The Vampire's Ghost

Vampire's Ghost is one of those gems that pops up now and again among the old B's. The vampire is multi-dimensional rather than unmitigated evil. There are some metaphysics mixed into the story. If you find this one on late night cable give it a watch.

"The Vampire's Ghost" is an underrated film. Don't expect a lot of effects or Gothic settings-this film carries itself without it. That may be a drawback to some viewers. The acting is good and the jungle scenes add an interesting touch. Some genre expectations(i.e. inability to go out in the sun)are thrown out. John Abbott is fine in the lead role. He plays a sympathetic figure at the beginning but starts to show his sinister side. He runs a dive by the waterfront which covers his true identity. When murders are committed, the natives start to blame him. The manner in which he is killed is a change from most vampire movies and the ability to regain his strength via moonlight is an original one. "Vampire's Ghost" is a film that is worth a look. Note-Movies Unlimited has a very good copy of this film but it is on VHS only. You could always have it transferred to DVD.

I've wanted to see this movie for many years, ever since I read that Leigh Brackett had written the script for it. And, now that I have, I'm pleased to find out that it was worth the wait. Produced cheaply, by a second (or even third) rate studio, it replaces budget with story and characterization. John Abbott's Web Fallon (possibly the first sympathetic and world-weary vampire portrayal in the movies), harks back to John Polidori's Lord Ruthven (and Rymer's Sir Francis Varney) as his antecedents, and not the classic Stoker/Lugosi Dracula--one of the very few times the big screen has acknowledged there were literary vampires before Stroker.

It's too bad this one has basically slipped between the cracks and has become almost impossible to find.

Vampire's Ghost, The (1945)

*** (out of 4)

Unique version of a vampire tale from Republic has been forgotten over the years due to its rarity but this here certainly needs to find a new crowd. A 400-year-old vampire (John Abbott) living in Africa sets his sight on a new girl but the voodoo locals and her boyfriend try to stop him. A very intelligent script by Leigh Brackett makes this head and shoulders more original than the Dracula films being delivered by Universal and Columbia. The film throws in all sorts of new ideas surrounding the legend of vampires and that's what makes this film so interesting even if it does drag a bit at 59-minutes. Abbott is wonderful in his role and his strange look is all the more fitting. Nice atmosphere and a terrific mood help overcome the low budget.

Last night we watched a 1945 film called 'The Vampire's Ghost'. It was a pick we found included on our Amazon Prime instant video membership. With a name like that I was not expecting much from the film. Instead it turned out to be a very entertaining and offbeat vampire story. It was made by Republic Pictures yet had beautifully artistic B/W cinematography reminiscent of the Universal Horror films of that same time. The title character was played by John Abbott. He will be familiar to fans of the original Star Trek series who remember the episode 'Errand of Mercy'. Mr. Abbott played the vampire as sympathetic and likable at times, unique for Vampire characters of that decade. They were usually more sinister. Still he was a pitiless monster and evil. The film is only about 59 minutes long. At the end I found myself wishing it was longer. I recommend this to fans of 1930 and 40s horror films. I give it a 7 out of 10 rating.