The Invasion of the Vampires (1963)

Too much of everything

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

This bored me so horribly I was unable to finish it. I generally do not like older films much - I just prefer the style of more modern (80s onward) film-making - and this was visually unpleasant, poorly written, acted, and directed. At times the dialogue was so ridiculously blunt and deadpan (especially from the main 'hero') it was laughable, but not adequately to make the film watchable. The music was also dreadful, the story entirely unoriginal, and there was almost no one pretty to look at (yes, I am shallow), nor any good scenery (not that much could appeal in grainy black and white).I very, very rarely am unable to finish films and I have an incredibly high tolerance for vampire flicks, but this was just dreadful.

Nothing new to add as to the quality of the movie--the reviewers here have summed it up quite well. After seeing "Bloody Vampire" I just had to see its sequel and, as Count Cagliostro would say of vampires--a DVD of this movie actually exists!After an on-line search, I found that it's available in DVD-R format, which, they claim is compatible with most DVD players.I'd never tried a DVD-R and was a bit apprehensive, especially at the price (20 bucks delivered) compared to the 5 bucks Bloody Vampire cost me. But what the heck, I wanted to return with Count Frankenhausen to the Haunted Hacienda so I ordered it.The picture and sound quality are very good considering it's an old B-movie... I'd say a bit more superior than the Beverly Wilshire DVD of Bloody Vampire.It is, however, the dubbed version, which gives it that certain comical charm, however, I'd still like to find a subtitled Spanish version some day and see it as the film makers intended. It'd be a fangtastic horror flick!

K. Gordon Murray again takes a Mexican horror film and dubs it for American consumption. This movie does have its moments of eeriness and I enjoyed the musical score more than the story. A vampire in his bat form is speared against a wall during a short brawl with the doctor(Rafael del Rio) studying the deaths in a Mexican village that occur during the full moon. The major scene is with Count Frankenhausen(Carlos Agosti)in his winged form speared to the wall as his victims rise like zombies with stakes in their chests destined to terrorize the village in mass. The black & white photography and the evil sounding musical background does present a scary atmosphere. Plus the windy rain storms add to the overall feel of horror that accompanies THE INVASION OF THE VAMPIRES.

Though filmed on an obviously low-budget, with some almost humorous special effects, it remains a chilling atmospheric vampire story with true moments of horror. A definite cult classic. If possible, see it in the original Spanish version.