Count Yorga, Vampire (1970)

Director:

Bob Kelljan

Writer:

Bob Kelljan (writer)

Release Date:

19 October 1972 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Romance

Tagline:

Dashing, Dark and Deadly.

Plot:

Sixties couples Michael and Donna and Paul and Erica become involved with the intense Count Yorga at a Los Angeles seance...

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Seance | Cat | Noble | Mansion

Cast

Robert Quarry	...	Count Yorga / Dracula
Roger Perry	...	Dr. James 'Jim' Hayes
Michael Murphy	...	Paul
Michael Macready	...	Michael 'Mike' Thompson
D.J. Anderson	...	Donna (as Donna Anders)
Judy Lang	...	Erica Landers (as Judith Lang)
Edward Walsh	...	Brudah
Julie Conners	...	Cleo
Paul Hansen	...	Peter
Sybil Scotford	...	Judy
Marsha Jordan	...	Donna's mother
Deborah Darnell	...	Vampire woman
Erica Macready	...	Babette, the nurse
George Macready	...	Narrator (voice)

Also Known As:

The Loves of Count Iorga, Vampire (USA) (alternative title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for vampire violence/gore and some sensuality.

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:18 | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (re-release)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Erica Productions Inc.

Trivia:

The movie was originally conceived as a low-budget soft-core porno movie. At this stage the title was "The Loves of Count Iorga, Vampire!" but at some stage the decision was taken to film it as a straight horror film. The title was changed accordingly to the less erotic "Count Yorga, Vampire!" which explains the poor animation of the phrase "Count Yorga" in the title (as it now appears on-screen).

Goofs:

Plot holes: During a scene in which Count Yorga opens up a set of windows to look upon a thunder and lightning storm, his reflection is clearly visible in the glass panes.

Quotes:

Narrator: Superstition?
[laughs maniacally]

Movie Connections:

References True Grit (1969)

a cut above the vampire norm

You have to know what you're in for when you sit down to watch a movie like "Count Yorga." Leave your expectations of lavish special effects, intricate plotting, and deep character development at the door. This movie is about what most vampire movies are about – cool confrontations with the undead, spiced with some lightweight eroticism. If that's your bag, you should like this.

But I'm already sounding too critical. I honestly think that "Yorga" has several strong points which elevate it above the standard bloodsucker flick. Chief among them is actor Robert Quarry, who cuts a striking figure as the Count. His performance walks a very fine line between camp and credibility, and somehow he pulls it off. He plays the best kind of vampire – suave and smart and friendly, until of course he decides to dispatch his opponents with almost animal savagery.

There are some memorably horrifying moments, including the infamous cat scene and Roger Perry's final confrontation with Yorga in the crypt. I also enjoy the séance - a funny way to set the scene and introduce the characters (such as they are). On the downside, Perry is a faintly annoying actor (I much prefer the secondary hero, Michael Murphy, who later played the thankless role of the mayor in "Batman Returns"), and there are some strange cuts in the action where sex scenes were apparently excised.

On the whole, though, I have little to complain about. It seems that vampires are always up to the same tricks – putting the bite on women and fighting off their vengeful boyfriends – but as long as the vampires are cool and the women are pretty, I'll tune in.