Doctor Dracula

This is a very scary movie. It is a true horror classic. It is not a 2. 2 is just underrating it. It has a great story line. It also has great acting. It also has great special effects. Dracula (Marsh 1931) is better. Dracula (1992) is also better. But still this is a great movie. If it does not scary you know movie will. Dracula (1958) is better. Still the movie is scarier then The Shinning. And that is not easy to do. Don Red Barry was a great actor. Nosferatu (1922) is also better. But still this is one of the better Dracula sequels. There have been a lot of Dracula sequels and most of them are great movies. This is one of the scariest movies from 1978. It is a must see.

Not a very well known title in my native UK, but then anything which isn't a Hammer Dracula isn't well known over here. Having just recently watched Doctor Dracula, and knowing nothing about the format I thought this had to be a TV-Movie. While enjoyable, there are some really hammy lines in the dialogue. The character, Svengali, has to steal the show, if even for that beard!

On the whole, this is quite an enjoyable presentation, with an occasional appearance from the soundman's boom, and very little blood. Found the ending quite original though...who would have thought of destroying ..Al Adamson obviously.

I've been on a quest to see all of Adamson's films for years and so imagine my surprise when this rarity turned up on local TV before Halloween. This is another of Adamson's patchwork features cobbled together using an older unfinished film (LUCIFER'S WOMEN) mixed with newer footage featuring Adamson regulars John Carradine and Regina Carroll. During commercial breaks the host of the show mentioned the overabundance of blue eyeshadow used in the movie and how it doesn't make sense that a person can be possessed by a fictional character (Svengali). Unintentionally funny is the deep voice used by a possessed woman which makes her sound like she's been possessed by the spirit of Suzanne Pleshette. Be sure to take a nap before watching the movie because it may put you to sleep.

The current DVD edition contains the feature itself, and a selection of well-worn trailers from other Sam Sherman/Independent International releases. These "coming attractions" are featured on a multitude of releases by Image, and it is curious that they did not offer an audio commentary by Sherman. This would have been especially helpful in determining which footage was newly shot by Al Adamson/Gary Graver, and which were from the feature Lucifer's Women (the only new trailer listed in the extras). It is also unclear whether Lucifer's Women was also released on it's own, or whether the footage extant in Doctor Dracula is the only stock currently available. I'm sure Sherman could have clarified all of this. Curiously, of all Adamson films released on DVD, this is the one that cries out for an audio track the most.

As for discussion of the movie itself, other comments in IMDB will suffice, this only to say that I find it an interesting salvage job. After all, in what other movie will you find Count Dracula disguised as a psychiatrist, an author possessed by a fictional character, and Regina Carol wearing too much makeup? (Oops...that's right. Any Adamson film for the latter).

I own the one-sheet and press book for Lucifer's Women but I've never been able to locate the actual film. Of course I have seen the trailer on the Dr Dracula DVD but I would like to see how it differs from the original.

Some say Lucifer's Women was unfinished, I don't know. Has anyone ever seen the original movie? If so, was it in a theatre or on television? I'm desperate for information regarding its existence or better yet-- a copy of the film on any format. Hint, hint...

Any further writings about this or Anton's involvement is much appreciated!