Son of Dracula (1974)

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

I know I have seen this film years ago - memories are vague but I remember seeing it after watching it again on YouTube. It's been years. I'm guessing it was a late night movie on some station in the 1980s when I watched this film the first time.. it's cool to watch it again on YouTube. This movie has never been released to DVD which surprises me. I don't know what kind of a cult following there is for this film - if any at all but it's a film you would think has gathered a following no matter how small the the following.The music is good in this film. I really enjoy hearing Harry Nilsson sing and play. Harry is Count Downe a musician that falls in love with a mortal woman and he is the Son of Dracula (Dracula is played by Dan Meaden).Keep in mind this film is a musical comedy if you chose to watch it - a musical comedy horror/fantasy to be more exact - the film does not take itself seriously, it's made for fun/comedy - to entertain.Also keep in mind this movie is NOT a remake of Son of Dracula (1943) starring Lon Chaney Jr. - it has zero to do with the 1943 film. The only thing that is the same is the title - that's it.Look for this film on YouTube.5/10

Son of Dracula (1974) * 1/2 (out of 4)Merlin the Magician (Ringo Starr) is going to make Count Downe (Harry Nilsson) the new leader of the Netherworld but he falls in love with a human (Suzanna Leigh) and isn't sure he wants the title. The one person who does want it is the Baron Frankenstein (Freddie Jones) and even Van Helsing (Dennis Price) has a say in the matter. SON OF Dracula was produced by Starr and it features some other well-known musicians but in the end this thing is pretty much a dud. You've got some talented musicians and some talented Euro actors and you've got a talented director in Freddie Francis but sadly none of the talents come together (yeah, a cheap Beatles reference) to add up to much. There's no question that a lot of the blame can go towards the screenplay, which doesn't seem to know what type of film it wants to be. I'm guessing they were going for some sort of rock 'n roll monster spoof but none of it works. The entire bit with the Netherworld crown is just boring and the love story between Downe, the son of Dracula, and Amber is just boring. Even worse is that the music itself is pretty boring, although Nilsson's "Without You" is on full display but how it's used is just so corny that if you're a diabetic you'll need to have some insulin ready. Another major problem is the direction by Francis who doesn't seem to know what to do with the picture. Just check out all the music scenes and you'll notice how poorly filmed they are and it just seems like someone told the camera man to just shoot anything because it didn't matter. The performances are also pretty bad with Nilsson coming across as a very boring Count. Those familiar with the career of Price knows he was towards the end when he filmed this and it's rather sad watching the great actor appearing so ill. Starr certainly doesn't give a "good" performance but it's just weird enough to where it adds some comic appeal. Love certainly comes across the best out of all the cast members. Music fans can look quickly for Peter Frampton, Leon Russell, John Bonham and Keith Moon. The one thing that keeps this from being a complete bomb is the fact that it's just so darn weird that it's hard to quit watching it or look away. One highlight is the early scenes with Dracula, which has him looking like the vampire from 1922's NOSFERATU. Still, SON OF Dracula is a complete wreck of a film that's mainly going to appeal to fans of the musicians who want to see anything they've ever been connected to.

I purchased a copy of the soundtrack in high school and wore it out! I did not get to see this movie when it came out. 31 years later I found a bootleg copy on ebay. Great music, but an awful movie. The story has very little dialog and never goes anywhere. Such a waist of great musical talent. Harry Nilsson's who is one of the forgotten song writers of the seventies acting is so bad that he makes Ringo Starr look good. The song daybreak is a different mix than the album and the camera is so frame so close that you almost don't see Keith Moon playing drums. Freddie Francis who directed this movie is a great cinematographer (The French Lieutenants Women) and camera man (Moby Dick 1956) but should have skip this film project. Fine the soundtrack and forget this movie!

According to David Morgan's fine book, Monty Python Speaks, both Graham Chapman and Douglas Adams worked together to create new dialogue for this movie. Based on the version you see, who knows?