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	...	Editor Keenan
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 | bride | mad scientist | orchid | wedding | 

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Taglines:

Keeper of the Grotto of Torture!

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the movies "riffed" on Mystery Science Theater 3000.

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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.

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Quotes

Patricia Hunter: What do you want?
Countess Lorenz: Yes, you are beautiful.
Patricia Hunter: How did you get in here?
Countess Lorenz: So young. Such lovely skin. Sometime you too will be a bride!

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Connections

Referenced in Bowery at Midnight (1942)

User Reviews

Classic Lugosi!

Bela plays a doctor who raises orchids and gives them to girls about to be married....when they smell them, they go into a comatose state, and appear dead. Lugosi & henchmen steal the "bodies" with a hearse, and draw out the girl's spinal fluid, which is used to keep Lugosi's wife looking youthful.

This is Lugosi at his finest....and the dungeons of his home are positively creepy with Minerva Urecal and her two sons, Angelo Rossito (a dwarf) & (ex-boxer) Frank Moran. Together, with Lugosi's "wife", it makes for some nightmarish scenes.

BTW...the actress who plays Lugosi's Wife was morbidly afraid of lying in a coffin, so a "double" was used for that scene!

See It!

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