Curse of the Undead

I've always liked this movie: it takes a theme that could easily have been preposterous (a vampire Western?) and handles it with restraint, dignity, a nice feel for its two respective folklores, and deep, handsome B&W photography. It's an easy step from natural to supernatural for that classic Western icon, the mysterious, black-clad gunslinger who rides into town by night, and the rest of the movie is just as comfortable a blend. The laconic vampire, Drake Robey ("The dead don't bother me, ma'am, it's the living that give me trouble") is a noble monster who first preys on, then falls for the feisty rancher heroine, and there's a neat iconic scene involving a bullet mounted with Preacher Dan's precious fragment of the True Cross. Really a classy little movie and most unfairly overlooked - I can't believe this is the first comment on it!

CURSE OF THE UNDEAD is a vampire western, complete with victims drained of blood and plenty of atmospheric woo-woo music. It's sort of like watching a typical TV western from the period, with the vampire elements added for fun. Does it work? Well, yes.

It's obvious who the bloodsucker is early on, since he sits on his horse mysteriously, and said horse moves in slow-motion. He's a gunslinger named Drake Robey (Michael Pate), who just happens to sleep in a coffin. When local woman Dolores Carter (Kathleen Crowley) offers a reward for the death of whomever murdered her father, Robey shows up, in spite of the fact that dad had a few familiar holes in his neck. Once in town, Robey runs afoul of the local preacher (Eric Fleming), setting up a true good vs. eeevil showdown.

This movie has a nice backstory, explaining Robey's accursed origin. Though there have been other such "crossover" films, this is certainly one of the best...

Glad I found this. A vampire western, might possibly be the first ever of it's kind. A pretty run of the mill Western story-line with a bloodsucking demon added for good measure. The acting and script are nothing great but enough to keep you amused. For lovers of horror, this really is a must see.

One of my sci-fi/horror/fantasy reviews written 50 years ago: Directed by Edward Dein; Produced by Joseph Gershenson for Universal-International Pictures release. Screenplay by Edward and Mildred Dein; Photography by Ellis Carter; Edited by George Gittens; Music by Irving Gertz. Starring: Eric Fleming, Michael Pate, Kathleen Crowley, Edward Binns, John Hoyt, Bruce Gordon and Jimmy Murphy.

The first combo Western-horror film, in which a vampire, dressed in black, terrorizes the West in the guise of a gunfighter and is faced-down by an iron-willed man of the cloth. Transference of the vampire legend is well-done and Pate is exceptionally good as the fast-draw Drac.

I was just a kid when I saw this so, my memory could be shading my judgment. However, after viewing some of the "Highlander" TV series, this western is along the lines of a tale told in flashback about an immortal who lived through the time of the old west. In the case of this film, the immortal happens to be a vampire. What a great gig for a vampire--be THE best gunslinger in the west. Even if you are a slow draw, you can never lose.

I also was impressed with the use of a preacher as the protagonist. I remember a very positive portrayal. I haven't too much a memory about the acting, though. A good gage would be to conjure up memories of the lead actor when he played Gil Favor the trail boss on TV's "Rawhide."