Blood of Dracula’s Castle

Blood of Dracula’s Castle (1967) starring John Carradine, Alexander D’Arcy, Paula Raymond

In Blood of Dracula’s Castle, Count & Countess Dracula are living in … Arizona? In a castle, no less. Where their servants kidnap beautiful young ladies, and keep them in the dungeon. For a fresh supply of blood. Until the castle’s new owners show up …

Glen Cannon: We’d like to speak to the Townsends, please.
George, the butler: They are not available till after sunset.

Review

My first thought watching Blood of Dracula’s Castle was, how the nightly have fallen. Some very good actors are wasted in this low-budget, poorly-made Al Adamson film. Although that’s what he specialized in.

Thoughts

• The opening at Marineland, with the photographer shooting photos of his fiancée, is actually entertaining. The dolphins, killer whales, seal, etc. were fun to watch.
• Johnny is on the run from police pursuing him with dogs. But he stops to murder a girl in a bikini. Why? It’s insanely stupid. And it doesn’t establish his character. We’ve already seen him heartlessly murder a “friend” previously.
• The butler George brings the Draculas “real” bloody mary drinks. One of the few pieces of humor in the movie.

Cast of characters

• John Carradine (The Ten Commandments, The Secret of NIMH) … George. The butler to the Draculas. He clearly doesn’t like, or trust, Johnny. He’s very loyal to the Count. Since the Count once rescued him from a “necktie party”. He’s a worshipper of the “great god Luna”.
• Paula Raymond (The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Hand of Death, Texas Carnival) … Countess Townsend. She and her husband are actually Count & Countess Dracula, living in a castle in Arizona.
• Alexander D’Arcy (Man on a Tightrope, Horrors of Spider Island) … Count Dracula – alias Count Charles Townsend. The bloody count.
• Robert Dix (Forbidden Planet) … Johnny. The psychotic murderer, that the Draculas look forward to coming “home”. Apparently, he gets even worse during a full moon.
• Gene Otis Shane … Glen Cannon. Our protagonist. A professional photographer. He inherits the castle where the Draculas are “living”. He plans to live there. Despite the “Townsend’s” attempts to discourage them.
• Jennifer Bishop … Liz Arden. Glen’s lovely fiancée and model. She & Glen go to the castle he’s inherited. And regret it!
• Vicki Volante … Ann – Motorist Victim. George uses her blood to mixx “Bloody Mary” drinks. Later, she’s a human sacrifice to their false god Luna.
• Ray Young … Mango. Hulking, hunchbacked servant. He supplies the Draculas with fresh victims, and (presumably) rapes the “empties”.
• John ‘Bud’ Cardos (Kingdom of the Spiders – director) … Prison Guard Frank
• Ken Osborne … Telegram Delivery Man

Editorial review of Blood of Dracula’s Castle courtesy of Amazon.com

A chilling, blood-curdling tale about a young couple that inherits an old castle, only to find that it is already inhabited by a crusty butler, an obsessed killer, and a couple of vampires who kidnap and sacrifice young girls in order to live forever.