Love at First Bite

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Love at First Bite

PG

Released Apr 27, 1979

1h 36m

Romance

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

70%

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23 Reviews

55%

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5,000+ Ratings

When the government of Transylvania appropriates his castle, Count Dracula (George Hamilton) is obliged to relocate and decides to give New York City a try. He suffers all manner of adjustment problems, but finds solace in a new relationship with Cindy Sondheim (Susan Saint James). Unfortunately, her fiancé, Dr. Jeff Rosenberg (Richard Benjamin), is a direct descendant of Dracula's old nemesis, Van Helsing, and is prepared to do whatever is necessary to stop his undead rival.

Critics Consensus

Love at First Bite could use some more warm-blooded barbs to liven up its undead comedy, but George Hamilton's campy charisma gives the prince of darkness some welcome pizazz.

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Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

The production's genially tatty air enhances its anarchical mood and encourages one to go with its goofy yet often shrewd comic flow.

Oct 19, 2009

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Casting Dracula as the Last Romantic, Scott Fitzgerald-style, was a clever idea, but nothing clever remains in the film's hodgepodge of flat one-liners and graceless slapstick.

Oct 19, 2009

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Variety Staff

Variety

What would happen if Dracula was victimized by life in modern New York City? It's a fun notion and George Hamilton makes it work.

Mar 26, 2009

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

...may have a few regrettable scenes, but there's plenty of comedy meat on these often gnawed bones...

Rated: 3/5

Sep 13, 2021

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Augusto Martínez Torres

El Pais (Spain)

An entertaining and sarcastic comedy. [Full Review in Spanish]

Aug 7, 2019

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

A mostly likable and spirited Dracula pic, played as a silly spoof.

Rated: B-

Jul 17, 2011

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Bahad j

The costumes of the actors seemed to be very real, as if they were in their roles. The dress is really beautiful.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/08/24

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Geke g

Very clever context and worth to watch it

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/26/24

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Munkhchimeg T

A rare movie mixed with comedy and horror genre. Incredible

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/26/24

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S R

I thought I'd give it a shot, but man that was bad. I think I laughed once. It was on YouTube.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

11/10/23

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Grumpy Old G

A great time capsule of late 70s comedy.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/04/23

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Audience Member

another Dracula film but with more laughs and romance thrown into the mix George Hamilton stars the most famous vampire and funny enough he's actually kicked out of his Transylvanian residence now he and his servant Renfield are forced to reside to 1970's New York City life Dracula also intends to track down model Cindy Sondheim (Susan Saint James) in hopes of finding true love, little does he know though that her psychiatrist boyfriend Rosenberg is actually a descendant of his arch enemy Van Helsing her boyfriend is also onto Dracula making things a bit more tricky so even if it means he looks crazy by comparison he'll do whatever it takes to save Cindy the big question is whether or not Cindy wants actual love with someone like Dracula it's actually pretty goofy watching the lord of the undead adjust to the modern urban cityscape but there's something so lovable watching him in this light plus he seems like the only being in the world giving someone like Cindy a new perspective about life and commitment eternity is lonely and loveless, is a woman's career like a man (it's fun for a while but deep down is it what they want), in a world without love it is better to be dead a very likable 70's flick that's not too scary but so full of chuckles putting a modern spin on the prince of darkness

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/28/23

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Stan Dragoti

Director

George Hamilton

Count Dracula

Susan Saint James

Cindy Soundheim

Richard Benjamin

Doctor Jeff Rosenberg

Dick Shawn

Lieutenant Ferguson

Arte Johnson

Renfield

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Synopsis

When the government of Transylvania appropriates his castle, Count Dracula (George Hamilton) is obliged to relocate and decides to give New York City a try. He suffers all manner of adjustment problems, but finds solace in a new relationship with Cindy Sondheim (Susan Saint James). Unfortunately, her fiancé, Dr. Jeff Rosenberg (Richard Benjamin), is a direct descendant of Dracula's old nemesis, Van Helsing, and is prepared to do whatever is necessary to stop his undead rival.

Director: Stan Dragoti
Producer: Joel Freeman
Screenwriter: Robert Kaufman
Distributor: Vestron Video, Orion Pictures, American International Pictures, Warner Home Vídeo
Production Co: Melvin Simon Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 27, 1979, Wide
Release Date (DVD): Feb 10, 2015
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)