Really Surprised!

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

Daughter of Dracula (1972)** 1/2 (out of 4)Luisa Karlstein (Britt Nichols) is called to the home of her dying mother who finally reveals the family secret. The secret that she has been hiding from her daughter is that they are a family a vampires. Soon Luisa is bitten by Count Karlstein (Howard Vernon) and before long more bodies begin to pile up.Jess Franco's LA FILLE DE Dracula (aka Dracula'S DAUGHTER or DAUGHTER OF Dracula among others) isn't the best vampire film that the Spanish director did but there are enough interesting moments to make it worth watching if you're a fan of his. Obviously Franco calls for a very acquired taste and most people are going to hate his pictures with a passion. You either get them or you don't but there are a few that can be enjoyed by the more mainstream crowd but this here isn't one of them.As is the case with a lot of the director's work, LA FILLE DE Dracula contains very little plot. In fact, you really can't make heads or tails out of a lot of it but this just lets the director build up at atmosphere, which is one of the high marks. I also thought the music score by Daniel White was extremely good and you've also got some great locations. Another plus is the beautiful Nichols who is very good in her role and we all know that the director knows how to film women. I also thought Vernon was fun in his part and Franco himself plays a small role.There are several problems with this film including the pacing, which is certainly hit and miss. I'd also argue that a bit more of a story would have helped the picture because it does drag in spots. Finally, and perhaps most shockingly, the film really isn't as erotic as you'd hope and especially when you consider what VAMPYROS LESBOS was like. Still, if you're a fan of Franco you'll still want to check this out. Others should probably start somewhere else.

Actually I can be very positive about this movie, since it's a Jesus Franco movie that I didn't hated watching for a change. Still, it's far from being a great movie but it at least is watchable and even has some good moments in it.Best thing about this movie is that it manages to create a good atmosphere. It's honestly a good looking movie and especially all of the sex sequences are filmed very well. Yes, it's a Jesus Franco movie, so it of course features quite a lot of nudity and sex in it. This time it involves girls only, so prepare yourself for some steamy lesbian moments. I'm actually getting real tired of these lesbian undertones in vampire movies but it's done quite well in this movie, so I have simply nothing to complain about, in this case.The story is being somewhat pleasant and easy to follow, which is not something you could say for every Jesus Franco movie. Haven't said that, it's nothing too solid or original really. Even it's title is incredible formulaic but oh well, at least it still sounds good in French.And this goes for the dialog as well. It's all better sounding in French and lets the actors come across as if they knew what they were doing. Still it's very obvious that most of the actor's voices got dubbed because they were non-French speaking ones. But this at least isn't anything too distracting and I don't know, it sort of adds to the charm of these sort of movies a well.I'm not sure about it though that there is plenty for the horror/vampire lovers to enjoy. It's a movie that is more about its atmosphere really and not so much about its blood or scares. If this sound appealing enough to you, this movie is still worth checking out.Not a great movie by any means but by normal Jesus Franco standards, it's definitely still a good and watchable enough movie.5/10 http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Despite a less than glowing review in Lucas Balbo's essential book Obsession: The Films of Jess Franco, I consider Le fille de Dracula one of the director's better efforts. Filmed in widescreen on location in Portugal, Dracula's Daughter looks great, and though Franco can't resist the temptation of zooming in and out on occasion, the overall effect is not nearly as claustrophobic or arty as Obsession suggests. Jose Climent's cinematography is downright handsome at times, and though the story is quite routine--young woman struggles to come to terms with the vampiric legacy she has inherited--a cast of familiar faces, including Daniel White, Britt Nichols, Alberto Dalbes, Howard Vernon, and of course Franco himself render the proceedings good fun. Redemption's PAL DVD is passable, utilizing a lightly-damaged print with a French-language soundtrack and optional English subtitles. a Region 1 disc would go a long way to restoring this film's reputation.

A women is murdered in her bath by a sinister individual dressed in black. In a manor-house near the scene of the crime, Baroness Karlstein wakes up with a start. She is gravely ill and is only awaiting the arrival of her granddaughter Luisa before dying. When Luisa arrives, her grandmother tells her of the curse that has haunted the family for generations, revealing that the first Baron Karlstein was a vampire, and gives her the key to the chapel. Luisa decides to move into the manor with her uncle Baron Max Karlstein and her cousin, Karine. The only fly in the ointment is the presence of the highly intelligent caretaker, Cyril Jefferson...This movie was more improvised than well done. It is a very curious film and also very boring. Howard Vernon, as a sort of count Dracula, is only here to justify the title of the film. His scenes are too short, just lying in his coffin, eyes open are showing off his teeth.. Fun in a way...Britt Nichols is very beautiful as always, and her lesbian scenes with Anne Libert are the best you can get from LA FILLE DE Dracula. But, there are too many tight close-ups to really enjoy it! Some captivating unreal atmosphere kept me watching from beginning to end... But, as always with most of Jess Franco films, you must be a bit of a masochist to enjoy these piece of...cinema!