Ìý When a sketchy band of low-budget soldiers blow up the tomb of the Dracula dynasty, they unwittingly release the Count's servant as well as faithful dog Zoltan. Without their vampire master, servant and dog are nothing and so they set out to find a Dracula relative to serve, wreaking cinematic boredom wherever they strike.
Their ultimate destination is Los Angeles where Michael, the last descendent of the Dracula clan, resides. He was shipped over there as a child and has little inkling of his past. This is made pretty clear by his desire to take his family on a camping trip rather than spend a leisurely weekend draining their blood.
They happen to own a few dogs of their own, which is cute, because with them and Zoltan combined, most of the film is filled with incessant barking. This is the only thing likely to frazzle your nerves, as veteran director Albert Band (father of Empire Films boss Charles) successfully misses every opportunity for suspense.
While the family indulge in their vacation, Zoltan and the creepy servant skulk about the woods in their hearse, putting off doing anything at all. This allows plenty of time for Inspector Branco (José Ferrer) to warn Dracula-descendent-Michael of his past and potentially bloody future.
He's no sooner absorbed the facts than the long overdue attack by Zoltan and the servant begins. This is a mighty relief as it signals the end of this gaspingly dull attempt to squeeze a little more terror from the Dracula franchise. There are of course odd moments of cheesy pleasure to be had, but even the unintentional humour is thin in this woeful enterprise.
(Also known as "Zoltan, Hound Dog of Dracula", "Zoltan, Hound of Hell", "Dracula's Dog", and "Zoltan".)
Read about another deadly dog.
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A true undiscovered gem of American cinema!
