Nocturna 1978
Media Asia DVD
NOCTURNA, which was co-written and executive produced by Nai Bonet, seems to have largely been made as a Nai Bonet vehicle. I have no idea why. Nai Bonet had been in pictures since 1964, mostly as a dancer and also was the lead in a flick called HOODLUMS around the time of NOCTURNA. Maybe she wanted a slice of the pie and saw this as her shot. One of the financiers of the movie was later killed in a gangland execution. Vampire comedies were nothing new but this is the first full blown disco one I know of unless you want to count LOVE AT FIRST BITE, which came out about the same time and shares the same basic plot.
Bonet plays Nocturna, the granddaughter of Dracula (JOHN CARRADINE). She appears to run the Hotel Transylvania, where she meets a member of the band Moment of Truth named Jimmy. I don't think he's really a member of the actual band Moment of Truth since he fake plays bass and walks off during the song with no noticeable effect to the song. Jimmy is played by whispy, blonde Antony Hamilton. He may be Australian and he seems fairly light in the loafers. Also at the hotel, is Theodore, a werewolf, played strangely enough by Brother Theodore. He never becomes a werewolf but does spy on Nocturna taking a bath. Mostly he babbles in a Brother Theodore sort of way. Jimmy teaches Nocturna how to "boogie down" in a fairly painful dance sequence before they end up in the sack. Bonet has a very odd acting technique that consists mostly of smiling glassy eyed and speaking with an accent which I presume is her real voice. But it all sounds weird and is similar to that spooky, drugged,happy voice that some cult members have. I don't know how old she is in thing, but I'd say at least mid-thirties. Theodore watches her take a bath, followed up by a long oiling up. But what's great is that we hear a rambling inner monologue while he watches, he says "I'm too easily aroused, when I go to the country the cows have to wear brassieres" and "I'll smash her in the entertainment center".
So Nocturna's in love with Jimmy and goes off to Manhattan with him against Dracula's wishes, which also means more disco dancing.
But first, she hooks up with Jugulia, played by Lily Munster herself, Yvonne DeCarlo. Jugulia hip and is down with Nocturna's love affair. She also meets some other vampires, one of which is the jive talkin' pimp-pire, R.H.Factor, played by Sy Richardson. The vampires in the flick transform into bats in a cartoony animated effect which actually isn't out of place here as the tone is generally that of an adult "Groovie Ghoulies". Nocturna visits R.H. Factor's vampire whore house to provide us with some nudity as we watch a unsuspecting john get drained of blood by some whore-pires. One maybe two long disco dance scenes later Dracula shows up at the disco to attempt to stop Nocturna's love affair. Poor old Carradine in a disco is worth seeing but boy does he look like he wants a nap. To no one's surprise we get a happy ending as love has made Nocturna human and her and the gay guy she's in love with watch the sunrise. While easy to dismiss as a rotten movie, it does has have a decent amount of charm to it. For just disco and seventies nostalgia seekers it may be of more interest. For fans of New York grindhouse locations there's the added bonus of some shots of theater marquees that Nocturna drives past, one in particuar playing the porn hit, A COMING OF ANGELS.