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The Vampire (1957)A small town doctor mistakenly ingests an experimental drug made from the blood of vampire bats which transforms the kindly medic into a bloodthirsty monster. Director:Paul Landres |
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Title: The Vampire (1957)
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Cast
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John Beal | ... |
Dr. Paul Beecher
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| Coleen Gray | ... | ||
| Kenneth Tobey | ... |
Sheriff Buck Donnelly
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Lydia Reed | ... |
Betsy Beecher
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| Dabbs Greer | ... |
Dr. Will Beaumont
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Herb Vigran | ... |
George Ryan, Police Sergeant
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Paul Brinegar | ... |
Willy Warner
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Ann Staunton | ... |
Marion Wilkins
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| James Griffith | ... |
Henry Winston
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Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Dr. Matthew Campbell has been experimenting on methods to regress the mind to primitive instincts so that we can find methods to improve our brains and not get taken in by cheap horror movie hogwash. He's developed a drug made from vampire bat blood and has begun treating himself with it. But instead of improving his mind, he's become ill and addicted. He dies, but not before trying to warn fellow doctor Paul Beecher. Fortunately for us, he dies before he can say more than that pills are to blame. While still at Campbell's house, Paul finds a bottle of pills and pockets them. He's also got another bottle of pills in his other pocket that he takes for frequent migraine attacks. He goes home, puts his jacket on a rack, and then he's struck with a migraine. He asks his daughter to give him the pills in his jacket pocket, and of course she gives him the pills of evil. He is instantly addicted and he must take one pill every day. Each time he takes a pill he turns into a hairy and very ... Written by Jim Knoppow
Taglines:
It Feeds on the Blood of Beautiful Women! See more »Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated PG for some scary images and monster attacks | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
June 1957 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn See more »Box Office
Budget:
$115,000 (estimated)Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Sheriff Buck Donnelly: I got plenty of reasons, Willy. Three deaths in three days.
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Did You Know?
Goofs
When the boy enters the doctor's house in the first scene, the doorknob changes. The exterior clearly doesn't match the interior. See more »Quotes
Willy Warner: Buck, you can't go around diggin' up people's graves. To get a court order you got to have some good reason.Sheriff Buck Donnelly: I got plenty of reasons, Willy. Three deaths in three days.
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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.