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Blacula (1972)

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 1

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41

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Average Rating: 2.8/5
User Ratings: 5,438

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Movie Info

Advertised as the 100th production of American International studios, Blacula stars actor/singer William Marshall in the title role. An 18th century African prince, Blacula is transmogrified into a vampire while visiting Transylvania. Two centuries later, he rises from his coffin to wreak havoc in the Watts district of Los Angeles. Blacula's particular target is Tina (Vonetta McGee), whom he thinks is the reincarnation of his long-ago lady love. Thalmus Rasulala assumes the "Van Helsing" role as

PG, 1 hr. 32 min.

Classics, Horror

Raymond Koenig, Joan Torres

Jan 20, 2004

HBO Video

Cast

All Critics (20) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (9) | Rotten (11) | DVD (4)

William Marshall portrays title role with a flourish and gets first rate support right down the line.

March 26, 2009 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Anybody who goes to a vampire movie expecting sense is in serious trouble, and Blacula offers less sense than most.

May 9, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comment
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

William Marshall brings considerable nobility to the lead role - no mean feat when you've got patches of hair glued all over your face and keep turning into a giant bat.

December 20, 2010 Full Review Source: SFX Magazine | Comment
SFX Magazine

It's redeemed somewhat by a cool soul soundtrack and a lead performance by the classically-trained Marshall, who displays a reverence for his iconic role that the filmmakers could have heeded.

August 9, 2010 Full Review Source: sbs.com.au | Comment
sbs.com.au

Vibrant funking-up of Hammer bloodsuckers

January 1, 2010 Full Review Source: CinePassion | Comment
CinePassion

Blaxploitation meets vampire movie that's formulaic and full of holes.

October 19, 2009 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | Comment
Empire Magazine

The hammy performance by Marshall makes it enjoyable.

October 19, 2009 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | Comment
TV Guide's Movie Guide

best of the horror blaxploitation genre

May 19, 2008 Comment

A terrible blaxploitation angle on the classic Dracula story

August 9, 2007 Comment
Film Threat

The film remains a lifeless reworking of heroes versus vampires with soul music and a couple of good gags.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment

An unburied treasures for those of us who love bad film. It's a horror film thematically, and politically and aesthetically, too.

June 12, 2005 Full Review Source: F5 (Wichita, KS) | Comment

Contrived and a pain in the neck, yes...but what a concept!

January 2, 2005 Comment

[T]his classic example of blaxploitation does invoke the C-word, but not before 'camp-eee!' actually crossed your mind, which is while you're putting the DVD in the player.

November 2, 2004 Full Review Source: Flick Filosopher | Comments (2)
Flick Filosopher

Has some genuinely scary moments.

December 17, 2003 Comment
Lawrence Journal-World

A surprisingly worthy addition to the blood-sucking genre.

May 24, 2003 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Blacula

A combination vampire movie and blaxploitation movie, which you wouldn't think would be good, but it's actually a very fun movie, and it's one of my favourite vampire movies of the 70s.

September 5, 2010
ajv2688

Super Reviewer

While this movie is pretty cheesy and ridiculous (as if the title couldn't make that obvious enough), it's a lot better than it might seem. It came out during the blaxploitation era, and is considered to be a blaxploitation horror film, but much of the campy and stereotypical elements that are typical of those films

June 14, 2010
cosmo313
Chris Weber

Super Reviewer

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