One Of Bela Lugosi's Greatest Vampire Scenes Ever ("Return of the Vampire", 1943) (video)

It was up to Columbia studios to cast the great Bela Lugosi...

...in a fitting follow-up to his 1931 "Dracula" for Universal.

While his character here is named Armand Tesla...

...it's as close as Lugosi ever got to a genuine "Dracula" sequel.

Here, Frieda Inescort as a female Van Helsing clashes with Lugosi's vampire.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

One Of Bela Lugosi's Greatest Vampire Scenes Ever ("Return of the Vampire", 1943) (video)

Porfle's Trivia Quiz: "PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE" (1959) (video)

Many hail "Plan 9 From Outer Space" as the worst film ever made.

For its fans, the film is "bad" in the most entertaining ways.

And for its iconic director, Edward D. Wood, Jr...

..."Plan 9" stands as his most celebrated achievement.

How much do you remember about it?


Question: What was the film's original title?

A. "Vampires From Outer Space"
B. "Orgy of the Ghouls"
C. "Graverobbers From Outer Space"
D. "Flying Saucers Over Hollywood"
E. "Zombies From Outer Space"

Question: Why doesn't pilot Jeff Trent report seeing a flying saucer?

A. He's muzzled by Army brass
B. He suspects it to be swamp gas
C. He's afraid of being called a "kook"
D. He thinks he may have imagined it
E. His wife begs him not to

Question: Who chases Mrs. Trent through the cemetery?

A. Vampira
B. The Old Man
C. Tor Johnson
D. All of them
E. None of them

Question: Why can't Tanna turn off her electrode gun?

A. It's overheated
B. It's out of power
C. It's out of range
D. It's jammed
E. It's damaged

Question: Eros declares that Earth people are...what?

A. Morons
B. Idiots
C. Imbeciles
D. Buffoons
E. Clods

Question: What happens to Eros and Tanna at the end?

A. They return to outer space
B. Their flying saucer crashes
C. They fly to Washington, D.C.
D. Their flying saucer explodes
E. They unleash a zombie army


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Porfle's Trivia Quiz: "PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE" (1959) (video)

Porfle's Trivia Quiz: "ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN" (1948) (video)

Here's one of the most popular horror-comedies of all time...

...which is beloved by fans of both Abbott & Costello and classic monsters.

How much do you remember about it?


Question: What does Lou swipe from Larry Talbot's hotel room?

A. Banana
B. Pillow
C. Apple
D. Book
E. Hat

Question: What does Bud go to the costume party dressed as?

A. Werewolf
B. Mummy
C. Frankenstein
D. Vampire
E. Ghoul

Question: Who does the Monster hurl through a window?

A. Bud
B. Lou
C. Sandra
D. Dracula
E. The Wolf Man

Question: What does Dracula throw at the Wolf Man?

A. Sword
B. Flowerpot
C. Lamp
D. Doorstop
E. Board

Question: What Universal "monster" makes a surprise appearance at the end?

A. Kharis (The Mummy)
B. Phantom of the Opera
C. Invisible Man
D. Hunchback
E. Son of Dracula


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

Porfle's Trivia Quiz: "ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN" (1948) (video)

Man-Bat Transformations in Universal "Dracula" Movies (video)

Once they actually started showing them in Universal's "Dracula" movies...

...the man-bat transformations were pretty impressive.

Most, in fact, were very smoothly done. And all of them were fun.


SON OF DRACULA (1943)
HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1944)
HOUSE OF DRACULA (1945)
ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

Man-Bat Transformations in Universal "Dracula" Movies (video)

Dracula & Renfield's Duplicate Death Groans (Spanish "Dracula", 1931) (video)

In the Spanish-language version of "Dracula" (1931)...

...the same death groan was used for both Dracula and his minion, Renfield.

Listen when Renfield's body hits bottom.

Now listen to Dracula when he gets staked.

But who groaned first?

It was Bela Lugosi in the English version.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

Dracula & Renfield's Duplicate Death Groans (Spanish "Dracula", 1931) (video)

The Godfather Monster Mash ("The Godfather", 1972) (video)

The best scene in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather" (1972)...

...is the one where Don Corleone (Marlon Brando) uses an orange peel to make vampire teeth...

...and terrifies his grandson, Anthony.

The only trouble is, this precious scene just too brief.  It needed to be longer.

And now, that problem has been wonderfully, delightfully solved.

Because now we have, for current and future generations to cherish...

...The Godfather Monster Mash.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

The Godfather Monster Mash ("The Godfather", 1972) (video)

Tarantula Girl ("Mesa of Lost Women", 1953) Dances To "After Dark" ("From Dusk Till Dawn", 1996) (video)

Tarantella: Tandra Quinn ("Mesa of Lost Women", 1953)

Music: Tito & Tarantula ("From Dusk Till Dawn", 1996)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Tarantula Girl ("Mesa of Lost Women", 1953) Dances To "After Dark" ("From Dusk Till Dawn", 1996) (video)

Bizarre Floating Coffin Scene From "Son Of Dracula" (Lon Chaney, 1943) (video)

Katherine Caldwell (Louise Allbritton) hastens to a midnight rendezvous...

...with Count Alucard, who is really the vampire Count Dracula (Lon Chaney).

Her intention is to marry him and become an undying vampire herself.

But what really makes the scene memorable is Dracula's floating coffin...

...which he rides to the shore of a lake and into Katherine's arms.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Bizarre Floating Coffin Scene From "Son Of Dracula" (Lon Chaney, 1943) (video)

The Three Undead Brides Of "Dracula" (Bela Lugosi, 1931) (video)

One of the eeriest aspects of the 1931 "Dracula"...

...is the sight of his three ghostly, cadaverous brides.

Dorothy Tree
Geraldine Dvorak
Cornelia Thaw 

And with the Spanish version of the film...

...comes yet another ghostly trio.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

The Three Undead Brides Of "Dracula" (Bela Lugosi, 1931) (video)

THE BLOOD DRINKERS -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

(This Blu-ray disc is part of Severin Films' "Hemisphere Box of Horrors" Collection along with CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES, THE BLACK CAT/ TORTURE CHAMBER OF DR. SADISM, and BRAIN OF BLOOD.)


Another fun horror outing from Philippines-based Hemisphere Pictures, THE BLOOD DRINKERS (1964) is also another superlative low-budget thriller from prolific, talented director Gerardo de Leon (CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES, TERROR IS A MAN, MAD DOCTOR OF BLOOD ISLAND, BRIDES OF BLOOD).

His visual style here is pleasingly old-school, taking his limited resources and fashioning a Gothic horror tale which, like his later CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES, eschews gore and cheap sensation in favor of mood, fever dream visuals, and an atmosphere of growing claustrophobic dread.

This time we meet Dr. Marco (Ronald Remy), the bald, black-caped head vampire of a small group who, in their crypt headquarters, are trying to revive Marco's one true love Katrina (Amalia Fuentes, CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES).

 

But to do so, they need the heart of Katrina's twin sister Charito, who was raised by foster parents and is unaware of her twin.

Meanwhile, the tragically-conflicted mother of the girls (Mary Walter, who would give such an impressive performance as a raving vampire in CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES), is forced by the lovestruck Marco into betraying one daughter so that the other may live.

This basic plot serves as a springboard for a prolonged clash between good and evil with a venerable old local priest and a circle of loyal friends helping Charito battle not only Marco but her foster parents who were murdered by Marco's vile hunchback henchman and have risen from the grave as bloodthirsty vampires themselves.

Director De Leon pours on the consistently engaging visuals complete with spooky cemeteries and crypts shrouded in swirling fog.  Marco's lackeys are a repulsive lot, including a huge bat who growls like a wild animal and looks creepy in its frequent close-ups even though it's utterly fake-looking. 

The vampire attacks and other action, including some furious fistfights between Marco and his gang and Charito's staunch, oily-haired admirer Victor (Eddie Fernandez), are staged with flair and keep the movie moving along at a good pace between the slower dramatic scenes. 

Interestingly, Marco isn't played with the usual vampire mannerisms we're so used to from actors such as Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee.  He's actually more of a Bond villain type, although his only motivation is a tragic love for his dying Katrina (who, technically, is already undead, but we won't go into that).

As in CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES, the eternal clash between the diabolical forces of evil and the power of religious faith, as represented by the old priest and his congregation, is conveyed in no uncertain terms as a very real and ongoing thing in which monsters such as Marco and his ilk must be conquered.

One thing which must be noted on the technical side is an interesting visual conceit, being that the film is shot mostly in black-and-white which has been tinted various colors--blue for night time scenes, red for scenes depicting vampiric activity, and so on--with the odd scene here and there in color.  Some may find this effect jarring, while others will no doubt be captivated by it.

The print is good, presumably the best one available.  Dialogue is dubbed into English, with English subtitles available.  As usual, Severin Films offers a full menu of enjoyable extras which are listed below.

THE BLOOD DRINKERS comes to a head in the exciting conclusion with Marco's final desperate push to vanquish Charito's allies and get his hands on her precious heart.  It's all wonderfully old-fashioned in a classic horror sort of way but with touches of the more garish Hammer influence of the 50s and early 60s, and horror fans should find this a pleasingly novel confection.


Buy the Stand-alone Blu-ray at Severin Films

Buy the Hemisphere Box of Horrors Collection


Special Features:

    Manong of the Philippines: Interview With Script Supervisor and Gerry De Leon’s AD Dik Trofeo
    Hemisphere Appreciation by Filmmaker David Decoteau
    Audio Commentary With Film Historians Nathaniel Thompson and Howard S. Berger
    Partial Audio Commentary With Hemisphere Marketing Consultant Samuel M. Sherman
    Deleted Scenes
    Blood Drinkers Trailer
    Vampire People Trailer
    Radio Spot

THE BLOOD DRINKERS -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

 (This Blu-ray disc is part of Severin Films' "Hemisphere Box of Horrors" Collection along with THE BLOOD DRINKERS, THE BLACK CAT/ TORTURE CHAMBER OF DR. SADISM, and BRAIN OF BLOOD.)


Somber and absorbing, with the old-school Gothic atmosphere of a classic horror film, CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES (Severin Films, 1966) is satisfying stuff for those who enjoy the spirit of the old Hammer vampire flicks.

Not as top-drawer as the early Hammers or as visually sumptuous, this earnestly-told vampire tale, shot in the Philippines with Filipino actors, takes advantage of its Spanish villa location for added production value as well as a fine cast and able direction by Hemisphere Pictures veteran Gerardo de Leon (THE BLOOD DRINKERS, TERROR IS A MAN, MAD DOCTOR OF BLOOD ISLAND, BRIDES OF BLOOD).

The stately pace allows us to appreciate every element of the story as it unfolds around two aristocratic Spanish families, with fervent lovers Leonore Escudero (Amalia Fuentes) and Daniel Castillo (Romeo Vasquez) denied permission to marry by Leonore's dying father.

 

He gives no reason for his denial, but we soon find out that there's a history of vampirism in the Escudero family.  Very recent history, in fact, since a hidden underground chamber contains the coffin of Papa's living dead wife (Mary Walter in a stunning performance).

Mama, it turns out, is a snarling, bloodthirsty vampiress who will eventually escape her captivity and start spreading her hideous disease amongst her own family members, one bloody bite at a time.

Leonore and her headstrong brother Eduardo (Eddie Garcia) clash over their father's dying wish that the house be burned to the ground upon his death.  Eduardo also butts heads with Daniel, a clash that is intensified when Eduardo turns into a vampire, attacks Daniel's sister, and then forces her to marry him.

The whole "family vampire curse" thing also leads Leonore to call off her own marriage to Daniel, further adding to the film's enjoyably rich sense of pure melodrama. How their story resolves itself leads to a satisfying conclusion that reminded me a bit of "Wuthering Heights" of all things.

It's all quite lively and suspenseful, yet CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES maintains its old-school atmosphere by holding back on the blood and violence while offering plenty of stunningly staged vampire action. 

Mary Walter makes a particularly effective vampire (closeups of her during the opening titles are chilling), while Garcia's Eduardo comes to the fore as the film's chief purveyor of undead villainy.

The print itself looks good, especially for an old Eastmancolor film.  Dialogue was filmed in Filipino and dubbed into English, with English subtitles available.  As usual, Severin Films offers a full menu of enjoyable extras which are listed below.   

CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES eventually finds Eduardo and his creepy vampire progeny beseiged by an army of crucifix-carrying townspeople in a final clash between good and evil.  For those who enjoy their vampire tales in the Hammeresque old-school style, featuring snarling, fang-baring bloodsuckers stalking the living amidst classic Gothic trappings, this is one you'll definitely want to indulge in.


Order the stand-alone disc from Severin Films

Order the Hemisphere Box of Horrors From Severin Films

Special Features for Curse of the Vampires:

    Cursed Vampire: Interview With Actor Eddie Garcia
    The Market Of Hemisphere: Interview With Marketing Consultant Samuel M. Sherman
    Audio Commentary With Philippine Genre Documentarian Andrew Leavold
    Partial Audio Commentary with Sam Sherman
    Deleted Scenes
    Trailer
    Beast of Blood / Curse of the Vampires radio spot

 

CURSE OF THE VAMPIRES -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

The Coolest Scene In "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter" (Hammer, 1974) (video)

Kronos (Horst Janson) and his friend Grost (John Cater) stop at a roadside pub.

Kerro (Ian Hendry) and two other ruffians with swords decide to antagonize them.

Kronos brushes off the insults directed at him.

But when they harrass his hunchbacked friend...

...it's time for some quick, decisive swordplay.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

The Coolest Scene In "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter" (Hammer, 1974) (video)

Carlos Villarías As The Spanish "Drácula" (1931) (video)

In 1931, while Universal was filming "Dracula" with Bela Lugosi...

...they also made a Spanish-language version starring Carlos Villarías.

It was filmed at night using the same production elements.
Lost for many years, it was rediscovered and restored in the 1970s.

Director George Melford watched the daily rushes of the Tod Browning version...
...and, it is thought, tried to improve upon his work.

Some consider it to be the superior version.
Others prefer the work of Lugosi and Browning.

The lead performance by Carlos Villarías remains an acquired taste.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Carlos Villarías As The Spanish "Drácula" (1931) (video)

MANDAO OF THE DEAD -- Movie Review by Porfle

The small-scale supernatural comedy MANDAO OF THE DEAD (2018) has a straightforward goal--to entertain us in its own low-key, unassuming way and give us a fun time that's dependent not on frenetic farce or flashy effects but a captivating story and interesting characters. 

Writer-director-star Scott Dunn gets right to business and achieves this goal with a sharp, concise script and direction that's brisk, economical, and efficient. 

He and the rest of the cast turn in performances that are up to the material as well.  Dunn stars as Jay Mandao, a young man living off the royalties from his late father's now-defunct cereal company, and Sean McBride is his ne'er-do-well step-nephew Jackson (who actually appears to be somewhat older than he).

Jackson's the classic unemployed slacker/sponge, living with his "Uncle" Jay in a tent in the living room. When Jay throws him out (temporarily), Jackson goes crawling for help to his ex-girlfriend Maeve (Marisa Hood), who, we later discover, thinks she's a vampire.

When Jackson surreptitiously opens up the last known box of "Mandao-O's" cereal for breakfast one morning, a series of events is set into motion during which Jay discovers that he suddenly has the ability of astral projection. 

While unsettling at first, things really turn serious when a dead guy named Darth (David Gallegos) pops up during an astral episode and implores Jay to help him.  It turns out that Jay has the power to travel back in time in astral form to before Darth was murdered and try to prevent it from happening.

Jackson gets involved, as does Jay's rotund cousin Andy (Sean Liang), also an astral traveler, and before long there's a complex chain reaction of dicey situations involving time travel, more murder, more vampirism, and other interesting plot developments which I found continually intriguing and engaging.

At times this circuitous, twisting storyline is reminiscent of such films as TIMECRIMES albeit less mindbending and more delightfully funny.  Still, writer-director Dunn keeps things pleasantly low-key and allows us to thoroughly enjoy what's going on without trying to whip up any fratboy belly laughs, slapstick, or shock. 

The supernatural angle is played for both fun and intrigue, with astral Jay trying to communicate with his taxi-driver friend Fer (Gina Gomez) first via her car radio and then by static-electric touch. 

Gallegos' "Darth" is especially interesting in his earnest quest to prevent his own murder, while McBride is the perfect foil for everyone else as happy-go-lucky Jackson.  As Maeve, Marisa Hood gives the story its darkest and most sinister element as her character grows increasingly ominous.

Don't expect a stampede of circus monkeys flying out of your TV when you watch MANDAO OF THE DEAD. Just settle in for an easygoing hour-and-a-half of spooky, brain-teasing fun and you're liable to find it time well-spent. 


Available Now Exclusively on Amazon Instant Video
Sci-Fi Horror Comedy to Haunt iTunes February 2019

MANDAO OF THE DEAD -- Movie Review by Porfle

All The Scary Vampire Scenes From "NOSFERATU: A Symphony Of Horror" (1922) (video)

"Nosferatu" was an unlicensed film adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel "Dracula."

Count Orlok the vampire was played by an actor named Max Schreck.
Unlike the suave count of later films, Orlock was cadaverous and almost ratlike.

Many consider Shrek to be the most frightening movie vampire of all time.

"Schrek" in German means "terror."

Much of the film's imagery remains unmatched in the annals of horror.

Bram Stoker's wife sued the filmmakers for copyright infringement.
She won the case, and all copies were ordered destroyed.

Luckily for cinema history, some survived.

F.W. Murnau's film went on to become an invaluable classic of screen terror.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Music by teknoAXE

All The Scary Vampire Scenes From "NOSFERATU: A Symphony Of Horror" (1922) (video)

What Renfield Really Wants in "DRACULA" (1931, English/Spanish) (video)

In both the English language version of "Dracula" (1931) and its Spanish counterpart...

...Renfield's insane laughter causes a hapless sanitarium nurse to faint dead away.

As the deranged fly eater slowly advances on her prone body...

...we fear his intentions.

The English version leaves the rest to our imaginations.

But in the Spanish version...


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

What Renfield Really Wants in "DRACULA" (1931, English/Spanish) (video)

The Four Universal DRACULAS (1931-1948) (video)

Bela Lugosi was the definitive Count Dracula in Universal's 1931 classic "Dracula."

The concurrently filmed Spanish version starred Carlos Villarías in the title role.

In 1943's "Son of Dracula", the Count (or his son--fans are still undecided) was played by Lon Chaney, Jr.

John Carradine took over the role in the 1944  monster rally "House of Frankenstein."

Carradine continued as the Count in the 1945 follow-up "House of Dracula."

And in 1948, Bela Lugosi was finally allowed to assume the role once again in the monster comedy "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein."


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

The Four Universal DRACULAS (1931-1948) (video)

When Universal's "Dracula" Was Reflected In A Mirror (video)

A key element in Universal Pictures' "Dracula" lore is that the vampire's reflection can never be seen in a mirror...

...as in "Dracula" (1931) with Bela Lugosi...
...and "House of Dracula" (1945) with John Carradine.

But on at least two occasions, the filmmakers slipped up. 

In "Son of Dracula" (1943), Lon Chaney's vampire performs the screen's first bat-to-man transformation.

But in doing so, his image is captured in the hallway mirror.

In 1948's "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein", Lugosi is once again in the role.

And once again, his image is reflected in a mirror.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

When Universal's "Dracula" Was Reflected In A Mirror (video)

THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST -- DVD Review by Porfle

Clocking in at 59 minutes and originally released on a double bill with "The Phantom Speaks", Republic's 1945 horror-thriller THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST is a short-but-sweet foray into the supernatural that owes more to that studio's jungle features and serials than to the sort of dark Gothic chills you'd expect from a vampire tale.

The setting reminds me of Republic's serial PANTHER GIRL OF THE KONGO but with somewhat richer production values. (Olive Films' DVD of this beautifully-shot black-and-white film looks terrific.) A small village in darkest Africa is beset by a series of murders which, to the superstitious, appear to be the work of a vampire. 

Roy Hendrick (Charles Gordon of SWAMP FIRE, here bearing some resemblance to Buster Crabbe), soon to marry his sweetheart Julie (Peggy Stewart, THE RUNAWAYS, BOBBIE JO AND THE OUTLAW), is having trouble keeping native workers on his rubber plantation as more of them flee the bloodsucking menace.

Julie's father, Dr. Vance (Emmett Vogan, THE MUMMY'S TOMB, THE MUMMY'S GHOST), is, in fact, baffled by the great loss of blood from the victims, which also has the local priest, Father Gilchrist (Grant Withers, FORT APACHE, RIO GRANDE), keeping a crucifix within reach at all times. 

The only local who doesn't seem overly concerned is cucumber-cool club owner, Webb Fallon (John Abbott, perhaps best known to TV fans from Star Trek: "Errand of Mercy" and The Man From UNCLE: "The Birds and the Bees Affair"), whose star attraction is an alluring dancer played by Adele Mara (SANDS OF IWO JIMA).  Fallon's luck on his own gambling tables is almost supernatural in itself, raising the ire of ship captain Jim Barrett (prolific Western actor Roy Barcroft) who accuses him of cheating. 

Barrett attacks him, but one piercing stare from the mysterious Fallon causes the man to back off in fear.  It isn't long before we're pretty sure Fallon is the vampire, a suspicion soon borne out when Roy comes under the mysterious man's mental control.  After that, the ailing Roy seems powerless to stop Fallon as the centuries-old vampire sets his sights on none other than Julie herself as his undead bride.

Gordon and Stewart play the typical romantic couple from a million adventure yarns, but Abbott's interpretation of the bloodsucking fiend of ancient lore is about as low-key and restrained as one could imagine.  In fact, even when he's exercising his insidious mind control over helpless victims or revealing his sinister intentions for the hapless Julie, Fallon barely ruffles a thread of his tailored suit or a hair on his neatly-clipped head. 

He doesn't even sleep in a coffin--a small box of native soil underneath his pillow suffices--and is capable of withstanding daylight in small doses.  And what with the constant native drums in the background (local tribes keep each other informed on local vampiric goings-on) and other familiar tropes of the jungle adventure--safaris, native carriers, huts, spears--the emphasis of the rather literate screenplay by Leigh Brackett (STAR WARS V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK) is more upon characterization and a measured suspense than eliciting nightmares.  

Which, indeed, is the modest appeal of THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST, a "horror" tale that feels like an extended serial chapter in which the cliffhangers consist of quietly suspenseful moments rather than action thrills.  (It was helmed by prolific Western director Lesley Selander, responsible for several of the better "Hopalong Cassidy" entries.)  Even the climactic showdown between humans and vampire in a remote jungle temple is a pleasantly told diversion meant simply to entertain us, which it does. 

Order it from Olive Films

Subtitles: English (optional)
Video: 1.33:1 aspect ratio; B&W
Runtime: 59 minutes
Extras: none
Year: 1945

@OliveFilms
https://www.facebook.com/olivefilms/

THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST -- DVD Review by Porfle

THE VAMPIRE BAT (1933) -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

Who'd have thought, back when we were watching dark, battered prints of this on public domain DVDs, that one day we'd get to see it on Blu-ray in (almost) tip-top shape and in all its original glory? 

Thanks to a new HD restoration by The Film Detective (in conjunction with UCLA Film & Television Archive) that day is today, and the golden-age horror classic THE VAMPIRE BAT (1933) hasn't looked this good in ages.

Sure, there are still imperfections--this thing is ancient, after all, and has been in the public domain for a very long time--but heck, I love for a film to have SOME imperfections, if only for nostalgic value.

For the most part, however, this cinematic treasure is bright, sharp, and clear, and oh, does that glorious black-and-white photography ever look gorgeous.  Especially when the equally gorgeous leading lady Fay Wray is gracing the screen.

Sharing the cast list with Fay is the exquisitely evil Lionel Atwill as Dr. Otto von Niemann, a scientist--a very mad one, as it turns out--conducting some rather unsavory experiments in the laboratory of his castle in a small German village. 

Fay is his unsuspecting lab assistant Ruth, whose boyfriend, police inspector Karl Brettschneider (Melvyn Douglas) is stymied by a rash of murders in which the victims are found dead in their beds, drained of blood, with two puncture wounds on their throats.

In a reversal of the Van Helsing character in DRACULA two years earlier, Karl is the only man in town who DOESN'T believe the deaths are the work of a vampire.  Everyone else suspects Herman, a half-wit who loves bats (of which the village seems to have an inordinate amount fluttering about and hanging from trees).  

Herman is played wonderfully by the great Dwight Frye, in a performance both disturbing and sympathetic.  Dwight deftly blends elements from some of his other characters such as FRANKENSTEIN's hunchbacked assistant Fritz and the cackling madman Renfield from DRACULA.

Here, however, he's simply a pathetic outsider whom the townspeople regard as a pariah and eventually hunt down as members of the usual torch-bearing mob (with the torches beautifully hand-tinted in color as in the original release prints).

Meanwhile, the vampire murders continue to terrorize the countryside as Atwill's supremely sinister Dr. Niemann carries on his unholy experiments.  As in DR. X. and MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM before it, THE VAMPIRE BAT features yet another climactic encounter between Atwill and seminal scream queen Fay, while Niemann's assistant Emil (played by Robert Frazer of 1932's WHITE ZOMBIE), under Niemann's hypnotic spell, is ordered to kill Karl in his sleep. 

Scripted by Edward T. Lowe (HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, HOUSE OF DRACULA), this independent production has hints of the Universal Pictures style along with some of their familiar players such as Dwight Frye, Lionel Belmore, and Melvyn Douglas (of James Whale's THE OLD DARK HOUSE).

Director Frank R. Strayer (THE MONSTER WALKS, CONDEMNED TO LIVE) has a restrained yet fluid style during the more frenetic scenes, and a pleasingly stagelike handling of the longer dialogue exchanges. 

While nowhere near as stylish as Whale, Strayer does share that director's fondness for comedy relief in the form of Maude Eburne as Ruth's hypochondriac Aunt Gussie. If you enjoy the comedy stylings of Whale favorite Una O'Connor--I do, many don't--chances are you'll find Eburne a welcome relief from the grim proceedings surrounding her character.

Strayer uses lots of wide shots but then rewards us with some frame-able closeups of the lovely Fay and the not-so-lovely Atwill and Frye.  Production design is well-done and highly atmospheric. Some of the laboratory scenes are rather morbid in this pre-Code era.  There's no musical score save for brief snippets of library music during the opening and closing, but this only adds to the somber mood.

The Blu-ray for this special restored edition is in the original 1.33:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Digital sound. It is, in the words of the press release, "restored from a 35mm composite acetate fine grain master and a 35mm nitrate print."  Extras consist of a charming featurette by Film Detective featuring Melvyn Douglas' son, and a wall-to-wall audio commentary by film historian Sam Sherman which is scholarly and informative. 

It's nice to see this neglected gem reintroduced to the public in this form after languishing in the public domain for so long.  For lovers of vintage black-and-white films, golden age horror, Fay Wray, and classic film in general, watching this version of THE VAMPIRE BAT is like viewing fine art or savoring a vintage wine.  That is, if you drink...wine.

http://www.thefilmdetective.com/

Buy it at Amazon.com

Release date: April 25, 2017

THE VAMPIRE BAT (1933) -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle