::Character Bios::
Count Vladimir Dracula: Suave and dashing, romantic and not a bit scary, this incarnation of Dracula is a lady-killer. Having been holed up in his castle in Transylvania since approximately the early 1900's he's a little behind on the advances and jargon of the current day. But love is as old as time itself, and he plans to face the new world head-on. His powers seem to extend to shape-shifting to a bat, mesmerizing (on the weak-willed), light telekinesis, and a limited control of machinery. Not to mention amazing romantic skills.
Cindy Sondheim:
Cindy is the reincarnation of several women Vladimir has encountered throughout the centuries. She first met Vladimir in Warsaw in the 1300's, then again in England in the early 1900's, this time as Mina Harker (incidently, Vlad was saved from the "death" Bram Stoker describes in his novel by a cigarette case Renfield gave to to him for his birthday). She finally appears in the late 1900's as Cindy Sondheim, a model working in New York. She is straightforward, takes what she wants, and lives her life with a long string of late-night dance clubs, modelling jobs, and lovers. Her apartment is a mess, but she dresses in the top of fashion (for 1979). She enjoys her boisterous life, but secretly wishes for someone to love and take care of her.
Mr. Renfield:
Dracula's loyal servant, Renfield is Vlad's contact with the outside world, his humble vassal. Renfield is apparently older than the average human, seemingly to have been by Dracula's side since the early 1900's. Perhaps Vlad gave him a touch of immortality? Or maybe he's something else? His hobbies include hoarding rodents and different bugs, and dining on cockroaches. He is quite short and is bent over (adding to his short appearance). He seems moderately intelligent and very dedicated, but woefully simple-minded sometimes. He doesn't speak with any sort of discernable accent, which makes his origins hard to pinpoint. He is the comic relief to Dracula's dry humor.
Dr. Jeffery Rosenberg/Van Helsing:
Rosenberg is Cindy's on-again, off-again boyfriend. They have dated off and on for nine years, but haven't progressed much beyond that. He is a practicing psychologist, and apparently has been seeing Cindy as a patient for more than those nine years. He is mostly reasonable, but is easily flabbergasted by Cindy's rampant promiscuity. He is a descendant of the vampire-killing family, the Van Helsings. For professional reasons, he changed his last name to Rosenberg. He discovers the marks Vlad has left on Cindy's neck, and makes it his sworn duty to rid the world of the "unclean" vampire. Unfortunately for him, he can't seem to remember exactly all of the things that vampires are suceptible to. Ineffectual Jewish stars and silver bullets are added to the standard list of anti-vampire paraphanelia. He seems to have mastered a degree of mesmerizing skill, as well.
Lieutenant Ferguson NYPD:
Lieutenant Ferguson is the officer Rosenberg enlists to help him defeat Dracula. He originally thinks Rosenberg is a crackpot, but seems to change his mind after reading about the Blood Bank robbery in the newspaper. He is gruff and direct, with an eye on moving up the ranks of the police force.
Reverend Mike:
Reverend Mike is the preacher at the funeral in which Dracula mistakenly makes an appearance. Coffins are accidentally switched at the airport, and Dracula is exchanged with a dead body. The good Reverend gives a funeral sermon in typical southern Baptist style, complete with halleujahs. Dracula crashes the party when he opens the lid of the coffin, asking if this is the lobby of the Plaza Hotel. The good Reverend is startled into jumping out the stained glass window, and his congregation run screaming in terror. His appearance is a short but noteworthy cameo appearance by Sherman Hemsley.
Judge R. Thomas:
Another cameo appearance, this time by Isabel Sanford, is Judge R. Thomas. She is the judge that Ferguson and Rosenberg appeal to for a search warrant to rescue Cindy from Dracula's clutches. Their story falls on deaf ears however, since Judge Thomas thinks their story of vampires and bat bites is a bunch of hogwash. She listens politely in the beginning, but soon throws the two miscreants out of her courtroom. "I cannot believe what I'm hearing ... our people have come a long way for you to be coming in here with that voodoo scary Dracula @%&#. Now I want you to haul @$# out of my courtroom, before I really get mean!"
::Quotes::
Here are some of my favorite quotes from the movie... I need to be careful about these or I'll put the whole script in here! XDVladimir Dracula plays the piano but is interrupted:
Vlad: "Cheeldren of the Night.... Shattup!"Vladimir and Renfield get settled in their New York hotel room:
Renfield: "I bought an American suit... so I'll look just like everyone else."Renfield tries to track down Cindy by contacting her modeling agent:
Vlad: "I seriously doubt that, Renfield."
Renfield: "My master would like very much to meet Miss Sondheim. I'm sure he would be willing to give you a commission if you could arrange it."Vlad and Renfield infiltrate a Blood Bank:
Agent: "How much of a commission?"
Renfield: "Well, he might make you a colonel in the Royal Transylvanian Army. That is, when the next free elections will be held."
Agent: "All right, you freak. You have three seconds to get out of my office or I call the security guard."
Vlad: "When we get inside, I want you to play it real cold."Vlad and Cindy at dinner:
Renfield: "I believe that's 'real cool,' master."
Vlad: "Cool, cool. Yah-yah."
(they exit the car)
Vlad: "We're going to make a hoist!
Renfield:"Heist."
Vlad: "Heist, heist!"
Vlad: "In the other age, things were simpler, less complicated. Do you remember how many women had nervous breakdowns in the 14th century?"Jeffery interrups their dinner:
Cindy: "No."
Vlad: "Three."
Cindy: "Why do you treat me so well, Vladimir? Without this face that I wake up every morning looking for the first wrinkle... I'm nothing."
Vlad: "Do you think of me as special?"
Cindy: "Yes, of course."
Vlad: "Then how can you think of yourself as nothing if I love you?"
Jeffery: "The second way to kill a vampire, Count! Three silver bullets through the heart!" (shoots Vlad in the chest)Cindy to Vlad alone together later:
Vlad: (unharmed) "No, Rosenberg. That is a ver-volf."
Jeffery: "A werewolf. Really? Are you sure?"
Cindy: "Who are you? Do you know, whenever I'm with you, I see... "Vlad apologizes to Cindy when he has to leave for the day:
Vlad: "Places... in my eyes... that you've only seen in dreams."
Cindy: "Yes."
Vlad: "They've not been dreams. Nor do they ever have to be again."
Vlad: "No, with you, never a quvikie. Alvays.. a longie."
::Cast List::
George Hamilton ... Count Vladimir Dracula Susan Saint James.. Cindy Sondheim Richard Benjamin... Dr. Jeffery Rosenberg/Van Helsing Dick Shawn ... Lieutenant Ferguson NYPD Arte Johnson ... Mr. Renfield Sherman Hemsley ... Reverend Mike Isabel Sanford ... Judge R. Thomas Barry Gordon ... Flashlight Vendor Ronnie Schell ... Guy in Elevator Bob Basso ... T.V. Repairman in Elevator Bryan O'Byrne ... Priest in Elevator Michael Pataki ... Mobster in Elevator Hazel Shermet ... Mrs. Knockwurst (Lady in Elevator) Stanley Brock ... Erwin Newman (Cab Driver) Danny Dayton ... Billy, first bellboy Robert Ellenstein.. VW Man at JFK David Ketchum ... Customs Inspector Lidia Kristen ... Commissare Woman Eric Laneuville ... Russell, Young Punk Susan Tolsky ... Cindy's Modeling Agent Robin Dee Adler ... Woman in Nightgown Jack Baker ... N.Y. Thug (as John Anthony Bailey) Paul Barselou ... Bloodbank Guard Laurie Beach ... Little Girl Jacque Lynn Colton. Lady on plane with Cat Charlie Dell ... Busboy John Dennis ... Motorcycle Cop Kay Dingle ... TWA Agent (as Ding Dingle) Shelly Garrett ... N.Y. Thug Alan Haufrect ... Photographer Michael Heit ... Bellboy #2 with fire extinguisher David Landsberg ... Morty Ralph Manza ... Limo Driver at JFK Tiger Joe Marsh ... Citizen Outside Castle Ed Marshall ... Edward Calvin, News Reporter Joseph G. Medalis.. Intern (as Joe Medalis) Rose Michtom ... Elderly Lady Debbie Javor ... Nurse at Bloodbank (as Deborah Kim Moore) Robert Nadder ... Bellevue Doctor Dino Natali ... Man Outside Castle Jerold Pearson ... Hippie in Customs Judy Penrod ... Stewardess Hal Ralston ... Police Sergeant Lavelle Roby ... Mourner Merrie Lynn Ross... Lady in Apartment Whitney Rydbeck ... Male Commissare Rolfe Sedan ... Maitre d' Cicely Walper ... Grandmother
::Weirdness::
In the disco scene where Vlad first encounters Cindy and dances with her, the original music was "I Love the Night Life" by Alicia Bridges. For some reason, the music was changed to some random disco music when the movie was released on DVD (much to my dismay). Now, if you haven't seen the original version, this isn't such a big deal. The scene is nice, but a little flat. Compared to the original, it pales horribly. If you get your hands on the DVD copy, check out the trailer for the movie, THERE you'll find the awesome "I Love the Night Life" song, which gives considerably more zip to the movie. :) But even without the right disco music, the movie is still very much worth seeing. So go find it and watch it already!!