Sanha Diabólica

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.

This one came as a surprise to me - it's actually fairly interesting to watch. It's a neat idea: a vampire in the old west. Why not - vampires can pop up any place in any century. This one made for a fun afternoon film to watch.

We have a gun-slinging vampire taking over a small town. It is up to the preacher and Dolores Carter to save the town from people dying mysteriously of blood-loss and to deal with the stranger in town.

This is not the finest vampire film on the market but it is a fun one - something different than normal. I enjoyed this one.

6/10

A black-clad, gaunt stranger (Michael Pate) arrives in town, becomes a farmhand for a pretty rancher (Kathleen Crowley), eventually turns out to be the vampire terrorizing the countryside. This really is a clever, moody piece, another well-done 1950s Universal-International terror film, featuring good performances, creepy music, and an astonishing climax.

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...