Cineanalyst
Universal's 1979 "Dracula" remake has been called the Disco Dracula, which I'll agree with in a derisive sense that the filmmakers, including the director of "Saturday Night Fever" (1977), lacked an appreciation for period atmosphere--importing late 1970s fashion into the story's early-20th Century setting. There was also a disco dance scene in another 1979 Dracula film, the parody "Love at First Bite." But, the real Disco Dracula of '79 is this one, "Nocturna." It's chock-full of musical interludes and disco dancing, which is welcome if you like the music, and it's a welcome relief from what is otherwise, at best, a so-good-it's-bad type of film--or, maybe, it's just the music that's good and the rest that's bad.Dracula, himself, however, only has a supporting role here, as the grandfather of the titular Nocturna. Played by John Carradine in his fourth and last film in the role, it's a rather embarrassing part even for an actor whose last appearance as the Count was in "Billy the Kid Versus Dracula" (1966). When not complaining about his granddaughter, the old master is either complaining about how he has to earn money in the modern world (by running Hotel Transylvania), about his dentures or about the malfunctions related to his genitals common to one of advanced age, apparently, even for vampires. The rest of the cast is no better and, frequently, worse. Star, producer and writer Nai Bonet's delivery is horrendously awkward. Meanwhile, Brother Theodore, as the disgruntled werewolf servant, mumbles much of his monologues, although he does deliver my favorite bad line of the script, "If only I could get in her coffin." The acting, however, couldn't be expected to be much better with a script so heavy on exposition and characters expressing their every feeling out loud and repeatedly, even when alone, lest the stupidest person in the audience barely paying attention gets lost. The wolfman's mean-spirited monologues and Nocturna's internal narration are the worst examples. Fortunately, much of the movie is spent with only the soundtrack to listen to. Early on, there's also a nude makeout session and a bath scene complete with a werewolf peeping tom.The actual story concerns Nocturna as a lovesick vamp longing to be human, a formula that was trite even by 1979. "Blacula" (1972), its sequel "Scream Blacula Scream" (1973), and "Dracula and Son" (1976), just among the Dracula films I've seen, had already done it. And, the lovesick part alone also polluted "The Great Love of Count Dracula" (1973), the 1974 TV-movie Dracula, as well as the 1979 remake of "Nosferatu." I believe this is the first instance, however, of a vamp discovering disco as the solution for their conversion from vampirism to humanism. By comparison, I can much easier tolerate the film's flimsy animated bats synchronized with ridiculous sound effects during transformations and the mostly misfired gags concerning stereotypical gangster and pimp vamps and the BSA: Blood Suckers of America meeting where the vamps complain about diabetic blood being on the rise. Regardless, you never need to wait long for the film's next disco track.(Mirror Note: Nocturna sees her reflection and then its vanishing in a mirror on the disco floor. This convinces her that she can convert from vampirism to humanism.)
trashgang
It's the end of the seventies and a time that disco came to the big screen. From Grease to Saturday Night Fever, it was time to unleash Nocturna. Starting very funny with Dracula (john Carradine)being interrupted from the grave. Nocturna being fed up of being undead comes into the world of the living. From transylvania she went to NY with her 'human' friend. Some scene's are way too long, and the horror comedy becomes a dancemovie. Of course a happy end makes it more romantic. The trailer contains a Nocturna vampire bite but that's almost all you will see. There is a funny effect when the vampires changes into animated bats. A cheap effect but somehow it works. Having trouble selling this flick it was also the time of Emmmanuelle and Bilitis. So they filmed afterwards a bathroom scene including Nai Bonet in the old fashioned David Hamiltonway. Ridicilious scene. The small talks tell that it's due to rights for the soundtrack that it never was released. The acting except for Carradine is terrible, it was also Bonet's last movie. It was only released as a rental one and copies go for more than 100 euro's these days. Worth it? It's a one of his kind so the choice is yours.
Jay Thompson
Recently stumbled across an old copy of this film at my local video store. The quality of the video was appalling, which was quite appropriate, given how bad the rest of the film is. The acting's atrocious, the humour weak and obvious, and the plot threadbare. I was also dismayed by the over- emphasis on Nai Bonet's naked body. Not that I mind nudity, but there was very little to distinguish parts of this film from excerpts taken from traditional, sexist, male-directed porn.The only redeeming feature of this film is the wonderfully kitsch performances by the disco group, and the kitsch- dreamy nature of some scenes. Was also good to see John Carradine, a brilliant actor whose strained facial expressions seem to suggest he knew the limited quality of the material he was working with.
blanche-2
Very cleverly written disco vampire flick that could have been terrific were it not for the uneven direction and acting. Nai Bonet, who wrote the script, is extremely good to herself - she not only displays her body to full advantage but has the late Antony Hamilton, a contender for the role of James Bond and one of the handsomest men to hit Hollywood, as her love interest! Some hilarious lines and the casting of Yvonne DeCarlo and John Carradine don't hurt either. The cartoon special effects only add to the overall campiness of the film. If it had just moved a little faster and been a tad slicker, this would be a real classic.
