Jess
Franco filmed Daughter of
Dracula back to back with the preceding film Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein (1972). These two films seem
similar and for me were sometimes easy to confuse with one another, but after
reviewing them both back to back, I realize they are quite different in many
ways. Unlike the previous film, the eroticism is amped up this time around, particularly
with the love/feeding scenes between Franco
regulars of the era Anne Libert and Britt Nichols. It isn’t necessarily the
monster mashup like the previous film since for monsters we just have Dracula,
a femme vampire, and a mystery killer. Perhaps it’s more of a Eurocult genre
mashup, as this one has a reputation for being confused as to whether it wants
to be an erotic vampire horror film or a giallo-like murder mystery.
Daughter of Dracula doesn’t quite reach
its potential, but it’s nonetheless a relaxing Gothic horror with a captivating
modern ‘70s setting in an old-world location that provides the right ambiance
us Eurocult fans can’t get enough of.
Howard
Vernon reprises his role as his own odd, unique, near-lifeless version of
Count Dracula from Dracula, Prisoner of
Frankenstein. He’s even less active here, but Britt Nichols and Anne Libert
get more to do this time around, even if Nichols’
vampire scenes may’ve soared a little more in the preceding movie.
