Unsolicited Inclusion: Doctor Dracula (1978)

My dear readers, while it gives me no pleasure to do so, there are times when I find myself unable to pry my thoughts from past incidents in which I have disappointed those I love. I recall one occasion in which my uncle Azrael Hauntedhouse fell victim to a strange illness and asked me to fetch him ingredients for a tincture composed of jelliwort and moon grass. The whole business seemed rather urgent and he beseeched me to return before nightfall that very evening. I had every intention of honoring my uncle’s request to the absolute letter but the unfortunate truth is that at that point in my life, I was something of an amateur lepidopterologist and chasing after a Persius duskywing caused my little chore to expand well past the hour my uncle had requested. I returned to find that Azrael had absconded his bedchamber, having left the room in a state of violent disrepair. To be perfectly candid, I have heard nothing from the merry old soul since that very evening, perhaps because he is still cross with me for having failed in my task. Whatever the reason may be, the incident does wear on my conscience now and again and I am forced to ponder what a rotten thing it is to miss an important deadline.

Wainwright brings a great deal of ocular credibility to his Svengali claims

Wainwright (Larry Hankin) is also deeply familiar with difficult temporal limitations. He is enjoying life as a celebrated author and public personality, having penned a volume titled “The Second Coming of Svengali.” The book is a extended meditation on his own eminence and it has been a sensation. His success can perhaps be credited to the fact that he is the literal second coming of Svengali. Wainwright belongs to an elite society of resurrected fellows who feel that life and its natural process of termination is not the least bit satisfactory and have decided to extend their earthly stay indefinitely. However, in order to continue galavanting about well past their expiration dates, some concessions must be made. The lot of them owe their eternal life to Satanic forces and in order to appease these malevolent benefactors, the society is obligated to provide the occasional ritual slaughter.

After a search of no less than six decades, the group has located Stephanie (Susie Ewing) who is deemed a suitable sacrificial subject. Wainright is tasked with preparing her for a premature end and is given one week to fulfill his duties. Unfortunately, Wainwright makes the miserable mistake of developing feelings for the poor woman and his amorous inclinations really bungle the whole thing. What’s more, he seems to have attracted an incensed rival at the absolute worst time. Gregorio (Geoffrey Land), a fellow mesmerist, pops up now and then to spoil Wainwright’s literary success, interfere with his attempts to procure a satanic offering and occasionally attack a woman in a fashion most vampiric.

Doctor Dracula is an interesting little curio as it is not comprised of entirely original footage. Much of the material actually comes from Paul Aratow’s Lucifer’s Women, a film produced three three years prior. It is one of those legendary movies lost to time, its completion status unclear, its glories unseen by the eyes of mortal viewers. But as luck would have it, producer and director Al Adamson managed to seize at least part of the original prints for his own narrative purposes, crafting an entirely different story using freshly filmed scenes with John Carradine. While it is impossible to contemplate the merits of the original film, Adamson’s decision to include Mr. Carradine can only be considered an improvement on the existing product. His screen time is limited, his presence is fixed on a single set and his purpose seems entirely expositional. But even with these restrictions, the man is still full of vim and vinegar and he really gives the thing his all. There is one particularly enjoyable scene in which he lists their demonic benefactors by name, and I felt as though I could have watched a feature of equal length that was comprised of little more than Mr. Carradine itemizing the entire infernal catalogue. While I am certain Lucifer’s Women was quite the treat all on its own, I think it is fair to say that the sudden unsolicited inclusion of John Carradine would enhance any production.

Doctor Dracula runs 88 minutes and is rated R.