Count Yorga, Vampire (1970)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

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)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stella Thomas	...	Vampire woman (uncredited)

Directed by
Bob Kelljan

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Bob Kelljan		writer

Produced by
Bob Kelljan	....	producer
Michael Macready	....	producer

Original Music by
Bill Marx		(as William Marx)

Cinematography by
Arch Archambault

Film Editing by
Tony de Zarraga		(as Tony de Zárraga)

Makeup Department
Master Dentalsmith	....	makeup artist
Mark Rogers	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Robert Vincent O'Neill	....	production supervisor (as Robert V. O'Neill)

Art Department
James Stinson	....	props
Bob Wilder	....	set designer
Erik L. Nelson	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Lowell Brown	....	sound recordist
Bob Dietz	....	sound recordist (as Robert Dietz)
George Garrin	....	sound assistant

Special Effects by
James M. Tanenbaum	....	special effects (as James Tanenbaum)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jim Getty	....	key grip
John Murphy	....	chief electrician
Pat O'Mara	....	assistant camera (as Pat O'Mara Jr.)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Nancy Stone	....	wardrobe

Other crew
Vee Kasegan	....	animal owner
Vee Kasegan	....	animal trainer
Pat Townsend	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Erica Productions Inc.

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1970) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (19??) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Roadshow Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Edit International  sound effects
• Producers' Sound Services  recording

Also Known As:

The Loves of Count Iorga, Vampire (USA)

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 working script was titled "Count Yorga, Vampire" and nothing even remotely close to soft-core was in the script or shot.

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:

Count Yorga: Doctor Hayes, what an unexpected surprise.
Dr. James Hayes: Yes, so much so that I almost had a massive coronory.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "TCM Underground: Count Yorga, Vampire/The Fearless Vampire Killers (#1.40)" (2008)

Vampire Magic

When we think of great vampire portrayals, normally the names of Lugosi and Christopher Lee immediately pop into our heads. Robert Quarry, however, is as convincing a vampire as both of those great actors. His performance and demeanor as a Bulgarian Count in this film is truly outstanding. He lives in a large house somewhere in California and terrorizes young women and their boyfriends. What makes this picture a better than average vampire film is that it has a very tense and atmospheric plot structure. We basically know what fate will befall our innocent(just) protagonists, but we become riveted to their actions and those of the Count. Quarry plays the Count with a charm that is both amiable and yet caustic. He makes one of the wittiest vampires in film. The rest of the cast is adequate, and I think Roger Perry does a wonderful job as a blood specialist who goads Count Yorga one evening into talking about the supernatural. A must see for the classic horror fan.