Le vampire de ces dames

As a product of the 70's myself, I love this movie for the nostalgia. It is SO on target. The version they show on HBO still has the "Nightlife" song. The movie is a little hard on the Harlem stereotypes, but that is how NYC was in the 70's.

I love the cheesy special effects but they fit with the spoofiness/goofiness very well.

I also think Richard Benjamin really steals the show with "It's OK...I'm a doctor". Having Dick Shawn along for the ride doesn't hurt either. I smile just thinking about it. Artie Johnson is also an excellent Renfield. I recently saw the Coppola version of Dracula, and would take this movie over that one any time.

Quite incredible this was made the same year as ALIEN. Seems a couple of generations earlier - a real throwback to 50's and 60's "family" movies.

Totally watchable and entertaining flick (which is somewhat MORE than can be said for Hamilton's follow-up, ZORRO THE GAY BLADE). The strength of the film lies in its principals. Hamilton as suave and out-of-the-20th-century-loop Count Vladimir Dracula, Susan St James in what was inarguably her best screen role as NY super model Cindy Sondheim, and ever-funny Richard Benjamin as Dr Jeffrey Rosenberg..a distant relation of Dr Van Helsing no less!

Both are in love with Cindy who is torn every which way emotionally, even allowing for her understandable concern as to the restrictive life of a bat in general. The interplay between Hamilton and Benjamin is often priceless. The film never really aims to be anything more than what it is - a lightweight romantic comedy with bite, and this becomes it well. Particularly cheerful little ending which adds pep!

Always to be remembered for the disco sequence and I LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE which still conjures up for me so vividly those dance-floor scenes. No way a masterpiece - simply a film which holds very pleasant memories for many people I imagine!

Spook but highly enjoyable black comedy, indeed a little alike Roman Polanski's The Fearless Vampire Killers, at least Arte Johnson as Renfield, in New York disco era this is my guilty pleasure movie neither, good humor, forbidden romance and the Master the Vampire and the right hand Renfield has a amazing chemistry of priceless funny scenes, Susan Saint James is great shape of glorious days, by the way has a Van Helsing's jewish descendent, yes sir Jewish!!!

Resume:

First watch: 1985 / How many: 4 / Source: TV-VHS-DVD / Rating: 7

I'm big on the older vampire films--Bela Lugosi, Frank Langella (although Gary Oldman was darned sexy). "Love at First Bite" was a brilliant spoof of the original Dracula. The update of Dracula in New York has been redone many times but not as well as this. Okay, it's a little dated with the disco vibe and the clothing, but George Hamilton's campy accent and deep Dracula gaze were perfect. The writer and George Hamilton had obviously studied the Bela Lugosi version carefully, and there are many references to famous lines, e.g., "I never drink...wine." Reviewers who knock this movie don't know the source material very well. Richard Benjamin, Artie Johnson, and Susan St. James were a great supporting cast.

Hamilton is genuinely funny in this movie. That is much more than I can say for the next one he did, Zorro, the Gay Blade. It was atrocious. But in this one, he was honestly good, as was Susan St. James. Her success on television in my opinion stemmed from her performance in this movie. MacMillian and Wife was a wonderful series, but she shined brightest in this movie.

The VHS release, however, has one major change I neither understand, nor can stomach. That wonderful climax where the two of them are dancing to the song, "I Love the Nightlife" and he is attempting to use his Vampyric powers on Suntime (St. James), has been negatively altered!

It now no longer contains that memorable song and the soundtrack has been changed to another song for that scene. I was highly disappointed with this change! It degraded the quality of the experience to the point of making it worthless!

If you can find this movie in its original format (before the change, that is) this movie rates an 8.2/10.

After the change, it's not worth a 1.0/10 from...

the Fiend :.