Dracula vs. Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Dracula vs. Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 2, 2017

It’s a horror showdown that should’ve snapped fandom to complete attention, but 1971’s “Dracula vs. Frankenstein” isn’t anything to get excited for. It’s schlock, directed by Al Adamson (“The Naughty Stewardesses,” “Blazing Stewardesses”), and it wasn’t even originally intended to be an epic genre beat down, beginning life in 1969 as a creature feature and biker movie before someone had the bright idea to pit public domain icons against each other while disparate subplots wander aimlessly around. The title sounds tempting, and poster art promises a violent throwdown between dark forces, but this is not a production that values the rare opportunity to see monsters brawl. Instead, Adamson barely commands a confusing mix of sleuthing, countercultural commentary, and B-movie grotesqueries, only interrupting the action periodically to allow the titular threats to go about their evil business. LOWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS.

In the fog of the late-1960s, Dracula (Zandor Vorkov) has returned to public view on a specific quest to acquire immortality. He’s looking for Dr. Durea (J. Carrol Naish), a mad scientist and a direct descendant of Dr. Frankenstein, who’s been keeping busy creating pier entertainment during the day, and experimenting with serums on loyal assistant Groton (Lon Chaney Jr.) at night, trying to make a perfect monster with a taste for killing hippies. To entice Durea into action, Dracula offers the wheelchair-bound ghoul a shot at resurrecting the original Frankenstein’s Monster, recently discovered in an unmarked grave. Accepting the challenge, Durea begins work on Dracula’s plans, only to be interrupted by Judith (Regina Carrol), a Las Vegas singer who’s returned to Los Angeles to search for her missing sister, soon caught up in evil biker business when a gang led by Rico (Russ Tamblyn) tries to administer an LSD overdose. Rescued by Mike (Anthony Eisley), Judith teams up with the personable alpha hippie to investigate Durea’s dastardly deeds.

The previous paragraph is actually more of a loose summary of events that transpire in “Dracula vs. Frankenstein” than a true plot synopsis. While the picture isn’t impossible to follow, it frequently doesn’t have any story to work with, merely connecting random scenes from the three separate movies going on during the film. Worked over with reshoots occurring years after principal photography, the effort is disjointed and often nonsensical, with Adamson trying to piece together a narrative that was never meant to connect in the first place. However, this is horror, and the genre is famous for putting storytelling aside to indulge in creepy events. Even by that standard, “Dracula vs. Frankenstein” is more camp than chiller, laboring to build a macabre mood of mad science and missing persons without a single moment of genuine terror. Adamson would rather open his feature with a complete musical number from Carrol (his girlfriend at the time) than jump into the mystery, creating tonal confusion and pacing issues right off the bat.

Fans of classic monsters will likely accept what little “Dracula vs. Frankenstein” has to offer, as it does feature a chance to see the characters duke it out in the climax. But it’s a long road to an iffy payoff, working through interactions with bikers and Durea’s pier attraction, which welcomes guests into a display of audio-animatronic death, which only thinly veils the evildoing he’s overseeing in the back. The production has love for iconic horror, recycling sets and scoring cues from Universal pictures (I’m not sure how Adamson gets away with this, but that’s a question for the lawyers), but fandom isn’t enough to fuel suspense, and there’s absolutely no tension in the movie. Even Judith’s hunt for her missing sister is strangely slack, with the showgirl easily distracted by bad guys and a burgeoning romance with Mike. Budget limitations also wear down “Dracula vs. Frankenstein,” with make-up mistakes easily spotted and The Monster’s mask looking like a mess of old Play-Doh. Judith’s Vegas Strip megafame is also killed by directorial choices, with her big opening number rapturously received by a full house, only it’s clear there’s nobody in the audience when she performs.

Dracula vs. Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The MPEG-2 encoded image (1.66:1 aspect ratio) presentation actually manages to sustain the limited visual appeal of "Dracula vs. Frankenstein," providing a surprisingly detailed look at production achievements, including monster make-up, coastal locations, and period decoration. Textures are open for inspection, grabbing as much from facial particulars and costuming as possible, while cinematographic limitations are easily spotted. Grain isn't managed, fluctuating in intensity throughout. Delineation is adequate. Colors offer spark with Las Vegas signage and sets, and skintones remain valuable, capturing monster hues. Source hits some trouble with scratches, speckling, and discoloration, but overall stability remains.

Dracula vs. Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The LPCM 2.0 sound mix captures the limited sonic reach of "Dracula vs. Frankenstein." It's not a film built for dimension, but the track doesn't sound exhausted, maintaining management of dialogue exchanges and vocal tricks, which come through as intended, without aggressive highs and muddy lows. Scoring is thin but communicative, supporting moments capably. Sound effects are blunt but not unpleasant.

Dracula vs. Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features producer/co-writer Sam Sherman.

• "Producing Schlock" (8:04, SD) is a 1999 featurette on Sherman's career and collaborations with director Al Adamson, focusing on their special brand of drive-in entertainment. It's interesting to hear Sherman admit that he doesn't like anything he's made, treating the film business solely as a moneymaking machine, but he's armed with anecdotes about various productions such as "Naughty Stewardesses" and "Satan's Sadists." Some time is spent discussing "Dracula vs. Frankenstein," focusing on its patchwork production history.

• Alternate Ending (9:30, SD) offers a different fate for Dracula and Mike, giving the picture a more abrupt conclusion.

• 8mm Location Footage (1:47, SD) is a simple walkthrough of the feature's climatic church location.

• Deleted Scenes (8:58, SD) devote a little more time to Judith's LSD freak-out and eventual rescue by kindly hippies, and Dracula's prized comet-based revival of The Monster is expanded.

• "Forrest J. Ackerman & Dracula!" (4:51, SD) takes an undated trip to the Chiller Theater Convention in New Jersey, where Sherman meets up with his "Famous Monsters of Filmland" publishing pal to discuss a deleted scene where his character tries to sweet talk his way out of trouble with Dracula. Ackerman excitedly discusses his participation in the movie.

• "Monsters Protest!" (5:26, SD) is unfortunately unexplained, but appears to be a Sherman-branded publicity stunt where costumed ghouls have gathered to publically object to the opening of "Dracula vs. Frankenstein."

• Photo Gallery (2:56) collects publicity and marketing materials from the feature's theatrical and home video releases.

• And a T.V. Spot (:29, SD) and a Theatrical Trailer (2:27, SD) are included.

Dracula vs. Frankenstein Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There's so much to like about "Dracula vs. Frankenstein," which offers flame-throwing power from the vampire's magic ring, a cameo by Forrest J. Ackerman, random footage from a Vietnam War protest, and the sight of Chaney Jr. as Groton taking an ax to doped-up hippies. It's a crime that Adamson doesn't really make anything special here, just surviving long enough to complete the picture, not perfect it. By the time the monsters go at in the final act (which looks more like slow dancing than fighting), the novelty has already worn off, making this collision of genre icons painfully anticlimactic.