall went to great lengths to make sure his character had some sort of dignity, complete with having a backstory involving being an African prince converted into a vampire (as opposed to the original proposal by AIP of "Count Brown’s in Town", according to Crain). Evidently, Crain was not too big on the idea of filming the final scene of the film to go along with having conflict with Bob Kelljan (director of the aforementioned Yorga films), who ended up directing the sequel Scream Blacula Scream (1973), which retained only Marshall from the original cast. The name really does stick like calling the film part of blaxploitation, even if Crain has stated being "a little embrassed about it". AIP would do a handful of black horror films in the following years, such as 1974's Abby (dealing with possession that had Marshall as one of the stars), Sugar Hill (dealing with zombies), or J. D.'s Revenge (1976; a restless spirit film).
Well, someone was going to be first as the first black vampire movie, because Ganja & Hess (1973) would come out just a year after this. The actors in support of Marshall are all pretty standard stuff when it comes to ones to setup for death or do exposition (minus the interracial gay couple in the beginning who play the stumbling device that starts a good deal of these films). McGee at least makes a suitable doomed lady of love in that same manner that follows the tradition laid in certain other horror films about similar looking ladies falling with creatures. The film can either be taken seriously or ham-handedly, I'm fine with it either way. Who better to act out the main role than William Marshall? The Indiana native had done a handful of Shakespearean plays on the stage across the world to go with steady work in television along with time spent teaching acting in universities. If anyone looked and sounded the part of a devastating man of the night, Marshall would be a good choice. He is the one who lifts the film to the heights that it goes to, because he dominates the screen in charisma and calm patience that never seems to treat the material as just "Black Dracula". The very first scene even has him confront Dracula on the idea of trying to be an advocate against the slave trade only to find the exact opposite of what he desired. In effect, he is an ideal tragic anti-hero, wandering the earth forever that basically becomes just like Dracula with his intent of, well, turning people into vampires. It is ferocity that works far more for our interests of watching him that folks probably found with Shaft [1971] (hell, can you think of anything the authorities do in either film?). The fright levels are moderate, although the production value is okay at best in that certain type of AIP way. Whether taken as a pioneer for black horror or as an AIP showcase, one will find something interesting with what they see here in terms of one vibrant performance in Marshall that gives the film all the dignity and bloody resolve that one would ever need.
Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.
Next: Oh hell. Blackenstein.
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