Lake Of Dracula [DVD] [1971]

The film opens with a little girl chasing her exceedingly adorable dog into a creepy old house, where she experiences a terrifying encounter with its occupants. We then fast forward eighteen years into the future, where the young girl, Akiko, is now a schoolteacher living with her sister along the shores of the beautiful Lake Fujimi. Akiko's childhood "nightmare" has always tormented her, to the point that she often paints scenes of a creepy, surrealistic eye brooding over dark landscapes. Still, she is happy - until a certain mystery crate is delivered to one of her neighbors. Mysterious deaths begin occurring in the area, leaving dead bodies bereft of blood and with necks punctured in the tell-tale style, and some of Akiko's friends begin acting very strangely. About this same time, a mysterious stranger also arrives in town and seems intent on getting to know Akiko. As our heroine begins encountering strange situations and finds herself attacked, she begins to fear she is crazy - even her sister begins acting very strangely. Akiko's fiancé, a doctor named Saeki, sees enough evidence of his own to start believing Akiko's word about what she has seen, and the two work their way toward the only logical conclusion as to what is going on. Saeki believes the key to escaping the clutches of evil is to be found inside Akiko's head, specifically in her repressed memory as to what happened all those years ago when she was a child.

There's nothing at all graphic about the scenes of vampirism here, nor does the film boast any terror-inducing moments, but it does possess a nice edge of creepiness that ebbs and flows most effectively throughout the course of the entire film. The ending is a little weird but effective; the fact that our heroes walk into danger without the first hint of protection against vampires means a Van Helsing type sendoff of the bad guy is not in the cards. The explanation of the vampire and his whereabouts is rather interesting and definitely occupies its own little branch of the tree of vampire lore; as critics have pointed out, the vampire here is essentially a foreign invader of Japan and not a vampire born under the banner of the Rising Sun itself.

The acting is impressive all the way around. Midori Fujita is wonderful in the role of the sanity-doubting, constantly frightened heroine Akiko, Sanae Emi lends great strength and an important element of uncertainty to the film in her role as Akiko's sister Natsuko, and Shin Kishida makes for a most menacing Japanese vampire. The atmosphere of the film is quite effective, building in creepiness as the film progresses. If you like your vampire killing quick, fast, and messy, you may grow impatient with The Lake of Dracula, but those who love a more methodical, personal approach to the genre stand a very good chance of enjoying this film a great deal. There are really only three of these Hammer-inspired Japanese vampire movies; having seen Lake of Dracula and the later Evil of Dracula, I can honestly say that I believe horror buffs will be pleasantly surprised by the caliber of these films.