A Marca do Vampiro

Count Mora has a scar on his temple. It's a gunshot wound acquired when after having incest with his daughter he committed suicide. That was meant to explain to the audiences how he and his daughter became vampires. But censors demanded the deletion of references to both the incest and the suicide.

The MARK OF THE VAMPIRE lies heavily upon the terrified inhabitants of a lonely European manor house.

In 1935 director Tod Browning set about the remaking of his 1927 silent Lon Chaney shocker LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT. The final result was rather an odd film for the MGM roster, but it benefited by being given the Studio's first class production values and casting. It is a tremendously entertaining film to watch even now, full of chills & suspense.

However, at a running time of barely one hour it has been obviously heavily edited. This does not help the already ludicrous plot, many of whose elements simply do not make the slightest sense. It is perhaps just as well to enjoy what the film does have to offer and not to harp about the incongruities of the storyline. The ending will come as a surprise to many viewers - some will be delighted at the turn of events, others will feel betrayed at the final fadeout.

The cast is excellent. Lionel Barrymore is at his most eccentrically watchable as the elderly vampire stalker. And who could play the Undead better than Bela Lugosi? Although he speaks not a word until the final seconds of the film he is pure menace throughout, stalking along cobwebed corridors, associating with giant bats and radiating pure evil. Lionel Atwill as a stern police inspector and gentle Jean Hersholt as a befuddled baron complete the quartet of leading actors.

Elizabeth Allan is lovely as the menaced young lady, while Carol Borland is properly mysterious as Lugosi's vampiress. Various members of the supporting cast are allowed moments to shine - Donald Meek as the frightened local doctor; Ivan Simpson as the manor's old butler and Leila Bennett as a rather hysterical maid. Movie mavens will spot an unbilled Christian Rub as a deaf peasant at the coroner's inquest.

The film's editing sadly left several very fine character actors on the cutting room floor, including Robert Greig, Eily Maylon, Zeffie Tilbury & Jessie Ralph (whose name still appears in the credits).

James Wong Howe's excellent cinematography should be mentioned, as should also the creepy special effects which add immensely to the atmosphere.

Tod Browning easily is one of the most important directors who ever lived. Sure, he might not enjoy the same post-mortem status as a Stanley Kubrick or a Alfred Hitchcock but he single-handedly was responsible for some of the most important and genre-forming horror films. In a period of barely 5 years he brought us: Dracula (the mother of all vampire-movies and THE film that made Bela Lugosi immortal), Freaks (still amazingly scary after more than 70 years), this Mark of the Vampire and Devil Doll in 1936.

This film more or less is the first accomplishment that `plays' with the rules of the genre and creatively adds some very ingenious twists. A prominent citizen of a small community is killed and the superstitious population are convinced that the bizarre, vicious Count Mora is responsible for this act of terror. Count Mora and his freaky daughter Luna are believed to be vampires and the village's curse. Since the victim's beautiful daughter obviously is the next target, professor Zelin sets a trap the bloodthirsty killer red-handed. Mark of the Vampire is an eccentric horror effort and definitely ahead of its time! The opening sequences are atmospherically frightening and the nightly noises still have the ability to scare you. The illogical – but extremely dared – twists near the end easily guarantee this film an honored spot in the horror annals. Please see it for yourself and you'll agree that this film is tough to review! Personally, I thought Lionel Barrymore overacts terribly….then again, the development of the film provides him with an excuse for this! I am certain about one thing, though! Bela Lugosi gives away an outstanding performance. Naturally, his role here is overshadowed by his starring in Dracula but I dare to say he's equally chilling here. Lugosi almost has no lines to say, but his grimaces speak for themselves. Check it out!!

Tod Browning's return to the genre that made him famous brings along Bela Lugosi to reprise his role as a sinister Count. This vampiric tale is mixed in with a murder mystery. I found the end results to be very weird, unusual and entertaining. What I thought was going to be a routine horror story has a very funny twist. To give it away would be telling. If you're in the mood for something different then by all means watch.

Recommended.

B+

In a small village of Prague, dignitary Sir Karell Borotyn is found murdered and the police put it down to "unknown circumstances". The whole village knows the cause though and the consensus of opinion is that he was killed by the legendary vampire Count Mora. This belief is dismissed by the authorities but seems to be backed up when Mora appears to Borotyn's daughter Irena. Enter Professor Zelen, who plans to save Irena and bring an end to the rule of terror that Mora has brought to the village.

I have been watching several horrors from the first half of the last century recently mainly because I am tired of the "shock 'em with gore" school of thought that seems to have replaced atmosphere and creepy direction that should always make up a part of a horror film. With this film the story is actually quite interesting, albeit based on the usual "vampire hunter" storyline but it still works and has a certain amount of mystery to it. This is supported by a good sense of atmosphere and period – not just all dark shadows and so on but a feeling that this is a real place and that the evil is only a few steps away at any time; hard to describe but it looks good. Of course it is dated and modern horror fans will scoff at it, but it does have some genuinely unsettling moments and the slow movement of Mora and the zombie-ish Luna is effectively used once or twice – it was only a shame that they had surprisingly little actual time on screen.

The cast are impressive on paper and they do a good job on screen. Lugosi may just be doing his usual stuff in a supporting role but both he and the Count are probably the main draw to this film and he provides his usual ham with relish. Likewise the rest of the cast overact a bit but it suits the film and works pretty well since this film doesn't seem to be taking itself too seriously. Barrymore is good and is well supported by Allan, Atwill and Borland. They all play it up a bit and it works without taking away from the creepy atmosphere.

Overall it is hardly the most frightening thing you'll ever see, nor does it even come comes but it is still enjoyable and a little creepy if you meet it on its terms rather than with a modern eye. It is creaky and you might get a laugh out of it but viewed as a film it has enough going for it to stand up with some of the more "classic" horrors of the period.