As
a child, Akiko (Midori Fujita) had a dream about chasing her dog into a castle
full of vampires. Years later, she goes
to her lakeside home to finish a painting that has an ominous significance for
her, although she can’t exactly explain why. It all finally dawns on her that the vampires
in her dream are very real. Not only
that, they’re after her. Akiko’s doctor boyfriend
Takashi (Choei Takahashi) and sister Natsuko (Sanae Emi) think she’s crazy, but
that all changes once the vampire turns Natsuko into a bloodsucker.
Lake
of Dracula isn’t a direct sequel to Legacy of Dracula: The Vampire Doll. Instead, it’s more of a spiritual
continuation in terms of style, subject matter, and tone. It has a few similar thematic links (like
hypnotism and the death of a sibling), but it’s not nearly as cohesive and
satisfying as its predecessor. One cool
touch is that it features a few supporting players from the first movie
appearing in different roles. Too bad
they’re not given anything memorable to do.
This
film moves much more deliberately than the original and isn’t quite as stylish
either (although the dream scenes are well done). Director Michio Yamamoto does deliver an occasional
clever moment (like the near-autopsy scene), but there’s just not enough meat
here to warrant the sluggish pace. It’s
also rather uneven. However, things
really take off in the final reel. While
you do have to wait for the flick to eventually kick a little ass, the last ten
minutes or so will be a blast for old school Dracula fans (especially Hammer
enthusiasts). If only the rest of the
movie had the same kind of pizzazz. Oh
well. I guess it’s better late than
never.
AKA: Bloodthirsty Eyes. AKA:
Japula. AKA: Lake of Death.
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