Yeah, it's nutty, with an accentless Dracula popping up in the old west like the ultimate dirty old man, leering at and biting the neck of just about every nubile young woman who wanders by. Somehow, Drac ends up at the very ranch where Billy the Kid has gotten a job in an attempt to hang up his bad guy ways. Whew. Still in all, you get a lot of the always wonderful John Carradine, playing Dracula yet again, and even better, his main nemesis isn't actually Billy the Kid, but instead Mrs. Olsen from the long ago Folger's coffee commercials!!! She is an immigrant Swedish/German woman who knows Dracula's real agenda, and is much more of a thorn in his side than the mostly ineffectual cowboy hero. So there you go--you old monster movie buffs should definitely check this one out!
75 Reviews
"Oh God! The vampire test"
bgh4827 January 2007
This is uttered by Virginia Christine (the alluring Anaka in 1945's THE MUMMY'S CURSE) when Melina Plowman tells her that her "uncle" casts no reflection in the mirror. Another pithy line of dialogue, one you'd never expect the legendary vampire to make, is (to his "niece") "Marry a notorious gunslinger? I won't hear of it!" Carradine as Dracula comes across as merely a crochety, vaguely sinister, eccentric uncle with an elitist attitude against immigrants. The actor frankly seems in his, uh, cups, but do you blame him? On the other hand, Chuck Courtney brings a surprising believablity and bantamweight handsomeness and likability to Billy the Kid; he looks somewhat like Audie Murphy, which also helps. Melinda Plowman as Dracula's object of lust, looks like one of those Noxema girls from the 1960's t.v. ads for that skin cream. The strings on the shlocky flapping rubber bat are clearly visible, oh, what joy! Right from someplace like "Eddie's House of Horrors" on Hollywood Boulevard, probably where they also got that shiny big red bow for Dracula.
Another source of delight is the wide eyed, dopey, open mouthed look of stupefaction and wonder on the young German girl's face as she realizes who Carradine is. The old female doc is played straight, and there is something appealing about the dusty, Hollywood/old Wild West 101 atmosphere, with its pleasantly juvenile shootin', fightin' and ranchin' atmosphere, oddly made more pleasant by the juxtaposition of the silly and cheesy vampire-comes-to-town-to-stir-up-the-locals story. This movie is best enjoyed either in a "matinee" time frame, say around 2 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, or at 2 a.m. that same night.
Another source of delight is the wide eyed, dopey, open mouthed look of stupefaction and wonder on the young German girl's face as she realizes who Carradine is. The old female doc is played straight, and there is something appealing about the dusty, Hollywood/old Wild West 101 atmosphere, with its pleasantly juvenile shootin', fightin' and ranchin' atmosphere, oddly made more pleasant by the juxtaposition of the silly and cheesy vampire-comes-to-town-to-stir-up-the-locals story. This movie is best enjoyed either in a "matinee" time frame, say around 2 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, or at 2 a.m. that same night.
anything for Billy
tsf-196230 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
What I like best about this film is that nobody can prove that it didn't happen. Billy the Kid's life was the stuff of legends, and even today it is almost impossible to disentangle fact from fiction. Depending on the interests of the writer, actor, or director Billy can be made anything from a stone cold psychopath to a misunderstood loner. Most people have no idea that he was born in New York City or that his real name was Henry McCarty (he changed it to William Bonney later). In this movie Chuck Courteney portrays Billy as a relatively decent individual, a man trying to escape his evil past and start over as a ranch foreman. We know he will ultimately fail, but right now he has his hands full with Count Dracula, played by horror movie legend John Carradine. Just the title alone makes this one a genuine camp classic. If you want to see a serious examination of the mythologizing of the southwestern frontier, see Sam Peckinpah's "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid"; if you want to see a truly bad movie that rips off two of the most popular figures in film history, this one's for you.
More Fun Than People Think
mord3914 February 2001
MORD39 RATING: ** out of ****
Okay, we know that this is a silly premise with an elderly John Carradine in the Count Dracula role, but as far as "bad" movies go, it's definitely much more fun than most other trash. At the very least, it's miles and miles better than its totally boring companion piece, JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER.
Carradine is deliciously sinister as Dracula, and the story does flow nicely. No awards given here, just a fun afternoon matinee item that is FAR from Carradine's "worst" film. The actor himself often referred to this movie as the lowest of his career, but this was probably because the outlandish title stuck in his mind.
If you want to see truly UNWATCHABLE John Carradine garbage, there are literally DOZENS worse...ASTRO ZOMBIES and GALLERY OF HORROR to name but two.
Okay, we know that this is a silly premise with an elderly John Carradine in the Count Dracula role, but as far as "bad" movies go, it's definitely much more fun than most other trash. At the very least, it's miles and miles better than its totally boring companion piece, JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER.
Carradine is deliciously sinister as Dracula, and the story does flow nicely. No awards given here, just a fun afternoon matinee item that is FAR from Carradine's "worst" film. The actor himself often referred to this movie as the lowest of his career, but this was probably because the outlandish title stuck in his mind.
If you want to see truly UNWATCHABLE John Carradine garbage, there are literally DOZENS worse...ASTRO ZOMBIES and GALLERY OF HORROR to name but two.
Not nearly as horrible as you might anticipate,...but this still isn't to say it's good!
planktonrules5 February 2007
With a title like this movie has, it's obvious that the film's creators had no great pretense--they KNEW they weren't making Shakespeare! However, despite the stupid title and a very low budget, the film isn't quite as bad as it sounds. It really isn't good, but at least the actors and director tried to make a film that is reasonably watchable, as they played it straight throughout--as if they expected people to actually watch and respect a film called BILLY THE KID VERSUS Dracula.
John Carradine plays the Count, though it seems that the writer had never seen a vampire movie before, since so much in this film violates popular vampire lore. For example, here Dracula walks around during the daytime, does not sleep in a coffin, his face magically lights up in red when he's hypnotizing people and wolves-bane drives him away--as if he's the wolf-man! And, as far as acting goes, Carradine was the worst of the actors in the film--looking more like the Devil and over-acting throughout. The Dracula he plays in this film is considerably different than the one he more subtly played in HOUSE OF Dracula and HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN. While the cape and top hat and bright red bow might have fit into these two earlier vampire films, here he just looks pretty stupid out West--especially when no one even questioned this flamboyant attire.
As for the plot, the old vampire shows up, inexplicably, in the West and meets up with an amazingly civil and law-abiding Billy the Kid. Mr. The Kid is in love with a cute lady but she is also the focus of Dracula's lust. In the end, they battle it out (of course) in a rather limp conclusion--it's one of the most anti-climatic ends in monster history.
All in all, this is a bad movie but not the type that you'd enjoy watching (like PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE). It's more the type that just makes your brain hurt due to its ineptness and dull script.
John Carradine plays the Count, though it seems that the writer had never seen a vampire movie before, since so much in this film violates popular vampire lore. For example, here Dracula walks around during the daytime, does not sleep in a coffin, his face magically lights up in red when he's hypnotizing people and wolves-bane drives him away--as if he's the wolf-man! And, as far as acting goes, Carradine was the worst of the actors in the film--looking more like the Devil and over-acting throughout. The Dracula he plays in this film is considerably different than the one he more subtly played in HOUSE OF Dracula and HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN. While the cape and top hat and bright red bow might have fit into these two earlier vampire films, here he just looks pretty stupid out West--especially when no one even questioned this flamboyant attire.
As for the plot, the old vampire shows up, inexplicably, in the West and meets up with an amazingly civil and law-abiding Billy the Kid. Mr. The Kid is in love with a cute lady but she is also the focus of Dracula's lust. In the end, they battle it out (of course) in a rather limp conclusion--it's one of the most anti-climatic ends in monster history.
All in all, this is a bad movie but not the type that you'd enjoy watching (like PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE). It's more the type that just makes your brain hurt due to its ineptness and dull script.
"After all the excitement last night I'm lucky I know my own name." So bad it's fun.
poolandrews23 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Billy the Kid versus Dracula starts late one night in the Old American West where a family of European immigrant's are sleeping in the open, Eva (Virginia Christine) & Franz Oster (Walter Janovitz) manage to scare Count Dracula (John Carradine) off before he bites their daughter Lisa's (Hannie Landman) neck. The following day & a stagecoach picks Dracula up from the side of the road, inside brother & sister Mary Bently (Marjorie Bennett) & James Underhill (William Forrest) tell Dracula about their niece they are visiting, Elizabeth (Melinda Plowman) & show him a photo. Dracula takes a shine to Elizabeth & decides he wants her by his side as one of the undead, I guess he's just sort of lonely at the moment. Dracula kills a native Indian girl & in retribution her tribe attacks the stagecoach & kills all inside, apart from Dracula of course. Dracula ends up at the town of Wilksbury & poses as Underhill so he can stay at his Ranch with Elizabeth, however Dracula didn't count on the fact that Elizabeth's current boyfriend is the notorious gunfighter William 'Billy the Kid' Bonney (Chuck Courtney) whose suspicions are raised when the immigrant's point Dracula out as a Vampire Lisa is mysteriously killed that night & cattle keep turning up with they're throats cut open, William believes that a Vampire may be at work but will he figure it out in time to save Elizabeth...
Directed by William Beaudine I thought Billy the Kid versus Dracula was a fairly fun film to watch if your in the right frame of mind. The script by Carl K. Hittleman mixes the unlikely genres of horror & western, it's not exactly a marriage made in heaven either. The whole film is extremely silly in feel & tone, I doubt anyone these days would take any of it seriously for a second & that's one of the problems as the script takes itself very seriously. However, to it's credit at only 70 odd minutes long at least it's short, it's never boring & it has a certain entertainment value about it. The character's are dumb, not much is made of the fact that Count Dracula is a Vampire, sure he has fangs & drinks blood but he walks around in the daylight & seems more interested in drinking the blood of the local livestock than the pretty young girls. Also what about Billy the Kid? This guy is far to polite & caring for me to even consider the possibility that he was a hard as nails ruthless murdering gunfighter, 'would you like sugar in your tea Elizabeth?'. And what about Sheriff Griffin (Roy Barcroft)? He sure is one understanding decent bloke, being held at gunpoint amongst other things he can still keep his sense of humour & just 'do the right thing' in any given situation.
Director Beaudine does an OK job, the film has a bright gaudy colour scheme to it, did Cowboys really wear pastel coloured shirts? The sets are all very stereotypical & quaint, it's like an exact representation of what the West would've been like had it been picture perfect. Sure, there's a few rotten eggs about but everyone else are pretty decent blokes who help strangers & give seemingly random people jobs & free rooms for the night, ya right.
I'd have imagined Billy the Kid versus Dracula was a pretty low budget film, in fact I'm sure of it. To be fair it looks OK, it has nice bright colourful cinematography, the sets & locations are a little 'Hollywood' but it has decent production values & is better made than you might have thought. One area of criticism that Billy the Kid versus Dracula can't escape is in the special effects department, the rubber bat the filmmakers use looks totally pathetic & surely one of the worst ever committed to film! Carradine apparently called this his worst film, I'd have to disagree with old John boy on that I'm afraid. The acting is rather flat & no-one puts much effort in.
Billy the Kid versus Dracula is a rare breed of film that tries to mix the horror & western genre, there's plenty of horses, gunslinging, macho posturing & fights, Saloons, ranches, concerns over cattle together with Vampires, neck biting, turning people into the undead, rubber bats, & a strange red glow that engulfs Carradines face every so often for no apparent reason so when I think about it it's not entirely unsuccessful at what it sets out to do. Personally I can't call it a good film but I didn't think it was too bad either, worth a watch if your looking for something a bit different.
Directed by William Beaudine I thought Billy the Kid versus Dracula was a fairly fun film to watch if your in the right frame of mind. The script by Carl K. Hittleman mixes the unlikely genres of horror & western, it's not exactly a marriage made in heaven either. The whole film is extremely silly in feel & tone, I doubt anyone these days would take any of it seriously for a second & that's one of the problems as the script takes itself very seriously. However, to it's credit at only 70 odd minutes long at least it's short, it's never boring & it has a certain entertainment value about it. The character's are dumb, not much is made of the fact that Count Dracula is a Vampire, sure he has fangs & drinks blood but he walks around in the daylight & seems more interested in drinking the blood of the local livestock than the pretty young girls. Also what about Billy the Kid? This guy is far to polite & caring for me to even consider the possibility that he was a hard as nails ruthless murdering gunfighter, 'would you like sugar in your tea Elizabeth?'. And what about Sheriff Griffin (Roy Barcroft)? He sure is one understanding decent bloke, being held at gunpoint amongst other things he can still keep his sense of humour & just 'do the right thing' in any given situation.
Director Beaudine does an OK job, the film has a bright gaudy colour scheme to it, did Cowboys really wear pastel coloured shirts? The sets are all very stereotypical & quaint, it's like an exact representation of what the West would've been like had it been picture perfect. Sure, there's a few rotten eggs about but everyone else are pretty decent blokes who help strangers & give seemingly random people jobs & free rooms for the night, ya right.
I'd have imagined Billy the Kid versus Dracula was a pretty low budget film, in fact I'm sure of it. To be fair it looks OK, it has nice bright colourful cinematography, the sets & locations are a little 'Hollywood' but it has decent production values & is better made than you might have thought. One area of criticism that Billy the Kid versus Dracula can't escape is in the special effects department, the rubber bat the filmmakers use looks totally pathetic & surely one of the worst ever committed to film! Carradine apparently called this his worst film, I'd have to disagree with old John boy on that I'm afraid. The acting is rather flat & no-one puts much effort in.
Billy the Kid versus Dracula is a rare breed of film that tries to mix the horror & western genre, there's plenty of horses, gunslinging, macho posturing & fights, Saloons, ranches, concerns over cattle together with Vampires, neck biting, turning people into the undead, rubber bats, & a strange red glow that engulfs Carradines face every so often for no apparent reason so when I think about it it's not entirely unsuccessful at what it sets out to do. Personally I can't call it a good film but I didn't think it was too bad either, worth a watch if your looking for something a bit different.
Gotta love that title:)
preppy-327 January 2007
Too bad the movie really blows.
Dracula (John Carradine) is (for some reason) in the West. At a small town he falls in love with pretty Betty (Melinda Plowman). But her boyfriend is a reformed Billy the Kid (Chuck Courtney) who will fight Dracula to keep her...
Sounds better than it plays. Carradine later said this was the worst film he ever did...and he was in over 300 films! He hams it up as the Count and they shine this stupid red light on his face whenever he's hypnotizing somebody. And get a load of that rubber bat! Carradine was also too old and frail to play Dracula--he was 60 and looks it. Plowman is actually OK as Betty and Courtney tries as Billy...but he's all wrong for the role. For starters he's pretty short, is in just OK condition and has BLOND hair! I think he got the role cause he does know how to ride a horse. Also the script is horrible with just incredibly bad dialogue. There are continuity errors galore; Dracula leaves FOUR holes when he bites people {???}; sunlight doesn't affect him and Carradine doesn't even wear fangs.
In it's defense it was shot in bright color (at least in the print I saw), moves quickly and has one cool effect shoot--when Carradine is carrying Plowman from her bed we see there's no reflection in a mirror--just Plowman seemingly floating in mid air. So this IS bad--real bottom of the barrel stuff--but fun to watch in a silly sort of way. Worth checking out for laughs. I give it a 1.
Dracula (John Carradine) is (for some reason) in the West. At a small town he falls in love with pretty Betty (Melinda Plowman). But her boyfriend is a reformed Billy the Kid (Chuck Courtney) who will fight Dracula to keep her...
Sounds better than it plays. Carradine later said this was the worst film he ever did...and he was in over 300 films! He hams it up as the Count and they shine this stupid red light on his face whenever he's hypnotizing somebody. And get a load of that rubber bat! Carradine was also too old and frail to play Dracula--he was 60 and looks it. Plowman is actually OK as Betty and Courtney tries as Billy...but he's all wrong for the role. For starters he's pretty short, is in just OK condition and has BLOND hair! I think he got the role cause he does know how to ride a horse. Also the script is horrible with just incredibly bad dialogue. There are continuity errors galore; Dracula leaves FOUR holes when he bites people {???}; sunlight doesn't affect him and Carradine doesn't even wear fangs.
In it's defense it was shot in bright color (at least in the print I saw), moves quickly and has one cool effect shoot--when Carradine is carrying Plowman from her bed we see there's no reflection in a mirror--just Plowman seemingly floating in mid air. So this IS bad--real bottom of the barrel stuff--but fun to watch in a silly sort of way. Worth checking out for laughs. I give it a 1.
Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee, You Both Have Absolutely Nothing To Worry About!
Morbius-135 January 2001
"The West's deadliest Gunslinger against the World's most diabolical Killer!"--Ad Line.
This is one TERRIBLE feature!
I first learned about this dud (movie?) in a Winter 1966 issue of Monster World magazine (a lesser companion magazine to the more popular Famous Monsters of Filmland) which gave both Billy the Kid Vs. Dracula and its co-feature the lamentable Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter considerable coverage (Ouch!). I believe Billy the Kid Vs. Dracula was theatrically released in March or April 1966 in the Toronto (Canada) area. When I discovered that John Carradine was cast as Dracula being a naive kid at the time I foolishly thought that it might be a pretty exciting film (after all John Carradine DID make a very good Count Dracula in the Universal Pictures classics House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula both of which I had seen on television).
It's not the idea of a legendary monster coming to America which is the problem here (it had been capably done before in The Mummy's Tomb, The Mummy's Ghost, The Mummy's Curse, Son of Dracula, Revenge of the Creature, The Return of Dracula, etc.) but this Kiddies' Matinee Frightfest is SO inept and amateurish completely lacking any sense of the appropriately spooky atmosphere, mood or directorial verve and cinematic mastery on the part of William "One Shot" Beaudine.
John Carradine's sickly, frail looking and dentured Count Dracula is just TOO old (despite the slick brilliantine hair dye job) and his intended "bride" the bland, wide-eyed teen Betty Bentley (lamely portrayed by the untalented Melinda Plowman) is just TOO young for the aged, supernatural Grandpappy (a true odd couple!). Further making an already abysmal situation even worse is the film's screenwriter who shockingly displays virtually NO understanding or knowledge about the Vampire King at all! This Dracula is able to freely go about during the daylight hours, he drinks whiskey (Olde Red Eye?), his deportment and delivery of dialogue completely lacks any genuine continental bearing or aristocratic flair and Carradine's campy, creaky performance of the Count is much more akin to a cheating, unscrupulous gambler from Baltimore circa the mid-1800s rather than a dignified nobleman from Transylvania.
It is a sad commentary that Mr. Carradine (a truly fine character actor) was humiliatingly relegated to this kind of unworthy trash in his later film career particularly when one recalls some of his great work in films like Stagecoach (1939), Drums Along the Mohawk (1939), The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and The Return of Frank James (1940) to name but a few. Interestingly Mr. Carradine would have a good supporting role as Cruikshank the shady English butler in Munster, Go Home! released later the same year as Billy the Kid Vs. Dracula.
Bullets don't affect the Vampire yet when Billy the Kid hurls his empty six-shooter at old Drac's noggin he actually knocks him out and how about that absurdly dumb visibly string-operated rubber bat poorly utilized in those scenes where this hilariously bobbing and wobbly contraption flutters out-of-sight behind a conveniently stationed bush followed by an obvious "break" in the filming after which Dracula immediately pops out from the same obstruction thereby attempting to imply that the bat has somewhat discreetly transformed itself into Dracula .
Lastly dig those numerous, unsubtle red lighting effects projected onto Count Dracula's leering (and bleary-eyed) visage. Just awful!
Pertaining to Carl K. Hittleman's uninvolving and soporific script who can possibly forget such priceless tidbits of dialogue as when Dracula contemptuously refers to Billy the Kid's friend and ally the stalwart, pistol-packing Dr. Henrietta Hull (Olive Carey) as a "backwoods female pill slinger?" The Bounder! The Cad! The Chauvinist!
As a historical footnote this outrageous, Poverty Row travesty came out at the height of the Batman (ABC 1966-68) craze on television!
A couple of things that I will say about Billy the Kid Vs. Dracula to its credit (and Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter) is that it was actually photographed in COLOUR (next to John Carradine's salary the colour film and lab processing was most probably the film's second highest or perhaps single highest cost expenditure) and reliable Republic Pictures serial villain Roy Barcroft is cast in an atypically sympathetic role of Sheriff Griffin (maybe HE should have played Dracula instead?).
Actually if you are really interested in a GOOD Horror Western film than check out Curse of the Undead (1959) starring Eric Fleming, Michael Pate and Kathleen Crowley which is a much better effort. Michael Pate portrays a mysterious, gunslinging Owlhoot with vampiric tendencies named Drake Roby who stalks the Old West and sets his sights (and fangs) on an attractive lady rancher. It's available through MCA-Universal Home Video.
Billy the Kid Vs. Dracula was commercially issued on home video (along with its co-feature Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter) in the mid-1980s through Embassy Home Video (Embassy Pictures theatrically released both films) but has long since been discontinued (I happen to have both which I bought on sale--REAL CHEAP!).
Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter has been recently released again on home video through the MGM-United Artists "Midnight Movies" series so I think it's a reasonable assumption that Billy the Kid Vs. Dracula will also be made available once more (just what the World really needs).
Thankfully there were no similar follow ups like The Daltons Against the Wolf Man, Cole Younger Meets Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or Johnny Ringo Vs. the Invisible Man......Hmmmm!
This is one TERRIBLE feature!
I first learned about this dud (movie?) in a Winter 1966 issue of Monster World magazine (a lesser companion magazine to the more popular Famous Monsters of Filmland) which gave both Billy the Kid Vs. Dracula and its co-feature the lamentable Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter considerable coverage (Ouch!). I believe Billy the Kid Vs. Dracula was theatrically released in March or April 1966 in the Toronto (Canada) area. When I discovered that John Carradine was cast as Dracula being a naive kid at the time I foolishly thought that it might be a pretty exciting film (after all John Carradine DID make a very good Count Dracula in the Universal Pictures classics House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula both of which I had seen on television).
It's not the idea of a legendary monster coming to America which is the problem here (it had been capably done before in The Mummy's Tomb, The Mummy's Ghost, The Mummy's Curse, Son of Dracula, Revenge of the Creature, The Return of Dracula, etc.) but this Kiddies' Matinee Frightfest is SO inept and amateurish completely lacking any sense of the appropriately spooky atmosphere, mood or directorial verve and cinematic mastery on the part of William "One Shot" Beaudine.
John Carradine's sickly, frail looking and dentured Count Dracula is just TOO old (despite the slick brilliantine hair dye job) and his intended "bride" the bland, wide-eyed teen Betty Bentley (lamely portrayed by the untalented Melinda Plowman) is just TOO young for the aged, supernatural Grandpappy (a true odd couple!). Further making an already abysmal situation even worse is the film's screenwriter who shockingly displays virtually NO understanding or knowledge about the Vampire King at all! This Dracula is able to freely go about during the daylight hours, he drinks whiskey (Olde Red Eye?), his deportment and delivery of dialogue completely lacks any genuine continental bearing or aristocratic flair and Carradine's campy, creaky performance of the Count is much more akin to a cheating, unscrupulous gambler from Baltimore circa the mid-1800s rather than a dignified nobleman from Transylvania.
It is a sad commentary that Mr. Carradine (a truly fine character actor) was humiliatingly relegated to this kind of unworthy trash in his later film career particularly when one recalls some of his great work in films like Stagecoach (1939), Drums Along the Mohawk (1939), The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and The Return of Frank James (1940) to name but a few. Interestingly Mr. Carradine would have a good supporting role as Cruikshank the shady English butler in Munster, Go Home! released later the same year as Billy the Kid Vs. Dracula.
Bullets don't affect the Vampire yet when Billy the Kid hurls his empty six-shooter at old Drac's noggin he actually knocks him out and how about that absurdly dumb visibly string-operated rubber bat poorly utilized in those scenes where this hilariously bobbing and wobbly contraption flutters out-of-sight behind a conveniently stationed bush followed by an obvious "break" in the filming after which Dracula immediately pops out from the same obstruction thereby attempting to imply that the bat has somewhat discreetly transformed itself into Dracula .
Lastly dig those numerous, unsubtle red lighting effects projected onto Count Dracula's leering (and bleary-eyed) visage. Just awful!
Pertaining to Carl K. Hittleman's uninvolving and soporific script who can possibly forget such priceless tidbits of dialogue as when Dracula contemptuously refers to Billy the Kid's friend and ally the stalwart, pistol-packing Dr. Henrietta Hull (Olive Carey) as a "backwoods female pill slinger?" The Bounder! The Cad! The Chauvinist!
As a historical footnote this outrageous, Poverty Row travesty came out at the height of the Batman (ABC 1966-68) craze on television!
A couple of things that I will say about Billy the Kid Vs. Dracula to its credit (and Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter) is that it was actually photographed in COLOUR (next to John Carradine's salary the colour film and lab processing was most probably the film's second highest or perhaps single highest cost expenditure) and reliable Republic Pictures serial villain Roy Barcroft is cast in an atypically sympathetic role of Sheriff Griffin (maybe HE should have played Dracula instead?).
Actually if you are really interested in a GOOD Horror Western film than check out Curse of the Undead (1959) starring Eric Fleming, Michael Pate and Kathleen Crowley which is a much better effort. Michael Pate portrays a mysterious, gunslinging Owlhoot with vampiric tendencies named Drake Roby who stalks the Old West and sets his sights (and fangs) on an attractive lady rancher. It's available through MCA-Universal Home Video.
Billy the Kid Vs. Dracula was commercially issued on home video (along with its co-feature Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter) in the mid-1980s through Embassy Home Video (Embassy Pictures theatrically released both films) but has long since been discontinued (I happen to have both which I bought on sale--REAL CHEAP!).
Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter has been recently released again on home video through the MGM-United Artists "Midnight Movies" series so I think it's a reasonable assumption that Billy the Kid Vs. Dracula will also be made available once more (just what the World really needs).
Thankfully there were no similar follow ups like The Daltons Against the Wolf Man, Cole Younger Meets Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or Johnny Ringo Vs. the Invisible Man......Hmmmm!
Billy The Kid Versus Dracula (1966) **
Bunuel197614 July 2005
Silly is the key word in BILLY THE KID VERSUS Dracula: the clash of genres could have been interesting - as Count Dracula, ostensibly originating in the middle-ages and being able to turn into a bat, would have no real problem showing up in the Old West - but this is exploitation fare pure and simple and no attempt to contrast the wildly diverse cultures is made, except from the caricatured portrayals of two superstitious immigrants. Carradine apparently is still wearing the same set of clothes he had donned for the two Universal films back in the 40s, but his performance here is far campier: it was side-splitting to see him roll his eyes till he literally became red in the face (his put-down of an earnest and elderly doctor as a "backwoods-female-pill-slinger" is priceless, however)! There was very little atmosphere of any kind; as for special effects, these were virtually non-existent (the bat creature, in particular, is incredibly phoney-looking). Worst of all, the fireworks promised by the title never happen as Billy The Kid, which history painted as a vicious criminal, is here depicted as a reformed, law-abiding citizen and is even made to carry the film's icky romantic interest!! In short, a fun film for all the wrong reasons - and I can't say that I'm looking forward to viewing its companion piece, JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER (1966)...
I'm not kidding, they made a Billy the Kid Vs Dracula movie and it's sucks the life out of me. It's pretty awful.
ironhorse_iv16 March 2014
Warning: Spoilers
There's been plenty of Cowboy Crossovers, but this is one of the oddest titles I ever witness. Hints why I check it out. Billy the Kid Vs Dracula is one of those B-List movies that sounds silly, but could had work if written better, had a bigger production, or had a good director under it. This 73 minutes western movie was far from that with its low budget rubber bats on wires, no fangs, and others. Directed by William Beaudine. It was released theatrically as part of a double bill, along with 1966's Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter. The film revolves around the eponymous ex-outlaw Billy the Kid (Chuck Courtney) trying to save his girlfriend, Elizabeth Bentley (Melinda Plowman) from Dracula AKA James Underhill (John Carradine) whom impersonating as her uncle. First off, Chuck Courtney as William 'Billy the Kid' Bonney is just odd casting as he has the personality of a toothpick, and woody delivery. None of the traits of real life personality of Billy the Kid are in this movie like his violent nature or rough and tough edge. In fact, the movie tries really hard make Billy the Kid seem like Good ol' boy who follows the rules, than a murdering psychopath, he was in real life. He's so bland, if you take his name out of the film, he can pass as a good role models type Roy Rogers cowboy. His age doesn't help as well, as he looks more like Billy the 40 year old virgin. John Carradine as James Underhill is just as bad in his role, but it's the worst, I ever saw from him. The title says he is Dracula, but it's never mention in the film. He doesn't delivery of dialogue completely lacks any genuine continental bearing or aristocratic flair. There isn't any European accent, so I really doubt, he was really supposed to be Dracula. He look more a dirty old man, than a vampire. At less, he is the main star of this movie, than doing a stupid cameo. He somewhat play the role of Dracula, kinda sinister, but he doesn't seem too much of a threat. The actor is so old & frail, that body doubles had to be used in walking scenes. Isn't vampires supposed to suck blood to be youthful? He looks like he's doing a bad job at that. Lots of inconsistencies in this film as he see Dracula move in bright daylight, while also getting hurt by daylight in other scenes. Then he can staked with non-wooden spears. It's like the filmmakers didn't know anything about vampires. I hate when he does that silly constipated mugging face under red light. I know, it's used, so that he's supposedly using mind control on people, but it's such a repeatable shot that it become a bit funny to watch. It's remind me of the Dramatic Hamster on Youtube. It's gets worst when you find out that his main nemesis isn't actually Billy the Kid, but a bad German accent old woman, Eva Oster (Virginia Christine) who knows Dracula's real identify. Virginia Christine is known for being the Folger's coffee woman. Melinda Plowman is pretty as the girlfriend of Bill the Kid, but she comes across as whiny and annoying. I just wish, she didn't had any lines. The production was hit and miss. It's nice to see the old Corriganville Movie Ranch sets again, but the movie has a lot of bad editing, as scenes seem too jump around. The opening credits look like something out of 1960's Batman TV series with its cartoony effects. Then there is the badly done day for night lighting that makes it hard to see. Then there is the reel intermission break that is a bit odd to see on a modern DVD copy. The action is barely there. Billy only has one gun fight and two fist fights before the inevitable final showdown between the title protagonists. The final fight is anti-climax. I like how Bullets don't affect the Vampire yet when Billy the Kid hurls his empty six-shooter at old Dracula's head. He actually knocks him out. It's such a disappointment. Don't ask about what the bat seem exiting from the cave means, as it's never explain in the film. Who knows maybe it was an attempt to set things up for a sequel that never materialized. The Story, though it may drag at times, is quite alright, but it's nothing special. If you are a western fan, you will notice that it borrows or rip off clichés ideas from famous westerns like 1939's Stagecoach. Sadly, it's not violent enough to be good in the genre of Horror or Westerns. It's a disgrace to both history and literature, but this is a Hollywood film at the time, after all, so don't expect much accuracy in either Bram Stoker's novel or Wild West history. Overall: I'd only recommend it to those with a love for 'so bad, it's good' films.
Don't Count On It!
sol-kay27 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
**SPOILERS** Leaving old Transylvania to take a sight-seeing vacation in the Wild Wild West Dracula, John Carradine, thirst for blood ends up starting an Indian uprising and massacre, of the people that he was traveling with on a stagecoach, when he drained dry a young Indian maiden,Carlita Max,of her blood supply. Having gotten acquainted with Mrs. Bently, Marjorie Bennett, and her rich Boston banker brother James Underhill, William Forrest, before they were killed by the rampaging Indians Old Drac' took a fancy to a photo of Mrs. Bently's 18 year-old daughter, James Underhill's niece, Betty Bently, Melinda Plowman, and it was lust for blood at first sight.
Old Drac' impersonating the dead James Underhill goes, or flies by bat-wings,to Wilksburg to get his hands and fangs on young Betty and turn her into a vampire like himself. It's then that Drac' can have Betty live happily ever after with him in the world of the dead. The one thing that Old Drac' didn't count, get it, on was Betty's boyfriend is the notorious, but now trying to be an upstanding and law abiding citizen, "Billy the Kid" Bonney, Chuck Courtney. A man who fears and wouldn't walk away from a fight from no one either alive or dead.
Dracula is nothing but a big buffoon in the movie as he turns hot and cold, depending on the lighting, with his eyes bulging out of his skull as he tries to both hypnotize and then bite his victims, sucking the life-blood out of them, to death. We also see that the pasty and colorless Drac' has somehow gotten over his fear and inability to withstand sunlight, that can burn him to a crisp, as we see the 500 or so year-old gentleman totally unaffected when he's outside in the daytime.
Taking over James Underhill's, whom he's impersonating, Double Bar Bee Ranch Drac' gets right to work on the unsuspecting Billy Bonney AKA Billy the Kid, who's the ranch's foreman, by having him fired. Drac' then makes his move on the equally naive, of Old Drac's identity, Betty Bently who thinks that he's her sweet kind and very rich Uncle James from Boston.
Billy going back to his gunfighting days has it out with Underhill's, really Drac's, ranch-hands and in a wild shootout at the local Wilksburg bar shoot and kill one of them the person who replaced him as foreman, by Drac, Dan Thorpe (Bing Russell). Arrested and put in the jail-house by the town's Sheriff Griffin played by actor Roy Barcroft who acted as if he wanted to be somewhere else, or in another movie altogether. Breaking out of jail with the help of the town's quack Doctor Hanrietta Hull, Olive Carey, Billy heads down to the deserted silver mine where Old Drac' has been hiding out and where he took the what seems like brain-dead Betty Bently to be his bride.
With everyone in town now educated to just who James Underhill really is, the blood-sucking vampire Count Dracula, Billy the Kid after unloading his six-shooter on the invincible, to bullets, Drac then for some unknown reason, after the old guy almost breaks him in two, throws the revolver at his head knocking him out cold. Bullets can't hurt Old Drac but an empty and harmless gun could? Billy recovering from the slacking that he took from the now in dreamland Drac gets up and, in the traditional way of killing vampires, drives a spike through his heart putting a final nail in Old Drac' coffin. The movie "Billy the Kid versus Dracula" is 73 minutes of celluloid madness that mixes a horror and western theme and get's an imitation comedy out of it. This is a film that's so bad and brainless and with a total lack of humor, intentional or unintentional, that it didn't even qualify to be shown on the Mystery Science Theater 3000 bad movie cable TV show!
Old Drac' impersonating the dead James Underhill goes, or flies by bat-wings,to Wilksburg to get his hands and fangs on young Betty and turn her into a vampire like himself. It's then that Drac' can have Betty live happily ever after with him in the world of the dead. The one thing that Old Drac' didn't count, get it, on was Betty's boyfriend is the notorious, but now trying to be an upstanding and law abiding citizen, "Billy the Kid" Bonney, Chuck Courtney. A man who fears and wouldn't walk away from a fight from no one either alive or dead.
Dracula is nothing but a big buffoon in the movie as he turns hot and cold, depending on the lighting, with his eyes bulging out of his skull as he tries to both hypnotize and then bite his victims, sucking the life-blood out of them, to death. We also see that the pasty and colorless Drac' has somehow gotten over his fear and inability to withstand sunlight, that can burn him to a crisp, as we see the 500 or so year-old gentleman totally unaffected when he's outside in the daytime.
Taking over James Underhill's, whom he's impersonating, Double Bar Bee Ranch Drac' gets right to work on the unsuspecting Billy Bonney AKA Billy the Kid, who's the ranch's foreman, by having him fired. Drac' then makes his move on the equally naive, of Old Drac's identity, Betty Bently who thinks that he's her sweet kind and very rich Uncle James from Boston.
Billy going back to his gunfighting days has it out with Underhill's, really Drac's, ranch-hands and in a wild shootout at the local Wilksburg bar shoot and kill one of them the person who replaced him as foreman, by Drac, Dan Thorpe (Bing Russell). Arrested and put in the jail-house by the town's Sheriff Griffin played by actor Roy Barcroft who acted as if he wanted to be somewhere else, or in another movie altogether. Breaking out of jail with the help of the town's quack Doctor Hanrietta Hull, Olive Carey, Billy heads down to the deserted silver mine where Old Drac' has been hiding out and where he took the what seems like brain-dead Betty Bently to be his bride.
With everyone in town now educated to just who James Underhill really is, the blood-sucking vampire Count Dracula, Billy the Kid after unloading his six-shooter on the invincible, to bullets, Drac then for some unknown reason, after the old guy almost breaks him in two, throws the revolver at his head knocking him out cold. Bullets can't hurt Old Drac but an empty and harmless gun could? Billy recovering from the slacking that he took from the now in dreamland Drac gets up and, in the traditional way of killing vampires, drives a spike through his heart putting a final nail in Old Drac' coffin. The movie "Billy the Kid versus Dracula" is 73 minutes of celluloid madness that mixes a horror and western theme and get's an imitation comedy out of it. This is a film that's so bad and brainless and with a total lack of humor, intentional or unintentional, that it didn't even qualify to be shown on the Mystery Science Theater 3000 bad movie cable TV show!
A genuine classic
pearceduncan16 March 2000
This is one of my favourite bad movies. Rubber bats, Western backdrops, and John Carradine as Dracula. Someone shines a red light on Carradine's mugging face during the scary scenes. It's hypnotically awful, but I'd only recommend it to those with a love for real trash. It seems to be pretty unique, but I haven't seen the companion piece, Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter.
Not great but not all that bad either.
azcowboysingr14 July 2007
While the title is laughable, the production values were okay, as was the cinematography. The acting was...well...less than wonderful, but not bad enough to ruin the fun. Poor John Carradine..."Lo how the mighty have fallen" is about all one can say regarding his appearance in this film, but even old actors have to eat & pay bills, so we forgive him. There were quite a few old favorites working in this one. Roy Barcroft (everyone's favorite "bad guy" in almost all of the Rocky Lane movies), Bing Russell (yes, Kurt's daddy), Harry Carey Jr. with only a few lines early in the film, his mom, Olive Carey,(remember her from "The Searchers"?) as the town Dr., and a few others whose names won't ring any bells but whose faces are instantly recognizable to anyone who has ever seen a Western or a Cop movie/TV show. It was also fun to see the old Corriganville Movie Ranch sets again...a lot of fond memories for us old Western actors there! Chuck Courtney (the star),was quite a horseman. Watching him ride & handle his mounts was almost enough to make you forget that crummy rubber bat. He did a credible job of acting, & his fast draw skills were very good. I did some stunt work with him many years ago, & he was well respected in the industry as both a daring stuntman & a competent stunt coordinator. When you did a fight scene with him, it always looked real & no one got hurt. All in all, this movie is not a "great" horror classic, but it is fun to watch as light entertainment. A real "popcorn & beer" film for late night viewing.
Where the term "MAN CAVE " was born!
thejcowboy221 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
My parents showed their love for me by sending me away to summer camp. I would plead to my Dad " Please don't send me to sleep-away camp." He would smirk and say "It builds character, stop sniveling, toughen up!" When I arrived, reality set in when we had to make our own beds. The counselor demonstrated how to make a perfect bed. So perfect a quarter would bounce off the blanket. The counselor affirmed, "I'll be checking for hospital corners." Hospital corners? What the heck was that? Billy the Kidd Versus Dracula was, to say the least, a peculiar title. Scoundrel versus scoundrel? Cold-blooded gunslinger vs bloodsucking nocturnal victorian rogue? The story starts out with an aged wrinkly beady-eyed Dracula (John Carradine) taking passage on a stagecoach. During his passage, he is captivated by a photograph of a pretty girl. He is smitten with the image. Later in the evening Dracula randomly kills a young Native American girl who causes the tribe to attack the stagecoach and kill everyone except Dracula. Dracula takes the identity of Mr. Underhill. Dracula assumes the identity of the long-lost Uncle James Underhill. When he arrives, he meets the beautiful ranch owner, the young sweet Betty Bently (Melinda Casey). Betty presumes that it's her uncle. Dracula, I mean Uncle James, pushes his weight around, as his goal is to turn Betty into a vampire while her boyfriend, the newly reformed Billy The kid (Chuck Courtney) works on the ranch but has his doubts about this harassing, bossy stranger who claims to be her uncle. A familiar character actor, the housekeeper Virginia Christine and her husband Franz played by Walter Janovitz tend to the main house on the ranch. They are constantly threatened by the homely, lanky Vampire. One note, the daylight doesn't seem to bother Dracula/Uncle James. Special effects come into play here when Dracula has to travel by air. Just one of those awful films you have to watch with friends or adversaries to pass the time. Carradine does stay on point as a fraudster but there's a comical quality that seems to rise above all of this. Richard Reeves is also a period character actor as the saloonkeeper. Familiar faces, familiar dialogue, familiar ending except, Spoiler alert!!! When we see Dracula's cave and his beautifully made bed. The red bedspread is perfectly made. Boys and girls even the horrible Dracula makes his bed. That's right, Vampires have responsibilities. This movie was directed by William Beaudine who primarily worked on Walt Disney movies and shorts in his later years. Beaudine also directed a number of Bowery Boys movies. The Bowery Boys vs Dracula? Imagine?? I finally mastered the art of hospital corners in my camp bunk but it was all for nothing as the advent of the "Fitted Sheet" came into the mainstream of bed making.
Bad movie goodness.
overneath220 January 2001
This film has a lot to offer for those of us who love bad movies. The rubber battery-operated bat, the horrible dialogue and irritating characters (especially the German/Austrian immigrant lady), and especially the obscure placement in time of the film: the 1800s town set; Billy's 70s style ranch house--complete with bead curtain!; even the hallway above the early 1900s saloon which I think was a hallway at the movie studio. John Carradine, following his scripted eye cues very closely ("open eyes real wide"), gives hickeys and utilizes his amazing ability to stop the film and move off-camera. Chuck Courtney wears the same shirt throughout the entire film (costume budget woes, I imagine) and manages to knock out Dracula by tossing his gun at him! Oh yeah, and Carradine's red-faced "I'm horny!" look is priceless, even without the red flashlight. A true gem.
Not too bad
robert-blau2 June 2019
Fun movie to watch with friends who enjoy such things over pizza on a Saturday night (especially if you can catch it on a show like "Svengoolie", including behind-the-scenes background, spoofs, and jokes). Interesting take on the Dracula story. No worse than an episode of the '50s "Lone Ranger: TV series, plus you get DRACULA -- played by the great John Carradine twenty-odd years after he did so in the original "House of Frankenstein" and "House of Dracula". He's obviously in it for the paycheck, but rises to the occasion and gives it the old college try. The rest of the cast do, too, with campy sincerity.
Loved the paper mache "bats", not to mention the "historical accuracy" of a "reformed Billy th Kid" living happily ever after, after driving a stake through Drac's heart. Good clean fun. :)
Loved the paper mache "bats", not to mention the "historical accuracy" of a "reformed Billy th Kid" living happily ever after, after driving a stake through Drac's heart. Good clean fun. :)
Dracula Goes to the Old West for New Blood!
morgie5527 March 2012
The immigration situation was really getting out of hand in the Old West -- they were taking in vampires and gypsies into the old towns! Dracula (never named that in the film actually) is flying around stalking a German couple with their blonde daughter attempting to bite the girl at every turn. Drac is thwarted and decides to take a stage coach into town when he discovers a babe at a ranch and wishes to mate with her.
Biting an Indian maid and getting the whites blamed, Dracula uses this scenario to fake his identity as James Underhill, a never-seen-before uncle, to take care of poor Betty, whom he saw in a locket belonging to her now-dead mom. Oops! The best thing about "James" is that the very unbelief of his vampirism keeps him safe. As the German woman in the film says, no one believes it until they're dead! The Billy the Kid character is a bit rough around the edges and is quite corny in his naiveté and fighting skill. We only see one or two actual gun fights -- one gun fight won against a tin can and the other against a ranger who was gunning for Billy.
This James Underhill character is a riot. He walks around in the day time that is supposed to be evening, and the "vampire bat" looks like a little cardboard toy! And the very dumb blonde who will be Drac's mate pooh-poohs everything and does not understand why the German couple freaks out whenever they are in the same room with Drac.
Virginia Christine, a great character actress who has appeared in many Sixties TV shows including The Rifleman, etc. makes an appearance as the all-knowing gypsy woman who knows all about vampires -- though why Drac does not react to the cross around her neck I'll never know.
The director William Beaudine is known for his cheap thrills films. I believe he made Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter, another gem that I must see! DVD: Except for a quick bio of the director and John Carradine (whose crazy stare and red face must be seen to be believed!) there are no extras. There is an interesting 50s ad for Orange Crush and an intro by Julie Andrews on the awesomeness of the MPAA Code.
Bottom Line: John Carradine is pretty rough in this piece. He is suave in his acting but when he attacks he growls like a bear! And Chuck Courtney as Billy the Kid is such a pansy, getting his butt kicked more than once. Must see the cheese!
Biting an Indian maid and getting the whites blamed, Dracula uses this scenario to fake his identity as James Underhill, a never-seen-before uncle, to take care of poor Betty, whom he saw in a locket belonging to her now-dead mom. Oops! The best thing about "James" is that the very unbelief of his vampirism keeps him safe. As the German woman in the film says, no one believes it until they're dead! The Billy the Kid character is a bit rough around the edges and is quite corny in his naiveté and fighting skill. We only see one or two actual gun fights -- one gun fight won against a tin can and the other against a ranger who was gunning for Billy.
This James Underhill character is a riot. He walks around in the day time that is supposed to be evening, and the "vampire bat" looks like a little cardboard toy! And the very dumb blonde who will be Drac's mate pooh-poohs everything and does not understand why the German couple freaks out whenever they are in the same room with Drac.
Virginia Christine, a great character actress who has appeared in many Sixties TV shows including The Rifleman, etc. makes an appearance as the all-knowing gypsy woman who knows all about vampires -- though why Drac does not react to the cross around her neck I'll never know.
The director William Beaudine is known for his cheap thrills films. I believe he made Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter, another gem that I must see! DVD: Except for a quick bio of the director and John Carradine (whose crazy stare and red face must be seen to be believed!) there are no extras. There is an interesting 50s ad for Orange Crush and an intro by Julie Andrews on the awesomeness of the MPAA Code.
Bottom Line: John Carradine is pretty rough in this piece. He is suave in his acting but when he attacks he growls like a bear! And Chuck Courtney as Billy the Kid is such a pansy, getting his butt kicked more than once. Must see the cheese!
Not As Bad As It Sounds, Really...
spiritof679 October 2017
There are no real spoiler alerts necessary here since the title pretty much summarizes the movie.
For western fans and fans of classic Hollywood cowboy-movie actors and actresses though, this inexpensive little film is a goldmine. As a for instance, it was Olive Carey's last film. Her son, Harry Carey Jr. is in it as well, along with Virginia Christine, Bing Russell, Roy Barcroft, Marjorie Bennet and stars John Carradine and Chuck Couurtney, one of Hollywood's best stunt men. Courtney gets to really show off his cowboy chops doing both a Pony Express mount AND a running jump into the saddle using a hitching post as a step.
As for the movie, it's no worse that the other "Dracula in America" movie starring Lon Chaney Jr. But as a "hey, isn't that...?" movie, it's a treat. Just don't go looking for the 1931 Dracula which has not been and probably never will be equaled.
For western fans and fans of classic Hollywood cowboy-movie actors and actresses though, this inexpensive little film is a goldmine. As a for instance, it was Olive Carey's last film. Her son, Harry Carey Jr. is in it as well, along with Virginia Christine, Bing Russell, Roy Barcroft, Marjorie Bennet and stars John Carradine and Chuck Couurtney, one of Hollywood's best stunt men. Courtney gets to really show off his cowboy chops doing both a Pony Express mount AND a running jump into the saddle using a hitching post as a step.
As for the movie, it's no worse that the other "Dracula in America" movie starring Lon Chaney Jr. But as a "hey, isn't that...?" movie, it's a treat. Just don't go looking for the 1931 Dracula which has not been and probably never will be equaled.
The Cowboy and the Vampire
zardoz-1318 February 2011
Warning: Spoilers
"Sparrows" director William 'One-Shot' Beaudine's final feature film "Billy the Kid Versus Dracula" pits the notorious outlaw against the infamous fangster in a life and death struggle over a young bodacious babe in the old Southwest. Actually, little about this incarnation of William Bonney qualifies as notorious. Beaudine and "36 Hours" scenarist Carl K. Hittleman present Billy as a clean-shaven, law-abiding cowpoke who is greased lightning on the draw when he whips out his six-gun. Billy has fallen in love with the heroine, Elizabeth (Melinda Plowman of "Carrie"), and they are planning to marry. Elizabeth already knows about Billy's past but has no qualms about tying the knot with him. Conversely, Dracula is as villainous as always, with seasoned horror thespian John Carradine playing the immortal bloodsucker. Actually, Carradine appeared as Dracula earlier in the last two Universal Studios epics about Bram Stoker's vampire during the 1940s: "House of Frankenstein" and "House of Dracula." The lean, bearded Carradine looks sinister enough dressed as he is from head to toe in black with scarlet-red lining peeking out from his cape and tie. When Beaudine wants Dracula to look menacing, he lights his face so that it turns a shade of red. Of course, like Billy the Kid, Dracula is just a name in the title that has little direct bearing to the Carradine vampire. For the record, you never see Carradine deploy his fangs. He also inflicts four puncture wounds in the neck when he feasts humans. Furthermore, he can shape-shift into a bat and cast a hypnotic spell over his victims. Sometimes, it seems like he travels across time and appears suddenly on the spot. Basically, nothing has changed where Dracula is concerned, except for the lack of special effects to distinguish his transitions.
Dracula has been following the Osters, a German immigrant family, as they travel across the west. He bites their lovely daughter Lisa (Hannie Landman) one evening after the wagon train has established camp. Later that evening, a stagecoach picks Dracula up not far from the wagon train, and the well-dressed bloodsucker shares the coach with three other passengers. Dracula meets Mary Ann Bentley (Marjorie Bennett of "Charlie Varrick") and wealthy Boston banker James Underhill (William Forest of "The Horse Soldiers") and a proud Mary Ann shows Dracula a picture of her drop-dead gorgeous daughter. Dracula is immediately interested in meeting Elizabeth Bentley. Mary Ann explains that they are going back to their ranch where their beautiful, blond 18-year old daughter lives. Dracula decides at that point that neither Mary Ann nor Underhill will reach the ranch. Dracula's impersonation of Underhill succeeds because Elizabeth has never laid eyes on Underhill. Later, after the stagecoach pulls into the way station, Dracula dines on an Indian princess. When the redskins discover the dead girl, they angrily attack the stagecoach in retaliation. As it turns out, the Indians kill everybody on the stagecoach, including Mary Ann and Elizabeth's uncle James Underhill. Dracula then masquerades as Underhill so he can ride our to ranch and get Elizabeth. Meanwhile, the superstitious Osters wander back into the story, and Mrs. Oster (Virginia Christine of the Folger TV commercials) tries to run interference to protect Elizabeth from Dracula. Elizabeth doesn't believe in vampires and Dracula fires Billy as foreman and replaces Billy with our hero's long time rival Dan 'Red' Thorpe (Bing Russell of "The Magnificent Seven") and has Red try to run Billy out of town. Billy and Red shoot it out in the saloon, and Billy guns down Red in self-defense. Meantime, Dracula makes his move on Elizabeth. Simultaneously, Sheriff Griffin (veteran western B-movie player Roy Barcroft) arrests Billy to hold him for trial, but the wife of the local doctor, Dr. Henrietta Hull (Olive Carey of "The Alamo"), snatches Griffin's revolver while he is pouring himself a cup of coffee. She lobs it to Billy in a nearby jail cell. Billy breaks out of jail, takes Griffin's horse, and hightails it out to the ranch. An indignant Griffin and Henrietta grab a buggy and follow in hot pursuit.
Clearly an exploitation oater, "Billy the Kid Versus Dracula" is a low-budget generic western that violates some of the oldest vampire rules. Indeed, the producers could have called it "The Vampire and the Gunslinger." Nobody ever directly addresses Carradine as 'Dracula.' No attribution to Bram Stoker's novel ever occurs in the opening credits. Dracula goes for a buggy ride with Elizabeth in one scene when it is clearly daylight. Nevertheless, the production values are solid, and there is an adequate amount of drama. Chuck Courtney makes a very stalwart Billy. He knows how to wield a gun, while Carradine infuses great dignity and cunning in his spin on the Stoker character. Carradine sports a Van Dyke beard along with his characteristic mustache. The special effects consist of a bat flapping around until it plunges from the skies behind something and the slender Carradine neatly emerges. Dracula here doesn't have to drag along his coffin littered with soil. Mind you, we never see this Dracula either climbing into a casket or sizing it up to accommodate himself. "Billy the Kid Versus Dracula" is no great shakes with its shallow, exposition-laden storyline and modified vampire lore. This qualifies as one of the worse and weakest entry in the Dracula franchise.
Dracula has been following the Osters, a German immigrant family, as they travel across the west. He bites their lovely daughter Lisa (Hannie Landman) one evening after the wagon train has established camp. Later that evening, a stagecoach picks Dracula up not far from the wagon train, and the well-dressed bloodsucker shares the coach with three other passengers. Dracula meets Mary Ann Bentley (Marjorie Bennett of "Charlie Varrick") and wealthy Boston banker James Underhill (William Forest of "The Horse Soldiers") and a proud Mary Ann shows Dracula a picture of her drop-dead gorgeous daughter. Dracula is immediately interested in meeting Elizabeth Bentley. Mary Ann explains that they are going back to their ranch where their beautiful, blond 18-year old daughter lives. Dracula decides at that point that neither Mary Ann nor Underhill will reach the ranch. Dracula's impersonation of Underhill succeeds because Elizabeth has never laid eyes on Underhill. Later, after the stagecoach pulls into the way station, Dracula dines on an Indian princess. When the redskins discover the dead girl, they angrily attack the stagecoach in retaliation. As it turns out, the Indians kill everybody on the stagecoach, including Mary Ann and Elizabeth's uncle James Underhill. Dracula then masquerades as Underhill so he can ride our to ranch and get Elizabeth. Meanwhile, the superstitious Osters wander back into the story, and Mrs. Oster (Virginia Christine of the Folger TV commercials) tries to run interference to protect Elizabeth from Dracula. Elizabeth doesn't believe in vampires and Dracula fires Billy as foreman and replaces Billy with our hero's long time rival Dan 'Red' Thorpe (Bing Russell of "The Magnificent Seven") and has Red try to run Billy out of town. Billy and Red shoot it out in the saloon, and Billy guns down Red in self-defense. Meantime, Dracula makes his move on Elizabeth. Simultaneously, Sheriff Griffin (veteran western B-movie player Roy Barcroft) arrests Billy to hold him for trial, but the wife of the local doctor, Dr. Henrietta Hull (Olive Carey of "The Alamo"), snatches Griffin's revolver while he is pouring himself a cup of coffee. She lobs it to Billy in a nearby jail cell. Billy breaks out of jail, takes Griffin's horse, and hightails it out to the ranch. An indignant Griffin and Henrietta grab a buggy and follow in hot pursuit.
Clearly an exploitation oater, "Billy the Kid Versus Dracula" is a low-budget generic western that violates some of the oldest vampire rules. Indeed, the producers could have called it "The Vampire and the Gunslinger." Nobody ever directly addresses Carradine as 'Dracula.' No attribution to Bram Stoker's novel ever occurs in the opening credits. Dracula goes for a buggy ride with Elizabeth in one scene when it is clearly daylight. Nevertheless, the production values are solid, and there is an adequate amount of drama. Chuck Courtney makes a very stalwart Billy. He knows how to wield a gun, while Carradine infuses great dignity and cunning in his spin on the Stoker character. Carradine sports a Van Dyke beard along with his characteristic mustache. The special effects consist of a bat flapping around until it plunges from the skies behind something and the slender Carradine neatly emerges. Dracula here doesn't have to drag along his coffin littered with soil. Mind you, we never see this Dracula either climbing into a casket or sizing it up to accommodate himself. "Billy the Kid Versus Dracula" is no great shakes with its shallow, exposition-laden storyline and modified vampire lore. This qualifies as one of the worse and weakest entry in the Dracula franchise.
bullets vs the undead
huemannus28 January 2007
The odds makers were giving 1000 to 1 against Billy out-dueling Dracula for his girlfriend. Drac had everything going for him, the curious ability to withstand the glare of the intense Western sun, the skill, without any visible fangs, to inflict 4 neck puncture wounds instead of the standard two, the capability to generate a frightening red hot glowing light on his face while hypnotizing his victims, AND the talent to single handedly decorate a dull, abandoned cave with a red velvet-covered bed suitable for deflowering naïve virgins.
As for Billy, his Ms Goodytwoshoes girlfriend had him so domesticated that he couldn't even win a simple fistfight with a rebellious cowhand, much less bring down the undead.
Billy the Kid vs Dracula opens the door to a whole bunch of intriguing match-ups between sinister historical characters. What about the Boston Strangler vs the Fiend without a Face?
As for Billy, his Ms Goodytwoshoes girlfriend had him so domesticated that he couldn't even win a simple fistfight with a rebellious cowhand, much less bring down the undead.
Billy the Kid vs Dracula opens the door to a whole bunch of intriguing match-ups between sinister historical characters. What about the Boston Strangler vs the Fiend without a Face?
A bite shy of being special
Flak_Magnet10 September 2009
In the great cinematic tradition of showdowns, "Billy the Kid versus Dracula" rests somewhere near the weirdest corners. This movie tells the tale of Billy the Kid, now a ranch hand, and his relationship with the beautiful Betty Bentley, whose ranch represents the movie's main set piece. When Betty's mysterious uncle (Carradine) comes to town, bad things start to happen, beginning with the murder of a young woman. When Billy the Kid discovers the uncle's nefarious plans to transform Betty into a vampire, he must stop him at all costs. This is a very hammy B-Western and although the story is ludicrous, the cast are taking their roles seriously. John Carradine hams it up, Lugosi style, while the rest of the cast struggle their way through the formulaic and predictable script. The print looks very fuzzy, but that goes with the territory. Aside from the shoddy print, this was actually a decently budgeted and produced movie, so don't expect a train wreck. We got a couple good laughs, but it wasn't hilarious. Overall, "Billy the Kid versus Dracula" is more of a weird B-Western than a unintentional comedy. Its hokey, cheesy fun, but almost entirely forgettable. ---|--- Reviews by Flak Magnet
Interesting idea but not much else
vtcavuoto14 July 2007
Warning: Spoilers
The title of this film caught my attention as I have seen another movie combining the western and vampire genres. This film was a bit of a disappointment. John Carridine made a good Dracula in the 1940s but is dated here. If he kept his gray/white hair, he would resemble the original description of Dracula from Bram Stoker's novel. Another let down is the character of Billy the Kid turning law-abiding citizen. I would have preferred more gun-slinging from him and a more outlaw attitude. The movie is what it is: Drive-in movie fare. There are some good points: the acting isn't half-bad, the musical score is decent and the way the Vampire is destroyed is original.The character of Doc was well portrayed. I just wish there was more action and suspense. If you want to see a successful combination of these genres, see "Curse of the Undead".
A lot scarier then people think.
jacobjohntaylor125 February 2016
3 is underrating this movie. It is one of the scariest movies of all time. If you like really scary movie you need to see this movie. This movie is a Dracula sequel. And it is must see. This is awesome movie. There should be more horror movies in the old west. John Carradine was a great actor. Chunk Courtney was a great actor. This is scarier then Dracula (1931) and that is not easy to do. Dracula (1931) is very scary. This is one of the scarier movies of all time. This is not a 3 it is a 10. There are not to many movie this scary made any more. There are few but not many. This is scarier then The Exorcist. This a great horror movie. It is an underrated classic. This movie is a must see. This a great movie.
How can you hate a film with a title this great?
rosscinema30 August 2003
This was filmed back to back with "Jessie James Meets Frankensteins Daughter" in the same Simi Valley ranch by William Beaudine who use to be a very capable director. I think this is just campy fun to watch! The story starts out with Dracula (John Carradine) on a stagecoach and he see's a picture of a young girl and is instantly attracted to her. That night Dracula kills a young Indian girl and the rest of the Indians attack the Stagecoach and kill everyone on board. Dracula assumes the identity of a Mr. Underhill and goes to meet his niece who has never met him. The niece is Betty Bentley (Melinda Plowman) and the ranch that her family owns has a foreman named William Bonney (Chuck Courtney) and the two of them are in love and want to get married. Dracula arrives and he introduces himself as Betty's uncle and he takes charge of the ranch. He also starts to make plans on making Betty his bride! An immigrant couple recognize him as a vampire because he had killed their daughter and now they try and warn Betty and William. This film plays as a regular vampire story and not as camp but with the low budget and a script that isn't careful about vampire do's and dont's it can't help but become camp. Carradine was pretty old in 1966 and he appears frail so when there are scenes that require physical effort a stand-in was used. Take a good look when Dracula is supposedly carrying Betty, you can't see his face. Carradine dyed his hair black for this role to try and look younger. I also liked Plowman in this film, she was a steady television actress during the 50's and 60's and she was extremely beautiful to look at. I personally could understand why Dracula was so infatuated with her. I probably would have done the same thing if I was in his shoes! If anyone knows whatever happened to Melinda Plowman please let me know. The ending was pretty shabby when Billy the Kid throws a gun at Dracula and knocks him out! And then uses a railroad spike. Everyone knows it has to be a wooden spike! But you have to expect these inconsistencies from these films. Thats part of their charm! Also, for you trivia buffs out there...Olive Carey plays Dr. Hull and Carey is the mother of Harry Carey jr. who also appears in this film as the wagon master! Silly and inconsistent film is actually fun to watch. I think it lives up to its incredible title. Look out for those rubber bats on a string!
Why, in God's Name Was This Made?
domino100314 June 2005
Warning: Spoilers
In a apparently desperate attempt to lure kids to the drive-ins, William Beaudine made two companion films. The first being "Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter,' the second being this piece of junk, "Billy The Kid Vs. Dracula." Billy The Kid (Chuck Courtney)is apparently reformed (Just like Jesse James in the Frankenstein film), and engaged to marry sweetly Elizabeth (Melinda Plowman). Into the picture steps her uncle who had just arrived in town. What they don't know is that her uncle is REALLY Dracula (John Carradine), her real uncle dead as a result of an Indian raid on the stagecoach party (They thought that the party killed one of their women, but Dracula was the culprit). Dracula's purpose? To claim sweet Elizabeth as his bride.
The film is nothing but crap. It's also surprising to find Ms. Olsen, the coffee lady (Actually Virginia Christine, who did a lot of Folger's Coffee commercials)in the film.
If you want a REALLY good laugh, then this is your film. Carradine clearly looks like he didn't want to be there.
The film is nothing but crap. It's also surprising to find Ms. Olsen, the coffee lady (Actually Virginia Christine, who did a lot of Folger's Coffee commercials)in the film.
If you want a REALLY good laugh, then this is your film. Carradine clearly looks like he didn't want to be there.
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