Bride's Initiation, The (Vinegar Syndrome) Review

Distributor: Vinegar Syndrome Edition Details: Standard Streaming Movie Specs: Genres: Classic, Feature Film, Horror, Comedy Also known as: Dracula and the Dirty Old Witch, The Vampire, Demon's Brew Run Time: 68 minutes Rated: X Release Year: 1972 Director: Emile Alan Harvard (as Duncan Stewart) Written by: Jerry Sheldon Director of Photography: Roberto Raphael Cast: Marc Brock, Tony Marshall, Steve Morgan, Jack Birch (as Jack O'Brien), Bonna Quigley, George Croder, Mona Robbins, Cammy Young, Judy Sanders, Bill Harrison (as Bill Harris), Walter Flartz, John Seeley, Gail Ward, Luke Spencer, Dona Cord, Carol Connors, Lynn Nelson, Melody Marie Release Specs: Audio: English Mono Subtitles: none Video: Full Frame, 1.33:1 Video Format: NTSC Format: Streaming Regional Code (for DVD/Blu-ray): N/A Number of discs: N/A

The Bride's Initiation is an odd and nonsensical entry into the pornographic vampire genre that someone actually honestly seems to have cared about. The obviously pseudonymous director Duncan Stewart, despite apparently not really knowing how to make a hardcore film and not putting his real name or standard nom de plume on the film, put enough attention into The Bride's Initiation to prove this isn't your standard one day wonder.

The plot has newlywed George Townsend (Tony Marshall) and his bride on their way to their bridal suite at the Black Eagle Hotel when their chauffeur James (Jack Birch) kidnaps them for Count Dracula (Marc Brock). Count Dracula survives off of the semen of men and having sex with virginal women. After their disappearance, the bride's parents Mr. and Mrs. Martin get police Inspector Gould to try and find the missing newlyweds.

The description of the plot doesn't begin to get into how nonsensical the story for the film really is. There is also a sideline about Count Dracula falling in love with Miss. Richmond (Carol Connors) and a witch that lives with the count and makes his potions for him. Just know going into this film that nothing is really going to make sense in the film and accept that prior to watching.

As far as the hardcore material, The Bride's Initiation doesn't have much at all. In fact, at some points one wonders if Stewart forgot he was making a hardcore film. The hardcore material isn't just inserts, so this isn't a case of the hardcore material being added later. The film has three blow job scenes and one sex scene. That's all. This isn't to say they are all a waste though. The opening blowjob with George and his bride is beautifully shot.

The sets and locations are a mixed bag. Count Dracula's lair looks like a quickly erected set inside a house utilizing some arched doorways and curtains hung on the walls. Honestly, Count Dracula's lair resembles more what one might expect to see for a set at a high school theatrical production than a movie. As this reviewer mentioned earlier, care did go into this film and this can be seen in the police department set, that looks good. Count Dracula has an actual coffin (and some people thought only Edward D. Wood, Jr., would put a coffin in an adult film). The hanging of George looks well done as well. In fact, many of the little cinematic details look nice even though the film itself is a meandering mess.

Before one gets the idea that The Bride's Initiation isn't worth watching, that isn't necessarily the case. For some viewers, The Bride's Initiation will be a futile venture. For others, however, the disjointed mess that unfolds on the screen will end up being total camp fun. There are some great moments in the film and amazingly enough, it actually manages to sustain the viewer through a watching. Multiple watchings are unlikely, though.

The edition of The Bride's Initiation screened is the streaming only version available through Vinegar Syndrome's Exploitation.TV. The Bride's Initiation was shot on film and Vinegar Syndrome has used what appears to have been a film print for their master. The Bride's Initiation is presented in the academy aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The print that Vinegar Syndrome has used is beautiful with great colors. The image sports grain and artifacts. There is some print damage at the end of the film. Overall, this is a very nice looking image.

The Bride's Initiation is presented with an English monaural audio track. The audio isn't quite as good as the image is. There is a heavy hiss present in the audio along with some pops here and there. The dialog in the film is always clear and easy to understand.

The only extra that Vinegar Syndrome has included for the film is an essay on the film.

The Bride's Initiation is, to say the least, an odd adult film. As an actual pornographic feature-style film, The Bride's Initiation is a failure. However, for viewers that are willing to toss logic, reasoning, eroticism, and trying to actually follow a plot, The Bride's Initiation is a fun journey to nowhere. Vinegar Syndrome has done a good job with their streaming version of The Bride's Initiation on Exploitation.TV. They offer a beautiful image with decent audio.

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