#william crain

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Blacula (1972)

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BLACULA (1972)

Director: William Crain Cinematography: John M. Stephens

[suspiria76]

BLACULA

USA

1972

Directed by William Crain

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Vonetta McGee in Blacula (1972)

[videoreligion]

Happy Black History Month! Quick list of some of my favorite black horror directors, whose works stay in regular rotation around here.

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On June 16, 1973 Blacula debuted in Japan.

[elvira-movie-macabre]

Movie Macabre 106 - Blacula (1972)

Movie Macabre Season 01 - Episode 06 (006) Original Air Date: 01 November 1981

Blacula (1972) Directed by William Crain Written by Joan Torres and Raymond Koenig

"An ancient African prince, turned into a vampire by Dracula himself, finds himself in modern Los Angeles." (IMDB)

Starring: William Marshall Vonetta McGee Denise Nicholas Thalmus Rasulala

Blacula was the sixth movie featured on Elvira's Movie Macabre first season. Equal parts supernatural horror and Blaxploitation film, Blacula is a film that continues to have an important spot in horror history. Though I had never seen Blacula, cultural osmosis led me to believe I knew more about this movie.

Prince Mamuwalde is a cultural ambassador sent to open relations with Transylvania and the rest of the world. Dracula, a racist who delights in enslaving people, takes offense to Mamuwalde's demand that he stop all slave trade in Transylvania. So Dracula turns Mamuwalde into a vampire, and curses him with a terrible name.

Luckily, no one calls him Blacula. What follows is a quintessential story about a vampire trying to reunite with their lost love while wrestling with their demons. William Crain's directing tends more towards action than horror, which I think benefits the film greatly. Elements that could seem cheesy come off more exciting. The film makes excellent use of light and shadow.

The story is very character-driven. The four central performances are all captivating in their own ways. We get to know a lot about these characters just based on how they carry themselves or interact with others. These are strong, intelligent, confident characters.

Overall, Blacula was a highlight of these first six Movie Macabre features. It's easy to see how Blaxploitation films, their casts, and their creators influenced so much of American pop culture at the time. Add Blacula to your watchlist if you enjoy supernatural action and character driven stories.

This film also features The Hues Corporation. Most well known for their song "Rock the Boat," the group recorded three songs for Blacula. I saw a lot of reviews complaining about the almost complete performance of "There He Is Again" in the middle of movie. I loved this moment. The song feels like a message, both to the audience and the characters. It doesn't slow the pace of the film. And look at the joy. This is a group of people doing what they love to do. I love to see it.