This obscure 1957 horror movie has been overlooked as far as I am concerned. It has an interesting twist to the "man turns into bloodsucking monster" premise. John Beal plays a kindly small town doctor who turns into a vampire after accidentally ingesting pills that a deceased scientist had invented and had been experimenting on with vampire bats (the winged variety!) before he died. 1950's horror stalwart Kenneth Tobey portrays the granite-jawed town detective who is investigating a sudden rash of mysterious deaths in the town. Colleen Gray is the requisite pretty love interest/possible victim. Although the vampire make up is pretty hilarious and not at all scary, there are some scary moments in the movie and all in all shouldn't be missed, especially if you are a lover of the old "drive-in" horror movies of the 1950's.
53 Reviews
Not bad little film
rosscinema18 December 2002
Typical little 50's horror film that I found a little talky and the premise a little far fetched. John Beal is fine as the doctor who turns into a vampire. The main complaint I have towards this film is that is it really a vampire? He's more like a beast or a neanderthal. But I guess thats the films unique interpretation of what a vampire would be like. The cast is great! Kenneth Tobey from "The Thing" and Coleen Gray from "The Wasp Woman". And of course Dabbs Greer who has been in countless roles. What a consummate character actor he is. The most gruesome scene in the film is when the vampire stuffs Greer in the furnace and his legs dangling out. Tobey as a cop really is not the smartest police officer portrayed on film but Gray is pretty sexy. This certainly is not a classic horror film but its adequately made with a terrific cast and does have some genuine moments in it.
Neat little horror flick from the '50s...
Doylenf5 October 2007
JOHN BEAL is the central character as a Dr. Beecher whose daughter inadvertently gives him pills extracted from a control serum for bats. COLEEN GRAY is his pretty nurse and KENNETH TOBEY a Sheriff who begins to suspect there's something wrong about a couple of deaths ruled as heart attacks.
The suspense builds slowly from the very beginning as the credits unfold over the scene of a newspaper boy discovering an ill doctor in an old mansion. As the story progresses, it's easy to see that the script is way above average in the horror department with dialog that's sensible, concise and always on track.
Beal's haggard appearance helps him to be more convincing than usual in the role of the tormented doctor victimized by the wrong pills. Although it's a variation on the vampire theme, there's a trace of Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde in the way the screenplay develops.
Summing up A rational vampire thriller that passes the time quickly and is fun to watch.
The suspense builds slowly from the very beginning as the credits unfold over the scene of a newspaper boy discovering an ill doctor in an old mansion. As the story progresses, it's easy to see that the script is way above average in the horror department with dialog that's sensible, concise and always on track.
Beal's haggard appearance helps him to be more convincing than usual in the role of the tormented doctor victimized by the wrong pills. Although it's a variation on the vampire theme, there's a trace of Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde in the way the screenplay develops.
Summing up A rational vampire thriller that passes the time quickly and is fun to watch.
A very satisfying film
bensonmum26 October 2007
Dr. Campbell is a sick man. Just before he dies, he gives a bottle of tablets to Dr. Paul Beecher (Paul Beal). Quite by accident, Paul takes one of the pills thinking it's his migraine medication. The pills were part of Dr. Campbell's work on mind regression to a more primitive state and were made from the blood of the vampire bat. Paul immediately becomes addicted to the pills and begins taking one each night. Coinciding with Paul addiction, people in town begin dying mystery deaths. Each has strange bite marks on their necks. Paul begins to suspect himself, but surely Paul's suspicions can't be true. Are the pills turning him into some kind of vampire?
While I don't think it's quite as good as his later film The Return of Dracula, Paul Landres' The Vampire is still a solid little horror film that takes much of the existing vampire mythology and stands it on its head. For example, the creature in The Vampire isn't the suave, cape-wearing, seducer that we've all become familiar with over the years. Here, the creature is a primitive being that seeks blood for survival. It is more bat-like in appearance and action. I'm not saying that one interpretation is better than the other, I just appreciate the difference.
There's a lot to like about The Vampire. I love the way the film introduces an element of horror into an otherwise safe and comfortable Leave It to Beaver type setting. The contrast is interesting. And I for one appreciate the make-up effects. I realize they were done "on the cheap", but I found them very eerie. Landres direction is solid. He keeps things interesting without a lapse during the movies runtime. But the area I find the most enjoyable in The Vampire is the acting. Everyone involved gives a performance far better than you would expect from a film of this type. As others have noted, Paul Beal gives real outstanding first-rate performance.
Overall, The Vampire is a very satisfying film. I look forward to revisiting it for years to come.
While I don't think it's quite as good as his later film The Return of Dracula, Paul Landres' The Vampire is still a solid little horror film that takes much of the existing vampire mythology and stands it on its head. For example, the creature in The Vampire isn't the suave, cape-wearing, seducer that we've all become familiar with over the years. Here, the creature is a primitive being that seeks blood for survival. It is more bat-like in appearance and action. I'm not saying that one interpretation is better than the other, I just appreciate the difference.
There's a lot to like about The Vampire. I love the way the film introduces an element of horror into an otherwise safe and comfortable Leave It to Beaver type setting. The contrast is interesting. And I for one appreciate the make-up effects. I realize they were done "on the cheap", but I found them very eerie. Landres direction is solid. He keeps things interesting without a lapse during the movies runtime. But the area I find the most enjoyable in The Vampire is the acting. Everyone involved gives a performance far better than you would expect from a film of this type. As others have noted, Paul Beal gives real outstanding first-rate performance.
Overall, The Vampire is a very satisfying film. I look forward to revisiting it for years to come.
Better-Than-Average 50s Vampire Fare
compulsion-16 April 2007
This is a movie that I hunted down for quite some time. A small-town doctor accidentally takes some pills developed by one of his patients that turns him into a vampire. He begins picking off the local town folk. While the editing is clumsy, the premise is a novel change from the usual vampire fare. The cast includes veteran actors John Beal, Coleen Gray (The Leech Woman), Dabbs Greer, Herb Vigran (Adventures of Superman), Paul Brinegar (How To Make A Monster) and an uncredited cameo by Louise Lewis (I Was A Teenage Werewolf; Blood Of Dracula). For those of you who don't think 50s films scare you, get ready for the scene following Carol and Paul's date at the restaurant. Believe me, it packs a punch!
Different enough to make it worth a peek
planktonrules7 October 2007
The film begins with a nice town doctor being called to the lab or a strange chemist who is dying. It seems that the chemist has developed something that he considers important but when the nice doctor arrives, the dying chemist mentions some pills he created and then dies. What these pills are for, the doctor has no idea but he sticks them in his pocket. Later, when the doc has a headache, he accidentally takes one of these pills and it makes him into a blood-sucking monster with really lousy makeup.
While it's obvious that United Artists did not break the bank to make this film, despite its low price tag, it was reasonably interesting and is worth a peek to horror fans. Sophisticated patrons will most likely find the whole thing rather silly, but what sort of sophisticated or snobby viewer would watch a film like this in the first place?
While it's obvious that United Artists did not break the bank to make this film, despite its low price tag, it was reasonably interesting and is worth a peek to horror fans. Sophisticated patrons will most likely find the whole thing rather silly, but what sort of sophisticated or snobby viewer would watch a film like this in the first place?
Surprisingly Good Horror, Science Tale
gavin69428 October 2011
A small town doctor (John Beal) mistakenly ingests an experimental drug made from the blood of vampire bats which transforms the kindly medic into a bloodthirsty monster.
I really enjoyed this movie a lot. Great plot, great acting and a very interesting looking monster. There is some odd sexism present (the doctor apparently cannot do his own laundry or cook so he has his 10-year old daughter do it for him). But, hey, it is the 1950s.
Not much to say beyond that. I was a bit confused on whether the pills brought on the monster or kept it in check. It seems like pills or no pills the monster was going to kill someone, but maybe I was just confused.
I really enjoyed this movie a lot. Great plot, great acting and a very interesting looking monster. There is some odd sexism present (the doctor apparently cannot do his own laundry or cook so he has his 10-year old daughter do it for him). But, hey, it is the 1950s.
Not much to say beyond that. I was a bit confused on whether the pills brought on the monster or kept it in check. It seems like pills or no pills the monster was going to kill someone, but maybe I was just confused.
A fun little chiller made in that classic monster-movie style
Cowman1 November 2002
Dr. Paul Beecher, a respected small-town physician and all-around nice guy, ingests some mysterious pills given to him by his annoying daughter. It seems the li'l brat has foolishly mistaken them for his migraine medication! After Beecher develops a chemical dependency for the drug, he slowly realizes that he was responsible for a series of bizarre murders committed while he was under the influence of these pills. Apparently, these harmless-looking tablets have the power to make their user mutate into a hairy, bloodthirsty vampire at nightfall, leaving him with no recollection of what he has done after the effects have worn off. How could these pills be so powerful? Easy! Because they contain a chemical extracted from a vampire bat!!
This fun, fast-paced horror flick was made in that classic monster-movie style that we have all come to love, yet at the same time it has some very unique and clever twists. The vampire, who is played excellently by John Beal, really looks nothing like you'd expect. Rather than having the bloodsucker portrayed as the standard well-dressed, intelligent, and graceful DRACULA lookalike, THE VAMPIRE depicts him as a hairy, ugly, clumsy beast who ambles aimlessly after his targets. In my opinion, the interpretation of a vampire as being angry, primitive, and relentlessly brutal is much more frightening than the notion of a slick, attractive, intellectual vamp.
The characters in this film are eccentric, likeable, and very well-acted; and the special effects, although simple and outdated, are surprisingly effective. Despite the fact that THE VAMPIRE's story may contain a few glaring inconsistencies, it still succeeds as a suspenseful yet down-to-earth creature feature.
This fun, fast-paced horror flick was made in that classic monster-movie style that we have all come to love, yet at the same time it has some very unique and clever twists. The vampire, who is played excellently by John Beal, really looks nothing like you'd expect. Rather than having the bloodsucker portrayed as the standard well-dressed, intelligent, and graceful DRACULA lookalike, THE VAMPIRE depicts him as a hairy, ugly, clumsy beast who ambles aimlessly after his targets. In my opinion, the interpretation of a vampire as being angry, primitive, and relentlessly brutal is much more frightening than the notion of a slick, attractive, intellectual vamp.
The characters in this film are eccentric, likeable, and very well-acted; and the special effects, although simple and outdated, are surprisingly effective. Despite the fact that THE VAMPIRE's story may contain a few glaring inconsistencies, it still succeeds as a suspenseful yet down-to-earth creature feature.
A different kind of vampire.
BA_Harrison25 November 2017
Small-town doctor Paul Beecher (John Beal) is called to the home of ailing scientist Matt Campbell (Wood Romoff), who has been conducting experiments on vampire bats in a bid to induce man's primitive instincts with the aim of reversing them and thereby advancing human intellect (standard horror movie scientific claptrap). A rambling Campbell gives Beecher the results of his work, some tablets, and promptly carks it.
Later that day, Beecher experiences a headache and asks his young daughter Betsy (Lydia Reed) to fetch his migraine tablets. No prizes for guessing what she actually gives him.
As a result of taking Campbell's highly addictive drug, Beecher turns into a hairy, drooling, blood sucking creature (who looks more like Mr. Hyde than a vampire) at 11.00pm every night. Will the good doctor find a way to reverse the process before too many innocent people die? And will cop Buck Donnelly (Kenneth Tobey) crack the case before Beecher gets his claws on his gorgeous nurse Carol (Coleen Gray)?
Mark of the Vampire (AKA The Vampire) is forgettable B-movie hokum, a rather talky affair with little to offer in the way of suspense and scares, and a distinct lack of decent monster action (although given how laughable the creature is, maybe that's a good thing). The tag-line 'It Feeds on the Blood of Beautiful Women!' is misleading, the 'vampire' killing as many men as women, with one of the female victims an old lady. At just 75 minutes, the whole thing is fairly undemanding nonsense, with the lovely Ms. Gray making the going a lot easier, but it's not one I would go out of my way to watch.
A mediocre 5/10.
Later that day, Beecher experiences a headache and asks his young daughter Betsy (Lydia Reed) to fetch his migraine tablets. No prizes for guessing what she actually gives him.
As a result of taking Campbell's highly addictive drug, Beecher turns into a hairy, drooling, blood sucking creature (who looks more like Mr. Hyde than a vampire) at 11.00pm every night. Will the good doctor find a way to reverse the process before too many innocent people die? And will cop Buck Donnelly (Kenneth Tobey) crack the case before Beecher gets his claws on his gorgeous nurse Carol (Coleen Gray)?
Mark of the Vampire (AKA The Vampire) is forgettable B-movie hokum, a rather talky affair with little to offer in the way of suspense and scares, and a distinct lack of decent monster action (although given how laughable the creature is, maybe that's a good thing). The tag-line 'It Feeds on the Blood of Beautiful Women!' is misleading, the 'vampire' killing as many men as women, with one of the female victims an old lady. At just 75 minutes, the whole thing is fairly undemanding nonsense, with the lovely Ms. Gray making the going a lot easier, but it's not one I would go out of my way to watch.
A mediocre 5/10.
Good vampire flick
Panamint15 April 2014
Straightforward, no-nonsense vampire film that is played with skill by a cast of good actors. John Beal (who many viewers probably have never heard of) was a highly respected, experienced actor who plays this strong lead role just fine. He even gives his character some sympathetic edges.
Colleen Gray is excellent eye candy, and the immortal sci-fi actor Kenneth Tobey is on hand (as he should be) in a believable performance as the Sheriff.
This is a wide-screen presentation and there is a good DVD available with first-rate picture quality.
Limited production budget does not detract here. This is a well-paced tightly done monster film that features genuine, sudden menace as the monster prowls the night. This is not just cheap 1950's monster schlock. It is a legit effort- it's the real deal.
Colleen Gray is excellent eye candy, and the immortal sci-fi actor Kenneth Tobey is on hand (as he should be) in a believable performance as the Sheriff.
This is a wide-screen presentation and there is a good DVD available with first-rate picture quality.
Limited production budget does not detract here. This is a well-paced tightly done monster film that features genuine, sudden menace as the monster prowls the night. This is not just cheap 1950's monster schlock. It is a legit effort- it's the real deal.
More Original Than Its Title.
AaronCapenBanner30 October 2013
Paul Landres directed this horror tale that stars John Beal as small town Doctor Paul Beecher, who is called to the home of a dying scientist who had been experimenting with the blood of vampire bats to make a new serum for his research, that he distilled in pill form. Paul takes a bottle of the pills from his pocket, and after he makes his report, forgets about them. Later, when he has a headache, he asks his young daughter to retrieve his aspirin from his pocket, but sadly takes the bat pills instead, which have the unfortunate effect of turning him into a vampire who must kill. Paul tries desperately to understand what happened, as the police close in... Good performance by Beal, some originality, and a most tragic portrayal of a reluctant vampire, though marred by a much-too abrupt ending that is most unsatisfying.
A Fine Performance Elevates a Low-Budget Picture
Handlinghandel4 December 2002
John Beal seems genuinely agonized in the title role. He is a well liked small-town doctor, who has got hold accidentally of pills that -- don't ask! -- turn him into a vampire.
This is crisply filmed and Beal shows the pain of a decent man who knows something is wrong and suspects something is very wrong with himself.
I wonder if this was strictly a drive-in movie or if anyone at the time recognized its merits.
This is crisply filmed and Beal shows the pain of a decent man who knows something is wrong and suspects something is very wrong with himself.
I wonder if this was strictly a drive-in movie or if anyone at the time recognized its merits.
Above average flick
vtcavuoto23 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
After Universal Studios stopped making their classic horror films and just before Hammer Studios starting filming theirs, vampire movies went through an odd phase. Many films during this period shunned the traditional vampire aspects(death by sunlight or stake, inability to roam during the day,etc.)."The Vampire" was one of them. It took on a modern, scientific approach. A good analogy is that the film is closer to a Jekyll and Hyde persona. In this movie, a benevolent Physician(John Beal)accidentally takes some pills a scientist was working on and becomes a creature that drinks human blood. He is killed in a less than traditional way from a standard vampire film. The action in the middle of the film slows a bit but picks back up at the end. This film has decent direction and acting but suffers from a low budget. It's still enjoyable to watch. It features some good "B" movie vets in Kenneth Tobey as the police investigator and Dabbs Greer as a fellow scientist. A decent Sci-Fi/Horror film from the 1950s.
A Different Kind of Vampire
zardoz-139 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
An innocent accident turns a respected small town doctor into a blood-sucking Neanderthal in "Last of the Bad Men" director Paul Landres' "The Vampire," an off-beat, low-budget, black & white, horror chiller from producers Arthur Gardner, Arnold Laven, and Jules V. Levy that belies its title. This United Artists theatrical release takes about a half-hour before it reveals the unfortunate predicament of our sympathetic protagonist. The performances are all uniformly strong, particularly John Beal, but it is James Griffiths who stands out in this worthwhile cast. Since "The Vampire" was produced under the aegis of the repressive Production Code Administration censorship office, all the gruesome violence occurs off-screen, so the squeamish won't have to worry about having nightmares. Landres makes good use of struggling shadows in one atmospheric scene. Ironically, although it is entitled "The Vampire," this movie resembles "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." The monster here is not a conventional, fashionably-dressed, debonair vampire, but a brutish looking specimen will huge ugly hands and a misshapen face. We are never given a glimpse of the fangs that he sinks into his victim's necks. The monster drains only a small amount of blood out of its victims. Since its saliva contains a deadly virus, the maniac kills his victims with his bite. Nevertheless, the monster survives as the result of its own immunity. A youth on a bicycle delivers a package to the laboratory of Dr. Matt Campbell in the researcher's old house in a quiet, sleepy, little American town. The youth enters to find Campbell with his head down on his desk. Campbell (television actor Wood Romoff ) asks the youth to fetch Dr. John Beecher (John Beal of "Edge of Darkness"), a friendly, rustic doctor with a young daughter, to see him. Beecher is an old-fashioned physician who still makes house calls when his patients cannot visit him. The boy alerts Dr. Beecher about Campbell, and Beecher arrives in time to hear Campbell mention something about his obscure research. Campbell raves about making an important breakthrough. Before Campbell dies, the doomed researcher hands Dr. Beecher a bottle of pills without a label. Campbell croaks, and Beecher believes the researcher's bad heart caused his death. He shoves the pills into his suit pocket. Later, Beecher suffers the onset of a migraine. He asks his pretty daughter Betsy (Lydia Reed of "High Society") to give him his migraine tablets. Beecher gobbles the prescription medicine without a second thought. He is diagnosing a patient's condition when he feels nauseous and has to lie down. The patient, Marion Wilkins (Ann Staunton of "Daisy Kenyon"), has a heart condition, too, and she lives alone in town. Marion is too sick to come in for her morning appointment and Marion's cleaning lady phones up Beecher. When our protagonist arrives, he finds Marion near death. He spots two puncture holes in her neck and she realizes who he is, reacts with surprise and fear and dies. At this point, director Paul Landres and scenarist Pat Fielder have set up an interesting predicament. People are dying from a maniac on the loose, and the good doctor might have something to do with it. Beecher is pleasantly surprised when he learns that one of his oldest friends from medical school, Dr. Will Beaumont (veteran character actor Dabbs Greer of "Trouble Along the Way ") who works at a nearby university, was subsiding Campbell's research. According to Beaumont, Campbell was working on regression to see whether it was possible chemically to revert the animal mind to a primitive state. If this is the case, Winston explains to Beecher, researchers will know if they can reverse the process and advance the intellect. Will rummages through Campbell's cabinets and finds a pill bottle that contains medication designed "to induce primitive instincts by draining the blood from the brain temporarily. He adds that the pills are habit-forming. Beaumont brings in another scientist, Henry Winston (James Griffiths of "Tribute to a Bad Man"), to come up to speed on Campbell's research. Winston discovers that the pills were a control serum extracted from the bats. He doesn't live long after he makes this discovery because an intruder with large hands breaks into the laboratory and murders him. Naturally, the police investigate and Sheriff Buck Donnelly (Kenneth Toby of "The Thing from Another World") wants to know about the insect bites on the dead man's neck because he saw similar bites on Marion Wilkins' neck. When Beecher confronts Beaumont about Henry's death, Beaumont makes the revelation that the bats used in Campbell's experimentation were vampire bats!
The suspense heightens marginally when Donnelly learns Winston died of capillary disintegration, and Sheriff Donnelly wants to exhume Marion Wilkins' body to determine if she died from the same cause. Naturally, mortician Willy Warner (Paul Brinegar of "High Plains Drifter") is appalled that Donnelly plans to dig up Marion's corpse. The medical examiner is just as appalled by the findings of the university analysis. According to the university officials, all three victims died from capillary disintegration. Meantime, Beecher has developed a craving for Campbell's pills. He has killed two people and fears he may kill more. He confesses to Dr. Beaumont that he killed Marion Wilkins, but Beaumont refuses to believe him. Beecher convinces Beaumont to watch him because he thinks that he will undergo the transformation at 11 PM. Beaumont doesn't believes Beecher's story until it is too late for him to do anything. He watches in stunned disbelief when Beecher transformed in front of him and then kills him. Later, Beecher tries to kill himself, but his nurse Carol Butler (Coleen Gray of "Red River") attempts to intervene and reason with him. Again, Beecher transforms into a maniac. He attacks Carol in his office. Buck shows up with Police Sergeant George Ryan (Herb Vigran of "Public Pigeon No. One") and they storm the doctor's house. Buck winds up shooting Beecher. As it lies sprawled on the ground, Beecher gradually changes back into him.
The suspense heightens marginally when Donnelly learns Winston died of capillary disintegration, and Sheriff Donnelly wants to exhume Marion Wilkins' body to determine if she died from the same cause. Naturally, mortician Willy Warner (Paul Brinegar of "High Plains Drifter") is appalled that Donnelly plans to dig up Marion's corpse. The medical examiner is just as appalled by the findings of the university analysis. According to the university officials, all three victims died from capillary disintegration. Meantime, Beecher has developed a craving for Campbell's pills. He has killed two people and fears he may kill more. He confesses to Dr. Beaumont that he killed Marion Wilkins, but Beaumont refuses to believe him. Beecher convinces Beaumont to watch him because he thinks that he will undergo the transformation at 11 PM. Beaumont doesn't believes Beecher's story until it is too late for him to do anything. He watches in stunned disbelief when Beecher transformed in front of him and then kills him. Later, Beecher tries to kill himself, but his nurse Carol Butler (Coleen Gray of "Red River") attempts to intervene and reason with him. Again, Beecher transforms into a maniac. He attacks Carol in his office. Buck shows up with Police Sergeant George Ryan (Herb Vigran of "Public Pigeon No. One") and they storm the doctor's house. Buck winds up shooting Beecher. As it lies sprawled on the ground, Beecher gradually changes back into him.
A fun example of 50s drive-in Horror films
Mikel319 March 2013
I continued my winter horror film viewings today with 'The Vampire'. A more descriptive name for it might have been 'Dr. Jeykll and The Vampire' or 'The Vampire Virus'. I'm kidding of course, yet it does borrow heavily from the Jeykll and Hyde story. Here a kindly small town Dr. accidentally takes an experimental drug. He becomes addicted to it. Each night at about 11PM it causes him to change into a hideous creature with a taste for blood. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It's right down my alley. The kind of movie that must have been shown on double features at 50s drive-ins. I can imagine it playing with 'Frankenstein's Daughter' on the marquee. Teenage boys probably loved it cause their girl would want to be hugged tight during the show. These horror films have a special place with me, they bring back childhood memories. I was too young to have seen it at theaters during its first run. It was the sort of movie I'd watch on the late night horror shows in the 60s and early 70s. Yet, I some how missed ever catching this gem. It's the type of late night movie my mom would complain "You're going to have nightmares if you watch that !". Of course I would watch it anyway if I could. The feature monster had silly yet scary makeup that looks like the boogeyman kids imagine in the bedroom closet. Kenneth Tobey gets a chance to once again hunt down the monster like he did in 'The Thing'. He makes a good no nonsense type tough-guy any self respecting monster should hide from on site. My only regret was we didn't wait till after dark to watch it. That would have been more fun than an afternoon viewing. If you are a fan of 50s drive-in horror films, and I sure am, you should love this. I give it a 6 out of 10 rating.
Seen on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater in 1964
kevinolzak31 March 2019
Not to be confused with MGM's 1935 "Mark of the Vampire" (the one with Bela Lugosi), nor a second film from the same year boasting the same title: "El Vampiro," the picture that kicked off Mexico's love affair with Universal Gothic. "The Vampire" was a rare instance of a supernatural monster reconfigured for the 50s science fiction craze, only a few months after Columbia pulled off "The Werewolf," a creature born from a laboratory that could change from man into beast any time of day or night. Acting honors go to John Beal as small town doctor Paul Beecher, who genuinely cares for preteen daughter Betsy (Lydia Reed) and every one of his patients, making frequent house calls when not treating them right out of his own home. One destination is the laboratory of a dying research scientist who had been conducting experiments in regression, his 'control serum' successfully creating a huge supply of pills derived from vampire bats that prove to be habit forming. Beecher absent mindedly puts a bottle of the deadly pills in his suit pocket, and later when his daughter mistakes them for her father's migraine medication a fatal error takes place. Of course, the horrid side effect is that the victim yields to the addiction every evening before midnight, attacking his victims for their blood and introducing a virus that causes 'capillary disintegration' (one desiccated corpse is dug up for terrific shock effect). Coleen Gray ("The Leech Woman," "The Phantom Planet") is the pretty nurse, Kenneth Tobey the concerned local sheriff, Dabbs Greer the one doctor who tries to curb the helpless Beecher's homicidal proclivities, fully aware of what he's become but incapable of resistance (a veiled reference to drug addiction couched in acceptable horror film tropes). One may quibble that the script is lacking in detail but the actors go a long way in bringing their characters to life, a fine beginning to a quartet of Jules V. Levy and Arthur Gardner shockers that deserve to be better known than they are, all scripted by Pat Fielder - "The Monster That Challenged the World," "The Flame Barrier," and "The Return of Dracula."
It can be had on VHS
clemenza5110 June 2000
Yes,boils and ghouls,this 50's B-movie gem,and a gem it is,can be had on vhs.Contact Cinema Classics in New York City (Manhattan). They have it for about twenty bucks. Although the print is not perfect,it's as good as any you remember seeing in the old "Creature Feature" days. If you enjoy this film as much as I,you also may want to check out Mr. Landres other 50's gem,"Return of Dracula"(aka "Curse of Dracula").Francis Lederer plays the count and this one's as much fun as "Mark of the Vampire".Happy Hunting!
Bob
Bob
Minor
preppy-320 July 2002
A kindly doctor (John Beal) unwittingly turns into a vampire by taking some unknown pills. Dull, slow but not worthless. Two things lift this up: John Beals' acting (he's just great) and this is probably the first film in which vampirism happens because of a drug, not a curse. Otherwise, this just isn't good enough. Laughable vampire makeup too.
Pretty good Grade B horror item
Woodyanders7 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Kindly small town physician Dr. John Beecher (a fine and likable performance by John Beal) gets transformed into a vicious predatory vampire after mistakenly taking an experimental drug made from the blood of vampire bats. Director Francis Lederer relates the engrossing story in an admirably taut and straightforward manner and neatly grounds the fantastic premise in a believable quiet small town setting, but unfortunately fails to generate much in the way of either suspense or creepy atmosphere. Moreover, the vampire make-up is regrettably shoddy and the pace a touch too slow. That said, this film still delivers a few tense and thrilling moments such as when Beecher chases after his loyal nurse Carol Butler (well played by the lovely Coleen Gray) through the dark streets. The climax is likewise quite exciting. Pat Fielder's concise and offbeat script offers a fresh and inspired non-Gothic modern scientific take on vampirism. The sound acting by a sturdy cast helps a lot: Beal makes for a sympathetic anguished protagonist, Kenneth Tobey is in typically fine form as the stalwart Sheriff Buck Donnelly, plus there are nice turns by Dabbs Greer as the cheery Dr. Will Beaumont, Ann Stanton as the terrified Marion Williams, and James Griffith as the aloof Dr. Henry Winston. Jack MacKenzie's crisp black and white cinematography boasts several graceful fades and dissolves. Gerald Fried's spirited shivery score does the shuddery trick. A rather flawed, but overall still solid and enjoyable movie.
A Jekyll-and-Hyde Vampire Film
Uriah4318 April 2017
This movie essentially begins with a man named "Dr. Matt Campbell" (Wood Romoff) being discovered in his laboratory by a delivery boy and in need of serious medical attention. Upon being notified "Dr. Paul Beecher" (John Beal) immediately rushes to the house but Matt dies only a couple of minutes later. However, before he dies Matt mumbles something totally incoherent and gives Paul a small bottle of pills in the process. Not long afterward, Dr. Beecher develops a migraine and accidentally takes the pills Matt gave him by mistake. The next day Dr. Beecher gets a call that a woman named "Marion Wilkins" (Ann Staunton) is extremely sick and this prompts him to go to her house right away. However, upon attempting to examine her she becomes extremely agitated by his presence before suddenly dying of an apparent heart attack. It's at this time that Paul discovers two bite marks on her neck--and it isn't long before more people begin to die of the same thing. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a different type of vampire film which bore a definite affinity to the "Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde" scenario. That being said, it didn't quite have the same character one might expect of a traditional vampire film but even so it was still entertaining to a degree and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Average.
Misleading title pasted on a solid, well made B movie thriller
lemon_magic10 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The monster here is really more of a "Jekyll-Hyde" or "Werewolf" character, although I supposed its need for blood, the fact that the medicine that created him came from vampire bats. and the puncture marks the monster leaves on its victims necks allow the movie to go with "The Vampire". So we'll let that pass.
There's a lot to appreciate about this over-looked "monster" movie about a man mutated by science gone wrong into a blood-thirsty fiend, and, of course, the rock-jawed handsome law-man who tracks him down. It's well staged, well acted, and has an element of tragedy in the fate of a well meaning and devoted doctor whose life is ruined by a series of happenstances that no one could have foreseen.
Because the doctor is so likable, the screen play becomes more than a bit uncomfortable, because it is obvious from the very beginning that there is no hope for a cure (even before the experts figure out what the issue is) and the character's growing realization about his fate is well portrayed. (And he really did deserve better).
Unusual feel for a monster movie, and a fresh take on the idea of vampirism. Really well done.
There's a lot to appreciate about this over-looked "monster" movie about a man mutated by science gone wrong into a blood-thirsty fiend, and, of course, the rock-jawed handsome law-man who tracks him down. It's well staged, well acted, and has an element of tragedy in the fate of a well meaning and devoted doctor whose life is ruined by a series of happenstances that no one could have foreseen.
Because the doctor is so likable, the screen play becomes more than a bit uncomfortable, because it is obvious from the very beginning that there is no hope for a cure (even before the experts figure out what the issue is) and the character's growing realization about his fate is well portrayed. (And he really did deserve better).
Unusual feel for a monster movie, and a fresh take on the idea of vampirism. Really well done.
Stopping a vampire is like stopping a drug addict.
mark.waltz11 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
At least that's the case of doctor John Beal in this above average B horror film when he accidentally takes pills meant for vampire bats in his scientific experiments rather than his own. His small town community is besieged by violent crimes where the victims all have vampire bats like marks which only indicates that there's a maniac on the loose. Upon his discovery, he consults veteran doctor Dabs Greer who tries to help him which leads to a long night of Beal begging for a sedative just like a drug addict under withdrawals would beg for a small hit.
The chilling atmosphere and a lack of camp and unintentional humor makes this an above average programmer coming at a time when horror films needed a shot in the arm of new ideas. This has a lot of tense moments with some pretty frightening scenes involving the victims, one removed from sight in a very shocking manner. Colleen Gray as Beal's devoted nurse and Lydia Reed as his loving wife offer good support with new doctor in town Kenneth Tobey the hero who helps the police uncover the shocking truth. The special effects aren't anything new, and the vampire looks more like a werewolf. Still pretty good considering the low budget they had to deal with.
The chilling atmosphere and a lack of camp and unintentional humor makes this an above average programmer coming at a time when horror films needed a shot in the arm of new ideas. This has a lot of tense moments with some pretty frightening scenes involving the victims, one removed from sight in a very shocking manner. Colleen Gray as Beal's devoted nurse and Lydia Reed as his loving wife offer good support with new doctor in town Kenneth Tobey the hero who helps the police uncover the shocking truth. The special effects aren't anything new, and the vampire looks more like a werewolf. Still pretty good considering the low budget they had to deal with.
Not your typical vampire.
Melllvar24 February 2001
The Vampire is an entertaining thriller with a strong cast. It stars John Beal as Dr. Beecher and Kenneth Tobey as Sheriff Donnelly,who investigate a series of mysterious deaths involving their acquaintances beginning with a scientist who was researching "primitive instincts".A much better movie than I thought it would be.
Robert Louis Stevenson's classic rides again!
JohnHowardReid24 April 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Gramercy Pictures. Released by United Artists. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: July 1957. No record of any British or Australian theatrical release. 6,737 feet. 75 minutes.
Re-issue title: MARK OF THE VAMPIRE.
SYNOPSIS: A dying scientist gives a doctor some pills which he takes by mistake. To his horror, he discovers the pills have turned him into a human vampire.
COMMENT: This efficient little horror thriller has earned itself something of a cult reputation. Why? Because Beal, who is generally rather a lethargic performer, actually comes alive as a vampire. Because Kenneth Tobey is a cult figure, thanks to his lead role in The Thing (1951). Coleen Gray has a fair standing in cult circles as well.
Director Landres manages to bring off a few genuinely frightening effects. And if we can't have Spencer Tracy or Fredric March as Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde (they both figure in my book on Academy Award-Winning Films of the 1930s), I'm stuck with numerous clones, so we may as well have one of the lesser-known cult favorites.
OTHER VIEWS: Yet another picture suggested by Robert Louis Stevenson's classic Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, this is a modest yet gripping thriller, well directed, and featuring an effective music score.
Re-issue title: MARK OF THE VAMPIRE.
SYNOPSIS: A dying scientist gives a doctor some pills which he takes by mistake. To his horror, he discovers the pills have turned him into a human vampire.
COMMENT: This efficient little horror thriller has earned itself something of a cult reputation. Why? Because Beal, who is generally rather a lethargic performer, actually comes alive as a vampire. Because Kenneth Tobey is a cult figure, thanks to his lead role in The Thing (1951). Coleen Gray has a fair standing in cult circles as well.
Director Landres manages to bring off a few genuinely frightening effects. And if we can't have Spencer Tracy or Fredric March as Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde (they both figure in my book on Academy Award-Winning Films of the 1930s), I'm stuck with numerous clones, so we may as well have one of the lesser-known cult favorites.
OTHER VIEWS: Yet another picture suggested by Robert Louis Stevenson's classic Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, this is a modest yet gripping thriller, well directed, and featuring an effective music score.
VERY UNDERRATED
douglas.soesbe7 July 2003
Here's one of the most underrated of the fifties' sci-fi/horror films. This is also an example of not being able to please the public, no matter what you do. The film actually takes time to develop its characters, yet reviews complain that it's slow. The relationship between the father and his daughter is genuinely moving. There's a tragic grandeur over the whole film. And it's also very scary. The scene in which Coleen Gray flees down the streets (shot in Culver City) are genuinely horrifying. Dabbs Greer, that venerable character actor, acquits the role of Dr. Will Beaumont, the lead's friend, with style and good humor. There's so much to this movie that has never been properly recognized. Recently screened at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, with Coleen Gray in attendance, it drew enthusiastic responses from those who saw it. A gem long and perhaps forever unrecognized.
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