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:

poverty row horror | low budget horror | 1970s | venice california | california | 

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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

In his scene confronting Count Dracula, J. Carrol Naish looks noticeably older than he does elsewhere in the film. This is due to the time that had elapsed between the bulk of his scenes, when it was intended as a different film entirely, and the Dracula/Frankenstein scenes that were grafted on later.

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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

[Referring to some hippies on the beach]
Martin: It seems that living near the water brings out the best and worst in us.

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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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Alternate Versions

According to Sam Sherman, the TV version removed the brief topless nudity of the girl on the operating table. It also removed a sign saying "Society Sucks".

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Connections

Featured in Hail to the King - A King named Kong (2014)

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Soundtracks

Here and Now
Words and Music by J.D. Lobue
ASCAP
Recorded by Communication Plus

User Reviews

The Amazing Collosal Adamson strikes again

You have to give credit to producer-director Al Adamson he has a rare talent for getting well-known actors to star in his atrocious movies. This film (and several other Adamson projects) was put together slowly over a period of years. What Adamson ended up with was a film that features J. Carrol Naish (in his last role) as Dr. Frankenstein, living under an alias while he manages an amusement park (!), Lon Chaney, Jr. (in his last role) is Frankenstein's moron assistant who obediently fetches the heads of young girls. Russ Tamblyn ("West Side Story", "tom thumb") plays an aging biker. Even Jim Davis (Jock Ewing from "Dallas") has a part in this disaster. And Forest J. Ackerman (editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland) is one of the monster's victims, along with Anthony Eisley ("The Navy versus the Night Monster").

Adamson also manages to insult several famous props from classic films; some of the lab equipment he used is from "The Bride of Frankenstein". Adamson's busty blond wife (Regina Carrol) is bitten by Dracula (played by an actor named Zandor Vorkov, who looks like Frank Zappa in "Kiss" makeup). Frankenstein also has a dwarf assistant, played by Angelo Rossitto, who starred in the bizarre 1932 film "Freaks". All in all, a remarkable film from the man who gave the world "Blood of Ghastly Horror".