The Corpse Vanishes (1942)

A scientist, aided by an old hag and her two sons, kills virginal brides, steals their bodies, and extracts gland fluid to keep his ancient wife alive and young.

Director:

Wallace Fox

Writers:

Sam Robins (original story), Gerald Schnitzer (original story)

Stars:

Bela Lugosi, Luana Walters, Tristram Coffin

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bela Lugosi	...	Dr. George Lorenz
Luana Walters	...	Patricia Hunter
Tristram Coffin	...	Dr. Foster (as Tris Coffin)
Elizabeth Russell	...	Countess Lorenz
Minerva Urecal	...	Fagah
Angelo Rossitto	...	Toby (as Angelo)
Joan Barclay	...	Alice Wentworth
Kenneth Harlan	...	Keenan - Editor
Gwen Kenyon	...	Peggy Woods
Vince Barnett	...	Sandy
Frank Moran	...	Angel
George Eldredge	...	Mike (as George Eldridge)

Storyline

Dr. Lorenz, a mad scientist, wants to keep his elderly wife young. He does this by kidnapping young females and extracting fluid from them. He then injects this fluid into his wife.

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | insanity | flower | bride | mad scientist | 

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Taglines:

KIDNAPPED BRIDES Are The Victims Of His Terror! Prepare to shudder when you see the strange practices of this doctor who sacrificed beautiful women for the sake of a mad love! (original poster)

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed 3/13/42-4/1/42, the fourth of Bela Lugosi's nine Monogram features.

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Goofs

When getting ready for bed, Pat unbuttons her jacket, but in the next shot the jacket is buttoned again and stays buttoned for the rest of the scene - because she changed her mind about going to bed.

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Quotes

Keenan: Aww, now wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me that this Professor Lorenz is a hypnotist as well as a horticulturist?

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Connections

Featured in Count Gore De Vol Presents: The Corpse Vanishes (2018)

User Reviews

Not That Bad!

While I had pre-conceived notions of what this film would be like, I must confess that I was pleasantly surprised with this nice little old-fashioned horror story about a doctor who kidnaps "dead" brides only to remove spinal fluid in them to inject in his wife who is really 70 some odd years but looks thirtyish. Whew! Well I never said it was a great story, but it is a fine feature in which the great Lugosi can steal any scene he is in. The rest of the cast is adequate or below...some of the cast are just plain awful as with the female lead Luana Walters and the fella that plays her boss(Boy! They stink!). Yet, the story creates enough suspense to make this film very watchable and entertaining. I think the fact that it is barely over an hour in length also helps it create its zippy pacing. Minerva Urecal(from The Ape Man with Bela) and Angelo Rossitti(from Freaks) are in here, and they are fine as mysterious mother and dwarf-son Toby. The sets are pretty good considering the budget of the film and its Poverty Row Production. The fact Bela is in it is enough reason to see it, but at least with this film you get pretty good entertainment in the old traditional horror way.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 May 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Corpse Vanishes

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sam Katzman Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

64 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1