Count Yorga, Vampire (1970)
92 mins | Horror | 10 June 1970
Director:
Robert KelljanWriter:
Robert KelljanProducer:
Michael MacreadyCinematographer:
Arch ArchambaultEditor:
Tony De ZarragaProduction Designer:
Bob WilderProduction Company:
Erica ProductionsAccording to a 12 Apr 1971 DV article, producer Michael Macready and writer-director Robert Kelljan decided to re-team after making the 1969 “skin flick” Little Sister, a.k.a. Flesh of My Flesh (see entry). The two formed Peppertree Productions, and began work on Count Yorga, Vampire. As Kelljan wrote the script, Macready raised funds for the budget, estimated at just under $100,000. Macready enlisted friends to work on the film “for scale and deferments,” and borrowed some of the film equipment and props used during the shoot. In exchange for a screen credit, a dentist who was also a horror-movie fanatic (possibly the makeup person identified as “Master Dentalsmith”) created fangs for three of the characters.
Count Yorga, Vampire was shot on location in Los Angeles, CA, where the story is set.
The picture opened on 10 Jun 1970 in Los Angeles, and took in $160,000 in box-office receipts in the first week of release, according to the 12 Apr 1971 DV. It received favorable reviews in the 9 Jun 1970 DV, 12 Jun 1970 LAT, and 12 Nov 1970 NYT, and went on to gross $503,903 by the year’s end, as noted in a 12 May 1971 DV box-office chart.
The 9 Apr 1971 DV announced that Robert Quarry, Roger Perry, and George Macready would reprise their roles in a sequel titled The Return of Count Yorga (1971, see entry). ...
According to a 12 Apr 1971 DV article, producer Michael Macready and writer-director Robert Kelljan decided to re-team after making the 1969 “skin flick” Little Sister, a.k.a. Flesh of My Flesh (see entry). The two formed Peppertree Productions, and began work on Count Yorga, Vampire. As Kelljan wrote the script, Macready raised funds for the budget, estimated at just under $100,000. Macready enlisted friends to work on the film “for scale and deferments,” and borrowed some of the film equipment and props used during the shoot. In exchange for a screen credit, a dentist who was also a horror-movie fanatic (possibly the makeup person identified as “Master Dentalsmith”) created fangs for three of the characters.
Count Yorga, Vampire was shot on location in Los Angeles, CA, where the story is set.
The picture opened on 10 Jun 1970 in Los Angeles, and took in $160,000 in box-office receipts in the first week of release, according to the 12 Apr 1971 DV. It received favorable reviews in the 9 Jun 1970 DV, 12 Jun 1970 LAT, and 12 Nov 1970 NYT, and went on to gross $503,903 by the year’s end, as noted in a 12 May 1971 DV box-office chart.
The 9 Apr 1971 DV announced that Robert Quarry, Roger Perry, and George Macready would reprise their roles in a sequel titled The Return of Count Yorga (1971, see entry).
Michael and Donna and another couple, Paul and Erica, attend a seance at Count Yorga's Victorian mansion outside Los Angeles, California, hoping to summon Donna's deceased mother. During the seance Donna faints, and Count Yorga uses the occasion to hypnotize both her and Erica. The four leave Yorga's mansion, and Paul drives Michael and Donna to their homes. Afterward, Paul's camper becomes bogged down in mud. He and Erica decide to spend the night in the camper rather than seek shelter in Yorga's mansion nearby, but in the night they are awakened by howling noises. Paul goes out to investigate and is knocked unconscious by a darkly clad figure. Soon after, Erica becomes a victim of the vampire Count Yorga. The next day Paul finds Erica behaving strangely -- she gesticulates wildly, knocks over furniture, and attempts to eat a live cat. Paul consults Dr. Hayes, who, after examining Erica, testing her blood for vampire venom, and noting the marks on her neck, swears that she has been bitten by a vampire. Erica and Donna are abducted by Yorga, and Paul goes to Yorga's mansion to search for them. Michael and Dr. Hayes become alarmed when Paul fails to return, but when they inform the police, the police believe the two are insane. Armed with wooden stakes, Michael and Dr. Hayes go to the mansion and find it swarming with vampires. Yorga has killed Paul. Dr. Hayes is attacked and killed, but Michael drives stakes into the hearts of Erica and Yorga and rescues Donna. He spirits her away, unaware that she too has become a ...
Michael and Donna and another couple, Paul and Erica, attend a seance at Count Yorga's Victorian mansion outside Los Angeles, California, hoping to summon Donna's deceased mother. During the seance Donna faints, and Count Yorga uses the occasion to hypnotize both her and Erica. The four leave Yorga's mansion, and Paul drives Michael and Donna to their homes. Afterward, Paul's camper becomes bogged down in mud. He and Erica decide to spend the night in the camper rather than seek shelter in Yorga's mansion nearby, but in the night they are awakened by howling noises. Paul goes out to investigate and is knocked unconscious by a darkly clad figure. Soon after, Erica becomes a victim of the vampire Count Yorga. The next day Paul finds Erica behaving strangely -- she gesticulates wildly, knocks over furniture, and attempts to eat a live cat. Paul consults Dr. Hayes, who, after examining Erica, testing her blood for vampire venom, and noting the marks on her neck, swears that she has been bitten by a vampire. Erica and Donna are abducted by Yorga, and Paul goes to Yorga's mansion to search for them. Michael and Dr. Hayes become alarmed when Paul fails to return, but when they inform the police, the police believe the two are insane. Armed with wooden stakes, Michael and Dr. Hayes go to the mansion and find it swarming with vampires. Yorga has killed Paul. Dr. Hayes is attacked and killed, but Michael drives stakes into the hearts of Erica and Yorga and rescues Donna. He spirits her away, unaware that she too has become a vampire.
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement AwardTOP SEARCHES
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
According to HR news items, "The Gentleman from Montana" (an unpublished story by Lewis R. Foster, alternately called "The Gentleman from Wyoming" by both contemporary and modern ... >>
It's a Wonderful Life
Philip Van Doren Stern's story, which, according to many contemporary and modern sources, was originally written in Nov 1939, was enclosed by him in his 1943 Christmas cards. Although ... >>
Gone with the Wind
[Note from the Editors : the following information is based on contemporary news items, feature articles, reviews, interviews, memoranda and corporate records. Information obtained from modern sources is ... >>
