BLOOD SUCKERS (1972)
(a.k.a. INCENSE FOR THE DAMNED/DOCTORS WEAR SCARLET/FREEDOM SEEKERS)
Article #489 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing date: 7-17-2002
Posting date: 12-10-2002

An English professor falls under the spell of a Greek vampiress.

The title for this movie on IMDB is INCENSE FOR THE DAMNED; the popular title is BLOOD SUCKERS (that’s what’s on the title of the DVD); another title is that of the book on which it is based, DOCTORS WEAR SCARLET; the title that actually appears on the screen is FREEDOM SEEKERS (!?). Confused? Wait till the movie starts. The movie attempts to connect the dots between Greek vampirism, sadomasochistic sex, impotence and British academia, and I suppose by the time you finish the movie, you just might see the connections, but you also most likely won’t bother; the movie is a confused mess that in no way prepares you for what is supposed to be its big moment: a speech the professor gives near the end of the movie. On the plus side, there are some nice Greek locations, an excellent if brief performance by Peter Cushing, and good performances by Patrick Macnee and Edward Woodward. Unfortunately, they don’t really make up for the overstylized confusion that reigns here.