The Evil of Dracula (4 Stars)

This is a Japanese horror film, made in 1974 by Michio Yamamoto. It's his third film about vampires, but he deviates very strongly from standard vampire lore. It seems like every film director (and maybe every book author) feels the need to re-invent vampires.

Professor Shiraki has been hired to teach at a remote boarding school for girls. This is a similar setting to "Lust for a Vampire", but the story develops in a different direction. When Shiraki arrives at the school the headmaster tells him his wife has recently died in a car accident, and Shiraki must soon take his place as the new headmaster. Shiraki protests that he's not capable of doing the job, but the old headmaster insists that he can do it.

The girls in the school flirt shamelessly with Shiraki, but he has no time to enjoy himself. He finds evidence of girls being bitten by vampires. With the help of another teacher he investigates.

The headmaster and his wife are both vampires, but not the usual sort of vampires. They're both dying, and the wife's car accident has meant she doesn't have much time yet. She's bitten one of the schoolgirls and transferred herself into her body. The headmaster intends to transfer himself into Shiraki's body. After this, Shiraki must marry the schoolgirl, and they'll be in charge of the school, until it's time to find new replacements.

As you can see, in this unique version of vampire mythology, vampires are only immortal by having the ability to take over new bodies after drinking their blood.

It's a good film, even though it's re-invented vampires. The title is misleading, as was the case in his previous vampire film. There's no Dracula in the film.