Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971)

Director:

Al Adamson

Writers:

William Pugsley (story) &
Samuel M. Sherman (story)

Release Date:

December 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

It's a real monster mash when they clash!

Plot:

Dracula conspires with a mad doctor to resurrect the Frankenstein Monster.

Plot Keywords:

Dracula | Frankenstein's Monster | Monster | Bound | Trash

Cast

J. Carrol Naish	...	Dr. Frankenstein, aka Dr. Duryea
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Groton (as Lon Chaney)
Zandor Vorkov	...	Count Dracula
Anthony Eisley	...	Mike Howard
Regina Carrol	...	Judith Fontaine
Russ Tamblyn	...	Rico
Jim Davis	...	Police Sgt. Martin
Angelo Rossitto	...	Grazbo
Greydon Clark	...	Strange
Anne Morrell	...	Samantha
William Bonner	...	Biker
Forrest J Ackerman	...	Dr. Beaumont (as Forest J Ackerman)
Maria Lease	...	Joan
John Bloom	...	Frankenstein's Monster
Shelly Weiss	...	The Creature
Bruce Kimball	...	Biker
Albert Cole	...	Cop Killed by Creature
Gary Kent	...	Bob, Beach Boy
Connie Nelson	...	Laura - Beach Girl
Irv Saunders	...	Policeman
Lu Dorn
Sean Graver
Barney Gelfan
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Al Adamson	...	Man in Audience / Man Zapped by Dracula (uncredited)
Gary Graver	...	Man on Beach (uncredited)
Samuel M. Sherman	...	Man in car killed by monster (uncredited)
R. Michael Stringer	...	Scarred Waiter (uncredited)

Directed by
Al Adamson

Writing credits
William Pugsley		(story and screenplay) &
Samuel M. Sherman		(story and screenplay)

Produced by
Al Adamson	....	producer
Mardi Rustam	....	executive producer
Mohammed Rustam	....	associate producer
John Van Horne	....	producer (as John Van Horn)
Samuel M. Sherman	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
William Lava

Cinematography by
Paul Glickman		(director of photography)
Gary Graver		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Irwin Cadden

Art Direction by
Ray Markham

Makeup Department
Gary Kent	....	special makeup artist
Sheldon Lee	....	makeup artist
Gretchen Moon	....	hair stylist
Tony Tierney	....	special makeup
George Barr	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Gloria Betrue	....	production manager
Dan Q. Kennis	....	in charge of production
Samuel M. Sherman	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gary Kent	....	assistant director

Art Department
Charles Hutchison	....	props (as Charles Hutchinson)

Sound Department
Bob Dietz	....	production sound (as Robert Dietz)
Dale Skillicorn	....	production sound
Aaron Nathanson	....	sound recording engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ken Strickfaden	....	electronic special effects

Visual Effects by
Bob Le Bar	....	special visual effects (as Bob LeBar)

Camera and Electrical Department
Hedy Dietz	....	still photographer
R. Michael Stringer	....	assistant camera (as Mike Stringer)
Rod Bristow	....	special photography (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gretchen Moon	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Jerry Cohen	....	production editor

Music Department
William Lava	....	conductor

Other crew
Forrest J Ackerman	....	technical advisor (as Forest J. Ackerman)
Victor Adamson	....	special consultant (as Denver Dixon)
John Babcock	....	assistant to producer
Bob Le Bar	....	title designer (as Bob LeBar)
Sandy Portelli	....	script supervisor
Ren Patterson	....	production effects (uncredited)
Linda Sherman	....	effects coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Independent International Pictures (I-I)

Distributors

• Independent International Pictures (I-I) (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Meridian-Films (1972) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures of Canada (1972) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Super Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• Very Strange Video (VSV) (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Troma Team Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Troma Team Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Cheezy Flicks Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Melior Films (1971) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Duravision (????) (USA) (VHS)
• IndieFlix (2010) (worldwide) (all media)
• Koch Vision (????) (USA) (DVD)
• One World Media (????) (Germany) (VHS)
• Sony Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• VidAmerica (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"The Revenge of Dracula" - USA (reissue title)
"They're Coming to Get You" - USA (reissue title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:GP | West Germany:16 | Netherlands:18 (orginal rating)

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

Independent International Pictures (I-I)

Trivia:

At this point in his career, J. Carrol Naish was very ill and frail and could no longer remember dialogue, so he read it off cue cards. However, he had only one real eye, so in his dialogue closeups you can see one eye moving back and forth, reading the lines, while the other eye remains fixed in position.

Goofs:

Continuity: Fang marks on security guards are substantially smaller than Dracula's.

Quotes:

Dracula:I am known as the Count of Darkness, the Lord of the Manor of Corpathia.
[sic]

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Say the Word

Low Budget Monster Mess - But Fun!

This film gets a bad rap from a lot of people. That's understandable, because it's a low budget paste-up job, combining previously shot footage from a uncompleted biker film with the monster team-up. But Dracula Vs. Frankenstein is really a lot of fun -- particularly if you first saw it on late night TV when you were 13 or 14!

Forry Ackerman has a cameo in the film as one of Dracula's victims, so the movie got promoted in Famous Monsters magazine, with "Zandor Vorkov" gracing the cover in his dime store fangs. It was (I believe) the final film appearance of J. Carroll Naish and one of Lon Chaney Jr.'s last roles. Ken Strickfadden's Frankenstein lab equipment is used, and the music is well chosen. Parts of the film are quite moody and effective, with highly competent photograghy considering the budget and haste of production.

To compare this little film with the Hammer films is a bit unfair. No, it cannot match them on any level -- nor was it intended to -- this was drive-in fodder without the budget or resources of England's Hammer and its American partners and distributors. It's too bad none of the major American studios tried to cash in on the 1960's-70's monster boom. Then there might be some truly interesting American monster films worthy of the comparison.