The Big Scare

I recently watched the French 🇫🇷 horror-comedy Tender Dracula (1974) on the Full Moon app on Prime. The storyline follows a group of horror film stars at the end of their careers, as they attempt to transition into a new direction. The movie studio, unhappy with this change, sends two writers and their girlfriends to the actor's home, hoping to convince him to stick with horror. Upon arrival, they discover the actor has begun blending his real life with his cinematic persona. Can the writers change his mind before it's too late?

Directed by Pierre Grunstein in one of his few directorial projects, the film stars Peter Cushing (Horror of Dracula), Alida Valli (The Third Man), Bernard Menez (Dracula and Son), Miou-Miou (The Science of Sleep), and Julien Guiomar (Carmen).

The storyline is fun, and I enjoyed the concept of Hammer film-like stars facing their twilight years, with the studio trying to squeeze one last horror run out of them. This is a very different role for Peter Cushing, where he essentially parodies himself, donning Party City-level costumes and offering a light-hearted take on "Dracula." The women in the film are gorgeous, and it includes the typical '70s horror nudity. The props and kills are playful, and because the film doesn't take itself too seriously, it reminded me a bit of High Spirits. While the comedic elements are hit-or-miss, the corpse gags are fun, and the way the horror is woven into the comedy is entertaining.

In conclusion, Tender Dracula is far from one of Cushing's best, but it's something quite different. I would score this a 4/10 and recommend it only with the appropriate expectations.