Looking at "Blacula" now, it's obvious that there was a serious effort to make the "Dracula" story relevant to the movie going audiences of 1972 by flipping it on its ear on two fronts: first, most of the vampires are black, led by the incomparable William Marshall whose distinctive, booming voice will be familiar to movie buffs as Glycon, in 1954's "Demetrius and the Gladiators," and to "Star Trek" fans as Dr. Richard Daystrom in the 1968 episode, "The Ultimate Computer." An actor with real gravitas, Marshall lends to his Blacula portrayal a majestic dignity. Secondly, in a somewhat ironic switch, the vampires visit mayhem on a hapless, mostly white police force, at least until the very end. And even then, Blacula himself chooses the moment of his own demise by deliberately walking into the morning sun, broken hearted by the death of his 18th Century beloved, Luva, reincarnated in the 20th Century as Tina. She is played by Vonetta McGee, known for the cult classic, "Repo Man" and in "L. A. Law," among many television appearances.
The protagonist is a young, African-American, Dr. Gordon Thomas, played by Thalmus Rasulata, whose long career also included a brief foray into the "Star Trek" universe. His girlfriend is played by a young Denise Nicholas, perhaps best known for roles in the television series "Room 222" (1969-1974) and "In the Heat of the Night" (1989-1995). But aside from these points of celebrity trivia and the fun time capsule of seventies fashion and music, this movie fails to take flight, even when Blacula turns himself into a bat.
The production values are uneven, often looking and sounding like a typical made-for-TV movie of the time, and there is little effort made to visually explain Blacula's transformations from one scene to another. It seems that when he is thirsty for blood, he suddenly grows big, bushy eyebrows, a widow's peak, blackened cheekbone hollows, and of course those vicious looking fangs. But when he's relaxed, in a social setting, he's back to being a handsome, courteous gentleman (and that cape would not have been out of place in a 1970s nightclub)! There are no scenes like you might see in a "Wolf Man" or "Jekyll & Hyde" picture where these transitions are shown. Because of this, the sudden change in Blacula's appearance is more comical than scary. But I guess if he could instantly make himself a bat, he could also grow bushy eyebrows super fast.
Then there is the problem of one kind of bigotry traded for another. Again, this was a sign of the times. "Blacula," while treating African-American characters with some sensitivity, does not extend this tolerance to its gay characters. The first two victims of Blacula are a mixed-race pair of stereotypical, swishy gay men, one black and the other very blonde and white. Dr. Thomas refers to them in typical derogatory terms that are unacceptable today, as do a couple of the cops sent to investigate their deaths.
But I had to chuckle. Why go so far as to take offense at a silly horror movie like this one? Even if it was meant to convey a kind of social commentary, however inept but well intentioned, taking it too seriously would be to miss its main point, which is to entertain, and that it does, often in spite of itself. It's no classic, but the cast was game, the script provides a few laughs, and the editing is paced for a couple of good frights.
Also of note are the beautifully designed, animated opening credits, all black and white with spots of red. Nice!
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