Billy the Kid versus Dracula (1966)

Director:

William Beaudine

Writer:

Carl K. Hittleman (writer)

Release Date:

April 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Western | Horror

Tagline:

The Newest in Terror-tainment! SHOCKORAMA (original ad of Embassy's double-bill, with "Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter")

Plot:

Dracula travels to the American West, intent on making a beautiful ranch owner his next victim. Her fiance, outlaw Billy the Kid, finds out about it and rushes to save her. |

Plot Keywords:

Dracula | Billy The Kid | Vampirism | Vampire | Impostor

Cast

John Carradine	...	Vampire
Chuck Courtney	...	William 'Billy the Kid' Bonney
Melinda Plowman	...	Elizabeth (Betty) Bentley
Virginia Christine	...	Eva Oster
Walter Janovitz	...	Franz Oster
Bing Russell	...	Dan 'Red' Thorpe
Olive Carey	...	Dr. Henrietta Hull
Roy Barcroft	...	Sheriff Griffin
Hannie Landman	...	Lisa Oster
Richard Reeves	...	Pete (saloonkeeper)
Marjorie Bennett	...	Mary Ann Bentley
William Forrest	...	James Underhill
George Cisar	...	Joe Flake
Harry Carey Jr.	...	Ben Dooley (wagonmaster)
Leonard P. Geer	...	Yancy (as Lennie Geer)

Also Known As:

Billy the Kid vs. Dracula (USA) (promotional title)

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-PG | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California, USA

Company:

Circle Productions Inc.

Trivia:

This film, and its companion piece, Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter (1966), were the final films for William Beaudine. This marked the end of a career that included approximately 250 (known) films beginning in the silent period.

Goofs:

Continuity: At many points in the film, "Mrs. Oster" (Virginia Christine) is called "Mrs. Olson", the character she made famous in the Folger Coffee Commercials - hardly enough reason for director "One-Shot" Beaudine to stop the cameras.

Quotes:

Vampire: Your bullets can't hurt me.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Out of this World Super Shock Show (2007) (V)

How can you hate a film with a title this great?

This was filmed back to back with "Jessie James Meets Frankensteins Daughter" in the same Simi Valley ranch by William Beaudine who use to be a very capable director. I think this is just campy fun to watch! The story starts out with Dracula (John Carradine) on a stagecoach and he see's a picture of a young girl and is instantly attracted to her. That night Dracula kills a young Indian girl and the rest of the Indians attack the Stagecoach and kill everyone on board. Dracula assumes the identity of a Mr. Underhill and goes to meet his niece who has never met him. The niece is Betty Bentley (Melinda Plowman) and the ranch that her family owns has a foreman named William Bonney (Chuck Courtney) and the two of them are in love and want to get married. Dracula arrives and he introduces himself as Betty's uncle and he takes charge of the ranch. He also starts to make plans on making Betty his bride! An immigrant couple recognize him as a vampire because he had killed their daughter and now they try and warn Betty and William. This film plays as a regular vampire story and not as camp but with the low budget and a script that isn't careful about vampire do's and dont's it can't help but become camp. Carradine was pretty old in 1966 and he appears frail so when there are scenes that require physical effort a stand-in was used. Take a good look when Dracula is supposedly carrying Betty, you can't see his face. Carradine dyed his hair black for this role to try and look younger. I also liked Plowman in this film, she was a steady television actress during the 50's and 60's and she was extremely beautiful to look at. I personally could understand why Dracula was so infatuated with her. I probably would have done the same thing if I was in his shoes! If anyone knows whatever happened to Melinda Plowman please let me know. The ending was pretty shabby when Billy the Kid throws a gun at Dracula and knocks him out! And then uses a railroad spike. Everyone knows it has to be a wooden spike! But you have to expect these inconsistencies from these films. Thats part of their charm! Also, for you trivia buffs out there...Olive Carey plays Dr. Hull and Carey is the mother of Harry Carey jr. who also appears in this film as the wagon master! Silly and inconsistent film is actually fun to watch. I think it lives up to its incredible title. Look out for those rubber bats on a string!