Sucker

 

BLOODSUCKERS-(INCENSE FOR THE DAMNED)-1971-Tony Seymour (Alex Davion) hears stories about some odd behavior of his friend Richard Fountain (Patrick Mower) in Greece. He visits Richard's fiance Penelope (Madeline Hinde) and her bug up his ass father (Peter Cushing). Tony goes to Greece to investigate accompanied by Richard's friend Bob (Johnny Sekka). Through foreign secretary Derek (Patrick Macnee), Tony finds out Richard is living the life of a jet setter and has a girlfriend Chriseis (Imogen Hassell). People dance on a beach, smoke dope and have sex. An over long psychedelic orgy ends with a woman being stabbed to death. Later Bob gets beat up by some thugs sent by an old woman (who believed Richard killed her daughter) to kill Penelope. It seems murders occurred in other places Richard was visiting. Tony and Bob, along with Derek go to an abandoned fort and rescue Richard but he's in a trance put on by his girlfriend who turns out to be some blood drinking vampire. After Derek falls to his death, Chriseis is also killed running away from Bob. He and Tony take Richard back to England and consult Dr. Holstrom (Edward Woodward). At a big college banquet Richard gives a speech denouncing everyone (especially his future father in law) and thanks the gods. Later he kills Penelope and drinks her blood. He and Bob have a roof top chase until Richard throws himself off the roof and is impaled. This says that vampirism is a product of sexual dysfunction (as “Doctors Wear Scarlet” by Simon Raven, the book it's based on did) but at the end Bob uses some stakes just in case.

 BLOODSUCKERS was directed by Robert Hartford-Davies who had already made the sleazy CORRUPTION with Peter Cushing. He later came to the US and made two “blaxploitation” movies THE TAKE and BLACK GUNN. At one point during filming they ran out of money and the production was closed down. When additional financing was found new scenes with new actors were added. Director Hartford-Davies later “disowned” the final result.

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