Bloodsuckers were rife in the 1970s, from gothic Hammer horror to European arthouse sleaze (Rollin and Franco) to kung-fu vampires to more contemporary takes on the genre, such as Romero's Martin, and this film from writer/director Bob Kelljan. Count Yorga, Vampire doesn't distinguish itself by being particularly innovative, stylish or even excessively gory, but it is a lot of fun, Kelljan employing the genre's most recognised tropes to create a consistently entertaining flick - often witty, sometimes scary, occasionally camp, frequently sexy (the film was originally intended to be a soft-core movie, before being severely edited), and always enjoyable.
The film opens with Yorga, played by Robert Quarry, conducting a seance, the Count using such occasions to hypnotize sexy young women into joining his harem of female vampires. During the seance, Yorga uses his mind to control Donna (Donna Anders), although it is her friend Erica (Judy Lang) who is first to be bitten by the vampire after she drives the Count back to his home. Physician Dr. James Hayes (Roger Perry) examines Erica and realises that she has been attacked by a vampire, but will he be able to convince her friends?
Quarry makes for a very effective vampire, suave and distinguished, but packing a nasty set of serrated gnashers when he vamps out (although how these jagged teeth make only two neat puncture marks is never explained). Perry as womanising Doctor Hayes is a hoot, happily puffing on a cigarette and flirting with his hot secretary whilst seeing his patients. Lang makes for a very sexy vampette (and gives us the film's most amusing moment when she eats her cat!). And there's a cool vampire familiar in the brutish form of Brudah (Edward Walsh), complete with scarred face, scraggly hair and manky hillbilly teeth.
A bloody climax rounds off the film, as Hayes and Donna's boyfriend Michael (Michael Macready) kit themselves out with crucifixes and stakes to tackle the growing vampire clan (making me think of the film as a precursor to Salem's Lot and Fright Night).
The film opens with Yorga, played by Robert Quarry, conducting a seance, the Count using such occasions to hypnotize sexy young women into joining his harem of female vampires. During the seance, Yorga uses his mind to control Donna (Donna Anders), although it is her friend Erica (Judy Lang) who is first to be bitten by the vampire after she drives the Count back to his home. Physician Dr. James Hayes (Roger Perry) examines Erica and realises that she has been attacked by a vampire, but will he be able to convince her friends?
Quarry makes for a very effective vampire, suave and distinguished, but packing a nasty set of serrated gnashers when he vamps out (although how these jagged teeth make only two neat puncture marks is never explained). Perry as womanising Doctor Hayes is a hoot, happily puffing on a cigarette and flirting with his hot secretary whilst seeing his patients. Lang makes for a very sexy vampette (and gives us the film's most amusing moment when she eats her cat!). And there's a cool vampire familiar in the brutish form of Brudah (Edward Walsh), complete with scarred face, scraggly hair and manky hillbilly teeth.
A bloody climax rounds off the film, as Hayes and Donna's boyfriend Michael (Michael Macready) kit themselves out with crucifixes and stakes to tackle the growing vampire clan (making me think of the film as a precursor to Salem's Lot and Fright Night).