Directed by Bob Kelljan, best known for Count Yorga, Vampire and The Return of Count Yorga, this sequel in terms of on-screen horror is possibly superior to Blackula, offering more style and dark humor but slightly less pulpy fun. Writers Joan Torres and Raymond Koenig, with help from Maurice Jules, deliver a more polished script, yet the pacing feels rushed, and the budget seems lower, with fewer locations-mostly confined to homes and small interiors. That said, it leans fully into its voodoo and black magic themes, adding a fresh layer to the horror.
William Marshall returns as Mamuwalde/Blackula, resurrected in a compelling novel way, again delivering an intense, brooding performance, exuding Shakespearean tragic menace and terrifying dignity. Pam Grier, a welcome addition, plays Lisa, a voodoo priestess caught between good and evil, her presence elevating the film with both strength and vulnerability. The cast a solid, Arnold Williams briefly appears.
Like the resurrection the climax is also original. The film also leans into classic horror elements, with hypnotic stares, eerie rituals, and more graphic, bloody violence than its predecessor. There are more vampires, offering a Night of the Living Dead, Last Man on Earth vibe. Scream Blacula Scream leans less into the overt Blaxploitation elements of its predecessor, focusing more on gothic horror.
Cinematographer Isidore Mankofsky and composer Bill Marx (theme tunes aside) create a moody, atmospheric experience, with stylish lighting and an ominous score heightening the film's gothic undertones.
While it lacks some of the original's lively energy, Scream Blacula Scream is a darker, more brooding, and bloodier take on the legend, still brimming with 70s charm.
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