Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Count Yorga, Vampire Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 2, 2022

Note: This version of this film is available on Blu-ray as part of The Count Yorga Collection.

In one of several interesting supplements Arrow has aggregated for their Count Yorga Collection release, commentator Tim Lucas makes the case that the first Count Yorga film if not the sequel might be considered a classic, at least within the annals of horror films, and if that may still be a debatable premise, Arrow is providing fans a chance to get "new, improved" versions of both films now that the older Twilight Time Blu-ray releases have gone out of print and, in some cases, are fetching hard to believe amounts of moolah. As usual with Arrow releases, this is very handsomely packaged and comes with a glut of both on disc and non-disc supplements.

As mentioned above, both of the Count Yorga films had previous releases on Blu-ray from Twilight Time and/or Shout Factory. Those interested in my thoughts on the film are encouraged to read my Count Yorga, Vampire Blu-ray review of that version. That review is also a good resource for screenshot comparison (as I tend to do, I've tried to recreate some of my original screenshots) as well as stacking up the supplements between the two releases.

Count Yorga, Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Count Yorga, Vampire is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Arrow lumps both films together in the insert booklet verbiage about the restorations, as follows:

Count Yorga, Vampire and The Return of Count Yorga are presented in their original aspect ratios of 1.85:1 with mono audio. The original 35mm camera negatives were scanned in 4K resolution at Company 3, Los Angeles. The films were graded and restored in 2K resolution at Dragon DI, Wales. The original audio mixes were remastered by MGM.

All materials for these new restorations were made available by MGM.

Aside from the very slight "correction" this release makes in terms of aspect ratio (1.85:1 for this release vs. 1.84:1 for the Twilight Time release), there are manifestly more overtly visible improvements to this presentation when compared to the older Blu-ray release. As hopefully can be seen by doing some screenshot comparisons, this release is both better suffused as well as sporting generally more distinct contrast and a darker, more burnished look that nonetheless really doesn't hamper fine detail levels for the most part. The Twilight Time release actually looks a bit artificially brightened when stacked up against this one, but even apart from that situation clarity is noticeably improved throughout this version. Grain resolves tightly, though can be a bit on the gritty side, as in the opening optically printed credits sequence.

Count Yorga, Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This release sadly doesn't offer the isolated score track that the Twilight Time version had, but the DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track for the feature itself I'd rate as being virtually interchangeable with the one on the Twilight Time release. Dialogue, occasional goofy sound effects and a nice score by Bill Marx (son of Harpo) are all rendered without any issues whatsoever. Optional English subtitles are available.

Count Yorga, Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary by Tim Lucas


• Commentary by David Del Valle & C. Courtney Joyner


• The Count in California (HD; 9:44) is a brief "appreciation" by Heather Drain and Chris O'Neill.


• I Remember Yorga (HD; 14:53) is a really fun reminiscence by Frank Darabont.


• A Vampire in L.A. (HD; 9:30) is a new interview with actor Michael Murphy.


• Fangirl Radio Tribute to Robert Quarry (HD; 45:55) is the same podcast between Jessica Dwyer and Tim Sullivan that was on the Twilight Time release. This plays to stills and key art images.


• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:25)


• Radio Spots also play to key art imagery:

  Radio Spot #1 (HD*; 1:06)

  
  

  Radio Spot #2 (HD*; 00;35)

• Image Galleries

  Posters and Stills (HD)

  
  

  The Sullivan Archive (HD)

*720

Count Yorga, Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I'm not sure I'm quite in agreement with Tim Lucas that we can consider Count Yorga, Vampire a "classic", but it's nonetheless often a lot of fun. There's a rather sly sense of humor pervading the film, and Quarry is both as suave and menacing as the best screen vampires in the Dracula tradition. This release absolutely improves on the video side of things, while preserving an already fine audio presentation and delivering some fun supplements. Recommended.