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Blacula

Blacula

1972
Suspense/Thriller, Horror
1h 33m
Interior decorators buy the coffin of an African prince bitten by Dracula centuries before and bring it back to Los Angeles. The African prince starts feeding his hunger while following a woman who looks like his departed wife. (imdb)
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Blacula

1972
Suspense/Thriller, Horror
1h 33m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 36.72% from 249 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(249)
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Rated 28 Oct 2019
52
41st
If you think "Blacula"(1972), a blaxploitation Dracula movie, might be exactly what it sounds like, than you'd probably be right. Although, while the movie is both a solid 70's blaxploitation flick and a decent Dracula story, the whole thing doesn't come quite together to be anything more than just mildly entertaining. However, William Marshall's performance as Blacula is a nice addition to the pantheon of cinematic Dracula performances, and overall, it's generally worth a watch for genre fans.
Rated 07 Oct 2020
70
53rd
"Next on Exploitation Theater: Blacula, followed by Blackenstein, and the Blunchblack of Blotre Blame." Blacula being played completely straight like some classic Hammer horror film is what makes it great. Would’ve loved to see Peter Cushing’s Van Helsing go up against Prince Mamuwalde
Rated 03 May 2008
81
40th
A great mix of camp and scares, this film manages to be both entertaining and rather creepy at times. While the low budget and the lack of true skill somewhat hurts the picture, the film still works pretty well. Mostly as a subversion of the vampire genre, and also a blending of blackexplotation and the Hammer horror films of the 50s, 60s and 70s. Worth a viewing for fans of cult films, and those looking for a decent way to kill a couple hours.
Rated 22 May 2011
58
18th
I was so pleasantly surprised at "Blacula". Don't get me wrong, it is an exploitation movie and it feels like an exploitation movie. But it was still enjoyable. William Marshall is absolutely mesmerizing as Blacula. He has so much stage presence it's ridiculous. Sure, it's not a "good" movie. I guess I would say it's a bad movie. But I still found myself enjoying it, which was something I did not expect when I went into it. Recommended as long as you're not expecting cinematic gold.
Rated 25 Mar 2009
75
54th
Longtime Shakespearean thesp Marshall is excellent as a culture-shocked 18th-century African vampire. Though the pic takes an eventual turn toward the predictable, it's a better-than-average bloodsucker romp. The singer Ketty Lester, as a nipped cabbie, and vet Cook contribute memorable support.
Rated 23 Oct 2010
79
71st
Better than anything called "Blacula" has the right to be. William Marshall effortlessly raises the level of the film with his deep, rich voice and complete dignity. The story is goofy, yes, but goofy with depth, interesting ideas, and political pointedness. Just great fun.
Rated 10 Oct 2015
78
54th
A pretty cool blaxploitation take on Dracula. The low budget shows at times, and the film drags a bit, but it doesn't diminish the fun of watching it or the social commentary that underlies the film.
Rated 05 May 2010
57
59th
I was about to make a Blackenstein joke, and just now I found there is actually such a film. Fuck.
Rated 02 Jan 2014
70
51st
It's got its share of the racism and homophobia typical of movies of this type and time, but that aside the blend of camp and decently crafted tension is pretty much perfect for a blaxploitation horror. Mamuwalde might actually be one of the most engaging movie vampires I've seen, bringing what I am sure is more dignity and strength to the role than I imagine anyone who hears the title of the film expects. Yeah, it's hampered by budget, but come on. It's too groovy for money to matter, baby.
Rated 20 Aug 2019
20
14th
I'm slightly confused by the praise this gets. I didn't find any value in its clumsy subtexts, and wasn't charmed by its supposed campness, resulting in a pretty irredeemable and disappointing experience. William Marshall brings little charisma to the roll, but IS definitely a strange dude.
Rated 21 Apr 2008
75
67th
While certainly campy, this was nowhere near as ridiculous and self-aware as I was expecting. Surprisingly well performed and borderline poignant in stray spots, with a few legitimately creepy moments as well.
Rated 25 Aug 2021
67
27th
In true exploitation form, after two hundred years of imprisonment, Blacula is released when his coffin is purchased by two gay interior decorators, a move that sets the tone for a solid hour and a half of cheesy blaxploitation that one can't help but think has some kind of intrinsic metaphor about slavery or racism that no one seemed to care about. While I can surely get down with a funky horror soundtrack, "Blacula" hasn't even aged as well as its chronological peers, which also aged poorly.
Rated 13 Nov 2020
75
69th
Very good movie for a blaxsploitation film
Rated 17 Oct 2022
65
47th
This was played a bit more straight than I'd imagined, probably due to Marshall's serious, grounded performance. Of course, the low-budget and exploitation flavour seeps through, and some of it perhaps hasn't dated well. It gets a lot right, though, finding some creepy moments and touching on deeper themes along the way, and vampire fans will find enough to enjoy here.
Rated 11 Jan 2012
70
27th
The funky side of Bram Stoker
Rated 05 Oct 2014
65
24th
Those vampires have soul!
Rated 03 May 2008
75
50th
Just so black at times.
Rated 16 Aug 2012
55
31st
Award for Best Named Vampire: Mamuwalde
Rated 17 Mar 2018
73
28th
This is sold nowadays as one of those "bad movies", but I'm pleased to say it's one of the bad ones where the people involved actually gave a shit and tried their hardest - particularly the stuntmen! The fights actually look hard-hitting, no pairs of pansies air-slapping each other comedically here. The plot is sort of all over the place and kind of hard to care about. The money shots are whenever Blacula's biting someone, and any time someone gets set on fire or thrown through a window. Rowdy.
Rated 08 Nov 2020
65
45th
The opening is promising, as it introduces a sympathetic villain in Mamuwalde- played excellently by William Marshall- as well as a 70's gay couple who aren't treated like the butt of a joke. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie can't build on those first 10 minutes. Mamuwalde becomes a one-note slasher villain, the other characters don't have much to them, & the romantic subplot is lazily done. The plot feels disjointed, & it moves too slow. It's decent, but not great or even very memorable.
Rated 22 Apr 2022
55
31st
Any Dracula movie stands and falls completely with its Dracula and Van Helsing. So Marshall and Rasulala do most of the heavy lifting here, and do it well enough that the not-too-intrusive plot can just relax into its setpieces. Never really delivers on what the beginning promises, and the ending sort of just fizzles out, but it basically gives you what you expect.
Rated 26 Feb 2011
18
5th
They only manage to put in about 5 minutes--spread across 90--of stuff with Blacula and his objects of affection, so the love story is hella weak. And why did they decide to put almost all of the funk music into a full-length song number instead of having it, y'know, play in the background a bit more? Blacula himself does turn in a convincing performance; it's a shame he doesn't have much to work with. The last shot of the film creeped me out.
Rated 26 Jul 2011
31
21st
The story isn't quite good (or bad) enough to sustain interest through the entire running length, but the screenplay is decent enough and a couple of the "scare" scenes are surprisingly effective. Worth a once-through, but doesn't quite live up to the campy promise of its title.
Rated 07 Jun 2012
65
48th
Hilarious. Who would have thought that the original Count Dracula was a racist as well as a blood sucking vampire? You dig? And when was the last time you saw "French" champagne (is there any other type?) with a plastic cork?
Rated 12 May 2008
56
43rd
It has that low-budget 70's charm, but it's not as funny as I expected it to be.
Rated 21 Apr 2014
51
11th
50.500
Rated 02 Jun 2017
40
19th
Blacula is badass.
Rated 30 Sep 2008
80
84th
Blaxpoitation horror flick... You don't want to see this why???????
Rated 29 Apr 2009
0
0th
Hilarious, but not quite hilarious enough.
Rated 28 Jan 2010
35
1st
Abysmal blaxploitation pic.
Rated 20 Aug 2019
30
14th
Not sure what I expected, but it just gets so tiresome. Sure, there are some fun so-bad-its-good moments but for the most part it's a film whose potential premise far exceeds what is actually achieved.
Rated 27 Oct 2018
72
58th
Nice to see Dracula actually exists in this film's universe, and basically names the title character after himself.
Rated 09 Feb 2019
64
66th
a genuinely good flick hides beneath those exploitation adverts with real heart and legitimate commentary in a presentation far superior than the usual depictions of dracula
Rated 04 Oct 2019
50
9th
A movie title that's an one word pitch. Unfortunate it does little interesting or cool with the premise. On top of that the execution is also poor, due the low-budget. Resulting in a hack job with a poor inconsequential script, that feels written while the movie went along and horrible acting because one take was deemed enough.It's mostly William Marshall, who plays the tormented Blacula, who saves this movie with his talents and charisma.
Rated 21 Jun 2020
3
25th
The soundtrack slaps but this is mostly a snoozer carried by its stature and legacy.
Rated 01 Jul 2020
57
26th
Huge tunes but boring otherwise
Rated 13 Oct 2022
48
14th
Hampered by its budget and production value, BLACULA is lacking in urgency and menace, although William Marshall cuts a regal and tragic figure as the titular vampire. Its best bits evoke vampirism's not so subtle connection to colonialism and enslavement, but at the end of the day this is still a goofy exploitation picture with all the strengths and shortcomings that implies.
Rated 17 Jan 2023
45
30th
This was fun. The occasional absurdist quote about race, sex and gays may sound racist or homophobic or *insert a random modern -phobic or -ist euphemism here*, but I welcome it as a breath of fresh air in the overly-protected and mommy-state censored world that we live in today, where you can't speak your mind so as not to offend the poor grown-up children's emotions. William Crain did what he did and it's a cult classic for a reason. William Marshall is one strange dude. Some scary shots.
Rated 07 May 2023
72
42nd
Surprisingly decent, given the ridiculous concept. The actors take it seriously and the plot actually moves along at a good pace. The killings are realistic instead of gratuitous, and it honors the Dracula cannon.
Rated 28 Dec 2023
68
24th
This film has some good moments. Unfortunately the boring moments out weight the good ones in the script. Overall this film is disappointing.

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