Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971)

Director: Al Adamson
Starring: J Carrol Naish, Lon Chaney Jr., Anthony Eisley

Synopsis:
A Las Vegas singer travels to Venice Beach in search of her missing sister, unaware that she is stepping into the middle of a plot by the last living descendant of Dr. Frankenstein to complete his ancestor's work.

Impressions:
There are some decent ideas in this movie, but for the most part, the script and the acting just aren't up to the task (and the no doubt tiny budget doesn't help either). I honestly feel that Dracula is only shoehorned in for the sake of giving the film a more marketable title. (The big fight the title promises is terribly lame.) The story would've been stronger if it just focused on Dr. Durea and Groton, which would've made the most of the film's best actors (J Carrol Naish in his final role and Lon Chaney Jr. in his second-to-last role). The B plot of Judith looking for her sister is serviceable, but I really hate friggin' hippies, so dealing with that is rather bleh (and her performance in Vegas was weak, too). If you're looking for a trashy low-budget horror film (preferably as riffing material), this might do the trick for you, but most people are probably going to want to pass on this.

Rating:
Avoid It