Black Dragons

Black Dragons
by William Nigh

Black Dragons
List Price: $7.98
Our Price: $2.53
You Save: $5.45 (68%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $1.27 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases


(Click here)
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada

DVD Cover Information

Actor: Bela Lugosi, Clayton Moore, George Pembroke, Joan Barclay, Robert Frazer
Director: William Nigh
Cinematographer: Arthur Reed
Editor: Carl Pierson
Producer: Barney A. Sarecky
Producer: Jack Dietz
Producer: Sam Katzman
Writer: Harvey Gates
Writer: Robert Kehoe
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 64 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-01-21
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Alpha Video

Movie Reviews of Black Dragons

Movie Review: Lugosi Rises Above Another Abysmal Movie
Summary: 3 Stars

"Black Dragons" is a film that, as most Bela Lugosi fans know, was made for Sam Katzman and his Banner Productions, and then released by Monogram Pictures. So forget about plot; plot in a Katzman flick is only incidental to the shoddy sets, direction, and acting. The truth be told, this is one of those pictures that, if it didn't have a Lugosi, would not have been made.

OK, here's the plot . . . and don't ask me to repeat it: Seems a group of prominent American businessmen are being slain. We also know that it is Lusosi doing the slaying, because it's revealed very early on in the film as to what he's up to. Now, here's the twist. The American businessmen are really Japanese, having been trtansformed by none other than Dr. Lugosi, in this picture a Nazi Evil Scientist (Boo!) and sent here as a fifth column.

It immediately strikes our sense of logic that it would be far easier just to send over a geoup of Germans or Italians than go to all the trouble of changing a person's race. But this is a Katzman flick, so logic is the first thing a viewer leaves behind when entering. Of course Lugosi is caught (by a pre-Lone Ranger Clayton Moore), thus getting his at the end. It is amazing to me that no matter how ridiculous the plot, Lugosi remains solidly professional rather than go down the chute with the movie. One reason why I become angry when someone tries to tell me that he was a bad actor.

If this picture were set in today's age, Lugosi would do quite well as a dream-come true to Michael Jackson and Joan Rivers, among others.

The quality of the film is dark and murky - apparently no effort was made to clean things up, but you can't go wrong for the price, especially if you are a fan of the genre or Lugosi. Perhaps the film will resurface in Bela Junior's restored series of his father's films. I certainly hope so.

Similar DVD Movies
Blueprint For Murder / Man In the Attic ImageBlueprint For Murder / Man In the Attic
Fox; Release date: 2007-09-11; DVD
Best price: $4.07
Price in other shops: $9.98
Scared to Death ImageScared to Death
Release date: 2004-09-28; DVD
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops: $7.99
Inner Sanctum Mysteries Complete Movie Collection (Calling Dr. Death / Weird Woman / The Frozen Ghost / Pillow of Death / Dead Man's Eyes / Strange Confession) ImageInner Sanctum Mysteries Complete Movie Collection (Calling Dr. Death / Weird Woman / The Frozen Ghost / Pillow of Death / Dead Man's Eyes / Strange Confession)
NBC Universal; Release date: 2006-09-19; DVD
Best price: $6.65
Price in other shops: $29.98
Bowery at Midnight ImageBowery at Midnight
Release date: 2002-09-03; DVD
Best price: $1.49
Price in other shops: $14.98
Island of Lost Souls (Criterion Collection) ImageIsland of Lost Souls (Criterion Collection)
IMG; Release date: 2011-10-25; DVD
Best price: $16.27
Price in other shops: $29.95
Roger Corman's Cult Classics Triple Feature (Attack of the Crab Monsters / War of the Satellites / Not of This Earth) ImageRoger Corman's Cult Classics Triple Feature (Attack of the Crab Monsters / War of the Satellites / Not of This Earth)
VIS; Release date: 2011-01-18; DVD
Best price: $12.98
Price in other shops: $24.97
The Original Nancy Drew Movie Mystery Collection (Detective / Reporter / Troubleshooter / Hidden Staircase) ImageThe Original Nancy Drew Movie Mystery Collection (Detective / Reporter / Troubleshooter / Hidden Staircase)
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2007-06-12; DVD
Best price: $4.59
Price in other shops: $24.98
The Return of the Vampire ImageThe Return of the Vampire
Sony Pictures Home ENT; Release date: 2002-08-13; DVD
Best price: $3.85
Price in other shops: $14.99
Invisible Ghost ImageInvisible Ghost
Release date: 2003-01-21; DVD
Best price: $3.05
Price in other shops: $7.98
Devil Bat - In COLOR! Also Includes the Restored Black-and-White Version! ImageDevil Bat - In COLOR! Also Includes the Restored Black-and-White Version!
LEGEND FILMS; Release date: 2008-10-21; DVD
Best price: $3.44
Price in other shops: $9.95
Compare prices and read customer reviews for more than one million DVD titles.
Oscar 2005 Winners