All language subtitles for Bloodthirsty(blood for Dracula

After my father's death in 1968,
I started working as an AD.

Franco Giraldi gave
me my first job.

After that, I worked
with Mauro Bolognini,

Luchino Visconti, Federico
Fellini, Francesco Massaro,

Valerio Zurlini, and even Paul
Morrissey and Andy Warhol,

whom I've worked
with on two films.

Working on those gave
me some happy vibes.

They were rather bizarre, and I
actually thought of them as comedies.

They weren't, as a
matter of fact.

I was involved by production
manager Mara Blasetti,

and that also was my first and
only meeting with Carlo Ponti,

who had this studio near
the Capitoline Hill.

His office was at the
end of a long hallway,

and he was always sitting
behind this huge desk.

During my career I only felt
impressed by two desks,

Ponti's and Goffredo Lombardo's.

I believe their offices were arranged in
such a grandiose way to intimidate people.

Anyway, they said they
needed a name AD,

and I didn't consider myself
to be well-known at all.

I loved Paul
Morrissey's TRASH,

so I was obviously eager
to work with him.

By the way, I kind of regret
having never asked

Andy Warhol for a
sketch or something.

He'd have gladly
said yes, I'm sure.

We had a chill relationship.

They were living in Frascati and lazily
complied with the daily shooting demands.

Me and Mara Blasetti frantically worked
to deliver the finished film on time.

We only had a few weeks.

I kept asking what I could do
to get ahead with the work,

and they said I could start
shooting any scene I wanted.

That was pretty vague, as vague
as the actual screenplay.

They basically gave me the gist of
the scenes to do day after day.

I still didn't know
where to begin,

to which they simply replied to start
wherever a camera was available.

What started as fun became a nightmare
when dealing with the Roman grips,

who kept moving the
camera around every day.

That's one of the reasons
why bits of most scenes

have that weird
look to them.

In the end, we
managed to deliver.

I felt a little sad after
working on these two films,

because it was such a privilege to work as
an AD for Paul Morrissey and Andy Warhol.

I don't remember
the exact details,

but there was some serious legal
issue involving production.

That's why Antonio Margheriti had
to be credited as the director.

I mean, he was an
excellent professional,

but not as famous as the other two, whose
names I was eager to put on my resume!

Well, after all, I don't feel
my name would ever deserve

to be put next to
those two artists.

Neither Warhol nor Morrissey
had ever heard of me,

and we didn't have that much of a
relationship during the making of the film.

They liked my work approach
and were as kind as could be,

but it was a strictly
professional relationship.

They never complained about me
so I guess they liked my work.

They were both very
reserved individuals.

They were always calm and willing to
work together to get out of any impasse.

I felt really committed
to BLOOD FOR DRACULA.

I always took my job seriously,

but even more than
usual for that movie.

Morrissey and Warhol led a
very reserved lifestyle.

At the end of every
shooting day,

they'd get in their car and return
to their villa in Frascati.

What I'd have given to
get to know them more.

I mean, of course we also
exchanged a few pleasantries,

but nothing deeper than that.

Well, Joe Dallesandro kinda embodied
the idea of somebody's protege.

It wasn't his fault, though, it was
more due to Italian provincialism.

He was a handsome
kid, without a doubt.

I remember he'd already given a good
acting performance in another film.

I considered him a good actor.

Too bad his role in BLOOD FOR DRACULA
was more physical than anything else.

Stefania Casini would definitely
give you a better answer, I believe.

It's been many years since the film,
I wonder how he's faring now.

Oh, I remember this bit.

It's the triumph of the proletariat
over the corrupt Bourgeoisie.

By the way, we were all
horrible chauvinists back then.

Joe Dallesandro had a good
number of naked scenes,

and he showed off his private
bits pretty nonchalantly.

"Thick Dick," that's what
we used to call him.

"Here comes Thick Dick," I
would joke with the grips.

Jeez, we were terrible.

Udo Kier was the
quintessential German.

He wasn't the friendliest
guy around, to be honest.

Both Joe Dallesandro and Stefania
Casini were much more amiable.

You could feel the
condescension with Kier.

I wasn't involved with BLOOD FOR DRACULA
because I knew about vampires, of course.

Both films were done
almost simultaneously.

They weren't considered
two separate projects.

It was a two for one,
to put it bluntly.

I don't remember which one came out
first, DRACULA or FRANKENSTEIN.

Long story short, I don't know why I
was chosen to work on the DRACULA.

After all, I don't even
have a vampire look!

I loved literature,

but obviously neither Ponti
nor Mara Blasetti,

nor Warhol or Morrissey
could have known that.

Besides, I wasn't much of a
fan of horror literature.

I liked Lovecraft,
though, as well as Poe.

They both had a great
effect on me at the time.

Both films came out in the early
1970s, when I was still in my twenties.

Wait, I think I was actually twenty,
allow me to do some quick math.

I was born in 1945, so I was
almost approaching thirty.

That was the only time I
worked with Vittorio De Sica.

He basically directed himself. I
was absolutely in awe of him.

And he had this jovial tone
and gentlemanly manners,

which simultaneously put you at ease but
also made you realize how reserved he was.

It was a lovely meeting,
still a cherished memory.

I have more memories
of Roman Polanski.

There was more of a
feeling of camaraderie with him.

By the way, he was constantly
attempting to speak Italian,

and that's also what made
him appear so likeable.

Another master of
cinema, indeed.

The location was truly magical.

I didn't understand how anyone could
abandon such a beautiful place.

For my first film as a director,

not counting the documentary
I'd made before that,

I decided to go back to that location,
such was the impact it had on me.

The difference was that the first time
there was still some furniture left,

whereas in 1977, the
year I made my film,

the villa was completely empty.

Still looking gorgeous,
but empty nonetheless.

I guess the owners decided
to sell everything.

Luigi Kuveiller was a
great friend of mine.

We'd already worked together.

I think it was for a film directed by
Francesco Massaro, but I could be wrong.

The fact is we'd
already worked together.

These old DOPs, who were actually
slightly older than I was,

were always very kind to rne since they
knew my father, who was a director.

They were almost like family.

Me and Luigi shared a wonderful
professional relationship.

All beautiful actresses, indeed, although I
don't remember much about Dominique Darel.

The reason I remember the others is because
they all had careers outside this film.

Milena Vukotic, for instance, made a name
for herself in Italian style comedies.

Stefania Casini also
worked as a director.

With good results, too.

She was beautiful at the time, and maybe
I envied Joe Dallesandro a little.

Oh, boy, don't get me
started on Italian titles.

There's so many world cinema masterpieces
that got such dumb titles here.

Stupid titles for often
fantastic movies.

I can't think of any
specific examples right now.

With a little thought I
could give you dozens.

DRACULA IS SEARCHING FOR VIRGINS' BLOOD...
AND HE DIED OF THIRST. Give me a break!

Seriously, who
came up with that?

I don't think it was Ponti,
probably the distribution company.

I'm really glad to be
here, getting interviewed

about those films that
are still popular today.

You know, to me it means
that something I did,

or in this case contributed
to, has not vanished forever.

Nothing disappears. It
might take years,

but things always come
back one way or another.

One should always think of that
possibility while making something.

And even if what an individual does
disappears forever, that's life.