Friday, December 25, 2009

The Return of the Vampire (1944)



The Return of the Vampire is a 1944 film, released by Columbia
Pictures starring Béla Lugosi, Nina Foch, Frieda Inescort and
Miles Mander and Directed by Lew Landers.



>>Plot summary:

Armand Tesla, a former Romanian scientist who became a vampire
because of his obsession with the occult, moves to London. He has
a werewolf servant named Andréas (Matt Willis), and preys on one
family until he is staked in 1918. When his grave is disturbed by
Nazi bombs during World War II, gravediggers who have to rebury
the overturned graves decide not to bury Armand with the stake,
pulling it out. He then claws out of the ground.











He seeks out Andréas, who now, after being turned back by
Armand, has the power to change form at will, and sets out to
take revenge on the family that had staked him. In the end,
Andréas is shot trying to give Nikki (the doctor's daughter)
back to Armand.





The vampire tells the lycanthrope, "I no longer had need of you.
" After changing back, Andréas, who finds a cross buried in
corner of the church Armand has made a home, pulls it out
and starts forcing Armand up the stairs toward the sun.
A bomb dropped from a passing German bomber lands in the
church causing an explosion, destroying the building. Andréas
finishes the job by dragging Armand into the sun, finishing
Armand and releasing Nikki of Armand's spell. Then Andréas is
finally dead of his bullet wound, resting forever in peace.





This is one of only three films in which Bela Lugosi played a genuine
vampire, the other two being Dracula and Abbott and Costello Meet
Frankenstein. In Mark of the Vampire, Lugosi played a supposed
vampire who turns out to be a fake. In Old Mother Riley Meets the
Vampire, Lugosi played a mad scientist who has a delusion that he
is a vampire.



Actor Matt Willis as the werewolf had a completely different
portrayal than Lon Chaney's in Universal Studios' The Wolf Man.

>>Cast:

-Bela Lugosi...Armand Tesla / Dr. Hugo Bruckner
-Frieda Inescort ...Lady Jane Ainsley
-Nina Foch...Nicki Saunders
-Miles Mander...Sir Frederick Fleet
-Roland Varno...John Ainsley
-Matt Willis...Andreas Obry



Fonts:
Wikipedia
Imdb

7 comments:

Simon B said...

Hi Mandra. Have a fang-tastic Christmas! Best wishes from the UK.

Mandra said...

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year my good friend! XD

Best wishes from Spain (Barcelona).

Neil D Vokes said...

Nice stuff on DRACULA & RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE-there is only small critique i have and that is your last pic of the werewolf is not Matt Willis,but Steven Rich from the Columbia film THE WEREWOLF (1956) - it's an understandable mistake as the makeup is virtually the same for both films...;o)

-take care, Neil

Mandra said...

Thank you very much for the correction Neil.

Greetings, Mandra.

Neil D Vokes said...

Mandra-
I'm afraid you misunderstood me- Matt Willis IS the werewolf,Andreas in RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE- what i was saying is that the last picture of the werewolf in your post is NOT Matt Willis,but Steven Rich from the Columbia film THE WEREWOLF (1956)
-a completely different film from Columbia Pictures that used a similar makeup-sorry for confusing you...;o)

Mandra said...

Neil, first of all, thank you very much for your patience. You see, my English is not very good, but I always make an effort to learn. I'm Spanish but I like the English language.

Now I understand. I think. The image of the Werewolf is not Matt Willis is Steven Rich (THE WEREWOLF (1956)). Some time ago I saw the Return of The Vampire. I've removed the image of the werewolf.

Thank you very much Neil.

gfd said...

great