This is How Movies Should Be Made

Memorable, crazy movie

As Good As It Gets

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

There are lost movies because pieces of them have been lost, such as the original ending of Hammer's Horror of Dracula, and lost movies because they should remain lost. Such is the case with Son of Dracula.Directed by Freddie Francis, who was at the helm for The Evil of Frankenstein, Dracula has Risen from His Grave, Tales from the Crypt and Doctor and the Devils and produced by Apple Films, this is a film that seems like a great idea. This seems to be an ongoing theme with films that I pick to cover here.Ringo Starr wanted to be in movies, which explains why he produced and appeared as Merlin the Magician. Yes, that Merlin. So here's where Ringo is, well, Ringo. He played on Harry Nilsson's Son of Schmilsson in 1972, which was inspired by horror movies. A few months later, Ringo invited Nilsson to be part of this film. You — as well as Nilsson — would assume that that album would be the reason. And the answer is nope. Ringo never bought the album he played on and had no idea how close the themes were to his proposed movie.Nilsson was on the top of his game as this movie was being lensed, thanks to songs like Coconut, Without You and Jump into the Fire. He was also growing closer to John Lennon, becoming part of the notorious Hollywood Vampires gang that would go out and well, never come back home ( In fact, Nilsson was present for much of Lennon's "lost period."). Some claim that Nilsson was the craziest of the bunch and seeing as how this club included notorious partiers Alice Cooper, Ringo Starr, Micky Dolenz, John Belushi, Marc Bolan, Keith Moon, and Joe Walsh, that's high praise indeed.If you have any question as to the drinking power of the Vampires, there's still a plaque at the legendary second home of Lemmy, the Rainbow on Sunset, that proclaims that the loft belongs to them.So let's add it up. Well regarded horror director. One of the Beatles on board. And one of the top pop singers in the starring role. How could things go wrong?Oh how spectacularly this films goes off the rails. Read more at http://www.thatsnotcurrent.com/look-back-son-dracula-1974/

Yes, this is indeed a movie, albeit one very difficult to get your hands on--try the internet, it was never officially released on video. This is basically a plot less showcase for the musical genius that was Harry Nilsson. He plays the son of Count Dracula--named Count Downe an]--who wants to be mortal so he can marry this woman he's in love with. Or something like that. Ringo Starr looks after Count Downe as Merlin the Magician--with pasty makeup and a fright-wig beard--for some reason, but it really doesn't matter. In fact, there are no full-fledged musical numbers--just Count Downe appearing on-stage at some club and performing--with the exception of his Pete Hamm cover "Without You," in a particularly sappy scene.It also features strange attempts at comedy. Count Downe's butler uses the word "contretemps" in conversation, then the word appears at the bottom of the screen with a question mark beside it. And the fact that at the end of the credits, Merlin appears in an animated sun and shrugs in an oh-so Ringo way, just proves that--despite its many schlocky tendencies--it is worth a look, if it's not too much trouble.

That a film this poorly written, poorly shot, poorly directed,and poorly acted was even brought to the screen is stupefying! I had the album when it came out, but the movie never played anywhere near me. For the past 29 years I have longed to see this film, and in spite of all its faults, it was extremely fun to watch. Most of it is pretty predictable. Vampire prince is set to inherit the throne of the netherworld. Vampire meets human girl. Vampire turns human. Vampire, now human, keeps girl. Harry Nilsson's musical score is brilliant - some of his best songs, but the settings for them are contrived, and in the case of the climax scene, downright goofy. There is a brief period of a few minutes toward the end of the film that are really quite good - from the end of the operation to the end of the movie. I'd have to rate it a must-see for Nilsson fans or for fans of that weird immediately-pre-disco period of the early/mid- 70s. I would not, however, classify it as one of those films you watch over and over.

We all have them, you know...those movies that for whatever reason we somehow managed to miss in the theatre and can't find available on video and never gets shown on TV. This one, for many years, was mine. My holy grail film.I have loved the music of Harry Nilsson for 30 years, and the Beatles as well both solo and collectively even longer. When I read about this film in the pages of the late, lamented Creem magazine, I couldn't wait to see it! When I was a teenager, my friends (well, the cool ones anyway) had the (excellent) soundtrack album with its generous helpings of film dialogue, so I knew lines from SoD long before I saw it. But it rarely (never where I could see it!)was shown on TV and was not available through normal video channels...I finally got a copy through a video service that specialized in foreign Kung Fu and porn (!). Breathlessly, I put it in the VCR, hit play, and...Well, lets just say it wasn't exactly worth the wait.Son of Dracula is, I am sorry to say, just a terrible film in nearly every respect. It looks cheap and is horribly acted by everyone involved, especially Harry, whom I regard as one of the finest songwriters ever, but is no actor. Ringo is, well, Ringo. It's hard to dis the likeable Mister Starkey and be convincing about it, and he gives a typical Ringo performance here-no more, no less. He gets by , as always in his non-drumming endeavors, on his charm. I had hoped that it would be better served by the direction of Freddie Francis, the Hammer horror veteran, but SoD just looks so shoddy that it is obvious that he couldn't care less and was just picking up a paycheck. The story is a jumbled, confusing mess, and the makeup is ineptly done. Perhaps this can be excused a little by the fact that SoD was intended as a spoof, but even on these terms it is a failure.That being said, SoD is not entirely without merit-it's great to see Nilsson perform "live" (he never did so during his real career) with an all-star band, and there is a clever scene where Harry puts the bite on a nubile young female while T.Rex's "Chariot Choogle" from his "Slider" LP is playing in the background (they even show Harry putting the needle on the record, which sports a T.Rex WaxCo. label-unseen in the USA and very cool for this fan of not only Harry but Marc Bolan as well).I can't recommend this to anyone but hardcore Nilsson fans (we are few in number but ardent nonetheless!), and even then with a caveat; my advice is don't expect much and you won't be disappointed. Much.