El vampiro (1957)

Director:

Fernando Méndez

Writers:

Ramón Obón (story)
Ramón Obón (adaptation) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1958 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller | Horror

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Abel Salazar	...	Dr. Enrique
Ariadna Welter	...	Marta Gonzalez
Carmen Montejo	...	Eloisa
José Luis Jiménez	...	Emilio
Mercedes Soler	...	Maria - servant
Alicia Montoya	...	María Teresa
José Chávez	...	Anselmo
Julio Daneri	...	Duval's servant
Amado Zumaya	...	Duval's servant
Germán Robles	...	Count Karol de Lavud / Duval
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dick Barker	...	Man (uncredited)
Margarito Luna	...	(uncredited)
Guillermo Álvarez Bianchi	...	Train administrator (uncredited)

Directed by
Fernando Méndez

Writing credits
Ramón Obón		(story)
Ramón Obón		(adaptation)
Ramon Rodriguez		screenplay

Produced by
Abel Salazar	....	producer

Original Music by
Gustavo César Carrión		(as Gustavo C. Carrion)

Cinematography by
Rosalío Solano

Film Editing by
José W. Bustos

Art Direction by
Gunther Gerszo

Makeup Department
Elda Loza	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Antonio Guerrero Tello	....	production leader
Fernando Méndez Jr.	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Américo Fernández	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Enrique Rodríguez	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rafael Ruiz Esparza	....	dialogue editor (as Rafael R. Esparza)

Camera and Electrical Department
Antonio Solano	....	lighting technician
Hugo Velasco	....	camera operator

Music Department
Gustavo César Carrión	....	musical director (as Gustavo C. Carrion)
Enrique Rodríguez	....	music editor

Other crew
Nicolás Rueda hijo	....	titles (as Nicolás Rueda Jr.)

Production Companies

• Cinematográfica ABSA

Distributors

• Alameda Films (1957) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Azteca Films Inc. (1958) (USA) (theatrical) (Spanish language only)
• American-International Television (AIP-TV) (1964) (USA) (TV) (dubbed) (syndication)
• Trans-International Films (1968) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• CasaNegra Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Mondo Macabro (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (video)

Other Companies

• Grabaciones Magnéticas Sincrónicas S.A.  sound re-recording
• Orquesta de la Sección de Filarmónicos del S.T.P.C. de la R.M.  orchestra
• C.L.A.S.A.  studio
• Screen Time Images  DVD menus and authoring
• Screen Time Images  audio restoration
• Screen Time Images  film restoration

Also Known As:

Runtime:

95 min | UK:84 min (DVD)

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Company:

Cinematográfica ABSA

Quotes:

Count Karol de Lavud:We've been brought to a halt in the middle of this strange bridge that extends between the end of life and the beginning of death.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 9 (2002) (V)

Not very original, but atmospheric and interesting.

Mexico made some great horror films in the fifties and sixties, and thanks to Casa Negra, we're now getting to enjoy some of them. Casa Negra set the bar high when they released the likes of The Black Pit of Dr M, The Curse of the Crying Woman and The Witch's Mirror, and while El Vampiro doesn't quite live up to the brilliance of those releases; it's still a more than decent little vampire flick and the atmosphere alone is likely to keep many horror fans entertained. The back of the box professes this film to be an influential classic; though to me it seemed like more of a Dracula rip-off. Anyway, as the title suggests; the film focuses on vampires, and in particular, Count Karol de Lavud. The Count has been surviving on the blood of young woman, and plans to get inside his brother's crypt to resurrect him too. The story picks up when a young girl named Martha returns to her once beautiful hometown to find it a graveyard. The vampire plans to drink her blood and add her to his list of immortal brides, and her only hope lies with the doctor who travelled with her and her butler...

The plot will be largely familiar to anyone who has seen the classic Dracula films, and that is likely to be everyone who goes to the trouble of seeing this film. However, it's easy to forgive the film for taking ideas from Bram Stoker's tale as the film does manage to stay interesting despite the familiarity of it all, and while it largely lacks substance; the film does continually look very nice, the shots of the smoke filled streets being the best that the film has to offer. The role of the vampire is taken by Germán Robles, who does well with it. He's no Bela Lugosi or Christopher Lee, but he's easy to believe in the role and looks sinister enough, which is the most important thing. A problematic element of his performance, however, is the fact that he doesn't ever pose much of a threat - which is a pretty big problem. Director Fernando Méndez would go on to direct one of the best films that Casa Negra released in The Black Pit of Dr M, as well as the disappointing The Living Coffin. Overall, I can't say that this is the best Mexican horror film you're ever likely to see; but it is worth seeing and I can recommend it.