csdietrich

Indeed this is a vampiric version of SHADOW OF A DOUBT. Nonetheless it is a fun romp and a tremendous performance by Francis Lederer as Count Dracula who has assumed the identity of Belloq Gordal, a Hungarian visiting his Southern California family. There is a wonderful "Dies Irae" score by Gerald Fried and excellent performances and atmosphere throughout. There is a color insert shot of the staking of a vampire woman that is also fun. This film is another in the Fifties canon of cult horror which deserves classic status of sorts. One can almost imagine Joseph Cotten in the titular role, though. The comparison between this film and SHADOW will be obvious, but who cares?

I had the distinct good fortune to see L'ARMATA BRANCALEONE at the UCLA Film Archive many years ago, back in the Eighties. Barbara Steele is breathlessly at her best form in the Gassman/S & M fantasy sequences where the two go about lashing each other with whips. "Frustami" was a word used many times. Her costumes were sensational and it's worth a look just for this segment alone. Sexy! Steele! Don't miss an opportunity to see this: it is rare as dragon's teeth. Another feather in the cap of all the UCLA film people and its Italian Department!

This documentary evokes the finest memories of the Second Golden Age of Horror/Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film of the Fifties & Sixties. Along with Hammer Films of the UK and various efforts (mainly in Italy) AIP were churning out little miracles which kept many Baby Boomers scared half out of our wits with delicious little nightmares. There is one problem with the documentary: it is too short and the omission of Vincent Price and the Roger Corman cycle of Poe films is criminal negligence. All of the personalities interviewed are splendid: David Del Valle ushers in the psychedelic direction of AIP in the late Sixties and other film scholars and the surviving actors and actresses are right there giving their added insights. A must anyway! Kudos to all who did this, but an extra 30 minutes devoted to the Poe cycle and perhaps a bit more about Mario Bava or a few comments by Italo horror queen Barbara Steele would have been stellar. Exceptional, entertaining, insightful documentary thanks to the people at Planet Grande!