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39 reviews in total

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18 out of 24 people found the following review useful:
A VERY under-rated film!, 24 July 2004

Author: norm.vogel@verizon.net from S. Bound Brook, NJ.

I take issue with the other reviewer's comments for the simple reason that this is a MYSTERY FILM, not a supernatural one! It is not the only film to have a seemingly "supernatural" explanation ("vampires"), but turns out to be a very mundance one.

Other films that come to mind are Edgar Wallace's "Before Dawn" and the (more famous) "Mark of the Vampire".

The film does a WONDERFUL job in creating a very "spooky atmosphere", similar DRACULA, when Renfield meets the Count on the staircase of his castle, or in MARK OF THE VAMPIRE, when the two people look thru the windows of the castle ruins and see a "corpse" playing an organ, while Luna descends using wings! VERY surreal!

If one likes these (often silent) atmospheric touches, THIS film is a MUST!

Norm Vogel

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11 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
Good Poverty Row Horror Flick!, 11 July 2002

Author: (bsmith5552@rogers.com) from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

"The Vampire Bat" was turned out in 1933 by a small poverty row studio called Majestic Pictures. It is better than most independent pictures of this type and compares favorably with productions being produced by Universal at the same time. The settings and atmosphere are as good as any displayed in the latter's more expensive productions.

The story is about a small German village whose citizens are turning up dead drained of their blood and showing the familiar two tell-tale puncture wounds on their necks suggesting the work of a vampire. Who is behind these sinister actions?

The townfolk led by police chief Melvyn Douglas suspect the dim-witted Herman (Dwight Frye). "Respectable" doctor Lionel Atwill and his assistant Fay Wray are among the concerned citizens. Herman is driven to his death however, the killings continue. So who really is to blame?

It's not to hard to figure out who is behind the killings. The suspense builds nicely in the first half of the film only to be let down by the uninspired ending and resolution of the mystery. The reason for all of the killings although explained, is not really explored in any detail (i.e. no monsters or the like). The dispatching of the villain is done off screen and as a result, the viewer feels cheated.

For all of its faults, "The Vampire Bat" is still an enjoyable little film if for no other reason than to enjoy Melvyn Douglas in an early pre-MGM role and Fay Wray just before she found her 15 minutes of fame in "King Kong" the same year.

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8 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
Cheap Thrills, 7 November 2005

Author: Ron Oliver (revilorest@juno.com) from Forest Ranch, CA

Mysterious murders in a European village seem the result of THE VAMPIRE BAT horde plaguing the terrified community.

This surprisingly effective little thriller was created by Majestic Pictures, one of Hollywood's Poverty Row studios. The sparse production values and rough editing actually add to its eerie atmosphere and lend it an almost expressionistic quality. Overall, it leaves the viewer the feeling of being caught up in a bad dream, which is appropriate for a thriller of this sort.

Even though the eventual explanation for the hideous crimes is quite ludicrous and is not given proper plot development, the film can boast of a good cast. Grave Lionel Atwill gives another one of his typically fine performances, this time as a doctor doing scientific research in an old castle. Beautiful Fay Wray plays his assistant in a role which requires her to do little more than look lovely & alarmed. Dour Melvyn Douglas appears as the perplexed police inspector who also happens to be, conveniently, Miss Wray's boyfriend.

Maude Eburne, who could be extremely funny given the right situation, steals most of her scenes as Miss Wray's hypochondriac aunt. Elderly Lionel Belmore plays the village's terrified burgermeister. And little Dwight Frye, who will always be remembered for his weird roles in the FRANKENSTEIN and Dracula films, here is most effective as a bat-loving lunatic.

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12 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
Vampires are at large, I tell you! VAMPIRES!!, 9 August 2005

Author: Coventry from the Draconian Swamp of Unholy Souls

"The Vampire Bat" starts out fabulously, with eerie images of large bats fluttering through the dark night and a very atmospheric portrayal of a petrified little town with its superstitious inhabitants under the spell of a serial killer who seemly drains all the blood out of his/her victims' bodies. The opening sequences of this film (the first 15 minutes or so) is pure vintage horror, with a suspenseful introduction to the story (extended speeches with a detailed description of the killer's modus operandi) and a great use of set pieces and interiors that already proved their effectiveness earlier (the same scenery was used in Universal classics, like "The Old Dark House" for example). Very regrettable, however, is that the story quickly becomes tedious and predictable and the only element left to admire near the end is the sublime acting by a multi-talented cast. In the remote town of Kleinschloss (very cool name, by the way), they keep on finding bodies with not a single drop of blood left in them. The scared and superstitious villagers are convinced that there's a vampire in their midst (it wouldn't be the first time, according to the history books) and the prime suspect is the village-idiot, Hermann, who shows a bizarre affection towards bats. The only straight-thinking authority figure is inspector Karl Brettschneider, but even he can't come up with a rational explanation for the murders. If you're somewhat familiar with the roles and careers of eminent horror actors in the 30's, you know who the real culprit is right away and – even if you're not – it's not hard to guess, since the clues are numberless. "The Vampire Bat" isn't a very efficient whodunit mystery, but it definitely remains a must for fans of classic horror films since it brings together names like Fay Wray (immortal for her role in "King Kong"), Lionel Atwill ("Mystery of the Wax Museum"), Melvyn Douglas (Polanski's "The Tenant") and Dwight Fry. This latter is my personal favorite cast member here, mainly because he's a very underrated actor who always stood in the shadows of more important horror veterans. His performance of Herman the nut is truly terrific.

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12 out of 17 people found the following review useful:
Underrated Creepy Little Gem, 24 August 2002

Author: Space_Mafune from Newfoundland, Canada

Dwight Frye steals the show in this one as a foolish young man(who seems to be mentally handicapped) who gets himself blamed for vampire-like murders especially after he reveals his love for bats which he likes to stroke and give to unsuspecting friends as 'gifts'!. Besides all of that, there's an entertaining mystery tale involving the above mentioned murders. Underrated.

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6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Shades of Dr. Caligari, Frankenstein's Monster, and Dracula Mix Well, 24 November 2005

Author: krorie from Van Buren, Arkansas

Though not a horror film in the traditional sense, this creepy little film delivers the goods. It seems a vampire is loose in a small German town draining its victims of their blood. Police Inspector Karl Brettschneider, Melvyn Douglas in one of his early roles, is skeptical believing a crazed killer not a vampire is running amok. The only one who believes him is Ruth Bertin (Faye Wray) the inspector's girlfriend and lab assistant to Dr. Otto von Niemann (Lionel Atwill) who though apparently an eminent scientist goes along with the vampire theory. The townspeople suspect the weirdo Herman Gleib, played with his usual frenzy by Dwight Frye who seems to be having a lot of fun with his role. The film contains quite a bit of humor which helps relieve some of the intensity involved with all the murders being committed. One funny part has Gussie Schnappmann (Maude Eburne), Ruth Bertin's aunt, thinking weird Herman has turned not into a bat but into a dog. Maude Eburne and Dwight Frye make a good comedy team.

This budget movie brings in elements from "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" with Dr. Niemann using the power of suggestion to make a somnambulist carry out his orders, from "Frankenstein" by using the human blood to help create life in the laboratory, and "Dracula" since the murders are believed by everyone except the inspector and his girl to be the work of a bloodsucker. Thses elements are mixed well by director Frank R. Strayer with a little comedy thrown in for good measure. The concoction works. The restored version I viewed used tinting to increase the spooky atmosphere. So try to see the this version if possible.

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7 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
In the Trail of the Success of Dracula and Frankenstein (1931), 13 March 2008

Author: Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In the small village of Kleinshloss, the locals are scared with a serial killer that is draining the blood of his victims, and the Burgomaster Gustave Schoen (Lionel Belmore) is convinced that a vampire is responsible for the deaths. The skeptical police inspector Karl Brettschneider (Melvyn Douglas) is reluctant to accept the existence of vampires, but the local doctor Otto Von Newman (Lionel Atwill) shows literature about cases of vampirism inclusive in Amazon. When the apple street vendor Martha Mueller (Rita Carlisle) is murdered, the prime suspect becomes the slow Herman Gleib (Dwight Frye), a man with a mind of child that loves bats. The group of vigilantes chases Herman, while Dr. Von Newman's housemaid Georgiana (Stella Adams) is attacked by the killer.

"The Vampire Bat" is an entertaining low-budget horror movie from the 30's that is visibly inspired in the success of Universal "Dracula" and "Frankenstein" in 1931. There are many analogies in the stories, like the living growing tissue or the innocence of Herman or the raged crowd. The characters are not well developed, and I did not understand the relationship of Ruth Bertin and her annoying hypochondriac aunt Gussie Schnappmann with Dr. Otto Von Newman, or how the doctor hypnotizes or controls his assistant Emile. It is great to see Fay Wray acting in the same year of "Mystery of the Wax Museum" and "King Kong". My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "O Morcego Vampiro" ("The Vampire Bat")

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5 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Not a classic but still a lot of fun, 24 August 2005

Author: rosscinema (rosscinema@comcast.net) from Oceanside, Ca.

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

In an attempt to cash in on the success of Universal's horror films Majestic Pictures hired several popular actors from the current genre and put them in this effort that (realistically speaking) is nowhere near as good. With that, this is still worth everyone's time and it's a heck of a lot of fun to view and in my opinion it's better than most of what is supposed to pass nowadays as horror! Story takes place in the small German town of Klineschloss where the bodies have been piling up completely drained of blood and with suspicious puncture marks. Burgermister Gustave Schoen (Lionel Belmore) shouts "It's Vampires" but the local police chief Karl Brettschneider (Melvyn Douglas) thinks it's a madman who's responsible and he vows to catch him.

*****SPOILER ALERT***** The Burgermeister and most of the towns folk think that the local kook Herman Glieb (Dwight Frye) who loves bats and frequently talks to them is the one they are looking for and they chase him until he falls to his death in a cave. The one who is responsible for the killings is Dr. Otto von Niemann (Lionel Atwill) who has created a new form of tissue mass that feeds on blood and he accomplishes this by having some sort of mind control over his servant Emil (Robert Frazer) who goes out at night to collect the blood. Dr. Otto has a pretty assistant named Ruth Bertin (Fay Wray) and an annoying aunt named Gussie (Maude Eburne) but they have no clue what he's up to but Karl eventually become suspicious when one of the murders takes place after Herman's death.

Frank R. Strayer was never confused with being James Whale but he was a pretty competent director who ended up directing most of the "Blondie" films in that series and with this film he uses the same sets from "The Old Dark House" which was also filmed at Universal. I'm the first to admit that this film is downright clumsy at times but it's practically impossible to resist a film that has a cast like this including Frye who is pretty much doing his Renfield role only this time he befriends bats and strokes them and keeps them in his pocket for safe keeping! One thing that just doesn't make sense is the mind control that Dr. Otto has over Emil as the film never explains this and I had a strong sense that this was some sort of nod to "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" but on the other hand it's probably just the weakest part of the script. There are a few other tidbits that I noticed including the chase of Frye to the big caves which is obviously an early shot of the infamous Bronson Canyon where numerous other films have been made and also Wray's brown hair which is her true color. True horror film fans will appreciate this more than others but I think this is a fun film to view for everyone and with a cast as attractive as this it's well worth a look.

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8 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
Neglected minor classic, 5 June 2004
Author: lorenellroy from United Kingdom

This was made by a minor ,Poverty Row studio but it stands up well alongside other more lavish Universal productions from around the same time and has a pretty decent cast that provides a touch of quality in the acting department. The title is a misnomer as the evil that bedevils the remote Central European town turns out to be human in origin although the inhabitants of the town firmly believe that the exsanguinated bodies turning up all over the place are the work of vampires .They hound a simple minded young man ,Herman ,( movingly played by Dwight Frye ) to his death claiming he is the culprit while the real villain is unmasked shortly after his death. Neat performances from Lionel Attwill as the town doctor ,Melvyn Douglas as the sceptical local policeman and the aforementioned Mr Frye compensate for a wan and colourless Fay Wray as the love interest and the tedious comic relief of Maude Elune as a bossy old maiden Aunt prone to fits of the vapours .

Its ingredients will be familair to lovers of the vintage horror picture and we get many of the scenes that were a staple of the genre--superstitious villagers wielding torches ,a crazed man of science and the debate between science and folklore but it is expertly welded together and never oustays its welcome

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4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
"You ought to make a pretty fair meal for a vampire.", 25 July 2005

Author: classicsoncall from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Six deaths in six weeks and the residents of Kleinschloss are getting jumpy, particularly since all the corpses have had their bodies drained of blood. Burgermeister Gustave Schoen (Lionel Belmore) and police chief Karl Brettschneider (Melvyn Douglas) are at a loss as to explain what's going on, though hints of a vampire at work seem to be on everyone's mind. It looks like the fall guy will be the mentally challenged Herman Glieb (Dwight Frye), who admits to keeping bats as pets and playing with them.

What's really going on is that the good doctor Otto Von Niemann (Lionell Atwill), in his quest to create life a la Frankenstein, has developed a mass of living tissue that needs human blood to sustain itself. His "creation" laughably resembles not much more than a large sponge in a lab jar, not very horrific and certainly not very threatening. Von Niemann has an unexplained telepathic link to an assistant named Emil, who does the doctor's bidding in providing a reliable blood supply, complete with the signature dual puncture marks on the throat of the victims.

Before it's all over, a posse of citizens chases down the pitiful Herman, who jumps to his death in a mountain cavern known as "Devil's Well", rather than allow himself to be captured. Dwight Frye created quite the niche for himself with knock offs of the Renfield character he portrayed in the original 1931 film "Dracula". In this one, he's particularly effective, complete with crazed look as he fondly strokes one of his many furry bat friends.

Fay Wray is on hand as romantic interest Ruth Bertin for police chief Karl, just a few short months away from the release of the film that forever defined her signature role as the love interest for "King Kong". She also teamed up with Lionel Atwill a couple more times, in 1932's "Doctor X", and "Mystery of the Wax Museum" which closely followed "The Vampire Bat".

In the film's finale, Von Niemann attempts to pin the bat murders on his assistant Emil, but Emil turns the tables on his mentor, with both antagonists meeting their end to the sound of gunshots off screen. Shortly after in a priceless scene, hypochondriac Aunt Gussie frantically comes calling for the doctor, complaining of symptoms she's suffering from the doctor's prescription of hydrous magnesium sulfate. Calling a spade a spade, Karl and Ruth share a laugh as the Epsom salts the doctor provided have Aunt Gussie "on the run".

If by the end of this film, you haven't yet had your fill of the bat genre, drive yourself even more batty with Bela Lugosi's 1940 entry "The Devil Bat", or Vincent Price's 1959 horror mystery "The Bat". Better yet, wait for Halloween, and watch all three in a row for a major bat attack!

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