Director
Harinam Singh plays Dracula, a vampire now living in a remote Indian
villa shrouded by a dark woods. He is the royal boss with two female
vampire slaves at his side. Outside the walls of his home, an array
of monsters [a werewolf, a skeleton, demons and witches] constantly
wander about looking for humans to torment and kill. When a group of
campers from the local college arrive, Dracula realizes that one of
the young women - Sheetal (played by Shweta) - is the reincarnated spirit
of his girlfriend from 600 years prior. He attempts to seduce Sheetal,
bringing her into his demonic fold as the new Lady Dracula. But she
draws upon her strong Christian faith and challenges Dracula with a
cross and Holy Bible.
This
is the real deal, a movie so bad that it transcends into greatness.
"It is a film so far beyond the pale of anything we can recognize
as a movie that one can hardly call it a movie. An experience, perhaps.
Enlightenment," wrote Diabolique's Keith Allison.
"You can try to blink the crazies away," says Dan Budnik
of Bleeding Skull"but this film won’t let
it go. It’s a child’s vision of a vampire movie that verges
on a wet dream of epic proportions." And Wayne Butane exclaims
"It's a perfect storm of filmmaking incompetence."
That's probably the best description.
This
project is something of a true rarity: a movie that should not exist,
made by someone who is clearly out of his element, lacking most every
necessary filmmaking technique [from focus to continuity], yet Singh
manages to dazzle the audience with his off-kilter anti-diligence. Simply,
this kind of entertainment cannot be created by someone who is a competent
filmmaker, it will inevitably backfire [look at Roger Corman's
GAS!, Otto Preminger's SKIDOO, Joseph Losey's
MODESTY BLAISE or even Rob Zombie's MUNSTERS].
As Erich Kuersten said in his brilliant Acidemic Journal of Film
article: "Take non-stop focus problems, mixed-up time frames, interchangeable
actors [and costumes], inscrutable dialogue, then stir, rinse and assemble
with a rusty splicer and a blindfold. The resulting mess can set you
free." This is a mind-trip you will never forget.
Please note: This
print has optional ON/OFF English subtitles.
The original release
date was 1998, with a running time of 80 minutes.
It was re-released as a 62 minute film in 2004. This print is a fully
uncut composite version.
As a point of reference, deleted scenes are
briefly identified on screen, upper left corner (see pic below, center).
A Indian/Hindi
film with optional (ON/OFF) English subtitles; widescreen format,
(80 min.), DVD encoded for ALL REGION NTSC, playable on any American machine.
_______________________
Extras
include a music video directed by Harinam Singh.
The screenshots below are from Singh's music video for the song
BHUTON KA ITEM (Ghost Story)
by acclaimed Yoga instructor/singer Sharma Pratishtha
