Review of Scream Blacula Scream

Director, Bob Kelljan previously helmed the first and second Yoga films, with mixed success and now takes on the follow up to Blacula. Not being a great fan of Blacula, except for William Marshall's majestic performance, I thought at first I was going to prefer this. After Marshall's almost speechless and affective opening scenes, however, things become a little too campy for me and one non scene follows another. The big house is great but too many long tracking shots and pans do not a suspenseful or exciting film make. Not being interested in any of the characters meant the slow drawn out passages became a problem. The obvious and most simple solution would have been to increase Pam Grier's part and give her some decent clothes. I cannot imagine any more drab and unflattering garments she was given to wear especially as everyone else is gloriously dressed. The late scenes with Marshall and Grier over voodoo are great. He is back on form, the direction and editing is tight and Grier looks quite amazing. Shame the whole film could not have been like this.