Zoltan, Hound of Dracula (film)
Encyclopedia
Zoltan, Hound of Dracula (also released as Dracula's Dog) is a 1978 film in which a 17th century innkeeper, played by Reggie Nalder
, becomes the willing thrall to the line of Dracula
.
accidentally blasts open a subterranean crypt
, and the captain of the road crew, fearing looters and criminals, stations a guard near the site. Late in the night, an earthquake shakes loose one of the coffins, which slides down and lands at the feet of the confused guard. Curious as to what has fallen before him, the guard opens the coffin and discovers the body of a dog, impaled by a stake. He removes the stake, which revives the vampiric hound Zoltan.
Zoltan opens another coffin shaken loose from the crypt, this one holding the body of an innkeeper, Nalder, who once owned the crypt. Zoltan removes the stake from the innkeeper's chest, reanimating the innkeeper. The movie cuts to a flashback of a village in Russia
200 years prior.
The dog of an innkeeper saves a woman from being bitten by a bat, Dracula
in disguise. Furious over losing his meal to a dog, Dracula bites the woman's savior, turning the dog into a vampire. Now a vampire, the dog turns on its owner, turning the innkeeper into a vampire as well.
Back in the present, it appears that Dracula has only one surviving descendant, Michael Drake, a mild-mannered psychiatrist
, played by Michael Pataki
, who decides to take his wife and children (who are, technically, also Dracula's descendants) on a vacation in his Winnebago
, hoping to spend some quality time with his family out in the national forest.
Still loyal to the Dracula family, the two vampires travel to the United States
, shipping themselves via boat to California
. Eventually, Zoltan and company find themselves in the same forest as Michael and his family.
Other campers, vacationing with their dogs discover that their pets are being killed by a strange beast. The deceased animals soon reanimate into vampiric dogs, the minions of Zoltan. Zoltan is killed in the final scene, but a vampire puppy escapes destruction.
Reggie Nalder
Reggie Nalder was a prolific film and television character actor from the late 1940s to the early 1990s...
, becomes the willing thrall to the line of Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
.
Plot
A Russian road crewRoad crew
The road crew are the technicians or support personnel who travel with a band on tour, usually in sleeper buses, and handle every part of the concert productions except actually performing the music with the musicians...
accidentally blasts open a subterranean crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
, and the captain of the road crew, fearing looters and criminals, stations a guard near the site. Late in the night, an earthquake shakes loose one of the coffins, which slides down and lands at the feet of the confused guard. Curious as to what has fallen before him, the guard opens the coffin and discovers the body of a dog, impaled by a stake. He removes the stake, which revives the vampiric hound Zoltan.
Zoltan opens another coffin shaken loose from the crypt, this one holding the body of an innkeeper, Nalder, who once owned the crypt. Zoltan removes the stake from the innkeeper's chest, reanimating the innkeeper. The movie cuts to a flashback of a village in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
200 years prior.
The dog of an innkeeper saves a woman from being bitten by a bat, Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
in disguise. Furious over losing his meal to a dog, Dracula bites the woman's savior, turning the dog into a vampire. Now a vampire, the dog turns on its owner, turning the innkeeper into a vampire as well.
Back in the present, it appears that Dracula has only one surviving descendant, Michael Drake, a mild-mannered psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
, played by Michael Pataki
Michael Pataki
Michael Pataki was an American character actor.-Early life:Pataki born in Youngstown, Ohio. He attended the University of Southern California with a double major in Political Science and Drama...
, who decides to take his wife and children (who are, technically, also Dracula's descendants) on a vacation in his Winnebago
Winnebago Industries
Winnebago Industries Inc., , is a manufacturer of motor homes, a type of recreational vehicle or RV, in the United States. It is based in Forest City, Iowa.-Corporate history:...
, hoping to spend some quality time with his family out in the national forest.
Still loyal to the Dracula family, the two vampires travel to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, shipping themselves via boat to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Eventually, Zoltan and company find themselves in the same forest as Michael and his family.
Other campers, vacationing with their dogs discover that their pets are being killed by a strange beast. The deceased animals soon reanimate into vampiric dogs, the minions of Zoltan. Zoltan is killed in the final scene, but a vampire puppy escapes destruction.