Philippine cinema has been playing with the idea of Dracula as early as the ‘60s. While there has been a resurgence of Gothic vampire horror films as of late, as seen by the international success of Nosferatu and the upcoming release of Dracula: A Love Tale later this year, we are no strangers to the vampire genre, and how our local films love skewing western ideas and narratives.
While these may not be the pinnacle of Philippine cinema (as you’ll soon find out), here are five Pinoy vampire flicks that are as bizarre, entertaining, and downright campy as they are unforgettable.
Batman Fights Dracula (1967)
A film that quickly faded into obscurity following its release, Batman Fights Dracula has left many Letterboxd users expressing their regret over the lost copy that will never be seen again. This vampire comedy-action film — which was very much not authorized by DC Comics — follows a servile Count Dracula (Dante Rivero), who is resurrected from the dead by mad scientist Dr. Zorba (Ramon D’Salva). Frustrated by how his arch nemesis Batman (Jing Abalos) keeps thwarting his illegal activities, Dr. Zorba commands Dracula to go toe-to-toe against the caped crusader. In the end, however, Dr. Zorba is tracked down and killed by Dracula himself after Ruben (Rolan Robles, the film’s version of Robin) manages to convince the vampire.
Vampire Hookers (1978)
As the tagline goes, “Warm blood isn’t all they suck!” Directed by Filipino filmmaker Cirio H. Santiago, this vampire horror/soft-core porno centers around “vampire Hugh Hefner” Richmond Reed (John Carradine) who uses his throng of vampire hookers to lure customers back to his lair. The film also features a pair of horny American sailors (complete with sailor boy uniforms!), a farty Renfield-esque character named Pavo (Vic Diaz — the father of Teddy Diaz, who founded Filipino rock band The Dawn, crazy!), and a gratuitous vampire orgy scene. Would highly recommend.
Kulay Dugo Ang Gabi / The Blood Drinkers (1964)
Known as the first Filipino horror film that used color, Kulay Dugo Ang Gabi / The Blood Drinkers delivers a bloody, gothic romance. Scientist, nobleman, and vampire Dr. Marco (Ronald Remy) turns mad with grief when his beloved Katrina (Amalia Fuentes) passes away. To bring her back from the dead, Dr. Marco decides to collect large amounts of blood and take Katrina’s twin sister’s heart in order to perform a transplant. The film was directed by Gerardo de Leon, who is best known for his cult classic horror flicks and who was posthumously conferred as a National Artist for Film in 1982.
Ibulong Mo Sa Hangin / Curse of the Vampires (1966)
A sequel to his previous film, The Blood Drinkers, Gerardo de Leon returns with another gothic tale set in a hacienda that follows a family cursed with vampirism. Don Enrique Escudero (Johnny Monteiro) has chained his vampire wife Consuelo (Amalia Fuentes — again!) down in the dungeon cellar for fear that she might hurt someone. When their son Eduardo Escudero (Eddie Garcia) is bitten by Consuelo, what follows is a wild, blood-soaked contagion, leading the family to transform into vampires.
Halik ng Vampira / Vampire’s Kiss (1997)
More romantic melodrama than a horror feature, Halik ng Vampira follows lonely vampire Vanessa (Anjanette Abayari), who spends her days working as a med tech (I guess the sun isn’t an issue for her?) and her nights as “Midnight Solitaire,” a popular caller on a late-night dating radio show. While she mainly calls in to find dates to eat, Vanessa eventually finds love in Doctor Victor (Raymond Bagatsing). As their relationship deepens, Vanessa confides in Victor about her vampiric nature, and together, they search for a cure to her curse.
