THE
RETURN OF DRACULA (1958)/THE VAMPIRE (1957)Director: Paul Landres
MGM
THE
RETURN OF DRACULA (1958)/THE VAMPIRE (1957)Sometimes I can believe that
studios like MGM are actually reading online fan requests after all, for here
are two of my personal favorite horror movies from the 1950s, paired perfectly
together like I'd always hoped they would be. This bloodsucking Midnite Movies
double feature makes for the perfect Saturday Night Chiller Theater experience!
Director Paul Landres shot both of these vampire-oriented features for Gramercy
Films back in the late 1950s, and they come highly recommended for nostalgia
buffs. The films are both contained here on one double-sided, single layer disc.
THE RETURN OF DRACULA (1958) presents European Francis Lederer as a "contemporary"
version of the legendary Count, who outwits a posse of dutiful vampire hunters
in his homeland by boarding a train headed for America. Once on the move, Dracula
kills a Balkan foreign artist named Bellac Gordal who is occupying the same
compartment, and assumes his identity. Arriving in a small Mayberry-esque community
in California, "Cousin Bellac" is met by an estranged American family
who haven't seen him since he was a boy. He is especially fond of the young
and fetching Rachel (Norma Eberhardt) who in turn seems very captivated by her
long-lost relative and takes a keen interest in him and his art renderings.
Dracula is pursued by a Van Helsing-like replacement (John Wengraf) who is hot
on his trail and knows how to deal with the unnatural series of events which
are piling up following Bellac's dubious arrival.
Lederer
is very impressive as the seemingly affable cousin who in reality is an evil
and manipulative monster. With curly hair, piercing eyes, and a large black
overcoat draped over his shoulders to cleverly suggest a cape, his calculated
vampire stalks the night with evil authority. Director Landres lifts the humble
black and white B production up several notches with his misty atmosphere and
trick photography shots... for example, there is a chilling sequence where Dracula
emerges from his foggy coffin in a bizarre and unearthly fashion through use
of a double cranked camera. There is also a momentary color insert shot of red
blood gushing from the chest of an impaled vampiress as she receives a wooden
stake pounded through the heart.
THE RETURN OF DRACULA (sometimes known as CURSE OF DRACULA to you older folks)
makes for an effortless 77 minutes of terror, and it is presented anamorphic
here in a matted 1.85:1 format, which duplicates the original theatrical presentation.
The print is very nice, and there are no visual distractions. The audio is presented
in English stereo and mono, and subtitles are available in English, French,
or Spanish. To be fair, while viewing the film I felt that perhaps there was
too much hiss on occasional "sss" sounds, but that may be just me.
There are no extras this time around (pity too, since THE RETURN OF DRACULA
has a nice trailer with extra narration spoken by Francis "Dracula"
Lederer). But for those who are wondering, the aforementioned color insert shot
is intact.
THE
VAMPIRE (1957) was actually known on television as MARK OF THE VAMPIRE (not
to be confused with the Bela Lugosi film of the same name) and it's the story
of small-town physician Dr. Paul Beecher (John Beal) who obtained some experimental
pills from one of his colleagues who died while trying to perfect them. The
goal was to try and revert the human mind back to its primitive urges (for whatever
purpose) and the serum utilized just happened to have been taken from vampire
bats (bingo!). Once Beecher accidentally ingests one of the tablets he finds
himself hopelessly addicted, but also unknowingly transforms into a crusty-faced
predator who runs about the neighborhood sinking his teeth into not only his
own patients, but anyone else in his path. His dedicated nurse (Coleen Gray,
whom you may also watch in Universal's THE LEECH WOMAN) is the woman who stands
by him and tries to keep him at bay. As routine and juvenile as this synopsis
may sound, John Beal actually turns in a strong and highly sympathetic performance
as the tormented doctor and elevates the picture.
Like its co-feature, THE VAMPIRE is presented anamorphic in its original aspect
ratio of 1.85:1. The picture quality is excellent, and perhaps even nicer than
THE RETURN OF DRACULA. Like with THE RETURN OF DRACULA, THE VAMPIRE has been
given a new High Definition transfer in preparation for this DVD release. As
with the Dracula film, this also contains no extra features, but there are English,
French, and Spanish subtitles. The English audio is very good, and it is featured
in both stereo and mono.
MGM has done it again with this welcome release of favorite vintage Creature
Features at an affordable price, and it's only one in a recent line of several
other highly anticipated shockers. One hopes it won't be very long before the
next batch arrives (and I'd like to cast my vote for 1956's THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT
and THE BLACK SLEEP as two of the main contenders). (Joe
Karlosi)