Blood of the Vampire (1958)

Simply Perfect

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

Transylvania 1874: A doctor (Donald Wolfit) is pilloried for his research into rare blood conditions leading the authorities to regard him as a vampire and he is executed as such by having a stake driven through his heart. But, his mute and horribly deformed dwarf assistant Karl (Victor Maddern) murders the gravedigger and takes his corpse back to an abandoned windmill where a drunken doctor resurrects him with a heart transplant. Six years later, the doctor has assumed the name Callistratus and is the governor of an asylum for the criminally insane where he survives off the blood of his inmates. A young doctor called John Pierre (Vincent Ball) arrives at the asylum sentenced to life for "malpractice leading to murder" in which he performed a blood transfusion, which has never been done successfully resulting in the death of a patient. Callistratus puts him to work on research into blood transfusions. But, it isn't long before Pierre discovers his secret and that he really wants him to find a cure for a rare blood condition he suffers from. Meanwhile, Pierre's young wife-to-be, Madeleine (Barbara Shelley) is not satisfied when the court tells her that her lover was killed when attempting to escape captivity and secures a job at the asylum as Callistratus' housekeeper. She finds Pierre alive, but both are taken prisoner by the mad doctor who intends to make them the latest victims of his experiments.An interesting, sometimes fun if not entirely successful low budget imitation Hammer horror from producers Monty Berman and Robert S Baker. The former, doubling as cinematographer, and art director John Elphick succeed in recreating the visual look of the Hammer gothics; although, it has to be said, it looks very tacky by comparison. The sets are cardboard and wobbly and Berman, while a competent DP, is no Jack Asher. Director Henry Cass gives the film a power that lifts what is essentially a cheap and cheerful affair by placing emphasis on the brutality of the Victorian society and the corruption of the establishment that is featured in Jimmy Sangster's story. The Governor of Prisons, Auron, played by Brian Coleman who accepts money from Callistratus to arrange for "special prisoners" to be sent to the asylum and Pierre falls into this category since he is a medical man. Auron intercepted a letter from a key witness whose evidence would have acquitted Pierre and sent one he himself had written in which he claimed that the witness had never heard of Pierre and forged his signature. Later, Auron tips off Callistratus that Pierre's case has been reviewed and that a release order is imminent so the mad doctor cruelly informs Pierre that the review decided that his sentence must be served as it stands before informing the authorities that he was killed whilst trying to escape from the asylum.Donald Wolfit dominates the film as Callistratus and is delightfully over the top delivering wonderful lines with gusto in the Bela Lugosi mould: "The practical side of my work distresses you? Come let me explain" he says as he drags Madeleine off to his secret laboratory taunting her with gruesome sights such as a corpse being kept in deep freeze, a man being kept alive with an artificial heart and, finally, "Here's someone you knew, someone you knew very well" as he pulls back the curtain to reveal the grotesquely strung up body of Auron. Victor Maddern offers an effective portrayal as the dwarf, Karl, who provides the story with an emotional element in that he falls in love with Madeleine. However, he is largely defeated by an appalling make up job. Vincent Ball makes a rather dreary hero as the young doctor while, Barbara Shelley, who was to become a regular leading lady at Hammer gets very little to do and it is hard to imagine her character falling in love with Vincent Ball's.Overall, Blood Of The Vampire emerges as an interesting, sometimes fun if not an entirely successful attempt to imitate the Hammer house of horror.

Well, fans of Gothic style 50s horror will love this classic movie. For me, I was expecting a little more 'vampire' in the story, like a gorgeous vampiress dressed in a gown with fangs galore to bite the neck of those she seduces - but sadly no.The movie starts with the Count being staked through the heart and buried, before his servant 'Karl' (who plays a good Igor like character) takes his masters body to a mental asylum to revive him.After a Doctor is wrongly accused in court of killing a patient through blood transfusing, he is sent to the asylum for his life-long punishment, only to become a servant to the Count, who wants to use his expertise in surgical practise on other inmates, mainly their blood.This movie has the imagery of Hammer Horror, given by it's writer Jimmy Sangster, but sadly lacks the punch of a good dramatic Vampire story.As classic Gothic horrors go, it's worth a look.

I couldn't agree more with the positive comments on this much-overlooked Hammer-styled gem. The 2006 Dark Sky DVD double-feature (with "The Hellfire Club") is a *must-have* for any fan of the early Hammer films. A delightful drive-in double-feature program design, including concessions ads, trailers and even an intermission, really adds to the enjoyment of the these two classic films. The transfer on both is quite respectable, certainly much superior to anything previously available, and is in anamorphic widescreen. Kudos to Dark Sky for their outstanding work on this and many other rare genre classics!

Dr. John Pierre(Vincent Ball)is sentenced to prison for performing a procedure scorned by his superiors as illegal practice by attempting to transplant a different type of blood to a man who was bound to die anyway. He has a doctor who could vouch that his procedure was done under only the most unusual circumstances, but an evil scientist, Callistratus(Donald Wolfit, actually pretty decent under hideous make-up)has a corrupt Prison Commission officer Auron(Bryan Coleman)transport him to his insane asylum. Callistratus, the supposed "vampire" of the title, was brought back to life thanks to a new heart transplanted to him through the work of his freakish assistant Karl(Victor Maddem, a face on one side drooping with this disturbing eye giving him a scary, mangled disposition)and a drunk surgeon.Pierre is granted a reprieve when it's found that his witness, of the procedure considered malpractice was in fact a case of trying to save his dying patient, did not send a damning letter supposedly claiming that he doesn't even know Pierre. The fact that Auron was the forger increases Callistratus' motivation for using Pierre as quickly as possible. He desires Pierre to finish his work regarding counteracting a blood disease where one set of cells are killing another set..Callistratus' heart is not helping his blood function normally so he needs Pierre to discover his cure before death returns his way. Soon, Pierre tries to escape with a prisoner chum, Kurt(William Devlin)resulting badly. Callistratus sends, through Auron, a letter announcing Pierre's death by trying to escape hoping to buy as much time as possible for him to discover the answer to the blood problem. What he doesn't suspect, nor Auron, was Madeleine Duval(Barbara Shelley)coming under disguise as a housemaid..she is Pierre's lady-love who just wouldn't believe her man was dead. This will put her in great danger for Karl knows who she is(..he stole her photo locket from Andrew Faulds' evil Chief Guard Wetzler, who confiscated it from Pierre)and so does Auron. Can Duval help her love escape? Will Pierre be able to free himself from the clutches of Callistratus?Not really a vampire film as the title suggests, but Callistratus is quite the nemesis for our falsely imprisoned hero. He wants to live and will take the necessary steps to see this happen. The prison conditions, and the overall Middle-Ages-type prison setting are what makes this such a colorful horror flick. There are deadly dogs that are released to attack a few people, we understand that many people suffer horrible deaths thanks to Callistratus' blood-draining experiments. You have the corrupt middle-man Auron halting Pierre's release from his asylum and the "innocent trying to escape from these harsh environs" is a plot that always works in such a macabre setting as is in this film. You add Duval's in disguise facing possible peril, the suspense increases. Not too shabby for a film that was not made by Hammer studios. Good production values and stylish direction are assets. Flawed, but entertaining.