Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971)

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

Directors:

Al Adamson, Samuel M. Sherman (uncredited)

Writers:

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

Stars:

J. Carrol Naish, Lon Chaney Jr., Zandor Vorkov

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
J. Carrol Naish	...	Dr. Frankenstein
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Groton (as Lon Chaney)
Zandor Vorkov	...	Count Dracula
Anthony Eisley	...	Mike
Regina Carrol	...	Judith
Russ Tamblyn	...	Rico
Jim Davis	...	Sgt. Martin
Angelo Rossitto	...	Grazbo
Greydon Clark	...	Strange
Ann Morell	...	Samantha (as Anne Morrell)
William Bonner	...	Biker
Forrest J. Ackerman	...	Dr. Beaumont (as Forest J Ackerman)
Maria Lease	...	Joan
John Bloom	...	The Monster
Shelly Weiss	...	The Creature

Storyline

Judith Fontaine (Regina Carrol) is looking for her sister Joanie, who has disappeared into the hippie community of Venice, California. It turns out Joanie has become the victim of Groton (Lon Chaney Jr.), an axe-wielding homicidal maniac working for Dr. Durray (J. Carrol Naish), who is really the last of the Frankensteins and is now running a house of horrors by the beach and is performing experiments on Gorton's victims. One night Count Dracula (Zandor Vorkov) visits the doctor, showing him the original Frankenstein creation that was buried in a nearby graveyard. The doctor revives it and uses it to take revenge on his professional rivals.

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Plot Keywords:

dracula | hippie | beach | frankenstein's monster | monster | 

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Taglines:

The Kings of Horror Battle to the Death!

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

GP

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

December 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blood Freaks

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Independent-International Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (Telesound)

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While Lon Chaney Jr shot his scenes for this movie before The Female Bunch (1971) this movie was released after. By default both movies can be classed as his final movie.

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Goofs

Durea's use of the same chemical injection alternately cause Groton to transform, and prevent him from transforming.

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Quotes

Strange: Man, it sure looks real!
Durea: True. All illusions look real or they wouldn't be illusions, would they?

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Crazy Credits

For his bit part, Forrest J. Ackerman's first name is listed in the credits as "Forest."

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Connections

References Of Mice and Men (1939)

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Soundtracks

Say the Word
Words and Music by J.D. Lobue
ASCAP
Recorded by Communication Plus

User Reviews

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.