The 1970 film, Count Yorga, Vampire – aka The Loves of Count Iorga, Vampire – is a captivating combination of psychological thriller and horror, which will leave a lasting impression on you. Directed by Bob Kelljan, who helmed several classic TV shows, as well as the sequel The Return of Count Yorga and the blaxploitation sequel, Scream, Blacula, Scream, among other, it delivers a different kind of urban vampire predating Hammer’s Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972), and The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973). Veteran actor Robert Quarry’s portrayal of the title fiend has an allure and sophistication that’s as chilling as he is mesmerizing.
The version I watched was on the MGM Midnite Movies double feature DVD, which is paired with its sequel. The film opens with a séance led by the eponymous character who is trying to contact the mother of a woman named Donna (Donna Anders), who had died weeks prior. Attending the séance is her boyfriend, Michael (Michael Macready), and friends Erica (Judith Lang) and Paul (Michael Murphy). One of the participants has a hard time taking the proceedings seriously, disrupting the others, but eventually they all agree to respect the nature of what’s going on. But the count hypnotizes Donna to forget the séance, and that’s when we know his intentions are nefarious.
Soon after, Eric finds she’s been lethargic and sees a blood specialist named Dr. Jim Hayes (Roger Perry). The cigarette smoking 1970s doctor prescribes lots of rare steaks because somehow that will help the fact that she has seemingly lost a lot of blood, with two strange puncture marks in her neck. Of course, Erica having been bitten, is later under the count’s spell, and wears a skimpy negligee as she waits for him to show up to her room and complete her transformation with another bite. Things get out of control as characters realize Yorga is not what he seems, and a final confrontation is inevitable.
Watching this late at night, it reminded me of my first viewing on TV back as a wee lad in the 1970s, and that time of day is perhaps the best to watch a film like this. It delivers all the eerie chills you would hope for, and Quarry seems very much at home playing the count, with a charm that makes you simultaneously like and fear him. The build-up to the obligatory weapons gathering montage is fun, and when the good guys team up to face the count and his vampire brides, it keeps you engaged to the end.
A third film was rumored to have been in the concept stage, in which Yorga finds himself living in the Los Angeles sewers where he raises an army of the undead, but that never happened. It’s too bad, because that sounds like it would have been a lot of fun if done right. The same goes for the proposed cross-over in which Yorga would have been the antagonist to Vincent Price’s Dr. Anton Phibes in Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972), but that concept was dashed although Quarry did end up playing the bad guy in that film, Dr. Biederbeck. The film’s moody atmosphere, enhanced by its haunting score and atmospheric cinematography, creates a sense of dread that lingers throughout.
Count Yorga, Vampire, has just enough blood, sexy women, and perfect chills needed for a fun 1970s vampire flick, complete with thunder and lightning, and is definitely a good late-night viewing!
Below are newspaper ads for Count Yorga, Vampire (1970):
