Description: |
Photographer Glen Cannon [Gene O'Shane] and his fiancée, model Liz Arden [Barbara Bishop], are
pleased to find that Glen has inherited Falconroc Castle after the death
of his uncle Thomas. Unfortunately, Falconroc is already inhabited by an
old couple--Count Charles Townsend [Alex D'Arcy] and his wife [Paula Raymond] -- who have been renting the castle for over 60 years. Glen isn't looking forward to dispossessing the
Townsends of their longtime home.Actually, Count Townsend is none other than Count Dracula, and he and
his wife like Falconroc. Their retarded and disfigured strongman Mango [Ray Young]
catches young girls, and their butler George [John Carradine] (whom they saved from the
noose when he was convicted of sacrificing victims to the great god Luna)
chains the girls in the basement and extracts blood for the Townsends to
drink. Now that their old friend JohnnyDavenport (Robert Dix], who has a problem in that he
turns into a psycho killer during the full moon, has broken out of prison
and made it to Falconroc, life is really looking up. The Count has no
intention of moving.What Glen and Liz discover when they arrive at Falconroc is a very
refined and impeccably dressed couple who look much younger than their
years. The Count explains that he simply took over the lease at the death
of his father. When the Count gets around to asking whether Glen would
consider selling Falconroc and Glen refuses because Liz is looking forward
to living there, the Count turns to Johnny, who promises to think up some
way of doing away with the new owners.Liz and Glen spend the night at Falconroc, but Liz is awakened when
she hears a woman screaming. She wakes up Glen and forces him to find out
what's going on, even though Glen thinks it's just a family spat or
someone using an electric toothbrush that short-circuited. The scream came
from downstairs, so they light a candlabra and head for the cellar. When
they run into Mango, they retreat. Then they encounter George, who
explains that the screams were made by a pet toucan.The next morning, Liz and Glen go for a swim in the ocean
[interesting, since Falconroc is in the middle of the Arizona desert].
When Liz and Glen return to the castle, Johnny informs them that the fuel
line on their car is damaged and that a mechanic will take a look at it
tomorrow morning. Consequently, Liz and Glen are invited to dine with the
Townsends that evening.In the meantime, Liz wants to take a look at the noisy toucan, so she
and Glen head down to the cellar. They are horrified to find three girls
in chains. Even more horrifying is when they find the Townsends in the
next room, asleep in coffins. As they back out of the Townsends' bedroom,
they turn to find Johnny, George, and Mango behind them. The three thugs
capture Glen and Liz and place them in chains. Then George awakens the
Townsends and reminds them that tonight is the full moon and the night of
the sacrifice. The Countess informs Ann [Vicki Volante], one of the chained girls, that
she is to be the sacrifice, and the Count tells George to draw up a bill
of sale for the castle. They then all go upstairs to begin the
purification ritual.Two rats and a tarantula come crawling around Liz and Ann, which sets
them to screaming, so Johnny comes back down into the cellar. He releases
Ann and tries to convince her that he's only pretending to be the
Townsends' friend and that he's really going to try to help her get free
because she reminds him of a girl that he almost married. When he starts
to tell her about the girl and takes Ann into his arms, Ann pushes him
away and screams. Johnny slaps her, but he is stopped by George who
informs Johnny that he can never become one of the eternal ones if he
violates the sacrifice.The full moon has risen, and the band of torch-carrying worshippers
with Glen and Liz among them, walk along the beach to a hill where Ann is
tied to a stake and wood for a bonfire has been piled at her feet. George
mouths an offeratory, they light the bonfire, and the fire consumes Ann.
The ceremony over, everyone returns to the castle. Mango takes the two
extra girls back to the cellar while George prepares to serve dinner.
First, they drink a toast to the great God Luna. Liz and Glen notice the
gun sticking out of Johnny's pants. Liz tosses her drink in Johnny's face,
and Glen grabs the gun. He shoots Johnny through the heart, effectively
putting him out of commission. George slinks out of the room, leaving the
Townsends alone, facing Glen's gun. Glen passes the gun to Liz and ties up
the Townsends using the sashes from their robes. Then Glen goes after
George. George has run down to the cellar where he grabs a bullwhip and
tries to stop Glen. Unfortunately for George, when he takes a swing at
Glen with a mace, he accidentally falls down the cellar stairs and is
knocked out.Meanwhile, back upstairs, the Townsends struggle at their ties but
can't get free. Glen comes bounding up the stairs, much to Liz's relief.
It's almost dawn, and the Townsends plead to be put in their coffins. Glen
refuses. As Glen and Liz watch, the Townsends turn to dust, and two bats
fly out the window.Downstairs, Mango has discovered George's body. He takes the mace and
goes upstairs only to find the Townsends turned to dust and Johnny dead.
Mango advances on Liz and Glen. They run outside. Mango follows. Glen and
Liz run up the side of a hill, Liz stumbles, Mango punches Glen and
carries off Liz, kicking and screaming, to the site of last night's
sacrifice. Mango ties Liz to the stake, pours gasoline on her, and lights
a torch. Glen finds an ax laying next to a woodpile and plunges it into
Mango's back. He then pours gasoline on Mango and sets him on fire. Mango
crawls to a cliff and falls to the rocky beach below. [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl] |