La jauría del diablo

Cheaply made horror film from the 70's that is surprisingly better than you might initially expect. The film opens in Romania as soldiers uncover the underground tomb of the Dracula family. A soldier pulls the stake out of a puffy sheet in an opened casket and is soon bit to death by a giant of a hound(A Great Dane I believe). This is Zoltan and he soon pulls the stake out of his master - not Dracula but his servant - and the two begin a trek to the United States to turn the last surviving family member into their undead master. On the heels of these two is Inspector Branco who is well-versed in vampirism and folklore. Anyway, the two follow the Drake family to the woods where they camp and soon all hell breaks out as Zoltan begins to infect all the canines around. The plot sounds ridiculous - and it is, but it strangely works as reasonable entertainment. The actors are all decent with Jose Ferrer lending cachet and clout as Branco. He does a fine job bringing some much needed credibility, though I must confess seeing him drive in a convertible in black slacks, a black turtleneck, and a black beret is something not to be missed. The odd servant is played by none other than Reggie Nalder who just looks evil and up to no good. Throughout the movie he commands Zoltan telepathically. The rest of the cast is serviceable as well. Michael Pataki is believable as the last member of Castle Dracula and even plays the count in a flashback sequence. The dogs do a good job and the director Albert Band, despite a lack of any sizable budget and some real poor lighting, creates just enough suspense and tension to keep this dubious project somewhat afloat. Don't expect any real scares, but there are a few scenes that are well-shot: the dogs attacking the small rented cottage and the dogs attacking the car are just a couple to mention. I saw the denouement coming early in the picture, but is was pretty neat any way. The special effects are nothing really more than the eyes of the vampiric dogs glowing. A fun, bad film from the only decade where something like this could and would have been made.

This film is great. Dog lovers should get a kick out of this movie. Seeing Zoltan lick his chops after biting both humans and fellow dogs is worth a chuckle or two. The Reinfeld-type character is probably the ugliest human being I have ever seen. Michael Pataki, seen in many more horror films such as "Grave of the Vampire" puts in another B-movie "performance." Jose Ferrer is simply there to pick up a paycheck. The dog that plays Zoltan is the second best actor in the movie. Overall, if you don't expect too much you won't be let down. Definitely a gem in the "so bad it is good" genre. Check it out while downing a few beers. You might enjoy it.

A European vampire-tomb is unearthed by an explosion, releasing a Renfield-type minion of Count Dracula(Reggie Nalder) and his loyal bloodsucking canine named Zoltan. With a vampire-expert professor hot on their trail, they travel to America in search of the last Dracula descendant, a suburban family man unaware of his frightful ancestry.

DRACULA'S DOG is assembly-line drive-in fodder, but for a Crown International Pictures release, a bit tidier a production that one might expect. Amidst the intermittent belly laughs, a few scenes actually manage to bring on the chills. The casting of Reggie Nalder is beneficial, as well...his lizard-like mug glowing in the moonlight could send any man running for the hills.

5.5/10...a perfect flick for youngsters having Saturday night sleepovers.

A different sort of twist on the Dracula tale, the premise nevertheless wears thin by the second half, and overall the film is not too good either, despite having a degree of eeriness to it. The cheap special effects are hardly special, the dialogue is full of dud lines, and the quirkiness of the plot gives way to some awkwardly goofy silly moments. The dogs are the main aspect of interest here, better trained than what one would expect. Still, that is not quite a good enough reason to watch it. Some of the music is effective, and overall it is a bearable watch. It is a very trashy film and not at all very good, however it is still okay viewing if one is in the mood for some B-grade horror fluff.

Depending on your country of origin, there are two titles by which you might know this film. In the U.S. it's called Dracula's Dog, which just sounds silly. In the U.K it's called Zoltan Hound of Dracula, which just sounds crap. Quite fitting, really, since crap and silly are perfect adjectives for this film!

The story concerns some Russian soldiers who dig up a tomb containing descendants of the Dracula family, including a coffin occupied by a dog. The dog comes to life and, with a servant friend, makes its way to America in search of the last living Dracula ancestor, Michael Drake.

The story is unintentionally funny throughout. The cuddly puppies that are supposed to be terrifying spring to mind as a perfect example of everything that's wrong with the picture. The actors give wretched performances, clearly more interested in collecting their pay cheque than the material they've been given to work with. Ferrer in particular should be ashamed of himself for slumming his talents in such a banal project. Dracula's Dog is a dog of a movie, hilariously awful from first minute to last, and one of the few films that truly must be seen to be disbelieved.