The Return of Count Yorga

• Director: Bob Kelljan
• AMG Rating:
• Genre: Comedy
• Movie Type: Horror Comedy
• Themes: Woman In Jeopardy, Vampires
• Release Year: 1971
• Country: US
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• MPAA Rating: PG

Plot

Lonely vampire Count Yorga and his bloodthirsty cohorts begin living in a ramshackle mansion located near an orphanage. This slightly fang-in-cheek horror film chronicles what happens when the Count falls in love with a toothsome young woman and tries to make her his bride. Fortunately for her, her boy friend has other ideas. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Review

This sequel to Count Yorga, Vampire is so superior to its parent production that comparing the two films makes one wonder why anyone would bother attempting to turn the relatively drab, routine original into a franchise. The answer, of course, is money. Count Yorga, Vampire was a surprise hit, and Robert Quarry's elegant, decadent Yorga stood out in an otherwise unspectacular film. The bigger-budgeted sequel is no classic, but the effectively frightening set pieces and an even more enjoyable performance from Quarry make The Return of Count Yorga highly recommended for vampire fans (even those unfamiliar with its predecessor). Quarry is excellent as the lovelorn fiend, moving from the detached boredom he projects as the regal, immortal Count to the pasty faced, red-eyed monster he becomes when his bloodlust is aroused. The story is silly, but the strengths of the film lie in the stark viciousness of the vampire attacks and the ghoulish atmosphere of Yorga's inner sanctum, where he lives with a harem of heavily made-up (but genuinely sinister) vampire women. Several of the pivotal attacks are shot without music, which effectively exaggerates the fear, particularly a devastating early scene where an entire family is slaughtered together in their living room. Lots of potentially dated "psychedelic" camera work actually works to the film's advantage, establishing eerie, unnerving scenes both inside the vampire's castle and in the homes of the victims. The Return of Count Yorga is also blessed with an extremely dry sense of humor that allows the viewer to accept some ludicrous plot holes and become fully immersed in a violent, horrific fantasy. While no further Yorga adventures were shot, this one stands as a rare example of a sequel that renders its source material irrelevant. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide

Cast

Walter Brooke - Bill Nelson; Paul Hansen - Jonathan Greggs; Mariette Hartley - Cynthia; Karen Huston; Allen Joseph - Michael Farmer; George Macready - Prof. Rightstat; Craig T. Nelson - Detective; Roger Perry - David; Robert Quarry - Count Yorga; Liz Rogers - Laurie Greggs; Ed Walsh - Brudah; Jesse Wells - Mitzi Carthay; Yvonne Wilder - Jennifer; Rudy de Luca - Lt. Madden; Michael Pataki - Joe; Philip Frame - Tommy; Tom Toner - Rev. Thomas; Peg Shirley - Claret Farmer

Credit

Vince Cresciman - Art Director, Jack Oliver - First Assistant Director, Bob Kelljan - Director, Fabien Tordfmann - Editor, Laurette Odney - Editor, Bill Marx - Composer (Music Score), Yvonne Wilder - Songwriter, Bob Kelljan - Songwriter, Bill Marx - Songwriter, Marilynn Lovell - Songwriter, Marx - Songwriter, Vocal Arts Studio - Songwriter, Mark Bussan - Makeup, Bill Butler - Cinematographer, Michael Macready - Producer, Vince Cresciman - Set Designer, Roger George - Special Effects, Ryder Sound Services Inc. - Sound/Sound Designer, Yvonne Wilder - Screenwriter, Bob Kelljan - Screenwriter

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)