Blood for Dracula | |
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Theatrical release poster
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Directed by | Paul Morrissey |
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Screenplay by |
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Based on |
Dracula by Bram Stoker |
Starring | |
Music by | Claudio Gizzi |
Cinematography | Luigi Kuveiller |
Edited by |
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Distributed by | Euro International Film |
Release date
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Running time
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103 minutes |
Country |
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Language | English |
Blood for Dracula (Italian: Dracula cerca sangue di vergine e...mori di sete!!!, literally "Dracula is searching for virgins' blood, and... he's dying of thirst!") is a 1974 Italian-French horror film written and directed by Paul Morrissey and produced by Andy Warhol, Andrew Braunsberg, and Jean Yanne. It stars Udo Kier, Joe Dallesandro, Maxime McKendry, Stefania Casini, Arno Juerging, and Vittorio De Sica.
When released in the United States in 1975, it was retitled Andy Warhol's Dracula.
In the first years of the 1920s, a sickly and dying Count Dracula, who, as a vampire, must drink virgin blood to survive, travels from Transylvania to Italy, following his servant Anton's plan and thinking he will be more likely to find a virgin in a Catholic country. At the same time, all of Dracula's family has vanished because of two reasons, the lack of virgins in their hometown and how the family's reputation prevents any normal family from choosing to bring women to the renowned castle. Shortly after arriving in Italy, Dracula befriends Marchese di Fiore (De Sica), an impecunious Italian landowner who, with a lavish estate falling into decline, is willing to marry off one of his four daughters to the wealthy aristocrat.
Of di Fiore's four daughters, two regularly enjoy the sexual services of Mario, the estate handyman, a proud peasant and staunch Marxist who believes that the socialist revolution will happen soon in his country. The youngest and eldest daughters are virgins, the eldest is thought too plain to be offered for marriage and is past her prime, and the youngest is only 14 years old (portrayed by 23-year-old Dionisio). Dracula obtains assurances that all the daughters are virgins and drinks the blood of the two who are considered marriageable. However, their tainted blood reveals to him the truth and makes him even weaker. Nevertheless, he is able to turn the two girls into his telepathic slaves.