#screamblaculascream

Artist’s Blog #139 - Scream Blacula Scream (1973)

Exploring the Vampire Undead in Scream Blacula Scream

I am a fan of exploitation movies from the 70s, period. It doesn’t matter which sub-exploitation genre you want to talk about, I like them all. I don’t know why, but I’m trying to figure it out. You can be sure you will find 70s gold in most of these films. Sure, there are some extreme ones, some I’ve seen but won’t admit. Anyway, I recently found Scream Blacula Scream and Blacula on a streaming service. I watched Scream Blacula Scream first and will blog about it here. It’s a good thing I watched the sequel first, or I may not have gone back for Blacula. Let’s talk it out.

Pam Grier's Commanding Role in Scream Blacula Scream

These movies were already on my watch list, so I would have started with Blacula eventually. But I began with the sequel. I quickly noticed Pam Grier’s name in the cast, which was a huge grab for me. In many ways, she is an exploitation movie queen. Anytime her name is in the credits, you can bet it’s going to be a solid film. I’ve seen her in The Big Bird Cage, Foxy Brown, Coffy, and others. The only one I’ve blogged about is Black Mama, White Mama. You can read that one here. Grier had the attitude, style, and presence that made her perfect for exploitation films, and her role in Scream Blacula Scream showcased all these traits.

Vampire Themes in Scream Blacula Scream

Writing about a sequel before seeing the original is tricky. Now that I’ve seen Blacula, I can say it introduces some unique ideas that continue into Scream Blacula Scream. Blacula doesn’t want to be a vampire anymore, which is a central theme. The curse of the vampire is that they are “undead,” caught between life and death. Blacula wishes to have the Dracula curse removed and sent back to Africa by Pam Grier’s character. I found this interesting since he would essentially pass the curse to someone else. Stay tuned for more thoughts in next week’s blog.

Reviving Dracula in Scream Blacula Scream

Vampire movies often involve some kind of revival story for Dracula, similar to how Friday the 13th or Halloween sequels revive their killers. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives has one of the best revival scenes, and Dracula sequels do the same. Scream Blacula Scream is no different, with a voodoo priest bringing the count back. Pam Grier’s character, Lisa Fortier, leads the voodoo cult, while Louis, the character who revives Blacula, takes on the Renfield role. There’s also a Van Helsing-like character.  

Blacula’s Transformation in Scream Blacula Scream

Whenever Blacula transforms from human to vampire, he grows peculiar sideburns that wrap around his face, giving him a resemblance to the Wolfman. I haven’t seen the classic Wolfman movie, but it’s on my list. His eyebrows become wilder, and these features intensify when he’s angry. Blacula’s appearance is a strange blend of Dracula, the Wolfman, and the Hulk. His vampire minions resemble zombies from old Romero films, but I didn’t care for this look in Blacula. You can read my blogs on Night of the Living Dead here and Day of the Dead here.

The Reflection Idea in Scream Blacula Scream

Another interesting concept in Scream Blacula Scream was the reflection issue. In today’s world, a vampire wouldn’t survive long due to all the reflective surfaces, especially smartphones. In this film, vampires can’t be photographed either. I’ve asked myself this before, but never really saw it on screen. In the 1931 Dracula, reflections or photos wouldn’t have been much of a concern, and even in Christopher Lee’s films, everything took place in old England where cameras weren’t a big issue. By the time we get to the 1970s in Scream Blacula Scream, it’s something the undead would have to worry about.

Casting Success in Scream Blacula Scream

The producers got a lot right with Scream Blacula Scream. Honestly, I expected it to be a little comical because most exploitation films lean toward silliness. I was surprised to find that it wasn’t. The casting was particularly well done. Not only was Pam Grier great, but William Marshall as Blacula was also impressive. His commanding voice gave him a strong presence, which is crucial for a character like Dracula. Christopher Lee had a similar quality, and while Bela Lugosi’s Dracula didn’t have the same suave vibe, his eerie, accented voice made him iconic.

Creepy Effects in Scream Blacula Scream

One thing I want to highlight is how Scream Blacula Scream handled scenes of Blacula flying toward his victims and his transformation into a bat. When Blacula flies across the room, cape open and fangs out, it’s obviously fake, but it still has a creepy factor. It reminds me of those haunted attractions where a dummy flies at you on a zipline. It worked for shock value. The transformation into a vampire bat was also clearly fake, but in all its ‘70s cheesiness, it struck the right balance between real and theatrical. The best transformation scene is in An American Werewolf in London, which I’ve blogged about here.

Vampires and Knowledge in Scream Blacula Scream

Thinking about vampires, they would have incredible knowledge over their long lifetimes. We learn so much in a human lifespan but imagine what a vampire would know after hundreds of years, especially about antiques. This idea came to me while watching Highlander, where McLeod had an antique shop. A vampire would have first-hand experience with historical objects. For Blacula, identifying a centuries-old African necklace makes perfect sense. He was around when these items were made and used, giving him an intimate knowledge no one else could match.

70s Aesthetic in Scream Blacula Scream

I can’t blog about an old film without touching on its aesthetic. The clothes, cars, and luxurious homes are a big part of what makes Scream Blacula Scream stand out visually. The 70s aesthetic is front and center. If you want more details on the cars, you can read about them here, and for filming locations, check here. I’ll save my thoughts on the clothes for next week when I dive into Blacula.

Fan Art and Final Thoughts on Scream Blacula Scream