Classic fright fans rejoice! Return of Dracula, though previously available on VHS, has been out-of-print for years. If you’ve never seen it, it’s a suprisingly well-done sunless & white dismay film from 1958.
Buy,Download, Or Stream The Return of Dracula/The Vampire! Click Here
In a spot that, oddly enough, echoes Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt, Count Dracula (a sublime Francis Lederer) relocates to California to live with supposed relatives. And although it’s unrelated to the Hammer Films’ Dracula films of the same period, it certainly holds its occupy against those more-polished efforts. The vampire’s demise is somewhat graphic for the time.
The Vampire, while arguably the lesser film here, is by no means a slay of time. John Beal generates sympathy as a small-down doctor afflicted with the “disease” of vampirism. Fifties genre approved Kenneth Tobey is on hand as the local sheriff. While both of these films are basically drive-in stuff, The Vampire’s low-budget roots are more definite, particularly in some laughably-bad make-up work.
Buy,Download, Or Stream The Return of Dracula/The Vampire! Click Here
If you’ve been through most or all of the films in the Hammer, AIP or similar catalogs, you’re in for a valid treat here. Highly recommended for Return of Dracula alone.
I have waited for years to discover these titles on DVD and at last they are finally here. Anyone who grew up watching slow night alarm shows on local TV probably saw these films at one time or another especially THE RETURN OF DRACULA. Both were made by Gramercy Productions a division of Levy-Gardner-Laven, an outfit that produced shows for television in the 50’s and 60’s (most notably THE RIFLEMAN and THE Sizable VALLEY) .
What sets these 2 films apart from other B-movie horrors of the era are the expend of once major stars (Francis Lederer, John Beal) who were really expedient actors, maximum spend of their minimum budgets (like Val Lewton in the 40’s), and the fact that both screenplays were written by a woman (Pat Fielder who did Hitchcock’s SHADOW OF A DOUBT) which gives a slightly different perspective to the proceedings where you wind up caring more about the characters most notably John Beal in THE VAMPIRE. Unlike Val Lewton’s pictures these are 1950’s films and both occupy some truly graphic moments which are tranquil effective today.
Of the two my personal celebrated is THE VAMPIRE although THE RETURN OF DRACULA is overall the better film. Suitable murky and white photography and effective background music contribute to the overall atmosphere. While the coarse budget shows through from time to time and John Beal’s make-up is a mixed bag (although THE VAMPIRE is a Jekyll/Hyde narrative rather than a supernatural one), if you’re a fan of outrageous budget 50’s dismay films than these both command the goods.
Now if MIDNITE MOVIES (which says MGM but is owned by Fox) would unprejudiced double up THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD and THE FLAME BARRIER (the other two Gramercy films made at the same time) then that would be a exact cause for celebration. You could then compare them with the Richard Gordon English horror/sci-fi films (stare my Listmania lists) made at the same time and boy would that be a scamper.
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