Count Yorga, Vampire

So far, our examination of old fashioned vampires in modern day settings has covered Dracula, in the Hammer Studios films Dracula AD 1972 and Satanic Rites of Dracula, and some guy named Count Sinistre, from the previously obscure British horror film Devils of Darkness. But this trend of placing traditional vampires in a modern (well, 1970s) setting actually started in America, with a low-key film called Count Yorga, Vampire. At the time of Yorga’s release, there were very few people making vampire movies. Hammer was pretty much the only game in town, and they were still setting their vampire films in the Victorian era. Devils of Darkness was one of the first vampire films to transport a vampire into the current era, at least since the 1932 Tod Browning production of Dracula, which was set in what was then modern-day London. However, one can argue that the differences between the London of 1870 and 1932 is markedly less than the difference between 1870 and 1970, and so for our purposes here, Devils of Darkness is more substantial to our little foray than Dracula. It’s also less substantial because almost no one saw Devils of Darkness, Which means that Count Yorga, Vampire, is really where we can say this short-lived trend began.

Well, I said in my review of Jason X that I was feeling nostalgic for Crystal Lake. That feeling has led me to take a long look back at the Friday The 13th franchise in all its gory—uh, glory. See Friday The 13th – Reconsidered, new in Etc., Etc., Etc.

Redneck Zombies (1987) is a guilty pleasure for me; I can’t tell you that it’s good, but I also can’t tell you that I don’t enjoy it. If I had made this movie, I’d be proud of it. I’m sorry if that disappoints you. I know it would disappoint my mom.

On the other hand, there’s no guilt in my enjoyment of 28 Weeks Later (2007), though “enjoy” might not be the best word to relate to a movie centered on brutal, unrelenting, non-exploitative violence. The good news for me is that its imagery is haunting enough that I don’t think I’ll need to rewatch it any time soon.

Devils of Darkness
Count Sinistre is the menacing vampire leader of the Satanic cult in Devils of Darkness, a previously forgotten horror film in the vein of AIP’s Poe films or Hammer fare like The Devil Rides Out. Devils of Darkness pits our sinister Sinistre against — well, basically, it pits him against a dad from some early 60s sitcom in a veritable whirlwind of opera capes and devil cloaks versus cardigan sweaters and well-pressed slacks. This is the sort of movie where square-jawed everymen sit on couches with their legs crossed and stare intently at their cigarettes while saying things like, “Vampires? But this is the 20th century!” and everyone seems to know a guy who happens to be a professor of the occult. You know, I went to college, and all I learned about was physics and John Adams and whatever the hell it was I didn’t pay attention to in that macroeconomics class everyone was required to take to get into the school of journalism. As far as I know, there were no professors whose entire tenure at the university involved them sitting around giving speeches about Pazuzu and magick circles, but maybe I just didn’t take the proper classes.

Jabootu commands: Buy this DVD! (Reading the review is optional.)

 Zombi 2 (1979)

In which Lucio Fulci succeeds in simultaneously resurrecting the Italian horror cinema, his own career and the dead – not necessarily in that order – and Lyz makes a somewhat less successful effort to overcome her horror of eye trauma. Yes, it’s still more MONTH OF THE LIVING DEAD!

We continue our look at Victorian vampires in the funky 70s, and conclude our long series on Hammer’s Dracula films, with The Satanic Rites of Dracula. Having failed to die over and over and over, even Dracula has finally gotten tired of the shtick and hatches a plan to destroy all life on earth, thereby completing his journey from biological mutant to satanic demon and finally to Fu Manchu. Peter Cushing shows up to intently smoke cigarettes.

Two more entries:

 Flight of the Living Dead (2007) — There are zombies.  They’re on a plane.  That’s bad.  But it’s good.

Land of the Dead (2005) — Remember:  Suits = Republicans, and Republicans = evil!!!

Forgive me this bit of shameless self promotion, but…

I am launching (relaunching, actually) a Teleport City side project called Jet Set Cinema. It’s a combination of Teleport City material and new, shorter material all concerning swanky, swingin’ cinema with groovy pop art sensibilities (Diabolik, Barbarella, Gerry Anderson’s UFO, Avengers, etc). So if you are bored and want to see me repost Teleport City stuff and call it new, then here you go.

Also, I’m looking for anyone who’d be interested in joining up to write for the site. If you are down with the challenge, put on your best smart suit (or cocktail dress) and leave your message in a hollow rock next to the gnarled oak by the pond in Hyde Park.

Reviewing Dracula AD 1972 made me wonder about the high quality of other films that were released in the year I was born. Sure, we all know the big ones — The Godfather, for instance. But what movies defined 1972 by Teleport City standards?

Where were you in ’72?

It was a pretty good year, apparently.