In 1972, two interior decorators, Bobby McCoy and Billy Schaffer, purchase the coffin and ship it to Los Angeles.

The next evening, Blacula visits Tina at her apartment and shares how Dracula enslaved him and Luva and how he was cursed with vampirism.

Thomas calls the morgue and instructs Sam, the attendant, to take Jones' body out of deep freeze and leave the room and lock the door.

They walk into the exam room by the freezer, where Peters sees a sheet-covered body lying on a gurney and pulls the sheet back to reveal Jones rising to attack him.

Thomas keeps her at bay with a Christian cross long enough to open the window blinds and expose her to sunlight, destroying her.

After McCoy is seen walking the streets of Los Angeles, Thomas, Peters, and several police officers track Blacula to his warehouse hideout.

Blacula hypnotizes Tina into going to his new hideout at a nearby underground chemical plant while Thomas and the police pursue him.

Devastated and feeling he has no purpose to live after losing Luva again, Blacula commits suicide by climbing the stairs to the roof where the morning sun destroys him.

[4] Marshall had previously worked in stage productions and in episodes of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Nurses, Bonanza, Star Trek and Mannix.

[4] Thalmus Rasulala, who plays Dr. Gordon Thomas, is best known for roles in episodes of The Twilight Zone, Perry Mason and Rawhide.

[1] While Blacula was in its production stages, William Marshall worked with the film producers to make sure his character had some dignity.

[7] The film's soundtrack features a score by Gene Page and contributions by the Hues Corporation and 21st Century Ltd.[6] Blacula opened in Washington, Dallas, Seattle and Oklahoma City on August 25, 1972, and in Chicago two days later.

[2] Prior to its release, American International Pictures' marketing department wanted to ensure that black audiences would be interested in Blacula; some posters for the film included references to slavery.

[8] American International Pictures also held special promotional showings at two New York theaters; anyone wearing a flowing cape would receive free admission.

[9] Variety gave the film a positive review praising the screenplay, music and acting by William Marshall.

[15] Time Out gave the film a negative review, stating that it "remains a lifeless reworking of heroes versus vampires with soul music and a couple of good gags.

"[17] Allmovie gave the film two and a half stars out of five, noting that Blacula is "better than its campy title might lead one to believe...the film suffers from the occasional bit of awkward humor (the bits with the two homosexual interior decorators are the most squirm-inducing), but Joan Torres and Raymond Koenig's script keeps things moving at a fast clip and generates some genuine chills.

[21] In a 2004 episode of The Simpsons, Homer, Marge and Lisa watch part of a film called "Blacula Meets Black Dracula" that had fun with this central idea; after the two leads drain an evil businessman who plans to tear down their favorite disco to make way for a hockey rink, Homer says affectionately "You know, Black Dracula is now a Congressman from Virginia."