Love at First Bite brings Count Dracula into 1970s New York, blending horror, romance, and disco-era humour in this unforgettable comedic classic, writes WILLIAM BOVE
TITLE: Love At First Bite
RELEASED: 1979
DIRECTOR: Stan Dragoti
CAST: George Hamilton, Susan Saint James, Richard Benjamin, Arte Johnson
Review of Love At First Bite 1979
“I love the nightlife, I’ve got to boogie.” And so does Count Dracula.
Fresh from Romania, he sweeps across the dance floor and straight into the heart of our laughter – better that than a stake driven into his own.
In Love at First Bite, Count Dracula manages to avoid that fate in this 1979 horror-comedy directed by Stan Dragoti and written by Robert Kaufman.
Starring George Hamilton as Count Dracula, Susan Saint James as Cindy Sondheim, Richard Benjamin as Jeffrey Rosenberg (formerly Van Helsing, hoping to avoid being labelled a quack), and Arte Johnson as Renfield, the film mixes romance and horror with laugh-out-loud humour.
The opening line is a nod to the disco hit “I Love the Nightlife” by Alicia Bridges (1978), which plays during Dracula’s first encounter with his prey, Cindy. Cindy, a model, soon becomes his “model” love interest, fulfilling Dracula’s longing for true love.
Fleeing from angry villagers who have driven him out of his Romanian castle, the Count arrives in New York City. However, his coffin ends up in a Harlem church, crashing a funeral and providing a hysterical surprise for the mourners. Determined to make amends, Renfield quickly secures a luxurious hotel for Dracula.
The comedy begins right from the start, setting the tone for the film’s humour. “Children of the night, shut up!” Dracula yells while playing the piano, highlighting the blend of horror and comedy that runs throughout the film. Renfield’s antics continuously attract unwanted attention, putting both himself and Dracula at risk.
Dracula soon embraces New York nightlife and finds solace in a disco, where he meets Cindy Sondheim, whom he believes to be the reincarnation of his lost love, Mina Harker. With some fancy footwork on the dance floor, Dracula captures Cindy’s attention, sparking an immediate, passionate affair.
However, their love faces several obstacles. Renfield repeatedly risks exposing Dracula’s true identity as a vampire.
But the real complication is Jeffrey, Cindy’s therapist and would-be suitor, who also happens to be a Van Helsing. Jeffrey changed his surname to Rosenberg in an effort to avoid the stigma associated with his family name, though his bumbling attempts to thwart Dracula make him appear every bit the quack he hoped to avoid.
Through a series of botched efforts to expose Dracula, Jeffrey lands himself in a mental institution.
From waving garlic to brandishing crosses and even attempting to shoot Dracula with silver bullets (which, as Dracula points out, are for werewolves), Jeffrey’s desperate tactics only serve to escalate the comedy. After an attempt to burn Dracula’s coffin is foiled by hotel security, Dracula remains unscathed.
Following Jeffrey’s public attempt to shoot Dracula, a city-wide blackout plunges New York into darkness, providing Dracula with ample opportunity to pursue Cindy. As vampire-like incidents and suspicious blood bank withdrawals increase, Lieutenant Ferguson begins to take Jeffrey’s warnings seriously and arranges his release from the asylum.
With one last desperate attempt to save Cindy, Jeffrey rushes to the airport, joined by Lieutenant Ferguson, in an effort to stop her from leaving with Dracula. But they arrive just moments too late. Dracula and Cindy, now his willing and undead bride, escape into the night, flying towards Jamaica as bats.
Left with nothing but Dracula’s elegant cape, Jeffrey and Ferguson are defeated. In the end, the cape becomes a trophy of sorts for Jeffrey, who lends it to Ferguson to spice up his wedding anniversary, while Dracula and Cindy are left to enjoy their eternal love.
For me, the highlight of the movie was Renfield’s maniacal, infectious laugh. His eccentric antics added an extra layer of humour to the film.
Love at First Bite is an unforgettable comedic twist on the Dracula legend and a horror-comedy classic.
Fun Fact: In an early scene, Dracula is shown reading a magazine titled Pizazz, but longer shots reveal it’s actually Ladies’ Home Journal.
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