African Prince hoping to end slavery is betrayed by racist Transylvanian
Count Dracula, a vampire who turns the Prince into one of his own (though
he’ll probably make him use his own washroom), cursed ‘With my name, I
curse you…Blacula!’ Cut to wakka-chakka ‘s America where gay art
collectors (!) unwittingly unleash Mamuwalde (AKA Blacula), who now has
his sites set on Vonetta McGee, a woman who looks an awful lot like his
lost love. Awww, isn’t that cute? Add Thalmus Rasulala as a nosy doctor
and would-be investigator, and Elisha Cook Jr. (remember the scared, weird
little guy from ‘House on Haunted Hill’?) as a one-armed hospital
employee, and you’ve got a classic cheesy horror pic. Also look, out for
the downright hilarious Ketty Lester as a seriously peeved cab driver who
dares mess with Chocula…er…Blacula.
Well-made under the circumstances, this is weirder than the usual
blaxploitation film and gets a boost from the deep-voiced, Shakespearean
actor William Marshall who gives a commanding lead performance. Who knew
he’d end up on ‘Pee-Wee’s Playhouse’? It’s hardly scary, but there’s some
weird camera angles and memorable moments (notably the touching finale and
Cook’s final scene, probably the only scary bit in the film- there’s
practically no violence and less sex than the usual blaxploitation film).
Gotta love the songs by The Hues Corporation too (C’mon you remember their
hit- ‘Rock the Boat, Rock the Boat, Baby!’).
OVERALL SUMMARY
One for fans of cheese, though not incompetently made. Marshall lifts it
by creating an almost sympathetic and likeable character…I dare anyone
to refrain from shedding a tear at the finale.