COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE

US, 1970, 90 Minutes, Colour.
Robert Quarry, Roger Perry, Michael Murphy, Michael Macready, Donna Anders, Judith Lang.
Directed by Bob Kelljan.

Count Yorga, Vampire and the Return of Count Yorga were extremely popular in 1970 and 1971. While the original is quite good, its successor was even better. The films star Robert Quarry and he made an excellent vampire. Everybody loves a scare; we like our capacity for fear and fright to be preyed on, especially in a film, from which we know we can walk out safely into real life daylight. Count Yorga Vampire is very frightening at moments, especially in the last fifteen minutes and its end with a voice laughing at the audience from a dark screen. The film doesn't take itself too seriously and so succeeds within its own limits. The Return of Count Yorga is a much more polished variety of the same thing.

1. The appeal of horror films? Audience expectations? The background of vampires?

2. The film as an example of American gothic and horror? The success of the transfer from England and Europe? Assimilating the vampire background and genre and expectations to modern America?

3. The presentation of the personality of Count Yorga, as a vampire? The elaboration of the Yorga myth? The parody and satire elements in the situations and dialogue?

4. The film's emphasis on techniques and the convention of vampire films? The opening seance, the atmosphere of Los Angeles and the Count's house? Various techniques for Yorga to frighten people? The living dead? The atmosphere of menace? The final confrontations and deaths? The ending?

5. The film's focus on Donna and Yorga's fascination with her? Her mother? Donna as a modern woman? Her relationship with Michael? Paul and Erica?

6. Yorga himself, his style, typical vampire acts? Sinister, the murders? The climax?

7. The atmosphere of the living dead and the group of vampires, their ugliness, violence and brutality? Donna's mother, Erica and her behaviour?

8. The details of the characters and their contribution: Paul and Erica, Michael, Dr. Hayes? Their gradual succumbing to vampirism?

9. The build-up of the climax? Excitement?

10. The irony and parody of the ending? The comic effect of the ending which was also horrifying?