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The Vampire’s Ghost is a 1945 American horror movie produced by Republic Photos and directed by Lesley Selander (The Catman of Paris) from a screenplay by John Okay. Butler (The Phantom Speaks) and Leigh Brackett (The Massive Sleep; The Empire Strikes Again).
The film stars John Abbott (Cry of the Werewolf, The Munsters, and likewise Physician Frankenstein in 1982’s Slapstick of One other Form), Charles Gordon and Peggy Stewart.
Plot:
On a safari in central Africa, naive Roy Hendrick (Charles Gordon) discovers to his horror that his travelling companion Webb Fallon (John Abbott) is a centuries-old vampire. Again at Fallon’s bar, the stress begins to mount…
Assessment:
Brit actor John Abbott’s depiction of a vampire who’s clearly struggling as if he’s addicted and but has a clearly outlined survival intuition places this low-key Republic manufacturing years forward of its time. The omnipresent sound of voodoo drums on the soundtrack is relentless and efficient, thus offering a foreboding aural backdrop to the onscreen shenanigans.
The ‘natives’ are additionally given extra credence than in related films of the interval and work out that Fallon is a vampire lengthy earlier than their white counterparts. Lesley Selander was a director of quite a few westerns and right here he appears to attempt to emulate the type of Val Lewton’s RKO productions. The Vampire’s Ghost is price a watch.
Adrian J Smith, MOVIES and MANIA
Different critiques:
“John Abbott is a bizarre casting selection, to make sure, however in an pleasing method. After fifteen years of decadent aristocrats in opera capes, it’s enjoyable to see a vampire who’s as an alternative a world-weary, low-born scoundrel. Moreover, I acquired an enormous kick out of Abbott’s portrayal of the character’s perspective towards his personal immortality.” 1000 Misspent Hours and Counting
“Lesley Selander has some modest units at his disposal which are infused with a foreboding exoticism; one tour into the jungles is particularly efficient in transcending its backlot and soundstage trappings. Many of the movie’s horror imagery is cribbed from Lewton’s iconography, as Selander depends on shadows and contrasts to relay a handful of memorable pictures…” Oh, the Horror!
“Why any director would resort to “jungle” units of the “potted-palms-on-a-soundstage” selection when he’s acquired the complete Republic lot at his disposal, is a thriller to me. However that’s an indication of the uneven manufacturing values that present up all through The Vampire’s Ghost, and it’s a disgrace as a result of this isn’t a foul little image.” Brian McFadden, Republic Horror
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“You’ll most likely want that extra display time have been dedicated to the charming Adele Mara, who performs the dancer, Lisa. Fallon speaks of her vampiric resurrection, however it could have been higher to see it for ourselves. Mara would have made a superb vampire seductress together with her darkish tresses and intense, unique magnificence.” Digital Virago
“Abbott’s refusal to resort to melodrama leads to him underplaying the position, and he manages to speculate his character with a beautiful sense of world-weariness that I’ve present in no different traditional vampire film that I’ve seen. There are memorable moments; a scene the place he hypnotizes a person to depart his physique below the complete moon, and a jarring sequence involving a mirror each come to thoughts.” Implausible Film Musings and Ramblings
“The principle flaw in The Vampire’s Ghost is that director Lesley Selander by no means succeeds in creating any type of menacing environment. Too many scenes are overlit […] The inside jungle units are phony-looking, virtually claustrophobic […] The temper which The Vampire’s Ghost greatest evokes is one in all warmth and oppression.” Tom Weaver, Poverty Row Horrors!
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“The Vampire’s Ghost is an odd, otherworldly little movie, particularly coming from a studio that specialised in probably the most formulaic westerns and serials. It’s a type of Casablanca meets Tarzan meets Twilight for previous folks […] it’s acquired a number of creativeness, some attention-grabbing new takes on vampire lore, and wealthy, dramatic strains…” Movies from Past the Time Barrier
” …an distinctive small-budgeted movie […] Regardless of the restrictions of minimal manufacturing values, the script (written by Leigh Brackett and John Okay. Butler) is an clever and restrained re-working of the vampire delusion.” Alain Silver, James Ursini, The Vampire Movie
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