‘BLACULA’
Directed By; WILLIAM CRAIN
Produced By; Sam Arkoff
An ‘A.I.P.’ Film
Starring; William Marshall( Dita’s Father-In-Law???), Elisha Cook Jr.,
Vonetta McGee, Denise Nicholas, etc.
From; ‘SOUL CINEMA’-1972
Now Streaming on Amazon-Prime & TUBI-TV!
Hello my little ‘Bleeding Black Hearts!' Tis I, your Horror/Cult Hostess,
DITA DIRT NAP!
As we draw nearer to February, and 'Black-History Month, I bring you the
Cult-Classic Blacksploitation Flick; 'BLACULA! See for yourself, By Clicking on
the Trailer of; 'BLACULA'>
https://youtu.be/V8Sfrhj5IP4?si=JJXSJLZ7eAGzoMS9
Who knew when DITA wood view this groovy-movie that it wood be on the
‘Big-Screen’ here in Hollyweird at the ‘New Beverly Cinema’s ‘GRINDHOUSE
FESTIVAL’ along with the Director ‘LIVE’ in person , MR. WILLIAM CRAIN, who not
only did a great ‘Q. & A.’ before the film, but gave my Producer/Agent; Darell
Erazo an Autograph and a quick chat afterwards!
DITA also thanked him for making this Iconic-‘Blacksploitation Horror Flick’ and
remembered that her hubby’s initials ‘B.J’. stand for ‘Blacula Jr.’!
It wuz quite an exciting night at mine & ‘Renfield’s’ favorite Theater in L.A.
as it wuz a ‘Blacksploitation-Horror Double Feature’ of not only ‘BLACULA’ but
also ‘J.D.’S REVENGE’( Possession/Horror Flick) Trailer here>
https://youtu.be/kokkZwkQmD0?si=pyrSDNg3E_nwdXd6 w/the lead Actors in
tow as well! You Can’t ask for more than that, kids! Love it!!!
This excellent film wuz from a great 35 mm Print that looked crisp and clean on
the screen. The lights went down and the groovy 70’s Soundtrack started to play!
As I wuz saying, the groovy Soundtrack started to play over the very cool/funky
opening credits of the film, and DITA enjoyed the groovy graphics along with the
credits & music and wood like you to see them by clicking here>
https://youtu.be/OqooXqwiHs4?si=Le2uQWqo9SX7ME2C
Now as DITA munched down on her popcorn, hot dog, jumbo soda and white-castle
sliders, the story unfolded about ‘BLACULA’s reason for coming with his Queen
from Africa, as he is a Prince there to visit the infamous Dracula. Why, did
visit him you may ask? Interesting question my little ‘spider-bites’. Prince
Manuwalde came to ask him to think about stopping the ‘slave trade’! Yikes!!!
Count Dracula disagrees and then to add insult to injury, offers William
Marshall’s character money to sleep with his wife and tells him he should be
flattered! Can you say; ‘RACIST ASS-HOLE’? Hmmm? Who knew Dracula wuz a racist?
Not cool!!!
Any-boo, he then curses the Prince to be a Vampire and dramatically shouts; you
shall be, ‘BLACULA’!!! Then seals him in a coffin with his wife weeping on top
of the coffin. uh, he also takes it one step further, Dracula that is and seals
them in their new tomb. What a jerk!
His wife dies eventually of starvation and several eon’s of decades go by until
two ( stereo-types of gay men,) men, an interracial gay couple buy the castle
and everything in it…….
Including the coffin, with Blacula still in it! Needless to say; Blacula finally
awakens and of course is hungry for blood. The Caucasian gay guy cuts his arm on
the coffin while opening it, and as you can imagine, all hell breaks loose! And
the ‘Blacula’ saga begins!
DITA loved seeing this fun campy fright film even though some things in it are
now totally un-p.c. years later! My Gay-Agent cringed at the gay-extreme
stereo-types and wuz not amused at the constant use of the word ,uh, sounds like
maggot. Which is understandable. Don’t cha just love it?
Back to my Review; I must say that that couldn’t have picked a better Actor to
play Blacula than, Mr. William Marshall, who by the way wuz a
Shakespearean-trained Actor and Singer! In fact he also played a priest in
another Horror film I Reviewed before, that performs an exorcism on demonically
possessed lead character In the film ‘ABBEY’! Too see that groovy Trailer picked
by my Vampire Hubby; ’B.J.’ of ‘ABBEY’ simply click here>
https://youtu.be/pQYPds1mfa4?si=OF5KsWZN2ObvWDXU WOW! That witch is crazy &
evil! ‘Double Yikes!!’
Also you may recognize William Marshall from when he played the ‘King Of
Cartoons’ back in the day on ‘PEE-WEE’S PLAYHOUSE’! Please check his other films
at www.imdb.com ( Just type in William Marshall.)
Now instead of telling you the whole story DITA will say that Mr. Marshall’s
presence & ‘swagger’ in this lovable action-packed horror flick is unmatched by
any other actor around today, in DITA’s humble opinion! He just embodied
coolness in this role and is quite the lover-boy with his love interest in the
film! Wish I wuz her says DITA! Uh, I mean, I’m a big Fan of Mr. Marshall’s work
and the Director ;William Crain who couldn’t of been nicer to me.
He also Directed another DITA-Fave ‘DR JEKYLL & MR. BLACK’>
https://youtu.be/wRAZ-HJ23GM?si=jSkOQV2thKSSf_kk which DITA has reviewed
before.
This film has some great action scenes as well and DITA found herself caring for
his character & his love interest in the infamous ‘police-chase’ scene where one
of them ………where one of them……..??? No way am I giving away this scene as DITA
has never been ‘MSS. SPOILER-ALERT', uh, yet.
So instead here are my ‘DITA’S ;’THINGS-2-LOOK-4 LIST’ as follows;
Scene where BLACULA first dramatically & slowly rises from his coffin to wake up
very hungry in the 1970’s. ( Love it!)
* Scene where ‘Blacula’ is hit by a funny, bitchy, lady cab-driver, then has a
snack! ( Very funny scene, included in the trailer.)
* Scene where Lady Cab –Driver comes back to life as a Vampire in the morgue and
runs wildly in ‘slo-mo’ down the hall to bite Elisha Cook Jr.’s character of the
Mortician!
* Scene where people are dancing very funky-manically 70’s style!!!
(Groovy-baby!)
* Scene with police chasing ‘BLACULA’ and his future Bride’ in a underground
setting. ( Lot’s of action. & drama, baby!
* End-scene w/’Blacula’ walking out and up stairs cuz he’s……..and his wants to
………cuz she…. ….well you get the picture.
You can do that by Streaming it now on Amazon-Prime or 'Tubi-TV!'
This film DITA really feels captures on film the feel and look of the ‘groovy’
early 70’s perfectly frozen in time on celluloid along with Blacula’s ultra-cool
afro, long side-burns and Pimp-cool look of a Vampire in general!!! DITA can dig
it, shugga!!! (A Future Review-Hint coming later next month, Hon!)
DITA’s' willing to bet, Rapper ‘SNOOP-DOGG’ loves this ‘oh-so-cool’ ultimate
Vampire Horror Flick, which DITA considers the ‘Pimp-Daddy’ of most Vampire
Flicks, uh other than Bela Lugosi’s ‘DRACULA’, which they showed in the past,
here in L.A. at New Beverly’s ‘GRINDHOUSE NIGHTS.
DITA also heard lot’s of laughter during the Screening of this retro-fright
flick at the right places of course and even heard one male movie goer’ say;
‘Damn, man, that’s gonna be my Halloween Costume this year!’ No foolin’!
Everybody likes ‘BLACULA’!!! Why u may ask? Cuz he epitomizes cool-ness and
swagger, silly! Hope your resting in piece, Mr. Marshall. ‘KUDOS to the great
cast & Director, Mr. William Crain!!! As DITA told him after the movie, ‘THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS MOVIE!’
I, DITA DIRT NAP, give ‘BLACULA' a perfect Score of 3 SKULLS Out Of A 3 SKULLS
Score!!!
Next week, DITA brings you the Sequel; 'SCREAM BLACULA, SCREAM w/WILLIAM
MARSHALL & PAM GRIER.
Till then DITA Blows you a ‘CHAINSAW-KISSES’, DITA ( ‘THANK YOU FOR BEING A
FRIEND') DIRT NAP
To see that 'Spanking-New Footage' of CHER Singing the 'GOLDEN-GIRL'S THEME
SONG' in honor of the Late BETTY WHITE By Clicking Here, Dear>
https://youtu.be/K6iA5XejB0U?si=yNlQTd_CcWzBcUKz )
Contact me at;
DDN1965@LIVE.COM P.S. Please write
'DITA' in the subject line.
'DITA-Suggested' sites as usual, as follows;
www.legendfilms.com
www.CHER.com
www.elvira.com
www.tubitv.com
www.tubitv.com
www.amazonprime.com
www.mymoviemonsters.com
("Scary Monsters Magazine!)
www.thenewbev.com
www.shoutfactory.com
www.somethingweird.com (Great
Cult DVD Selection, Hon!)
www.bettyboop.com
www.fangoria.com
www.rue-morgue.com
www.ruemorgueradio.com
www.radiohalloween.com
www.blackhistory.com
www.facebook.com/DJDugGraves
(DITA says TUNE IN EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT to her the 'DUG GRAVES HORROR-RADIO SHOW!)
Creature Feature © D. Dyszel 2026
and by
Dick Dyszel - Voice Actor