Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Zoltan: Hound of Dracula Blu-ray Movie Review

A dull vampire dog flick with a stunning 4K restoration

Ever imagined what would happen if your dog was a vampire? Zoltan... Hound of Dracula (aka Dracula's Dog) is the horror movie for you. Executive produced by Philip Collins (Our Cissy), audiences seeking some odd moviemaking about killer dogs with vampire-teeth will find this experience one worth seeking out. This time the pooch is the problem.

The film begins with a mysterious troupe of Russian soldiers unearthing the tomb of Dracula and several other decaying vampires. There is the discovery of a vampire dog, the hound of Dracula himself. A puppy-dog looks up at the gravestone of his long lost master, Mr. Dracula. Flashbacks dramatically showcase how the hound because a MVP vampire and was the loyal pooch to Dracula himself. Flash-forward to modern times and the story picks up with the Drake family.

Michael Drake (Michael Pataki, in a dual-role which also showcases his acting chops as Count Drac himself) is the descendant of the legendary blood-sucking Dracula. The cheery vampire-descendant dude goes out on a fun-filled vacation with his beautiful spouse Marla (Jan Shutan), daughter Linda (Libby Chase), and son Steve (John Levin). The hippie family is having a total blast with a camping trip when they come across the rabid pooch, Zoltan. The leader of the vampire dogs is as blood-thirsty as ever and brings with him a pack of killer dogs determined to feast on fresh meat. Count Dracula (Michael Pataki) and his vicious vampire hounds will stop at nothing to suck some blood.

"Twilight meets Air Bud!" - Dracula

While the screenplay by Frank Ray Perilli (End of the World, Land of No Return) is a robustly odd one featuring a surplus of killer hounds, the absurdity of it all might make it feel worthwhile for some. The pacing and character development is pitiful to behold but the concepts are far-fetched fun. Featuring a eerie and entertaining music score composed by Andrew Belling (Fairy Tales, End of the World), there is plenty of style oozing from the filmmaking. The cinematography by the creative Bruce Logan (Tron, The Incredible Shrinking Woman) makes a strong impression with the surrealistic imagery and noir-ish tone.

As with Kino's release of Parasite 3D (which I reviewed here) the film marks another early example of the genius of Stan Winston. Winston is one of the greatest legends of special effects magic. Winston revolutionized the entire industry and helped pave the way for the modern blockbuster with his remarkable effects work and the effort undertaken on this production is an early example of his unmistakable talent as an artist. As awful as the storytelling to Zoltan... Hound of Dracula is, there's something to be said about how impressive the special effects are for the hounds (while wearing their vampire teeth and flashing their ghostly eyes).

Albert Band (She Came to the Valley, Massacre at Grand Canyon) brings his own stamp to the story as a filmmaker. The film has a unique quality to it that is unlike anything else out there. There are few films even out there about vampire dogs and their unending bloodthirst. This is one of them. While the film is far from perfect (in fact, it's frequently a bore), the ridiculousness of it makes for a reasonably unique viewing.

Zoltan: Hound of Dracula Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The release of Zoltan... Hound of Dracula (Dracula's Dog) arrives on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber with a spectacular 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1 widescreen. The film has received a brand new 4K remastered scan which is downright stunning to behold from beginning to end. The level of clarity on the release is exceptional. From the appearance of the bloodthirsty hounds to the mysterious eyes of Dracula, the quality of the release is exceptional to behold with razor-sharp detail and impressive color-reproduction. The image is also startlingly clear with no signs of age-related wear or damage to the print. There are no moments of debris or dirt to be spotted. Fine film grain appears natural and is beautifully reproduced. In certain respects, this scan makes the film look almost as if it was just filmed yesterday: the quality of the scan is that impressive to behold. An incredible presentation.

Zoltan: Hound of Dracula Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release features an absorbing DTS-HD Master Audio sound presentation. The original mono audio sound design is preserved by the presentation. The lossless sound quality is exceptional from start to finish. Dialogue reproduction is superb with crystal clear voices and naturalistic sounds. The audio design is outstanding and carefully utilizes the sound effects to greatly enhance the filmmaking on display. The eerie howls of the vampire dogs makes a terrific impression that could send shivers up one's spine. Optional English subtitles are provided.

Zoltan: Hound of Dracula Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Film Historians Lee Gambin and John Harrison

Zoltan... Hound of Dracula (Dracula's Dog) Radio Spot (Audio Only, 00:30) is a fun if brief audio segment (played against a background still from the feature) promoting the film's theatrical release.

Zoltan... Hound of Dracula (Dracula's Dog) Theatrical Trailer (SD, 3:21)

The release also includes a selection of trailers for the following releases from distributor Kino Lorber: Jennifer (SD, 2:03), Deranged (HD, 1:40), Madhouse (HD, 1:49), Burnt Offerings (SD, 2:30), Chosen Survivors (SD, 3:07), Parasite (SD, 1:27), and Phobia (SD, 1:52).

The artwork for the case is also reversible with a different inner-print featuring the alternative-title of "Dracula's Dog" as an option. Unfortunately, the made-up and completely artificial title of Drunken Dog is not included on the packaging.

Zoltan: Hound of Dracula Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Zoltan... Hound of Dracula is an interesting experience. On the one hand, the film is downright awful with absolutely terrible writing and mundane direction. It's a bore-fest. On the other hand, the film features the early work of special effects pioneer Stan Winston (Aliens, Jurassic Park) and the eerie eyes of the vampire dogs leave an undeniably strong impression. The release has a stunning 4K restoration and exceptionally clear lossless audio. A worthwhile release for fans of the film and for those interested in the history of Stan Winston and his creative origins as a special effects genius. The film itself is not a total home run but the release is impressive.