Dracula Bites the Big Apple (short film, 1979)

Dracula Bites the Big Apple (1979) is a short film (22 minutes), explained on IMDb as “Dracula travels to New York for a change of scenery.” There is a scene at Studio 54 with owner Steve Rubell (1943-1989), who opened the disco in 1977.
   
Love at First Bite (1979) is a similar comedy-horror film about Dracula in New York City.
   
The short film was edited by Hal Popik (no relation).
   
     
IMDb
Dracula Bites the Big Apple (1979)
22min | Short, Comedy, Horror | 1979 (USA)
Dracula travels to New York for a change of scenery.
Director: Richard Wenk
Writer: Fred Olsen
Cast (in credits order)
Peter Loewy ... Dracula
Barry Gomolka ... Renfield
Karen Tull ... The Girl
Steve Rubell ... Self
Whitey Wenk ... Customs Official
Produced by
Richard Wenk ... producer
Film Editing by
Hal Popik
Makeup Department
Laurie Aiello ... makeup artist
 
Moviefit
Dracula Bites the Big Apple
Genre: Horror · Comedy
Release Date: December 31, 1978
Status: Released
Running time: 22m
Plot.
In 1979 Richard Wenk directed a bizarre short film by the name of Dracula Bites the Big Apple. It begins in sepia and a quote from Hamlet, but quickly moves into colour and disco as the titular Count boards a plane to New York to check out the “pulsating night life”. What follows is a blend of some very obvious gags, a handful of more imaginative ones, over-egged performances and an irresistible musical number revolving around a cover version of King Harvest’s Dancing in the Moonlight. Oh, and the owner of Studio 54, Steve Rubell, pops up in a cameo playing himself. It really is a genuine curiosity, an odd mix of comedy, horror, musical and love letter to New York which Wenk absolutely refuses to take seriously. Dracula Bites the Big Apple enabled Wenk seven years later to create the Grace Jones vehicle Vamp.
This Movie Is About.
disco · musical · vampire · new york