Dracula and Renefield relocate to 70's era New York in search of Cindy Sondheim, the reincarnation of Dracula's one true love, Mina Harker. "Trouble adjusting" is a wild understatement for the Count as he battles Cindy's psychiatrist, Jeffrey Rosenberg, a descendant of Van Helsing, who may almost certainly, possibly, may be in love with Cindy too.
George Hamilton
Count Vladimir Dracula
Susan Saint James
Cindy Sondheim
Richard Benjamin
Dr. Jeffery Rosenberg / Van Helsing
Dick Shawn
Lieutenant Ferguson NYPD
Arte Johnson
Mr. Renfield
Sherman Hemsley
Reverend Mike
Isabel Sanford
Judge R. Thomas
Barry Gordon
Flashlight Vendor
Ronnie Schell
Guy in Elevator
Stanley Brock
Erwin Newman (Cab Driver)
Bryan O'Byrne
Priest
Michael Pataki
Mobster
Hazel Shermet
Mrs. Knockwurst (Lady in Elevator)
Danny Dayton
Billy
Robert Ellenstein
VW Man
David Ketchum
Customs Inspector
Lidia Kristen
Commissare Woman
Eric Laneuville
Russell
Susan Tolsky
Model Agent
Paul Barselou
Bloodbank Guard
Jacque Lynn Colton
Lady with Cat
Charlie Dell
Busboy
John Dennis
Motorcycle Cop
Kay Dingle
TWA Agent
David Landsberg
Morty
Ralph Manza
Limo Driver
Debbie Javor
Nurse
Jerold Pearson
Hippie in Customs
Lavelle Roby
Mourner
Merrie Lynn Ross
Lady in Apartment
Basil Hoffman
Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Jimmy Williams
Dancer in Nightclub (uncredited)
Director
Stan Dragoti
Characters
Bram Stoker
Screenplay
Robert Kaufman
Story
Mark Gindes
September 26, 2021
6
_**Dracula-in-the-modern-day parody with George Hamilton**_
The Communist regime in Romania forces Dracula from his castle (George Hamilton), so he and Renfield (Arte Johnson) fly to New York City to meet a model who has caught the Count’s eye (Susan Saint James). Richard Benjamin plays her therapist and Dick Shawn an officer that tries to help solve the vampire happenings.
“Love at First Bite” (1979) spoofs Dracula flicks and was AIP’s most successful film up to that point (an honor that would only last three months, after which “The Amityville Horror” took the crown). It surged Hamilton’s career and remains his most profitable movie.
If you like other classic monster satires, such as “The Vampire Happening” (1971) and “Young Frankenstein” (1974), you should appreciate this one. It puts Dracula in the modern day Big City and milks it for fun. While it’s rarely laugh-out-loud funny, it’s consistently amusing (or eye-rolling) in a quiet smirks kind of way. There are several cameos of celebs that were popular at the time.
Although it has been accused of being “racist,” it pokes fun of people across the board, whatever their skin color or socioeconomic status. For instance, the beginning makes fun of Romanian Communists followed by superstitious rural villagers (all white people).
The film runs 1 hour, 36 minutes, and was shot in Manhattan and The Langham Apartments, Los Angeles.
GRADE: B-
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$0.00
Revenue:
$43,885,000.00