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Professor Shiraki (Toshio Kurosawa) travels from Tokyo to the countryside by train to work as a psychology teacher in the Seimei School for girls. There is a driver waiting for him and he sees a car accident on the road. He learns that the principal´s wife died in the accident. When they arrive at the school, the Principal (Shin Kishida) welcomes him and Shiraki offers his condolences to him. He tells that the coffin of his wife will stay in the basement for seven days as per the local costume. He also tells that Shiraki was chosen to be the next principal of the school. During the night, Shiraki has a dreadful nightmare with the principal´s wife. Soon he befriends three students and learns that a roommate has disappeared and other students are also missing. What is the mystery of the Seimei School for girls?

"Chi o suu bara", a.k.a. "Evil of Dracula", is the third vampire film by Toho Studios. There is no Dracula in the story despite the American title. However it is cult and does not disappoint the fans of a vampire movie. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "A Maldição de Drácula" ("The Curse of Dracula")

"Professor Shiraki" (played by Toshio Kurosawa) arrives from Tokyo to a new school for teenage girls in a small Japanese village. Upon checking in he learns that the principle's wife died a couple of days earlier and that a student named "Keiko Nonomiya" (Tomoe Mari) went missing about the same time. That night he has an encounter with a vampire that matches Keiko's description but dismisses the incident as nothing more than a dream. Not long afterward another student named "Kyoko Hayashi" (Keiko Aramaki) faints in his classroom and is taken to the school's doctor, "Doctor Shimimura" (Kunie Tanaka). During Kyoko's examination two small "needle pricks" are discovered but neither Professor Shiraki nor Doctor Shimimura are able to figure out their significance. Since she appears to be tired, they send her back to her dorm room to recover with her two roommates, "Yukiko Mitamura" (Mio Ohta) and "Kumi" (Mariko Mochizuki) promising to take care of her. All hell breaks loose after that. Anyway, having outlined the first part of the story, I'll stop here so I won't spoil everything for any viewers who wish to see the rest. Now, although this is a "standard" vampire story, the fact that it is entirely Japanese results in a few curious details. For example, a white rose is seen by the bedside of each of the females who have been bitten. Once they drink blood the rose turns red. I thought that was an interesting touch. Having said that though, I thought there were a couple of faults as well. First, the dialogue was awful. But the movie I saw was originally in Japanese and dubbed in English and it is quite possible that much had been simplified or even lost in translation. Likewise, the acting was also quite bad. Even so, this film had a different flavor than most other vampire movies and I thought some of it was actually quite good. Obviously, there will be people who might not like this film. Like I said, it has its flaws. But I think fans of this genre might be pleasantly surprised.

Third of the trilogy of Hammer inspired Japanese 70s movies. Not quite as good as the first, this is an improvement on Lake of Dracula, with much better photography helping this become a very good looking film and adding interest to some of those middle sequences. Starts very well indeed and the finale certainly has some vigour, even if you are urging someone to construct a crucifix to bring things to a more urgent ending. Actually, total absence of use of the crucifix to save the day is presumably something to do with the Japanese not wanting to elevate the importance of such alien paraphernalia, but thats just a guess. So, bit more action here, bit more colour and a bit more sexed up too with small amount of nudity here and there.

Evil of Dracula is the third and last entry in the Bloodthirsty Trilogy centered around American-styled horror movies in a Japanese context. Released a whopping three years after the previous output Lake of Dracula and four years after The Vampire Doll, this story is centered around a psychology teacher who assumes a job at an isolated private school. Upon arrival, he learns that the principal's wife died in a tragic car accident two days earlier. When the teacher respectfully asks if he could visit her grave, he is told by the principal that her body hasn't been buried or cremated yet and is instead kept in a coffin in the basement for a whole week according to an ancient local tradition. The surprises don't stop there for the young teacher when he is told that the principal would like him to be his successor. At night, the young teacher has a haunting nightmare of the principal's wife and an unknown girl attacking him. He is stunned when he learns that the girl in his nightmare is in fact a student who mysteriously disappeared and that several students indeed run away from the old school every single year. The teacher realizes that something is afoul and starts investigating.

Horror movies that are set in high schools don't seem to be original anymore but Evil of Dracula was released two years before Carrie, three years before Suspiria and even decades before the Whispering Corridors series. Setting a gothic horror movie at an old private school for girls was a clever idea back then and the movie's familiar yet unsettling settings still work perfectly four and a half decades later. The isolated railway station, the bumpy country road with the carwreck, the elegant principal's mansion, the gloomy forest and lake next to the school, the big classrooms and the modest dorms make for diversified locations.

The movie also convinces with a gloomy atmosphere. Right from the start, viewers might sense that something is wrong. The teacher arrives at a completely isolated railroad station. The staff is very rude. The person who was supposed to pick him up arrives late. The first thing he sees on his way to the school is the horribly burned carwreck. The tension intensifies from there on and will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Even though Evil of Dracula is a good horror movie that has aged surprisingly well, it isn't as great as The Vampire Doll with its outstanding acting performances and Lake of Dracula with its mysterious and surreal vibes. The acting performances in Evil of Dracula are solid but not outstanding. The principal's characteristics are a little bit too similar to those of the main villain in Lake of Dracula. Lead actor Kurosawa Toshio looks stylish but his acting performance lacks depth and emotions. The characters of the three students who decide to stay at the school during summer break are promising but not fully developed. If the movie had been a little bit more detailed, it could have been much more intense.

The final showdown is also less convincing than in the two predecessors. There are a lot of things going on but the action looks unintentionally humorous at times and feels completely exaggerated by the end. This rather recalls The Rocky Horror Picture Show than an actual horror movie, even though said was also released one year after Evil of Dracula.

In the end, Evil of Dracula is an atmospheric and intense horror movie that gets even closer to American-styled horror cinema than the two predecessors. However, the acting performances are only slightly above average and the film is at times lacking depth. If you have watched the first two entries, you will also like this film. If that isn't your case, watch the Bloodthirsty Trilogy chronologically.

Swell filming locations and set design are rounded out with fine detail of decorative elements, giving some great imagery to serve as the setting. Even in building a sense of mystery, the writing is rather direct, and at times a bit over the top, and in this instance composer Riichiro Manabe's score echoes that slant. Still, 'Evil of Dracula' also carries a minor sense of atmosphere that's gratifying, and growing suspense. Though broadly declining genuine fright or thrills, this is pretty entertaining throughout.

The cast do well to embody their roles, embracing every shift in demeanor and doing a fine job of bringing their characters to life. That said, I'm not sure that the screenplay provides a lot of room to explore parts freely; suitable as they are, performances feel relatively straightforward and scripted. Of anyone on hand, Shin Kishida is most notable in his part as the principal - here leaning much further into an exaggerated, overt portrayal of a very particular creature of the night, alternately echoing classic interpretations, and straight-up chewing scenery.

Somewhat unremarkable overall, there's nonetheless some fun cleverness to the narrative that differs from other vampire flicks. Though maintaining the air of the slightly overdone approach, the climax is especially well done, producing the most substantial excitement of the film. It seems quite certain that this is where the most energy and resources were devoted as great care is given to the choreography, stunts, and special effects.

Smart as some plot points are, 'Evil of Dracula' doesn't wholly stand out among the wealth of other vampire movies in the world. Of the trio of features Toho produced in the early 70s, this strikes me as being in the middle of the pack: more carefully considered than the often middling 'Vampire doll,' but also definitely less sharp and stimulating than the superb 'Lake of Dracula.' That said, this is most assuredly far from a bad movie - just not the utter cream of the crop, either.

There's little about this picture that impresses outright, and for whatever it does well, the level of enjoyment to be had doesn't mark this as a film to proverbially write home about. But it's consistent and crafted well, with a measure of greater intelligence around the edges. 'Evil of Dracula' isn't absolutely essential, but it's capably entertaining, and worth watching should you come across it.

In the secluded halls of "Chi o suu bara" (a.k.a. "Evil of Dracula"), director Michio Yamamoto conjures a uniquely Japanese vampire tale. While Dracula himself remains elusive, the film's cyanotic bloodsuckers and eerie atmosphere cast a hypnotic spell.

Professor Shiraki (Toshio Kurosawa) arrives at the Seimei School for girls, where tragedy lingers like a shadow. The principal's wife lies in the basement, her coffin awaiting the customary seven days. As students vanish, Shiraki grapples with nightmares and inexplicable encounters. The scent of roses-white, then crimson-haunts the bitten.

Toshio Kurosawa's portrayal of Shiraki balances skepticism and dread. His encounter with a vampire-dismissed as a dream-sets the stage for chaos.

Kunie Tanaka's Doctor Shimimura unravels the mystery of tiny needle marks on a fainting student. The symbolism of the white rose turning red adds an intriguing layer.

Omoe Mari's Keiko Nonomiya, the missing student, embodies vulnerability and allure. Her transformation is both tragic and seductive.

Shin Kishida commands the screen as the main bloodsucker. His savage hunger and physical power evoke primal fear.

"Evil of Dracula" dances on the edge of folklore and fever dream. Its flaws-awkward dialogue and shallow emotions-fade against the crimson backdrop. A cult gem for vampire aficionados.

🌑🌹 Sink your teeth into this Japanese nocturne-a haunting symphony of blood and longing. 🌑🌹

The last part of Yamamoto's Vampire Trilogy has been described as the worst, but it's still very entertaining. The main problem is that it obviously tries to copy the Hammer Vampire movies, and the man with the cape always looks a little bit out of place. Otherwise, most 'scary moments' are carried out in the `Kaidan Eiga'- fashion with slow camera movements and impressive lighting. Here, and in some beautiful long shots, it shows that some skill was involved, and that the movie could have become a minor classic if it had stuck to the Japanese tradition of the Horror Film. The sound track sounds too European, too and the dubbing is a total nightmare, but I think, a subtitled version recently got released in the U.K. Recommended viewing for fans of offbeat seventies horror.

Each film in the so-called Bloodthirsty Trilogy has something different to offer. In this final entry, we have an effective isolated location, eerie wind effects, an appealing protagonist (albeit a little slow to recognize that gray-blue skinned people are probably vampires), some pretty gruesome scenes toward the end, and, like the second movie in the trilogy, The Lake of Dracula (the only one of the films to actually name Dracula within the plot), a very cool climactic sequence. One of the strangest things about The Evil of Dracula are the fights between the vampires and the people, which play out like relatively ordinary wrestling matches or fist fights.

As other reviewers have noted, this film and the others in the trilogy owe a lot to the Hammer vampire flicks. All three movies are fun, and worth watching for fans of vampire flicks, Gothic horror, and the Hammer films.

The Evil of Dracula (1974), or as it is known in Japan as, Chi o suu bara (1974), is part three of a Japanese horror trilogy, called the Bloodthirsty trilogy. The other films in the set are Vampire Doll (1970) and Lake of Dracula (1971). Michio Yamamoto, directed all of them. It's interesting to note, that the Japanese also have a fascination with vampire lore, just like Europe or North America does. There are a number of stories, featured in Japanese cinema or television, about vampires. In the 1970s, Toho Studios was cutting back on expensive special-effects movies and was funneling their budgets more into, fantasy and horror films, that were more down to Earth on a human level and not effect-heavy stories. They also saw the success, that England's, Hammer Studios had in the 1960s, with their successful run of Dracula films.

Also remember, Toho Studios, was the owner of the Godzilla franchise, which was also feeling the effects of low-budget angst, in the 1970s. One of the great aspects of Evil of Dracula (1974), was the exceptionably, well-done, cinematography and camera work, seen in the film. Japanese filmmakers were always, very good at the cinematography, found in their films. The framing, that cinematographer Kazutami Hara used in Evil of Dracula (1974), helps capture the eerie, gothic aura, needed for a vampire film. Hara also was the cinematographer for Vampire Doll (1970) and he eventually landed the job on Return of Godzilla (1984 - AKA: Godzilla 1985). In fact, most of the Godzilla/Toho Studios, monster-guys, were working on Evil of Dracula (1974). What little special-effects were used in this film, they were designed by Teruyoshi Nakano, who worked on all the 1970s, Godzilla films. The soundtrack music in this film, is composed by Riichirô Manabe, who also did the music for Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) and Godzilla VS Megalon (1973).

On the acting-side of the equation, Katsuhiko Sasaki, who plays the Renfield-like, Professor Yoshie, was also working on Godzilla VS Megalon (1973) and the Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975). Our Japanese Dracula, known only as the Principal, was played by Shin Kishida. Kishida shows up in Godzilla VS Mechagodzilla (1974), the same year as this film. Kishida is the new principal at the local girls school, who has his dead wife stored down in a sepulcher in the basement. You know, the kind of sepulcher, that anybody can just lift up and grab a quick look at the dead person in it (just kidding), which is what the new school assistant, Professor Shiraki (Toshio Kurosawa), does for some unknown reason. Shiraki is caught looking at the dead wife, by the principal, which provokes Dracula, into knocking Shiraki out. The next day Shiraki awakens, thinking it was all a dream, but the damage has been done. As the plot of Evil of Dracula (1974), moves along, Shiraki, some of the school girls and the tiny town they are in, becomes threatened, by a nightmarish situation, from this school of vampires.

If it wasn't for Shin Kishida, putting his heart and soul, into his vampire performance and the fact, that the writers tried to put together a half-decent story, Evil of Dracula (1974), would have been even worse, than it was becoming. I am not saying it is a bad film at all. Nor do I think, it is great either. Like I said earlier, this film is shot very well. The music is good and does give off a cool, psychedelic, 1970s, electronic vibe to it. The film tries to bring this 19th century character, into the 20th century and tries to do it 1970s, Japanese style. What begins to hurt the film, is poor acting, mostly by the school-girl actresses, a boring pace, that begins to slow down the plot and a film, that had so much promise, until it crashes and burns, by the end. This film, ends up being a bad-deal, as we finish out this trilogy. Evil of Dracula (1974), is the worst of the three films. I still recommend seeing this film however, especially of you decide to watch, all three of the films in this series. Evil of Dracula (1974), deserves an E For Effort. It is a Toho Studios horror classic.

5.2 (E+ MyGrade) = 5 IMDB.

Taking a job in a remote village, a man is promoted instantly to be principal of the all-girls school he teaches and comes to learn that the previous boss was a vampire still lurking around the school grounds and must find a way to stop him before he claims more of the student body.

This was a highly enjoyable and engaging effort in the series. What tends to give this one a lot of it's best qualities is the fact that there's quite a creepy atmosphere developed from the very start. The ride to the school where they witness the damaged car on the side of the road gets this off to a nice bit of foreshadowing, especially once the real motivation for his arrival is given which is what really starts this one off. Moving into the school's bunkers is where this one starts in on the Gothic atmosphere that's present throughout here in his first encounter with the three brides in his room which is full of tense Gothic images as they chase him around as well as the later scene in the basement where he discovers the coffin of the dead wife unknowingly turned into a vampire. That they appear so early into the film help make the film's tangent into the mysticism and lore of the backstory for the main villain all the more interesting as there's quite a large influence of Western mythology which readily enhances this as a whole. As that itself leads into their behavior later on when they start attacking the schoolgirls in much more frantic encounters out in the woods attacking the transfixed girls or brawling with the faculty chasing after them which feel far more commonplace in Western efforts rather than these Eastern tales which adds immensely to their appeal. Once we get into the finale where the bodies of the students under his control come out and are shown to attack the others in his basement, this one becomes quite fun with the added fun of some cheap-looking gore to enhance the experience while giving this one some nice action to close it out. Along with the chilling look to the vampires and the way it moves rather nicely along, there's enough to like here to hold this one up over it's few minor flaws. The film's biggest issue is the way it resorts to lengthy, somewhat drab dialogue-heavy scenes to tell a vast majority of its plot points, as rather than feature them battling each other or investigate anything it's all driven by speaking to everyone and then drawing conclusions based on that so it tends to run into sections where it's not nearly as exciting as the events that are supposedly being put forth end up being. Likewise, there's also the fact that this one does look rather cheap at times, especially in the bloody kills which are like colored water in their consistency and the day-for-night scenes in the woods are somewhat obvious and embarrassing. These are the film's only real problems, though.

Rated Unrated/R: Violence, Language and Brief Nudity.

The 1974 Japanese horror film "Chi o suu bara," or "The Evil of Dracula" in the West, is an intriguing entry into the vampire genre. With a unique blend of influences and a distinct style, this film is an oddball yet entertaining addition to the vampire canon.

"Chi o suu bara" is the final installment of Toho's 'Bloodthirsty Trilogy,' directed by Michio Yamamoto, and it certainly has a flavor all its own. The film draws heavily on the Hammer Horror vibe, with a touch of Italian flair and even a hint of Godzilla-esque monster movie thrown in for good measure. This eclectic mix of influences gives the film a unique tone and style that sets it apart from its contemporaries.

The story follows the classic battle between good and evil, with Shiraki and Kumi facing off against Dracula and his undead minions. While the plot is somewhat predictable, the film has a certain charm and offers some fun, gruesome special effects. The ending, in particular, is abrupt yet satisfying, delivering on the vampire action that audiences crave.

One of the most memorable aspects of the film is its aesthetic. With a mix of wide-screen presentation and Eastern trimmings, the film has a retro 70s cheese factor that is hard to resist. The lead villain, Dracula, sports an unusual Ralph Bates-inspired bouffant hairstyle, adding a touch of humor to the horror.

The cast, including Toshio Kurosawa, Kunie Tanaka, and Katshuhiko Sasaki, deliver solid performances, though it is the unique blend of genres and the film's overall strangeness that truly shine. This film will appeal to those who enjoy weird and wonderful genre pieces that embrace their oddities.

While it may not be the scariest entry into the horror genre, "Chi o suu bara" is an enjoyable watch and a refreshing take on vampire lore. It embraces its B-movie status with gusto and provides a unique cultural twist on a familiar tale.

For fans of vampires and retro horror, this film is worth a watch, if only to experience a different take on a familiar legend. While it may not be a masterpiece, "Chi o suu bara" is an entertaining and memorable addition to the world of Dracula.

So after subscribing to Arrow Video service on Prime (initially started to watch the move Spanish movie REC) I was looking through their Asian movie catalogue. This is where I was introduced to Michio Yamamoto. The concept is great and the acting and pacing is good too. It reminded me of Hammer horror films. There is a lot conveyed in the short runtime of the movie.

While I did enjoy the film, there was a lot of back and forth in the scenes which I personally thought wasn't necessary. I think I would've enjoyed more focus on the back story of the occult, rather than a quick glance over it.

But this has started my exploration into the Yamamoto universe.

I recently watched The Evil of Dracula (1974) on Tubi. The film centers on a school led by a principal who is revealed to be a vampire, with his wife residing in a coffin at home alongside three vampire mistresses. When a suspicious teacher begins investigating the principal's home, he risks disappearing forever.

Directed by Michio Yamamoto (known for The Vampire Doll & Lake of Dracula), the film stars Kunie Tanaka (Sanjuro), Katsuhiko Sasaki (Terror of Mechagodzilla), Midori Takei (Brain 17), and Shin Kishida (Shogun Assassin).

While The Evil of Dracula maintains a high standard, it doesn't quite reach the level of its predecessors in the trilogy. The film excels in its elite attire, settings, and background music, while the blood-drinking scenes are effectively executed. However, the mind control elements lack the intensity seen in previous installments, and I found myself missing the distinctive "crazy eyes" of the vampires from Lake of Dracula. Despite this, the dialogue and storyline remain engaging, with standout sequences depicting stabbings, corpses, and the aftermath of vampire destruction.

In conclusion, while The Evil of Dracula may not surpass The Vampire Doll or Lake of Dracula, it still offers enough compelling elements to warrant a viewing. I'd give it a 6.5-7/10 and recommend watching it at least once.

This is a Dracula sequel. And it is one of the scariest movies of all time. This movie has a great story line. It also has great acting. It also has great special effects. 5.9 is underrating it. This is a true classic horror movie. Shin Kishida was a great actor. He is very scary in this movie. This movie scarier then The Exorcist. And that is not easy to do. Toshio Kurosawa is a great actor. Micho Yammamoto is a great director. I am running out of things to say. And I need more lines. This a great movie. This movie is a must see. Great movie great movie great movie. See it see it see it see it see it see it. There are a lot of Dracula sequels and this is one of the better ones.

The Evil of Dracula is the third and last of director Michio Yamamoto's vampire movies, after The Vampire Doll (1970) and The Lake of Dracula (1971).

Toshio Kurosawa plays psychology teacher Shiraki, who takes a position at a girls school in the country only to discover that the principal is a vampire (NOT named Dracula, despite the film's American title). And to be honest, not a lot of interest happens, the entire film spent following Shiraki as he tries to unravel the mystery (not that there is much of a mystery to unravel) while unsuccessfully protecting three students from the principal (Shin Kishida), his undead wife (Mika Katsuragi) and their loyal assistant Yoshie (Katsuhiko Sasaki).

The vampires themselves are suitably menacing, the gloomy and atmospheric girls school makes for a creepy location, and the film does feature one or two original touches (the principal's vampire wife assuming the identity of one of the students by wearing her face as a mask is fun), but the weak script and slow pace means that this Japanese Hammer wannabe still lacks bite.

This was a film I didn't know much about, but when my local theater was showing this trilogy of Japanese vampire films, I decided to check all three of them out. Much like the previous film, I had seen the trailer once and wasn't sure too much about it coming in. I've now given it a rewatch as part of my Foray through the Fours and it was streaming on Screambox.

Synopsis: a teacher assumes a position at a school where some of the young women are turning up missing.

I want to lead off stating that I altered the synopsis a bit as it contained a spoiler. We start the film with professor Shiraki (Toshio Kurosawa) getting off a train. He goes inside and asks when the next bus is and learns that there isn't one until the following day. He goes outside and a man pulls up to take him to the school. He is Professor Yoshie (Katsuhiko Sasaki) and teaches at the school as well. He is the right hand to the principal. On the way to the school, they see a car accident on the side of the road. Shiraki learns that it was the principal's wife that died in it.

They arrive and meet with the principal, played by Shin Kishida. He offers Shiraki a drink and tells him that his plan is for him to become the next principal of the school. Shiraki is asked to stay at his home that night. The new teacher gives his condolences. He does learn that she hasn't been buried yet as this area has a custom of keeping the body at home. She is in the basement as they speak.

In the night, he hears a woman singing and goes searching. He goes into a room where he finds Keiko (Yasuko Agawa). There's something not right about her and then he is attacked by someone who looks like the principal's wife, played by Mika Katsuragi. She is a vampire. Shiraki passes out.

He wakes up in his bed and thinks it was all a dream. He goes about meeting some of the students, which includes Kumi Saijô (Mariko Mochizuki), Yukiko Mitamura (Mio Ôta) and Kyôko Hayashi (Keiko Aramaki). He also meets Dr. Shimomura (Kunie Tanaka). It is through them Shiraki learns about the history of this place, how one or two girls go missing each year and there are rumors of vampires in the area.

When a break is coming up and Kyôko is attacked. Her friends stay behind to help nurse her back to health. They become the targets of the vampire while Shiraki and Dr. Shimomura try to figure out who is behind this and the truth.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. I want to start with the fact that I liked this for its story and mythology. This is the first in this trilogy that credits Bram Stoker. All of these films are Toho is doing its take on a Hammer, gothic style horror film that were coming out at the time in Europe. What I find interesting as well is the setting. It sets up that this school is in the middle of nowhere. That gives it an isolated feeling which helps the atmosphere. The houses that are used also look creepy. They aren't the castles you'd get normally and that works in its favor to be different.

Sticking with these ideas, this uses interesting vampire mythology. We get that you can't take pictures of vampires and that they need blood to survive. I also found this one interesting in that it takes us back to the history of the vampire. There is great backstory that the original vampire here was a Christian who was tortured in the town. In his pain he turned his back on God and then drank blood which turned him. This also does something quite interesting in how the identity of the vampire is unknown. I found it creative to set this apart.

Now I did have a slight issue with a story element. It is said that this school has one or two women disappear each year. We see that if someone is bit that they turn into a vampire. We know that is the cause of the missing women. My issue with that though is that I feel the school might be closer to being shut down if it was that frequent. Just something that crossed my mind while watching this. This could have used a bit more fleshing out or care.

That should be enough for the story so I'll go over to acting. I thought everyone was solid across the board. Kurosawa is good as our hero. He is an outsider who we are learning what is going on along with us. He gets introduced to the creature early on. What is good there is that he thinks it was a dream at first. That causes him to not believe initially, but as much information is discovered, he knows that it must be. Tanaka is solid at giving us the history of the school as well as the side-kick to Shiraki. He isn't in the film all that long though. Kishida is solid in his role and I thought he had a good look. Mochizuki, Ôta and Aramaki are solid as the three friends who are the focus of the attacks. They are all cute as well. There is nudity there if you're interested. I also thought Katsuragi was solid in her small role. The rest of the cast round out the film well.

I'll then finish out with filmmaking. First would be the effect. They were practical, which makes sense for the era and they look good. The blood is solid. Doesn't necessarily look real, but they didn't go as fluorescent as other movies from the era tended to do. The vampire wounds looked good. What is interesting there is that this vampire bites their chest, which hides it easier. That was an interesting touch. There was only one scene that involved a Rorschach test that I thought didn't look great. That was also someone hallucinating so its fine. The look of the vampires were good. I'll say that the cinematography and framing also help. I'll bring back up the setting of this isolated school/village.

The last thing I wanted to touch on would be the soundtrack. I thought it was solid at setting the mood as well as the atmosphere. There are quirky sounding songs, but for whatever reason they fit the scene and helped to enhance it. I also think being from Japan, that helps. Another good touch was the almost ethereal singing that Shiraki hears. It draws him out of his room. I thought that was a good touch.

In conclusion, I thought this was a good vampire film from Japan. The story, even though is limited, was good. Giving us the local legend involving the history of the vampire was great. I thought this was well-made. The cinematography, effects and soundtrack work in its favor to build that gothic mood. I'd also say that the acting was solid. This is a bit different type of vampire film. I'll bring up again that this is from Japan, so I watched it with subtitles on. If that is an issue, I'd avoid this one. If you like Hammer/gothic horror, this is an interesting one to check out.

My Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Of the Bloodthirsty trilogy, Evil of Dracula feels the most traditional of the lot; yet, I thought only Hammer would have attempted to set a vampire loose amongst girls' college with predictable results. It certainly feels like the type of film Hammer would make given the gratuitous amounts of bare flesh and blood that permeates the runtime, all that's missing is Christopher Lee. It's noticeably crueller than its predecessors adding a layer of disturbing unpredictability but also relishes in a dose of campy surrealism with director Michio Yamamoto delivering a healthy portion of atmosphere and unnerving imagery, especially towards the end. The attempts to mimic Hammer's early gambles are appreciated, especially given the talents of the crew involved, with a particular scene midway through that certainly sticks in my mind. While several elements are revisited from the previous movies, the back story is the most expansive of the two and also adapts ideas straight out of Stoker's novel. It's another gorgeous effort in terms of visual design with strong performances and another so-so-jazzy soundtrack, Evil of Dracula may not break any major new ground for its subgenre but remains chilling enough to frighten even the most timid of viewers.