Vampira (1974)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1974
Running Times:
Length:
Format: 35mm      Panavision (anamorphic)
Colour Format: colour
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound:

DIRECTION

Directed by: Clive Donner

PRODUCTION
Copyright: Columbia Pictures Incorporated MCMLXXIV
Production Companies: Columbia Pictures presents a World Film Services production
Produced by: Jack H. Wiener
Production Supervisor: Richard Dalton

SCRIPT
Original Screenplay by: Jeremy Lloyd

DIRECTION
Assistant Director: Bert Batt
Continuity: Sally Ball

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Tony Richmond
Camera Operator: Denis Lewiston
Focus Puller: Michael Roberts

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Bill Butler

MUSIC
Music Composed and Conducted by: David Whitaker

SONGS AND ADDITIONAL MUSIC
"Vampira" theme
Music and lyrics by Anthony Newley
Sung by The Majestics

"When You Look For a Dream"
Composed and sung by John and Rosalind

SOUND
Sound Recordist: Claude Hitchcock
Sound Editor: Charles Crawford
Dubbing Mixer: Bill Rowe

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Costume Designer: Vangie Harrison
Wardrobe Supervisor: Elsa Fennell
Make-up: Philip Leakey
Hairdressing: Barabara Ritchie

VISUAL EFFECTS
Titles and Optical Special Effects by: Camera Effects

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Director: Philip Harrison

MISCELLANEOUS
Services: Tiger Service Company

LOCATIONS
Made at: EMI-MGM Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK and on location at The Heathrow Hotel, London Airport and in London

CAST

David Niven as Count Dracula

with
Teresa Graves (Countess Vampira)
Jennie Linden (Angela)
Nicky Henson (Marc)
Peter Bayliss (Maltravers)
Bernard Bresslaw (Pottinger)
Linda Hayden (Helga)
Frank Thornton (Mr King)
Christopher Sandford (Milton)

"The Playmates"
Andrea Allan (Eve)
Veronica Carlson (Ritva)
Minah Bird (Rose)
Cathie Shirriff (Nancy)

Carol Cleveland (Jane (his victim))
Kenneth Cranham (Paddy (the delinquent))
Freddie Jones (Gilmore)
Aimi MacDonald, Patrick Newell (couple in hotel room)
Luan Peters (Pottinger's secretary)

Marcia Fox (air hostess)
David Rowlands (drunk)
Ben Aris (policeman)
Nadia Sawalha (airline representative)
Hoima McDonald, Nicola Austine, Penny Irving (Playboy Bunnies)

PLOT SUMMARY

An aged Dracula plans to revive his long dead wife Vampira using blood transfusions taken from Playboy Bunnies. When the wrong blood sample is used, however, his wife is turned black and Dracula sets out to find some "white blood cells" to restore her.

CAPSULE REVIEW

A crude, witless farce that makes one wonder what possessed David Niven to even consider appearing in such unworthy junk. Racist and juvenile, it's almost entirely unfunny and must surely have looked dated and reprehensible even on its initial release. Possibly the most embarrasing British movie ever made - and when one considers the plethora of atrocious sex comedies made during the 70s, that's some achievement.

UK
Theatrical Distributors: Columbia Pictures

USA
Theatrical Distributor: American International Pictures

Finland
Rating: K-16

Sweden
Rating: 15

USA
Rating: PG

1975
January
12: Sweden - theatrical release

April
11: Finland - theatrical release

1986
November
7: UK - television broadcast (on ITV (Thames Television))

If You Liked "Young Frankenstein" You'll Love "Old Dracula!"

Old Dracula - US title
Vampira - en tjej pa bettet - Swedish title
Vampira - piru hampaissa - Finnish title

REFERENCES

PERIODICALS

Cinefantastique vol.3 no.2 (Spring 1974) p.39 (USA)
article

Cinefantastique vol.4 no.4 (Winter 1976) p.30 (USA)
review

CinemaTV Today no.10047 (1 September 1973) p.8 (UK)
credits

CinemaTV Today no.10105 (19 October 1974) p.15 (UK)
review

Flesh and Blood no.3 (1994) pp.40, 41 (UK)
illustrated credits, review

Hollywood Reporter vol.238 no.44 (7 November 1975) pp.10, 11 (USA)
review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.41 no.490 (November 1974) p.257 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

Photoplay vol.24 no.11 (November 1973) pp.22-23 (UK)
review

TV Times vol.106 no.12 (20 March 1982) p.51 (UK)
credits

Variety 12 November 1975 p.24 (USA)
credits, review

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

vampires, dracula, blood, transfusions, sex, castles, coffins, playboy magazine

Last Updated: 28 March, 2009