What a truly tripy movie. An obscure and mostly overlooked cult classic. Not certain if the original Yorga film was to ever see a sequel, and having been paid peanuts compared to what the film had grossed at the box office, Quarry was determined to make a quick buck by exploiting "The Deathmaster" name (which had been used profusely in the iconic promo posters of the original Count Yorga Vampire film) and the whole concept of him as a chic and charismatic vampire. A true exploitation film through and through, the movie obviously tries to make Quarry appear like Charles Manson. It also ties into the whole "evil cult" aspect of the Charles Manson case and the infamous and brutal murders, which had, at the time, shocked the nation to its very core. In the end it's a descent film, but not nearly as entertaining as the original Count Yorga Vampire movie or the riveting sequel, The Return of Count Yorga. In any case, it's nothing less than a true gem of a film for any hardcore horror fan.

Good horror flick. No movie can be overlooked that has wimpy John Fielder as a fearless vampire stalker. Seems a hippie clan up LA's Topanga Canyon is enticed by ethereal stranger (Quarry) into coming to his canyon mansion. Of course, he has dire motives for enticing them. But he's a smooth talker, with what sounds like a profound message about life and eternity. I couldn't help thinking Charles Manson given the general context of hippies following a charismatic leader. But the mansion turns out to be something of a labyrinth of horror, as the care-free kids soon find out.I like the way Pico (Ewing) is shown early on as possessing what was then an unusual knowledge of Asian martial arts. That way, we know he's more than his rather slight appearance. He'll need that when he defies the imperious Khorda. Then too, the exotic looking Barbado (Hilton) makes a scary zombie-like enforcer. That opening scene with him at the beach amounts to a real grabber. Also, there're a couple of good twists that break with genre clichés. Anyway, pitting hippies against a vampire is an imaginative premise that plays out in pretty effective fashion. So ignore establishment critic Roger Ebert who hated the movie (IMDB), probably because the title smacked of lowly drive-in fare. And kudos to leading-man actor Ray Danton who shows talent in his first directorial outing. Meanwhile, as an LA resident, I guess I won't be going up Topanga Canyon any time soon.

A pipe playing reject from the cast of "I Walked With a Zombie" and an ancient vampire who bears more than a passing resemblance to Jason Isaacs take over some prime oceanside property (isn't that just like a bloodsucker?) and seduce a bunch of young and groovy hippies, forcing them to participate in all-night dance parties. A pretty girl who looks like Jane Asher falls under the spell of the Vampires, and it's up to her inept boyfriend and an old geeky man to save her. When the police fail to believe their story, they attempt to make a rescue on their own. Can they save her in time? Who cares, really?A biker-momma and her old man are the first to become food. A young man displays his Kung Fu talents at films beginning, and when attacked by a group of vampires, apparently forgets all of his martial arts training and starts kicking and screaming like a two year old having a tantrum. The Vampire dresses like Liberace...it's all pretty goofy, but it's harmless. I can think of worse ways to waste an hour or so.

Robert Quarry only did a handful of horror films unfortunately, but each showcases a fine performance of subtlety mixed with genuine menace. The Deathmaster is no exception. The film chronicles the activities of a vampire named Khorda that becomes the guru of a hippie commune in California. Quarry gives the vampiric guru charm and aloofness as he spouts hippie doctrines to eager high listeners, waiting for some kind of direction in their lives. The film itself is nothing monumental, yet I found it to be thoroughly entertaining. It is a period piece in a way, because it shows just how prevalent the hippie culture was and shows us the costume of the day so to speak. Quarry gives a fine performance, as do the bulk of the cast. There are some splendid scenes in the film, most notably the opening one of a man on a beach performing some ritual and playing his flute. Moments later we see a coffin wash up on the shore. A jogger comes across it, opens it, and attempts to flee. Just as he turns, the flute player throttles him and he falls to the sun-dried sand. This is the best scene in the film, but the rest is pretty entertaining overall.