DRACULA vs FRANKENSTEINCOUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN

DRACULA?
FRANKENSTEIN?
WHO WILL WIN???????

Who cares.  Dig those crazy threads man, in this 1971 stinker that proves anyone can make a monster movie.  Is that Colonel Sanders, btw?

A mad scientist (played by J. Carrol Naish) descended from the original Dr. Frankenstein takes to murdering young women for experimentation in hopes of reviving his ancestor's creation, with help from his mute assistant (played by Lon Chaney, Jr.). Things start to heat up when Dracula (played by Zandor Vorkov) arrives and promises to revive Frankenstein's monster in return for a serum which will grant him immortality.

This was Lon Chaney, Jr.'s final horror film role and J. Carrol Naish's last film. Chaney filmed his part in mid-1969 when the film was titled Blood Seekers; Naish filmed additional footage in 1970 when Dracula and the Frankenstein Monster were added to the story (and in his confrontation scene with Dracula, he appears noticeably older). 

everything I needed to know about life, I learned from the original FRIGHT NIGHT

• Never let J. Geils Band write your theme song.

• The point of a pop quiz is to surprise you.

• Jerry is an awesome name for a vampire.

• You have to have faith, for it to work.

• Sometimes, even vampires bluff.

• Vampires love apples.

infinitely superior...

I'm already getting grief for posting a completely exuberant review of the LET THE RIGHT ONE INremake last night on Flixster.

Let me make this clear. The American remake, which is simply titled LET ME INisn't just a respectful remake of the already amazing Swedish thriller. It compliments it and expands the story and characters that originated in the novel. Yet, at the same time, the film marches to its own beat. It's stylish and haunting, just like the original film, and the story is relatively the same. But you can't shake the feeling that you're not watching just a remake. It's not just a retelling or a reshoot. It's a deeply developed rendition that benefits from the addition of several wise choices.

Whereas the original's time period set the simplicity of the tale, here it's a flat-out commentary on 1983, from the perspective of a 12 year old. It's a time period as puzzling a Rubik's cube, but as deliciously addictive as a Now & Later. This remake uses the time period to advance the notion of the possibly inherent evil that lies at the movie's soul. Culture Club plays in the background of a scene subtly singing "Don't put your head on my shoulder, sink me in a river of tears. This could be the best place yet, but you must overcome your fears." Rather than hit you over the head with the chance of a clever in-joke, the filmmakers choose to get under your skin. One of many examples throughout the film.

I don't want to give anything away, so, I'll keep from praising the movie any further. I highly recommend seeing the original Swedish film first, or at the very least see it after.