Count Yorga, Vampire
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Movie Reviews of Count Yorga, Vampire
Movie Review: A "pop/corn" vampire flick
Summary: 3 Stars
Okay. So it's probably not the best vampire flick ever made, and it's time of setting does date the film a bit, but it is certainly a standout from a fairly rotten bunch.It's best feature, is a brilliant performance by Robert Quarry in the lead role of Count Yorga; an inspired blend of viciousness and culture, all at the same time.
It certainly gives Christopher Lee's Count Dracula a run for his money!
The vampire women come straight from the set of a zombie flick in regards to their almost mindless search for blood. Curiously, they possess a ROW of sharp teeth (as does Count Yorga, when they're revealed), rather than the required elongated set of upper canines in which to delicately leave behind the standard two small puncture wounds on the neck.
This reflects the more primal, bestial, and dare I say "evil" interpretation these vampires take in the film, something in decided absense in the wake of Anne Rice's contributions to the genre.
THESE vampires are clearly predators, as we see towards the end of the movie, which finishes in a downbeat, post-"Night of the Living Dead" kind of way.
The film recycles the usual vampire movie cliches of the aristocratic, Eastern European vampire; the vampire's "brides"; the All-Wise Vampire Hunter (albeit, if Van Helsing was a "swinger"!), the vampire's black cloak, etc. and updates them to a modern day setting (well...for 1970, that is!), and fairly effectively introduces a nineteenth century vampire count into the twentieth.
This was the film Hammer's "Dracula A.D. 1972" and "The Satanic Rites of Dracula" should have been.
Movie Review: "Maybe I'll have a little snack later!"
Summary: 3 Stars
Many thanks to MGM for re-mastering, as best they could, and re-releasing "Count Yorga, Vampire" on VHS and DVD. I had rented the out of print Laserdisc twice so I could watch it and share it with my brother. We had seen the film together at the Drive-in theater when we were lets say, a little younger! Robert Quarry makes for a suave, classy and chilling vampire. Although the film is certainly low-budget its not at all bad and is far more entertaining than many higher budget and more recent films are today. I actually bought a copy on VHS as a gift before I found out it was also released on DVD which I also bought. I had found a copy of the sequel, "The Return of Count Yorga" previously released by Orion, still in print some years ago. Now I understand MGM has re-released this sequel "The Return of Count Yorga" on VHS, but so far not on DVD. As it is also a short film I would ask MGM to give us a Widescreen edition with a Pan and Scan fullscreen on the reverse. And please get Robert Quarry to record a running commentary on the movie! Also, don't forget we still want the DVD at a bargain price. I am sure for MGM this won't be a problem! Well, I can go on wishing anyway!! In the meantime, enjoy "Count Yorga, Vampire" and let MGM know that we would like to see the sequel on DVD as well. Thanks and Best Wishes.Movie Review: Mildly entertaining
Summary: 3 Stars
Having picked up this movie and its sequel cheaply, I decided that I would treat myself them on a Halloween. What I found was a standard early 1970s horror movie that had its good points but overall was not spectacular.Essentially, this is a retelling of the Dracula story. Count Yorga has come from Bulgaria to Los Angeles, where he starts seducing and vampirizing women. He has a Renfield-like sidekick and is opposed by a Van Helsing-like doctor. Yorga is a super-suave vampire, acting the part of the nobleman to gain access to his victims and intelligent enough to toy with his hunters.
This movie has a definite '70s look to it. Beyond the fashions and decor, the directing itself has a '70s feel to it. In particular, the scenes showing two men walking through the city in conversation, showing them only at a distance, seems very reminiscent of the time period.
This winds up being a relatively routine horror movie, with only a couple minor twists to set it apart. If you are roped into watching this, it won't be an awful waste of time, but if you never see it, your life will not be the poorer for it. This is basically a movie for vampire movie fans who aim towards completism.
Movie Review: Yorga, Smorga!
Summary: 3 Stars
Yikes! I must have been stoned when originally viewing this in the theatre. I'd watch it only for pure camp now or at Halloween. The acting is hammy (but lovable)and only one actor emerged unscathe from this project (Michael Murphy) to go on to better things.Rent this DVD, then quickly return it to the store. This is fun along with "Blacula" for those dreary nights when television thinks it is offering us their best. Dim the lights, butter up the popcorn and be prepared to howl. Now what was I thinking of? Does anyone want a used DVD?
Movie Review: Wonderfully awful
Summary: 3 Stars
This is one of those low-rent horror films you typically catch late-night on Halloween. A great flick to watch with friends and get a running commentary going; the kitten scene is an absolute classic.