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IMDbPro

Son of Dracula

  • 19731973
  • PGPG
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
4.3/10
393
YOUR RATING
Son of Dracula (1973)
Due to be crowned King of the Netherworld by his mentor Merlin the Magician at a monster's convention, Count Downe, the son of Count Dracula, falls in love with the beautiful, but human, Amber and finds himself in conflict with Baron Frankenstein, who is vying for the same honorary title.
Play trailer0:32
1 Video
51 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Fantasy
  • Horror
Due to be crowned King of the Netherworld by his mentor Merlin the Magician (Sir Ringo Starr) at a monster's convention, Count Downe (Harry Nilsson), the son of Count Dracula, falls in love ... Read allDue to be crowned King of the Netherworld by his mentor Merlin the Magician (Sir Ringo Starr) at a monster's convention, Count Downe (Harry Nilsson), the son of Count Dracula, falls in love with the beautiful, but human, Amber (Suzanna Leigh) and finds himself in conflict with Ba... Read allDue to be crowned King of the Netherworld by his mentor Merlin the Magician (Sir Ringo Starr) at a monster's convention, Count Downe (Harry Nilsson), the son of Count Dracula, falls in love with the beautiful, but human, Amber (Suzanna Leigh) and finds himself in conflict with Baron Frankenstein (Freddie Jones), who is vying for the same honorary title.
IMDb RATING
4.3/10
393
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Freddie Francis
  • Writer
    • Jennifer Jayne(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Harry Nilsson
    • Ringo Starr
    • Freddie Jones
Top credits
  • Director
    • Freddie Francis
  • Writer
    • Jennifer Jayne(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Harry Nilsson
    • Ringo Starr
    • Freddie Jones
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 26User reviews
    • 21Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 0:32
    Trailer

    Photos51

    1 sheet
    Harry Nilsson in Son of Dracula (1973)
    David Bailie, Freddie Jones, Suzanna Leigh, Harry Nilsson, and Ringo Starr in Son of Dracula (1973)
    Ringo Starr in Son of Dracula (1973)
    Dan Meaden in Son of Dracula (1973)
    Harry Nilsson in Son of Dracula (1973)
    Harry Nilsson in Son of Dracula (1973)
    Harry Nilsson in Son of Dracula (1973)
    Son of Dracula (1973)
    Suzanna Leigh and Harry Nilsson in Son of Dracula (1973)
    Son of Dracula (1973)
    Harry Nilsson in Son of Dracula (1973)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Harry Nilsson
    Harry Nilsson
    • Count Downeas Count Downe
    Ringo Starr
    Ringo Starr
    • Merlinas Merlin
    Freddie Jones
    Freddie Jones
    • The Baronas The Baron
    Suzanna Leigh
    Suzanna Leigh
    • Amberas Amber
    Dennis Price
    Dennis Price
    • Van Helsingas Van Helsing
    David Bailie
    David Bailie
    • Chauffeuras Chauffeur
    Shakira Caine
    Shakira Caine
    • Housekeeperas Housekeeper
    • (as Shakira Baksh)
    Maurice Bush
    • Monsteras Monster
    • (as Morris Bush)
    John Colclough
    John Colclough
    • Billas Bill
    • (as John Coleclough)
    Nita Lorraine
    • Gorgon Womanas Gorgon Woman
    Skip Martin
    Skip Martin
    • Igoras Igor
    Dan Meaden
    • Count Draculaas Count Dracula
    Rachelle Miller
    • Club Hostessas Club Hostess
    Beth Morris
    Beth Morris
    • Wendyas Wendy
    Jenny Runacre
    Jenny Runacre
    • Woman in Blackas Woman in Black
    Hedger Wallace
    • Vampireas Vampire
    Pamela Conway
    • Countess Draculaas Countess Dracula
    • (as Lorna Wilde)
    Derek Woodward
    • Werewolfas Werewolf
    • Director
      • Freddie Francis
    • Writer
      • Jennifer Jayne(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Soundtrack album released 1974 on LP and cassette by Rapple/RCA Records (ABL1-0220 (LP), ABK1-0220 (cassette) or 07863-50220 (modern-day catalogue number).
    • Crazy credits
      After "The End" appears onscreen to announce the end of the movie, it's followed by "or is it?"
    • Connections
      Featured in Harry Nilsson: Loneliness (1984)
    • Soundtracks
      Down
      Written by Harry Nilsson (as Nilsson)

      Performed by Harry Nilsson (uncredited)

      Produced by Richard Perry (uncredited)

      bass: Klaus Voormann (uncredited); drums: Jim Gordon (uncredited); drums: Jim Keltner (uncredited); guitar: Chris Spedding (uncredited); organ: Roger Coolan (uncredited); piano: Harry Nilsson (uncredited); saxophone: Bobby Keys (uncredited); horns played and arranged by Jim Price (uncredited)

    User reviews26

    Review
    Top review
    3/10
    SON OF Dracula (Freddie Francis, 1974) *1/2
    To begin with, several people involved in this ill-advised and little-seen venture – a fusion of Gothic horror and rock music – have connections with other films featuring some of the monsters who appear in it: Freddie Francis helmed the likes of THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN (1964), Dracula HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE (1968) and LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF (1975); Suzanna Leigh had been the heroine of LUST FOR A VAMPIRE (1970); Freddie Jones had appeared impressively as the creature in FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED! (1969); Dennis Price did an extended cameo in THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN (1970) and, for Jess Franco, played Van Helsing in VAMPYROS LESBOS (1970) and the Baron in Dracula – PRISONER OF FRANKENSTEIN (1971) and THE EROTIC RITES OF FRANKENSTEIN (1972)! In retrospect, other contemporary films attempted this formula – namely PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (1974) and THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) – with considerably more successful outcomes.

    Personally produced for Apple Films by ex-Beatle Ringo Starr (who here appears as Merlin, the famed magician of Arthurian times!), the title role – which comes equipped with a lame pun on the character’s name, Count Downe! – is filled by singer/songwriter Harry Nilsson decked-out with a hirsute look and, understandably, his performance is a pretty bland and completely forgettable one (a good thing, therefore, that the film-makers’ original plan to have David Bowie in the lead didn’t pan out!). Nonetheless, Nilsson does get to perform a number of good tunes during the course of the film (though stymied by the poor sound quality of the edition I watched!) including “Without You”, which has become perhaps his most representative song; among the session musicians one can also recognize other popular figures of the era such as guitarist Peter Frampton and drummer Keith Moon! By the way, Mrs. Michael Caine (Shakira Baksh) also appears as Merlin’s feline housekeeper.

    Culled from a worn-out VHS – in which dark scenes come off as extremely blurry – and slightly damaged to boot, as I said, the version of SON OF Dracula that came my way proved far from ideal viewing. Still, the film itself is a bit of a mess anyway: Dracula Snr., depicted as a Max Schreck lookalike, is killed by Jones’ Baron Frankenstein – the villain of the piece, with evil dwarf Skip Martin for an assistant; Price, on his last legs, turns up as Van Helsing (the film, in fact, was clearly shot in 1972 but released after his death) and Leigh is his luscious secretary – who attracts Nilsson’s amorous attentions…so much so that he decides to renounce his vampiric ways (except that with it goes his claim to immortality!); however, this occurs at a most inopportune time – as several monsters have been convened in order to crown him their overlord (a title which Frankenstein actually covets himself)!

    Unfortunately, the plodding film resolves itself in a number of tedious conversation scenes – between Dracula Jnr. and Merlin, between Merlin and Frankenstein, between Frankenstein and Van Helsing, etc.; the resolution, then, sees a happy ending for the Count and his companion – while Frankenstein’s well-deserved come-uppance is amusingly delivered over a game of pool by Merlin’s own hand. In the long run, the mournful ballads work better within the context of the narrative than the rollicking numbers – “Without You”, for instance, serves as background to the demystification/humanization of Young Dracula (a title, incidentally, by which the film’s equally well-known and which got changed presumably as a nod to Mel Brooks’ spoof of Universal’s Frankenstein saga from the same year). By the way, this SON OF Dracula shouldn’t be confused with the stylish 1943 outing of the same name Robert Siodmak made for Universal during the heyday of classic monster movies…
    helpful•10
    5
    • Bunuel1976
    • May 14, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 3, 1973 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Son of Drac
    • Filming locations
      • Surrey Commercial Docks, Rotherhithe, London, England, UK
    • Production company
      • Apple Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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