A strange guru-type character named Khorda suddenly appears on the scene and offers to guide a bunch of young hippies looking for some direction in their lives. We as an audience however know something is amiss having witnessed a coffin earlier floating ashore following the flute-playing of a most unusual looking black man who we later see arrive at the castle-like house in which the hippies seem to be squatting now acting as something of a servant/follower to Khorda. It's not exactly too surprising to us the viewing audience when we learn Khorda is actually a vampire preying on these clueless, direction-less kids. Will any of them escape his ghastly influence?
I really enjoyed this one. While it's basic underlying plot is largely the usual expected vampire story, there's some neat differences here that set this one apart from others. Quarry's Khorda is actually more a character akin to Charles Manson or even Jim Jones as his uses his guru rhetoric, something they mistake for guidance and understanding, to gain influence over his followers. His speeches are actually very nicely done and the one he gives on the nature of mortal religion is in particular very thought-provoking (and almost sure to offend those with strict Christian sensibilities). I also like this one's visual style. The opening of the coffin floating in the water and the black servant dragging the coffin actually rather reminds me of the German expressionist period and the film NOSFERATU (1922) in particular. A lot of the later vampire visuals though remind one more of the 60s Italian Horror films and the British Hammer films. I also like the inventiveness shown at the end when the film takes a number of unexpected twists and turns I never saw coming on first viewing. There's some problems with logic (as is often the case with films of this type) that stretch credibility (Pico attempting to stop Khorda at night instead of during the day, Khorda having a host of weapons that could potentially be used against him just laying around, etc.) but nothing so unforgivable as to take away one's enjoyment while watching this unfold.