A Taste of Blood (1967)

Director:

Herschell Gordon Lewis

Writer:

Donald Stanford (writer)

Release Date:

9 August 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

A ghastly tale drenched with gouts of blood spurting from the writhing victims of a madman's lust!

Plot:

A businessman turns into a vampire after drinking brandy laced with vampire blood and sets out on an odyssey of killing the descendent's of Dracula's executioners.

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Brandy | Blood | Florida | Throat Ripping

Cast

Bill Rogers	...	John Stone
Elizabeth Wilkinson	...	Helene Stone
William Kerwin	...	Dr. Hank Tyson (as Thomas Wood)
Lawrence Tobin	...	Det. Crane
Ted Schell	...	Lord Gold
Otto Schlessinger	...	Dr. Howard Helsing
Eleanor Vaill	...	Hester Avery
Gail Janis	...	Vivian
Herschell Gordon Lewis	...	The Limey Seaman / Voice of Baron Khron (as Seymour Sheldon)
Judy Waterberry	...	Ida, the maid
Dolores Carlos	...	Sherri Morris
Roy Collodi	...	Delivery Man
Karl Stoeber	...	Man walking dog
Thomas Rowland	...	Detective
Sidney J. Reich	...	Arthur Morris (as Sidney Jaye)
Barrie Walton	...	Telephone Operator
Cal Bowman	...	Hank's golfing friend
Doug Weston	...	Police photographer
Jake R. Pawlson	...	Policeman
Bill Kozak	...	Man running from tomb

Directed by
Herschell Gordon Lewis

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Donald Stanford		writer

Produced by
Herschell Gordon Lewis	....	producer
Sidney J. Reich	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Andy Romanoff

Film Editing by
Richard Brinkman

Production Management
Cal Bowman	....	unit manager
William Kerwin	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Allison Louise Downe	....	assistant director (as Louise Downe)

Sound Department
Alan Tadie	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Wood Koizumi	....	still photographer
Andy Romanoff	....	camera operator
Bobby Vercruse	....	electrician (as Robert Vercruse)

Music Department
Larry Wellington	....	musical director

Other crew
Roy Collodi	....	crew chief

Production Companies

• Creative Film Enterprises Inc.

Distributors

• Ajay Film Company (1967) (USA) (theatrical)
• CMV Laservision (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Filmfreak Distributie (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (special collector's edition)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (2000) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

The Secret of Dr. Alucard

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Miami, Florida, USA

Company:

Creative Film Enterprises Inc.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: In the night-time scene on the ship docked in London's East End, lights from Miami Beach's high-rise hotels and apartment buildings can be glimpsed in the background.

Quotes:

John Stone: Brandy anyone?
Helene Stone: You know I don't drink brandy.
John Stone: How about you, Hester?
Hester Avery: I've got a few heartbeats I'd like to save, thank you very much.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Extra Weird (2003) (V)

Like a community theater version of Dracula

A man receives a package from England. Inside is a letter stating that he is the sole heir to a family fortune and title. Additionally, the letter states that enclosed in the box are two bottles of the finest family-made liquor and that he should make a toast to the family and his good fortune. Unfortunately, the brandy-like concoction is laced with the blood of Dracula and slowly the man changes to a vampire. Additionally, the blood fills him with a desire for a vendetta--a vendetta to kill the living relatives of the people who killed Dracula a century ago. In a real change of pace, 90% of the film is set in the Miami area--certainly a big change from previous films.

I really am not exaggerating in the summary--this looks like a lower quality community theater group performing a modern reworking of Dracula. While this may sound pretty bad, for a Hershell Gordon Lewis movie, this isn't that bad. In fact, I'd place it in the top half of his films for quality--though it still isn't that great. The worst thing about the movie is the rather uninspired acting. Most of it isn't terrible--none of it is particularly good. The second worst thing about the film is the direction--it shows no imagination or style whatsoever. I've seen many homemade videos on YouTube that look as good or better. But, there is something decent in the film--the story. While doing yet another Dracula film isn't something we really needed, the story shows more originality than manner of the Hammer Dracula films! It is a novel idea...and that's something!