Blood for Dracula is being released on 4K Ultra HD by Severin Films. Announcing the release, Severin commented: “Our edition features a UHD with a new master of the film, scanned uncut in 4K from the original negative for the first time ever.”
Blood for Dracula will be part of Severin’s June Mid Year Sale, which will include eight other brand new titles on Blu-ray such as Lucio Fulci’s Warriors of the Year 2072, Joe D’Amato’s Endgame and Ruggero Deodato’s Raiders of Atlantis.
Severin has stated that the 4K Ultra HD release of Blood for Dracula “debuts Saturday, June 26 at 11:59:59 pm EST and will only be available for the remainder of the sale.” Visit their site for details
Meanwhile, here is our previous coverage of this camp classic:
Blood for Dracula is a 1974 darkly comedic horror film written and directed by Paul Morrissey and produced by Andy Warhol, Andrew Braunsberg, and Jean Yanne. Also known as Andy Warhol’s Dracula and Young Dracula,
The film stars Udo Kier (The Editor; Suspiria; House on Straw Hill; et al), Joe Dallesandro, Maxime McKendry, Stefania Casini, Arno Juerging and Vittorio De Sica.
The film was shot on locations in Italy and was partly improvised, as the filming (in 3D!) of Flesh for Frankenstein by the same team had been quicker and less costly than expected. Because director Roman Polański was shooting What? in Italy on a set nearby, he was invited to perform a cameo in Blood for Dracula.
While some Italian prints reportedly give second unit director Antonio Margheriti (Castle of Blood, Cannibal Apocalypse) credit as director of the film, Udo Kier has stated that Margheriti had nothing to do with directing the film. Kier stated that he and the other cast members received direction only from Morrissey, and noted that he never saw Margheriti on the set.
Apparently, as a favour for producer Carlo Ponti, Antonio Margheriti agreed to take credits for free as director for the Italian release in order to help the film get funds from the government. Unfortunately, it apparently ended up as a trial for producer and alleged director, who both lost.
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Review:
Though Blood for Dracula never quite matches the excesses of Flesh for Frankenstein, it still taps into the same satiric vein that provided the lifeblood that gave life to Flesh for Frankenstein. Once again, the sets, locations and costumes are ornate. Once again, the frequently ludicrous dialogue is delivered with the straightest of faces. Once again, Udo Kier goes over-the-top as a famous monster. And, once again, Joe Dallesandro plays his role with a thick and anachronistic New York accent though he looks damn good doing it.
Ironically, one of the differences between Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula is that there’s quite a bit less blood in the Dracula film. Then again, that’s also kind of the point. Dracula literally can’t find any blood to drink and, as a result, he’s become weak and anaemic. Udo Kier plays perhaps the sickliest-looking Dracula in the history of vampire movies. By the time that he meets the Marchese’s four daughters, he’s so sick that he literally seems like he might fade away at any second.
As ludicrous as the film sometimes is, you can’t help but sympathise with Dracula. All he wants is some young women’s blood and the communists aren’t even willing to let him have that. Blood for Dracula is, in its own twisted way, a considerably more melancholy film than Flesh for Frankenstein. Or, at least it is until the finale, at which point he gets violently dismembered, yet still continues to rant and rave even after losing the majority of his limbs.
Lisa Marie Bowman, guest reviewer via Through the Shattered Lens
Other reviews:
“Andy Warhol’s Dracula is ridiculous, hilarious, bloody, and quite sick. In other words, it has everything you could possibly want from a horror movie. A review cannot do this movie much justice, so don’t take my word for it, see this one for yourselves.” Absolute Horror
“The film is an overt exercise in allegory as every situation […] with accompanying dialogue, viciously pounds the stake of social unrest through the heart of the class structure. The events are clearly over the top (as can be found in Flesh for Frankenstein yet they’re strangely satisfying as the viewer quickly discovers this is not just another “monster movie.” DVD Verdict
“It’s beautiful and artificial […] and plays hosts to a number of visiting celebrities like Roman Polanski and Vittorio De Sica. A cool place to hang out, just don’t take it too seriously.” Video Warriors
Cast and characters:
Udo Kier … Count Dracula
Joe Dallesandro … Mario Balato, the worker
Vittorio De Sica … Il Marchese Di Fiore
Maxime McKendry … La Marchesa Di Fiore
Arno Juerging … Anton, the Count’s servant
Milena Vukotic … Esmeralda
Dominique Darel … Saphiria
Stefania Casini … Rubinia
Silvia Dionisio … Perla
Roman Polański [uncredited] … Man in the tavern
Censorship:
In the USA, Blood for Dracula was initially released theatrically in a 103-minute version that was given an ‘X’ rating by the MPAA; it was later cut to 94 minutes and reclassified with an ‘R’ rating for re-release under the title, Young Dracula (to cash-in on the success of Mel Brooks’s Young Frankenstein.
Unlike the controversy over Flesh for Frankenstein, Blood for Dracula suffered very minor cuts for its initial UK cinema release and was never listed as a video nasty. It was passed fully uncut for video in 1995 on the First Independent label.
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Buy Blood for Dracula + Flesh for Frankenstein from Amazon.co.uk
Suggested double-bill:
Vampira (1974)
Trailer:
