The Return of Count Yorga (1971) User Reviews

a worthy sequel

[dr_foreman · 7/10 · 2 February 2005]

The Count is back, without any apparent explanation of how he survived the events of the first film. But who cares, eh? All that matters is that, mere minutes into "The Return of Count Yorga," vampire women emerge from their graves to stalk a poor little boy. The action starts quick in this one, folks! It's a bit scary…it's a bit erotic…and it's even a bit good.

In fact, "Return of Count Yorga" is almost good enough to eclipse its predecessor, but the middle act unfortunately sags and the conclusion feels too much like a retread. Still, there is plenty of great material here, including a harrowing attack segment on a house full of people and a memorable final chase through the narrow corridors of Yorga's mansion. Quarry is again smooth and super-cool as the Count; I love the way he effortlessly mingles with, and insults, the stupid townspeople at their costume party.

The film takes a stab at philosophy by allowing Yorga to have a "romance" with Cynthia (played by the lovely Mariette Hartley – what a nice voice she has), but this storyline basically reaches a dead end. They have one interesting conversation about their world views over punch at the party, and that's it. The notion of a vampire in love was explored more deeply (and more to my satisfaction) in "Subspecies II," one of my favorite horror movies of recent times.

Nevertheless, "Return of Count Yorga" should be applauded for being experimental, as this kind of movie goes. In many respects, it's a more thoughtful and engaging film than the first Yorga, but it's also more uneven. Anyway, fans of classic movies/actors should watch out for George Sanders in a cameo role as a loopy vampire expert who expounds upon the inherent difficulties of assuming yoga positions. Like the movie as a whole, Sanders' lone scene is very strange, but certainly worth seeing.

An enjoyable follow up.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 17 February 2023]

The Santa Ana winds howl, signalling the return of Count Yorga, who had previously been killed, The Count has a penchant for Orphans from the local orphanage, and becomes very drawn to beautiful teacher,

I haven't seen the original film for years, but I remember it fondly, and have always regarded it as one of my favourite classic horrors, this is a very worthy follow up. It's definitely a little bit cheesy at times, but if like me you're a fan of seventies horror, you'll enjoy it.

Robert Quarry is excellent as Yorga once again, his eyes were wonderfully deadpan throughout the film, but there's no denying he had a real elegance and presence.

Great scenes of San Francisco in the early 1970's, I bet that was one awesome place to be.

Some of the makeup is a little questionable as you'd perhaps expect, but surely that can be forgiven, I don't think any expectations of greatness were made when they produced this film, but overall it does the job.

Worth seeing, 7/10.

So how does Yorga come back? The world may never know

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 5/10 · 15 November 2003]

Count Yorga, Vampire is one of my little guilty pleasures that is a hidden horror treasure that not too many people have seen. It had great suspense, scary make up and a chilling performance by Robert Quarry. They killed him off with pretty much no way of bringing him back, yet somehow they did. In The Return of Count Yorga, there is no explanation, he's just back. I guess he was so bad that he just brought himself back, or just saw the check from beyond the grave and said "sure, we can do a sequel!" We are given an alright sequel with some corny moments, cheesy acting with a young Craig T. Nelson, bad make up effects but an effective atmosphere, we could go for one more ride with the count and his bordello of ladies.

Count Yorga is buying property next to an orphanage where he and his brides begin to feed on the children and the local vixens. The vampire falls in love with one of the orphanage's teachers, Cynthia. Yorga sends his undead brides to her house to kill her family. The brides then bring Cynthia to Yorga's residence, where he makes her believe that her parents & sister were in a car accident and she was left in his care while their recovering. Yorga then tries to charm the young woman into willingly becoming his bride. Meanwhile Jennifer, the Nelson's mute maid, happens upon the massacre scene the next morning and calls the police. By the time the police arrive though, all of the evidence has mysteriously been cleared away, and Tommy lies, claiming nothing has happened but are they prepared to handle the truth? Count Yorga is ready for them this time.

This is definitely not the first film with a young group of teens. Count Yorga must have been very busy before we see him come back, because he has 40 ladies in his basement all wearing the same dress which caught my eye. I guess he's not that picky, you just have to be a looker. There is a scene I nearly died laughing at even though it's supposed to be scary, but he chases after one of his lady's boyfriends and it's done in incredible slow motion and it reminded me more of Baywatch with the way he was running after this guy. The music is also very random and just awful with a kid's choir singing "la la la" literally. The acting is horrible and the whole story just doesn't make sense without knowing how or why the count came back. However, for some reason I still did enjoy the film. I'm a freak however who likes a fun horror movie even if it doesn't make sense at times. I think this was just meant for fun and for the fans of the first film. Robert is still a smooth count who could never be taken down, too bad we couldn't get more sequels out of it but I'm sure that Robert just looked at these films with the same look of disgust the count gave when he was about to bite his lady and heard her boyfriend's voice calling him out.

5/10

Cool horror bits, add up to a strange mix, but a fun film

[horrorbargainbin · 4 October 2002]

First of all, the sets and atmosphere are great. An opening grave yard is truly beautiful and spooky. Perhaps the big-haired living dead women crawl their way out of the dirt with too much ease, but style is more important than being realistic. The Count appears to have no reason to be at the boarding school's halloween bash, but he is there, uninvited, clashing with the other guests. The fact that there is a costumed vampire at the party, leads to amusing tension and the viewer knows that the Count will be teaching these people a thing or two about real vampires as the movie continues.

Cameras are placed creatively throughout the film. One strangulation scene on a dock is shot from underwater with screaming whale sound effects. Shots in Yorga's mansion utilize quite a bit of framing through doorways. In fact doors are important to the film, the house is rigged with mechanical gates that open to reveal vampires (or close to trap intruders) numerous times. Also in the house, unexplained baby dolls, but they are creepy and so serve their purpose. Sound effects include whispering voices and laughter, perhaps not original, but fun.

You could look at this film as a mess, or you could have a good time watching it as I did. I don't need every phenomenon to make perfect sence or for all elements to be resolved. I like mysterious, bizarre, artistic horror.

Average Vampire Film

[Rainey-Dawn · 5/10 · 19 December 2021]

Atmosphere is good, acting average at best while the story is basic and typical: the Count is out for blood and a new wife. It's an okay watch with some campy fun at times.

5/10.

Uneven but well-directed; undermined by cliches

[Erewhon · 7/10 · 16 March 2001]

If all of this movie were as good as its best parts, it would be a minor classic, but the plot is very thin -- a lot of time is marked by people wandering through corridors -- and the ending is a serious letdown, since it simply repeats that of the first Count Yorga movie.

But Quarry is excellent, a little more stately, less witty, than in the first movie; his dialog tends at times toward the pompous, and just what his ultimate goal is remains unclear. What he's doing would seem likely to call a lot of unwanted attention to himself.

The direction by Kelljan is excellent, as is the cinematography and music. Marx actually UNDERSTATES the music, very unusual for a horror movie, and Kelljan stages several scenes without any music at all. If the script had been given a bit more work, perhaps if AIP had allowed the filmmakers some more leeway, this would be a significant film. As it is, it remains uneven -- imaginative, with excellent performances and a great deal of spooky tension. Hartley is generally outstanding.

Return! How?

[AaronCapenBanner · 1/10 · 3 October 2013]

Robert Quarry is back as Count Yorga, a ruthless vampire who takes up residence with his many brides near an orphanage, only he seems determined to add one more(played by Mariette Hartley) to his harem. Once again, some local men decide he must be stopped, only they underestimate the evil they have to face...

Incoherent, nihilistic film inexplicably brings back Yorga(despite having turned to dust!) and his brides, resulting in some violent attack scenes and yet another downbeat end that seems to wallow in futility. No point to this sequel whatsoever, except to cash in on the name. At least there wasn't a third film!

Yorga!

[BandSAboutMovies · 6/10 · 24 September 2022]

Count Yorga and his servant Brudah have been revived by the supernatural Santa Ana winds. Sure, I mean, whatever it takes to get more of Yorga facing off with early 70s hippies, right?

This time around, Yorga is going after not just adults, but the children of an orphanage and their teacher Cynthia Nelson (Mariette Hartley). One of the students, Tommy, even watches as the brides of Yorga rise from a graveyard.

How bad does Yorga want her for his bride? Well, he sens is undead army after her entire family, tearing them apart and hypnotizing her into thinking they've left her in his care. Also, Yorga now doesn't just have the disigured Brudah helping him, he also has a witch who can tell the future. And she believes that unless Cynthia isn't killed or turned soon, she'll be the death of her master.

This one is, if possible, even more bleak than the first film but still finds moments of humor, like Yorga watching The Vampire Lovers.

The ads for this film refer to Yorga as the Deathmaster. That would be the name of another Quarry-starring vampire movie, The Deathmaster, but it is not a Yorga sequel. There was a plan to make a third film in which Yorga would live in Los Angeles's sewers with an army of undead homeless people.

American-International Pictures also considered a movie that would have had Count Yorga face Dr. Phibes. Instead, Quarry would play Phibes' adversary in Dr. Phibes Rises Again. As it was, Quarry was pretty much Price's enemy nearly every time they were in a movie together, just as much off-screen as on-screen. It was mainly because Quarry was AIP's new horror star and Price's contract was nearly up.

I love that this movie ends with nearly every character either dead or turned into a vampire; the hero has become the villain, the children are about to be consumed and Yorga's curse keeps unliving.

It wins my award for some of the worst looking vampires in fiilm history....

[planktonrules · 2/10 · 13 February 2011]

Following in the tradition of Hammer Films' Dracula series, this sequel resurrects the vampire AND his assistant even though they were clearly killed at the end of the first Yorga movie! Yes, inexplicably he's back and in a different locale--now terrorizing suburbia instead of Los Angeles.

Soon after the film begins, a group of very poorly costumed vampire ladies attack a home--killing several family members. However, Yorga appears and is not pleased (why?!) and decides to somehow erase the memory of the attack from most of the surviving family members. Oddly, the mute woman (Jennifer) is immune to the hypnosis but no one believes her story that the family was attacked. However, some family members were killed but young Tommy came up with convenient excuses as to their whereabouts. Slowly, however, another family member (Cynthia) begins to recall bits and pieces of the attack--all this AFTER she's gone to stay with Yorga. Perhaps she'll remember the entire traumatic event in time. This all begs the question "why would Yorga go to all this trouble--and why wouldn't he just wipe out this family altogether???" Well, the answer it seems is that he's in love with Cynthia and wants to woo her! No, he doesn't want to bite her neck but have her voluntarily become his--a truly consensual vampire (how modern and non-chauvinistic).

So is the film any good? Well, not especially. The biggest problem, other than the weird plot, is that the vampire makeup appears often to be some cheap plastic fangs and some white powder makeup and that's all!! This is especially true of the lady vampires and just looks crappy--and I am talking about WORSE than a typical Halloween costume! And, in most every other way the film just looks shabby. To make things worse, it's also not all that interesting...and Yorga comes off as a bit of a loser. Not very good and a pale shadow of the original Yorga film. Perhaps the $47.37 budget didn't help!

Sequel has a better cast and is equal the original

[a_chinn · 6/10 · 26 November 2017]

Robert Quarry returns as Count Yorga, brought back to life by the Santa Ana winds after having been killed at the end of the prior film. Yorga then begins to prey on the residents of a nearby orphanage and seems to lavish particular attention on a young teacher at the orphanage, Mariette Hartley. As with the first film, it's rather low budget, but makes up for it in enthusiasm and gore. This sequel gave more screen time to the Vampire Brides of Yorga, which was kind fun and provided some good creepy visuals, but overall this is an awfully silly film. Producer Michael Macready's father, Hollywood veteran George Macready made his final film appearance here as Prof. Rightstat and a young Craig T. Nelson made his film debut on this picture playing a cop. And not that you would notice it, the director of photography on this film was Bill butler, who's later go on to film "Jaws" and several "Rocky" pictures.

More 70s vampires

[preppy-3 · 5/10 · 13 April 2001]

Count Yorga, "alive" and well (quite a feat considering he was killed off at the end of the first film), inexplicably falls in love with Mariette Hartley, a worker at an isolated orphanage. After his coven attacks and destroys her family (a very scary, brutal sequence) he locks her in his nearby estate and tries to make her love him. Meanwhile, some policeman figure out what's going on and go to save her. But are they any match for Yorga and his female vampires?

The vampire makeup here is lousy (like the first film), the FANGS are done wrong, the dialogue is pathetic and there is LOTS of padding--there are endless sequences of people running or walking through Yorga's estate. However, the film isn't a total washout--director Robert Kelljan adds some nice directorial touches, there are a few creepy scenes and it's fun to see Hartley so young and beautiful (her acting is bad but that's more because of the dialogue). Also Craig T. Nelson is on hand as a cop. Robert Quarry as Yorga tries, but (while he was good in the first film), he looks tired and more than a little silly with the fangs. Basically, a sequel that was rushed into production...and it shows. Unless you're a vampire completist, there's really no reason to see this film.

Superb Re-Imagining of Count Yorga, Vampire

[BrandtSponseller · 10/10 · 22 January 2005]

Count Yorga (Robert Quarry) is living in a small town outside of San Francisco, where he becomes involved with an Orphanage, primarily as a source of victims. A tragic event leads persons from the orphanage to contact the local police, and together, they end up investigating Count Yorga.

Ostensibly a sequel to Count Yorga, Vampire (1970), this film really plays more like a re-imagining, similar to the relationship between Evil Dead (1981) and Evil Dead II (1987). Because of this, it doesn't really matter which film you see first. This also explains why there is no explanation given of Count Yorga's sudden appearance in the San Francisco area. The first film didn't necessarily happen in this film's world. This is more another version of the same story, told in an "alternate universe".

And at that, I liked it just as well. This film is also a 10 out of 10 for me. The extensive hand-held cinematography of the first film, which gave it a Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)-like feel, is gone for the most part, but cinematography that is just as interesting has taken its place. This time around, we get very strong contrasts, from near black night scenes--but wherein we can still see the action, to very bright, strong contrast shots of the orphanage during the day. Bright greens often show up in the night shots, as well.

But the film wouldn't receive a 10 just for cinematography. The story works well, and although less dialogue-intensive than the first film, the dialogue is just as intriguing here. A lot of it, like the first film, is carried by Roger Perry, who is present in both films as a doctor, although a different character in each, lending further evidence to this being more of a re-imagining than a sequel.

Whereas the vampires of the first film were more sensual, partially due to the fact that early conceptions of Count Yorga, Vampire had it as a sexploitation vampire film, the vampires here are more a combination of Night Of The Living Dead (1968)-like zombies and vampires. At that, they're still somewhat sensual, but a more literal idea of vampires as a kind of living dead is invoked beautifully here. It's too bad the idea has been so little used in later films.

Also like the first film, The Return of Count Yorga knows that it is somewhat absurd, and although this one is more conspicuously humorous, that aspect is not dominant. Writer/director Bob Kelljan doesn't forget to focus on creepiness and the disturbing, which are liberally present. In fact, this film contains one of my favorite "massacre" scenes. It is the centerpiece of at least the first half of the film, and propels the plot.

Quarry is one of my favorite "Draculas", and the creepiest "Renfield" makes a return here, too, in the guise of Brudah (Edward Walsh). The new home is as good if not better than the home in the first Count Yorga, Vampire, and the climax may be better here as well.

Don't miss either Count Yorga film. They're both underrated.

Re-imagining the Count

[Chase_Witherspoon · 7/10 · 10 July 2010]

Equally scary revision of the Count Yorga story finds the debonair Count (Quarry) and his henchman Bruder (Walsh) up to no good at a children's orphanage where the lovely Cynthia (Hartley) works as a carer. Enchanted by the impressionable Hartley, the Count offers her eternal life, risking his longevity for the frail human emotion of love. But, Roger Perry returns as the proverbial fly in Yorga's ointment, and another tense stand-off ensues.

Director Kelljan returns for the revision, bringing his highly visual sense of haunting romance, and employing a more experienced cast that includes Walter Brooke in a brief but memorable role as Cynthia's ill-fated dad, and George MacReady as a hard-of-hearing expert in the occult. Film buffs will also relish early performances by Mike Pataki, Jesse Wells and future "Poltergeist" leading man, Craig T. Nelson. Special mention must also go to comedian Rudy DeLuca for his comic timing as the police chief. The dialogue is once again poetically bent with subtle, dry humour, and the sometimes hand-held cinematography adds that element of realism that gets the pulse racing.

While it's essentially much of the same (the scene in which Lampson and Perry postulate the implausibility of vampires is almost identical in both structure and content to Perry and Michael MacReady's discussion in the first film), "Return" doesn't diminish the Count Yorga character or its cult status. Quarry plays his role straight, and with the conviction of a consummate professional, which in spite of its relative obscurity, elevates Count Yorga beyond most of its more commercial peers.

Slow and confusing as only a bad 70's horror movie can be

[Gislef · 2/10 · 9 April 2001]

Sheesh, this is slow and drawn out. Count Yorga is about as sexy as Dick Chaney, and varies between slow pompous movement and dialogue, and occasional "Hold out my arms, glare, and charge towards my victims in full vampire mode" fervor. Unfortunately, the former far outnumber the latter, which makes Yorga look less goofy but makes the whole movie slow down to a crawl.

There are some good moments in this movie. Yorga's occasional sparring with the townsfolk is kind of amusing, and there are a few scenes (such as the boy in the graveyard in the opening sequence, or the fem vampires' assault on a house) that aren't too bad. But generally it's a bunch of badly dressed 70's people acting stupid and running. All the "vampire hunters" (I use the term loosely) forget to use their crosses (two sticks, mostly), and don't even seem to carry wooden stakes. One guy, in all apparent seriousness, actually tries to drive off a vampire by crossing his fingers - something I never thought I'd see in a "serious" vampire movie! Perhaps fortunately, we don't find out if this tactic works since the guy he tries it on is a human manservant.

Roger Perry is remarkably useless as the protagonist, and Mariette Hartley looks like she's waiting for James Garner to show up for a Kodak moment. She seems as confused as we are as to exactly what Yorga has in mind for her: is he going to turn her into a vampire, hopes to sway her to his side through true love, or what? There are a few interesting turns from minor cast members like the boy playing Tommy and the deaf-mute. Generally not a very horrifying or interesting vampire movie, though.

3/4 good,1/4 bad

[stones78 · 27 February 2017]

This film, while solid for the most part, reminds me of a scene from "Columbo", where one character says to the detective "an exciting meal has been ruined!". That's the way I felt about this film, and they say a poor ending can hurt a film, and I must agree here. While this may seem like a negative review, there's things that I did like, such as Robert Quarry's performance, and the creepy mansion in which he resides, with a bunch of slick dark rooms, and skinny stairs. Look for some familiar faces in a very young Craig T. Nelson, Mariette Hartley, Michael Pataki, and Rudy De Luca. On the other hand, there's Philip Frame, who plays Tommy, and he may be the worst actor I've ever seen, and I'm not surprised that he only has 1 more acting credit after this film. That kid also deserved that good smack, the little jerk. One of the most disappointing aspects for me is that Tommy doesn't get his just desserts he richly deserved, but that's all I'll spoil for you. There's more good scenes than bad scenes, but the bad ones almost defy vampire logic, and really hurt the film for me.

Not even made-for-tv

[CaptRon-2 · 1/10 · 9 April 2001]

Even if this was a made-for-tv special it would be below network standards (what, you didn't know the networks had standards?). I would list all the goofs but there are too many to mention and the editing may have been done by a cat trying to sharpen it's claws on the film canister. If this movie was shown on MST3K then it should have been.

More Count Yorga...only not as good this time

[The_Void · 6/10 · 19 October 2005]

Despite being slain at the end of the first film, Count Yorga is back for more bloodthirsty mayhem! This is a sequel to the first film, but it's effectively the same story, only a little bit different. It isn't really any better or worse than it's predecessor, but the fact that it doesn't do anything new either prompts me to give it a lower rating. The film seems suspiciously like another excuse to launch the dapper vampire on the box office again. Anyway, Robert Quarry returns in the role that made him, and once again has fun and does well with it. This time, the count has relocated to a place near to an orphanage. The vampire continues to prey on the local population, while also looking for a new bride whom he can spend eternity with. Despite a very silly vampire conversation at the start, this may even be a slightly better film than the first; but the fact that no effort has been made to make it a real sequel, it becomes boring rather quickly and it's really hard to rate it much above average. The lack of invention is shown best by the way that a bumbling police force has been thrown in. Bumbling police forces are often funny, but the one here is making too much of a big deal out of trying to be funny; and it never really works. The plot is also quite slow, thus making the film overlong – which is very annoying. Really, there isn't much to recommend this film on; but if you really liked the original, I suppose it's worth a look.

So Bad It's 'Bloody' Funny

[matt-51 · 3/10 · 21 November 2001]

Decided I'd watch this film for the simple reason that my favourite genre of film is horror. There are plenty of classic horror movies but this certainly isn't one of them.

It really is quite funny but not because it's meant to be, it's funny because it's cheesey in the extreme and the sight of count Yorga arms outstretched making some funny rasping noise will surely have you rolling in the aisles.

It's made all the more funnier because there is no tongue in cheek approach by the actors they seem to be taking their appalling performances really quite seriously. What is my motivation darling? Not sure what their motivation was but if you want one to watch this film then I can only advise that it's a really good laugh.

"Why are we running?" "Because we're scared!"

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 30 October 2016]

Robert Quarry is once again in fine form as Count Yorga, sophisticated Bulgarian vampire. Although dispatched at the end of the first film, he is somehow revived by the mysterious Santa Ana winds, and has soon moved into a castle located near an orphanage. This time, he's motivated not just by hunger but by something resembling love, as he is taken with local beauty Cynthia Nelson (Mariette Hartley). He works his spell on some of the area residents, and is naturally opposed by people like psychiatrist David Baldwin (Roger Perry, another returnee from the first "Count Yorga").

This sequel shows its audience a pretty good time, being more of a flat-out horror show, with not as much accent on humor. (Which isn't to say, of course, that there are no laughs at all.) Bob Kelljan does a fine job directing the action, and creates quite a bit of enjoyable suspense, atmosphere, and creepiness. Those vampire babes in Yorgas' castle are sexy as hell, but also quite chilling in their low key way. The body count is respectable, with a fair bit of blood spilling, and Yorga (and others) claiming their share of victims. When Kelljan opts to go for shocks, and show the crazed Yorga pursuing people, unfortunately, it's more amusing than scary.

Also among those returning from the original "Count Yorga": producer Michael Macready, whose actor father George has a comedy relief cameo as a doddering vampire expert, actor Edward Walsh as hulking manservant Brudda, and composer Bill Marx, whose music is just right throughout. Kelljan also wrote the script with co-star Yvonne Wilder, who plays the vulnerable deaf-mute Jennifer.

The acting is fine from everybody concerned. Perry is more or less reprising his role in the first film, no matter if he's sporting a beard and has a different character name. He still has to convince others that they could possibly be dealing with a bloodsucker. Hartley is wonderfully appealing. Philip Frame, Ms. Wilder, Tom Toner, and Rudy De Luca are all good in support. Michael Pataki has a small role as one of the victims, Walter Brooke also does the cameo thing as Hartley's father, and none other than Craig T. Nelson makes his film debut as one of the cops.

All in all, this is a worthy sequel.

At one point, Yorga watches the Hammer / A.I.P. co-production "The Vampire Lovers" on TV, where it's redubbed with a Spanish soundtrack.

Seven out of 10.

Oatmeal, more oatmeal, PLEASE!

[plex · 2/10 · 17 July 2023]

I sometimes read reviews and have to ask if we saw the same film. The Return of Count Yorga (which Gory and Orgy can be formed by the letters in the Count's name). The film has a slight essence of Hammer stylings, but then again, not enough. The use of lighting is atrocious and in one long scene it goes back and forth between night and dusk! There are a couple of scenes where Argento later ripped for Susperia.

The character of Tommy, a young boy I assume is mentally handicapped/challenged (or whatever that condition is called these days) plays a significant role in the film but must have been one of the producers relative or someone owes someone a favor (or money) because that kid cannot act AT ALL, like Steven Seagal bad.

There are several notable character actors in this dud, namely Hartley and Craig T Nelson, but there isn't much room for them to stretch with such a stiff script. Not much is explained, of this I am grateful.

There's some decent underscoring music, but thats about it for me.

Yorga is a British-snobby sort of vampire and has a bevy of female draculettes who don baggy tatter clothing, matted hair, drying oatmeal on their faces (I guess to give the impression of necrotic skin) and some seriously awful oversized (think baby walrus) plastic fangs. One of the Igor-esque characters has oatmeal skin too, and come to think of, so does the out-of-place pit of quicksand (quick-meal!). The blood looks like Campbells tomato juice with corn starch to thicken. There's no "bad" language, not that much horror and no real explicit gore, and on that topic, no nudity or even provocative clothing: a rarity in low-budget 70's films of the vampire genre, ESPECIALLY one with an R-rating. Easily PG-13. Zzzz....

Eerie winds, nasty sandpits and sinister vampires!

[Coventry · 7/10 · 9 October 2016]

It's been like a decade or so since I watched the original "Count Yorga, Vampire", and in all honesty I don't remember too much about the plot. What I do recall, however, and quite vividly even, is that the film benefited from a particularly sinister and hypnotizing atmosphere that made it creepy even though not a whole lot was happening. The titular character is quite unique and intriguing as well. Even though he's a vampire count dressed in a typical black and red cloak and surrounded by a coven of white-faced vampire brides, Yorga isn't anything like the legendary Count Vlad Dracula. "The Return of Count Yorga" is a very entertaining and reasonably well-made horror sequel with a very straightforward but solid plot, engaging performances from the ensemble cast and – most of all – many moments of truly tense and unsettling horror! Seriously, I was pleasantly surprised to see that a handful of sequences were genuinely macabre and dark! Early in the beginning, for instance, a little boy drives his bike through the woods and suddenly the brides start emerging from the dirt, guided by the sound of eerie winds. This is quite a scary sight even for experienced genre fanatics. There are many more frightening parts, including the disposal of corpses in sandpits and the crude and relentless butchering of an entire happy family. Count Yorga takes an interest in a beautiful blond teacher who works as a volunteer in a remote orphanage. He does what every avid romanticist would do, namely murder her entire family and take her back to his castle. Yorga tells her that her loved ones died in a horrible car accident and assumes that she will gradually fall for his charms, but he didn't take into account that she also had a boyfriend and he's not planning to let her go that easily. There are few fascinating supportive characters, notably the residents of the orphanage like the deaf-mute girl and the strange boy who appears to be under Yorga's spell, and there's even room for comic relief as well. The count watches Hammer vampire movies on TV and reacts slightly offended when not he but another guy dressed as a vampire wins the price for most original costume at a dress-up party. In case you're a fan of cinematic bloodsuckers, but need a change from the average Dracula adaptation or the Twilight fairies (God forbid…), then I wholeheartedly recommend getting acquainted with Robert Quarry and his vile alter ego Count Yorga!

Count Yawner.

[BA_Harrison · 3/10 · 21 October 2022]

The Return of Count Yorga was was made in 1971, three years after George Romero rose to fame with Night of the Living Dead, two years before William Friedkin turned heads with The Exorcist, and three years before Tobe Hooper ripped up the horror rule books with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. And yet Yorga is remarkably tame, like something from another decade, delivering cheesy clichéd vampire nonsense that fails to thrill. Even Hammer moved with the times and upped the gore and nudity in their films, but there's no blood and boobs in Yorga, making it feel more like a TV movie than a big screen release.

Writer/director Bob Kelljan clearly isn't convinced that his Yorga sequel is scary enough, infusing matters with some weak tongue-in-cheek humour, but all that does is make the film a failure on two levels, neither frightening nor funny. The vampires themselves are probably the most amusing things about the film, but not intentionally so: the 'brides' of the count wear terrible make-up and plastic fangs that don't fit in the mouth very well, while Yorga himself looks positively hilarious whenever he vamps out, running towards the camera, arms outstretched and mouth agape. Perhaps part of the problem with the film is that California simply doesn't scream 'vampire film' to me: there's no substitute for a small European village in the mountains to create genuine gothic horror chills.

3.5/10, rounded down to 3 for not explaining how the windows broken during a vampire attack are magically replaced before the police arrive on the scene. Does Count Yorga know a supernatural glazier who operates a 24-hour glass replacement service?

Haunting, Chilling Atmosphere

[BaronBl00d · 8/10 · 3 August 2000]

In many respects, this film is a superior to the original Count Yorga, Vampire. Robert Quarry returns as the charming, sophisticated vampire that lives by an orphanage. His performance is wonderful as he matches witty remarks to dull conversation. At one point, as he attends a costume party, one lady touches his cape and asks where his fangs are. Quarry replies in a very sardonic manner, "Where are your manners?" That is but just one of his great one-liners. The real difference though between this and the first film is the unrelenting horror and tension created by director Bob Kelljan(and the fact that the budget and supporting cast were upgraded a good deal as well). Some of the scenes are truly frightening, especially the onslaught of the house by the horde of female bloodsuckers. The castle-like home used for Yorga's lair is also breath-taking and chilling in its baronial splendour. The acting aside from Quarry is first-rate this time around. Roger Perry is back as a Van Helsing type, but he is suitably aided by Mariette Hartley, Rudy DeLuca, Craig Nelson, and a fine performance by Yvonne Wilder as a deaf mute. Screen veteran George MacCready has a very small role as a professor, but his short screen time is a joy to behold as he adds comic relief to this somewhat black comedic film, verbally confusing Yorga to yoga. An excellent film!

begins well enough

[christopher-underwood · 6/10 · 26 September 2016]

This begins well enough at an isolated orphanage with talk of strange winds advancing and there is an amazing and extensive attack not very far in. The ending is only okay, however and somehow in between the director looses the plot (what there is of it). Unlike the rather charming and effective original Yorga this one clearly has a larger budget and is well shot but horror, comedy, romance ooh, lets have a bit of one and then the other and we can always end up running about like Scooby- Do. Its not a complete mess, but really, considering the potential and the simplicity of the location it is a bit of a shambles. I see that leading lady Marietta Hartley was born in 1940 and is still working today so I shall not be rude but do not know how she was chosen for this when all that was required was a young sexy woman who could make us believe she was going to save the day. Talking of 'sexy' again this 'Yorga' is rather lacking. In that early great scene when all hell breaks loose, almost everyone seems to be wearing dressing gowns. I understand the original "Yorga' had originally been intended as a sex film but that the excellent Robert Quarry thought it should be given a chance as a straight horror. Well, that one worked and then we come down to this sexless and almost lifeless effort. Shame.

Ick

[msissy-76787 · 3/10 · 9 November 2019]

This is a horrible movie, count yorga was killed in the movie before so how can he be back alive, no back story to tell you how, I know it was made in the stone ages but seriously, the plot was dumb, however, the preacher in the quick sand was original, but it is a vampire movie kids could watch for comedy purposes.