Blacula (1972)

"You shall pay, black prince. I shall place a curse of suffering on you that will doom you to a living Hell. I curse you with my name. You shall be... Blacula!"

―Dracula

Blacula

Credits
Title:	Blacula
Directed by:	William Crain
Written by:	Joan Torres; Raymond Koenig
Produced by:	Samuel Z. Arkoff; Joseph T. Naar; Norman T. Herman; Mark L. Rosen
Music by:	Gene Page
Cinematography:	John M. Stephens
Edited by:	Allan Jacobs
Production
Distributors:	American International Pictures
Released:	August 25th, 1972
Rating:	PG
Running time:	93 min.
Country:	USA
Language:	English
Budget:	$500,000
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Blacula is an American horror film of the vampire genre. It is also an example of "blaxploitation" cinema. It was directed by William Crain and written by Joan Torres and Raymond Koenig. The movie was produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff and American International Pictures and released theatrically in the United States on August 25th, 1972. It was followed by a 1973 sequel called Scream Blacula Scream. Blacula stars William Marshall as Prince Mamuwalde - an 18th century African nobleman who has the misfortune in agreeing to a meeting with Count Dracula. Dracula turns Mamuwalde into a vampire and has him locked up inside a coffin for two-hundred years. Mamuwalde, or "Blacula", is awakened in the early 1970s in Los Angeles, California. Amidst a torrent of violence in the streets of the city, Blacula also discovers Tina - a young woman who may in fact be the reincaranation of his wife, Luva. Also starring in the film is Vonetta McGee as Luva/Tina, Denise Nicholas as Michelle, Thalmus Rasulala as Doctor Gordon Thomas, gordon Pinsent as Lieutenant Jack Peters, Emily Yancy as Nancy and Charles Macaulay as the vampire count, Dracula.