Watch The Vampire Happening

The Vampire Happening, a 1971 film directed by Freddie Francis, is a horror-comedy about vampires in the modern age. The movie stars Pia Degermark as the vampire Countess Sibylla, Thomas Hunter as her lover, and Yvor Murillo as an American tourist who gets caught up in the Countess's web of deception. The film opens with a prologue set in medieval Transylvania, in which Countess Sibylla is burned at the stake for her vampiric activities. However, her loyal followers manage to save her body and ship it to her ancestral home in Germany, where she is revived by a doctor aided by a mad scientist with a mechanical heart. The Countess then sets about plotting her revenge against the descendants of those who betrayed her.

The rest of the film takes place in modern-day Germany, where the Countess has opened a castle-themed nightclub. Tourists flock to the club to experience a taste of medieval times, but they soon find themselves trapped within the castle walls, where the Countess and her vampiric minions stalk their prey.

Into this mix comes Mark, an American tourist who is traveling with his hippie girlfriend. Mark and the Countess quickly become enamored with each other, much to the chagrin of her jealous lover, and Mark finds himself drawn into her world of blood and darkness.

The movie's plot is thin and often nonsensical, but it is carried along by its energetic performances and outrageous set pieces. Pia Degermark in particular is a standout, playing the Countess with just the right mix of seduction and menace. The film also features a number of musical interludes, including a hilariously cheesy performance by a band dressed as medieval minstrels.

The special effects are a mixed bag - some of the vampire transformations are well-done, while others are clearly low-budget and cheesy. The film's climax features a battle between the Countess and a group of villagers armed with torches and pitchforks, which is both thrilling and ridiculous.

Overall, The Vampire Happening is a tongue-in-cheek horror romp that will satisfy fans of both the genre and the era in which it was made. It has all the hallmarks of a 70s exploitation film, from its gratuitous nudity to its over-the-top violence. While it may not be a classic in the traditional sense of the word, it is definitely worth a watch for fans of cult cinema.

The Vampire Happening is a 1971 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 42 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.6.