The Vampire's Ghost (1945) User Reviews

Displays some originality and is pretty effective

[Prichards12345 · 7/10 · 13 July 2009]

The Vampire's Ghost is an involving and atmospheric movie; John Abbott gives a melancholic and compelling portrayal of an Elizabethan vampire cursed to live out his existence preying on those who cross his path.

The film is set in Darkest Africa, amidst voodoo drums and restless native tribes. Abbott plays Webb Fallon, owner of a bar frequented by sailors and bar-flies, and possessing an uncanny ability to win at cards. The surrounding countryside is all a shiver as a series of vampire killings have taken place. Indeed the movie is permeated by the sounds of drums in the jungle. And at the climax Fallon is even trapped by the use of them giving away his location!

The doom-laden air Fallon gives off is very reminiscent of Gloria Holden in Dracula's Daughter, but the script contains several original touches, including an atmospheric sequence where the wounded Fallon is revived by being placed directly in the moonlight. The movie proceeds in a stately yet logical manner, and one can almost detect the influence on the lethargic vampires of Anne Rice. Although cheaply made by Republic Studios, this a fine little B flick well worth the trouble of seeking out.

Who Are These People? Read More!

[joe-pearce-1 · 7/10 · 1 September 2014]

There are some benefits to growing older, and one of them is when I read the kind of reviews which more or less permeate the entries for this particular film, THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST, since many of those reviews refer over and over again to the 'minor' cast in the film, one even going so far as to call it a film starring nobody you ever heard of, and in a film that nobody ever heard of. This just isn't so. All the time I was growing up and going to double features (say, 1946 to 1956), THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST was in almost constant revival at our neighborhood theaters, an unusual thing where non-John Wayne Republic films were concerned (Universal, and even RKO with their Lewton films, were dedicated to keeping most of their horror backlog out there, but Republic was issuing Westerns by the gross back then and had no real need to fall back on earlier product), so one must assume that this particular film kept making money for Republic. In any case, it was actually the first vampire film many kids of my age ever saw (vampires were out of fashion until Abbott and Costello ran into Bela Lugosi in 1948), and John Abbott, with those absolutely bulging eyes, did a good job of scaring us (actually, a lot more so than did Bela Lugosi when they finally revived the 1930 Dracula around 1951), so much so that Mr. Abbott is not just a character actor I know, but one who seems to have traveled the long road of life with me ever since 1946, a never-to-be-discarded-from-the-caravan kind of actor. But as for actors nobody ever heard of, the reviewer is betraying his age. Abbott was not a star actor, but certainly a well-known one, and the year after THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST, gave one of the best character performances of that year as the cellist who cannot be corrupted in a major A film of 1946, DECEPTION, where he was acting against the very considerable likes of Bette Davis, Paul Henreid and Claude Rains, and more than holding his own (as he had as an on-the-lam spy in Bob Hope's THEY GOT ME COVERED a few years earlier, playing deadly serious against Hope's constant barrage of one-liners). Our female lead, Peggy Stewart, was THE leading 'cowgirl' actress of the period circa 1943 to 1952 (although Dale Evans, by virtue of being Mrs. Roy Rogers and appearing - and singing - in a number of his excellent Republic Westerns, became known as "The Queen of the West"; yeah, right), and was still in an occasional film as recently as in 2012! The missionary priest was Grant Withers, who was both a well-known leading man (early on) and character actor in film from the very late silent days up to his death (via suicide) in 1959, and had at one time been married to Loretta Young. (He was particularly noted for playing the police lieutenant in all the Boris Karloff "Mr. Wong" films, and for appearing in any number of John Wayne movies over the years.) Roy Barcroft was the quintessential Western villain or lead henchman in every second Saturday afternoon Western I ever saw as a kid, and was as well known to the audiences as were Allan Lane, Bill Elliott, etc., etc. Emmett Vogan, playing Miss Stewart's father, amassed almost 500 feature film credits, perhaps not being known to the masses so much by name, but certainly by face, to anyone who entered a movie theater for the quarter-century commencing around 1933. Adele Mara, who does that wild and crazy dance (noted elsewhere)in this film, played both featured and starring roles in about 50 movies during the 1940s and 1950s (the one I recall best being in the 1950 ROCK ISLAND TRAIL, which managed to inflame my still-immature loins at the time), and also did a lot of TV work in the first two decades of that new medium. The leading man in this one was, I admit, a cipher, and appeared in only a few films, but anyone who calls the rest of the cast 'nobody you ever heard of' really needs to see more films of that period. As for the movie itself, having seen it again periodically over the years, I find that despite its low budget, it continues to hold a strange fascination, thanks to John Abbott's demonstration of how to be totally evil while being truly sympathetic at the same time (and the bulging eyes don't hurt!). And as for the lack of 'action', I dare any reader to name another vampire film that has a full barroom brawl in it (especially one in which the vampire actually takes part and can more than hold his own with all those great Republic stunt men; when Lugosi throws a knife in THE BLACK CAT, he looks like he spent his youth pitching for the Budapest Little League Girls' Team! Oy!). Anyway, yes, a very minor classic, indeed, but certainly worth seeing, if only to realize that 70 years down the line your grandkids may be watching films with actors "nobody ever heard of" - you know, like Kevin Spacey, Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty, Robert Duvall, etc.!

A tight little second feature

[VernC · 6/10 · 25 July 2002]

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.

A True Gem

[Michael_Elliott · 28 February 2008]

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.

THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST (Lesley Selander, 1945) ***

[Bunuel1976 · 7/10 · 14 April 2006]

While the title hadn't struck me as being familiar when I read Michael Elliott's positive review here, I later found out that it was in fact listed - albeit meriting only a single sentence! - in "Horror Films", a compendium of the genre written by Alan Frank and which basically served as my introduction to many horror classics as a child.

As Michael has said, the script (co-written by Leigh Brackett, future collaborator of the great Howard Hawks) is unusually literate for a low-budget horror film of the Forties, suggesting that its main influence may have been the Val Lewton horror cycle being made contemporaneously at RKO; though it never quite achieves their level of quality, it was a very pleasant surprise and it ought to be better known and, more importantly, seen (alas, given its virtually non-existent reputation and the fact that it's a Republic production, whose catalogue has recently been acquired by Paramount, its official release on DVD anytime soon seems a highly unlikely prospect...though I would love to be proved wrong).

Anyway, the combination of vampirism and voodoo is an intriguing one - though we don't really see much of either. The largely unknown cast responds remarkably well to the fanciful proceedings (which offer some new and interesting variations on the standard vampire lore) - but it's John Abbott as Fallon, the world-weary and rather sympathetic bloodsucker who obviously steals the show. The film features a number of effective sequences during its brief (a mere 59 minutes!) but thoroughly engaging running time: a booby-trap shotgun is fired and the bullet goes right through Abbott (shades of SON OF Dracula [1943]) and lodges itself in the arm of one of the natives; only the vampire's clothes are reflected in a mirror (an effect borrowed from Universal's Invisible Man films) and when he looks at it, the mirror shatters of its own accord; the vampire attacks which mainly rely on Abbott's uneasy glare for their impact; the climax set in an ancient temple.

Looking at Lesley Selander's busy filmography (but whose work I had never seen before now), I'm left with the assumption that he was one of the innumerable unassuming journeyman directors who specialized in B-movies and Westerns in particular (at least 6 of his films are called "Fort Something Or Other"!); as a matter of fact, he inserts the obligatory poker game, followed by a bar-room brawl, even in THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST - having made Abbott the unlikely proprietor of a tavern (albeit using this identity merely as a cover for his true and sinister self). Still, given my enthusiastic reaction to the latter, I'm willing to give his FORT ALGIERS (1953; which has been available for some time at my local DVD outlet, without generating much interest to me personally) a chance - even if I'm pretty sure it won't be anywhere near as satisfying...

Vampire movie aficionados should give this one a look.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 16 April 2018]

John Abbott plays Webb Fallon, a centuries-old vampire currently earning a living as a dive owner in an African locale called Bakunda. Coinciding with his arrival is, of course, the expected outbreak of curious murders. The heroes don't put two and two together right away, but they DO figure him out, and head into the heart of the jungle, while he attempts to obtain a female companion for his further journeys through the years.

"The Vampire's Ghost" is more intelligently handled than some films of its type, no doubt the result of the craftsmanship of the celebrated Leigh Brackett, who co-wrote the script based on her own original story. Still, it can't help but spend some time going over some of the standard rules involving vampires, with which so many people are familiar by now.

Although a low budget production (you never do believe that the sets and actors are actually in Africa), the filmmakers, led by director Lesley Selander, make up for this with a presentation that is dependent on mood and characterization. Like many an old-school horror film, it relies on suggestion and subtlety. All we need to see are the frightened reactions of various victims. Abbott, whose buggy eyes are hard not to fixate upon, gives people such a cold stare that they meekly submit to his presence. This, even though he's not a particularly intimidating specimen physically.

The cast is good overall - Charles Gordon as the young hero, the pretty Peggy Stewart (who's still alive and still working) as the leading lady, Grant Withers as a helpful priest, Emmett Vogan as Stewarts' father, the stunning Adele Mara (whose exotic dance is a highlight), and Roy Barcroft as an unlucky gambler / skipper. But Abbott tends to command most of the attention, giving a performance that is world-weary and somewhat sympathetic. Webb doesn't particularly care for his continued, haunted existence.

This viewer didn't think the pacing was that tedious; the film maintained his interest for a modestly enjoyable experience running only an hour long.

Seven out of 10.

Not as good as I'd hoped.

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 5 August 2012]

This is an unusual little B-movie from Republic Studios. It's unusual because this studio was never known for producing horror movies--it's more like what you'd expect from Universal or Columbia. In addition, it stars a guy who usually is a bit or supporting actor, the very erudite John Abbott--who I have always liked but a man whose name few would probably remember today. I remember him because I am weird about things like that and love looking for familiar supporting actors in films. It's nice to see him get a chance her to helm a film. The film also is pretty odd because you'd not normally expect a vampire film to be set in Africa! As for the overall film, I was a bit surprised. While I love classic monster movies, this was one that had little impact on me as I watched. It was neither bad nor good--sort of like the white bread of the monster world. I think the biggest problem was that the film was very talky and lacked action--and really needed an infusion of energy.

Actually quite good on it's own terms

[dbborroughs · 7/10 · 25 June 2011]

John Abbot is a vampire in the African Jungle who runs a gambling den and feasts on the natives. When things begin to turn bad for him he takes control of a man who discovers his secret and then tries to run off with a woman he fancies.

A much derided film in many circles reveals itself to be an okay little thriller which works more for it's off beat setting then anything else. Sure it's slightly different than most other vampire takes and Abbott is certainly an unsexy vampire, but at the same time it kind of works on it's own terms. High art it's not, a spooky distraction for an hour it is.

"I cannot rest, I cannot rest, I cannot rest!"

[Stevieboy666 · 5/10 · 21 April 2021]

I have been a horror fan for over 40 years and until of last night I had never heard of this obscure little movie. Set in Africa (though the locals' American accents keep trying to break out) this is a simple story about nightclub owner and vampire Webb Fallon taking a fancy to an attractive young woman who is spoken for. Fallon is a cad but John Abbott's performance doesn't make for a very convincing vampire, not helped by the lack of bats, coffins and fangs, etc. Adele Mara as exotic dancer Lisa does compensate with a very sexy dance routine. Very low key entry in the vampire sub genre, not a good film but not a terribly bad one either and at an hour in length I found it to be an easy enough watch. I liked the Voodoo aspect, not on par with I Walked with a Zombie but those drums have rhythm none the less.

Hypnotic drumbeat

[AAdaSC · 7/10 · 20 September 2016]

The African jungle pounds with a rhythmic drumbeat throughout this film. Is it something sinister? There is a 400 year old vampire on the loose. John Abbott (Fallon) has a kind heart on the outside but don't mess with him. And don't be an attractive lady, either. Natives in the jungle are being killed and having their blood sucked from them. This is no murder mystery story – it's a genuine vampire story.

The film is a quickie in that the story is related as if it were a sequence of events and it could have been better if it was longer. That would have allowed more time to develop scenes of tension and drama. As things stand, it's still an enjoyable watch but lacking in those spooky moments. We do get some and the film has an atmospheric setting in the jungle but we have a lame Charles Gordon (Roy) leading the good side against evil.

Next time you play cards, walk away from the player who keeps winning, Check out the reflection in a mirror and monitor if the moonlight generates healing properties if you shoot him or her. Spot the vampire.

Tawdry Film

[jromanbaker · 2/10 · 8 February 2024]

Set in an ' Africa ' of so-called ' evil ' I find this film highly dubious, and in my opinion offensive. As a background for a lot of very bad acting and an ' H ' certificate for Adults Only in the UK it no doubt drew in a certain public expecting to be shocked. As usual women are the usual victims of ' undead ' desire and one woman, at least, succumbs to the vampire's jaded desires ( he has lived for many centuries and is bored with life ) and this no doubt pleased the men in the audience. The film is tedious to watch and the ending inevitable, but its 58 duration seemed much longer. The sets tawdry and the monotony of ' African ' drums and voodoo and other nonsense is not in my opinion to be recommended. In my opinion most of these supposedly horrific films of the 1940's must have inspired Hammer films to take up the equally sexist content, but at least with a sense of straight camp.

Good vampire film

[vtcavuoto · 8/10 · 20 November 2005]

"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.

OFF-KILTER HORROR...SHARPLY PHOTOGRAPHED...DRUMBEAT OF DANGER

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 26 August 2021]

Republic Studio known mostly for Serials and Westerns.

Entered the Horror Genre at a Time when, Except for the Val Lewton Mini-Masterpieces, was Out-of-Favor.

During the 1940's the Horror Film had Faded from its Universal Glory Days Overshadowed by Film-Noir and War Films.

In this Off-Beat B-Movie a Vampire (John Abbot) is Residing in Africa and the Jungle Setting with the Beating of Drums, and Ever-Present Natives gives the Movie a Twist.

There are a Few Touches that Stand-Out, like the Molten Silver-Tipped Spear, the Home-Dirt in a Small Box (not a coffin), a few Tricks with a Mirror, and a Rigged Rifle.

A Bar-Room Brawl is Visceral with some Brutal Fisticuffs.

A Sensuous Dance Performed by Peggy Stewart.

It's a Sombre and Downbeat Tone Throughout with Abbott's 400 Year Old Vampire Eliciting some Empathy.

A Sharp Crackerjack Ending.

Definitely Worth a Watch for it is Quite a Different.

Moody drum beats throw off the rhythm of horror.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 17 November 2016]

I found that this barely had a plot containable to reveal in a synopsis, only a discovery of evil and the conflict of the light versus the darkness. It's the story of a white man sucking the blood out of Africa and being discovered, perhaps a metaphor for slavery and oppression. John Abbott basically spends an hour calling for his desired bride, attaching only for survival, and the ultimate discovery of who is committing all the murders in this mostly native, uncivilized area of the African wilds. Mixing voodoo, superstition and an eerie atmosphere, this is no comparison to the quality of the equally dark themed Val Lewton films made at RKO. The low budget is extremely obvious, and the rushing together of a slight plot makes this almost instantly forgettable, saved by some moody photography, slightly campy dialog and a suspenseful finale that seems like that's where the only effort was made in the writing. It's a shame, otherwise, for a chlostrophobic feel that would be totally overwhelming on a big screen.

Peggy Stewart in Vampire's Ghost.

[frontrowkid2002 · 21 June 2009]

I had never seen or heard of the Vampire's Ghost until I attended a Western film festival where Peggy Stewart was a guest star. She was a popular Western heroine at Republic, making films with Bill Elliott, Sunset Carson and Allan Lane. When they announced they were going to run it, she made a face and said, "Oh no, you're not." Peggy never attends screenings of her old films because it brings back memories that make her cry. She says she always recalls what went on behind the scenes and would rather talk with the fans. When I saw it, I recall one particular scene where she is supposedly walking in a trance. She had shoulder length hair and a beautiful face. It's no wonder her co-workers and fans love her. At the awards banquet, they presented her with a plaque which had the figure of a ghost on it. She got a big laugh out of that.

400 year old vampire terrorizes African colony

[snicewanger · 7/10 · 21 June 2014]

This is a shocker from Republic Studio's with John Abbott as the undead blood sucker. Abbott gives a bit of a different slant to his vampire. His Webb Fallon is not truly a monster and his attitude of melancholy resignation about his existence speaks volume's of the sadness of his unnatural immortally. The arrival of Julie Vance played by Peggy Stewart gives Fallon hope that he can relieve his loneliness by making her his companion in eternity.

Republic specialized in western's and serials. John Wayne was their top star. However, when WWII started studio executives noticed that some of the other smaller studio's were making a nice profit with horror and chiller films so a few few were added to the production schedule. Lesley Selander was director of B-westerns and a pro at staying with the budget and staying on schedule but had little experience with the horror gender. Abbott was a stage trained actor with a dour look and a crisp, clear voice and while he couldn't convey physical menace he could project a sinister quality.

Vampire's Ghost being set in Africa is a different kind of locale for this kind of a tale and the vampire is not bound by some of the traditional movie clichés such as moving about in the daylight which adds to the interest. It does moves a little slowly and has a bit too much talk to be a really frightening horror film. Not much FX either. But a solid cast helps it along and it's an entertaining way to spend an hour.

A revised opinion

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 11 November 2020]

I first saw this a few years ago and my reaction at the time was more mixed. I gave it a 5 rating then. I think this was largely due to a feeling that it was underwhelming and that the movie copped out on the premise. By that I specifically mean there isn't much in the way of what I expect from a vampire movie. I compare it to the disappointment one feels when you watch a werewolf movie and all you get is a dog instead of a wolfman. But upon rewatch I feel differently about it. It's an atmospheric, interesting and very different vampire movie from anything else being done at that time. John Abbott, a fine character who rarely got any role nearly this prominent, does a fantastic job. True he never bares any fangs nor wears a Lugosi cape or anything like that, but he gives his vampire an unassuming menace that's more effective than at least two of the Universal Dracula actors. With a better director and budget this might be a little more respected and well known. It's definitely worth a look for any classic horror completist.

Really!!!!

[valstone52 · 2/10 · 4 June 2020]

So funny i couldn't take it seriously. Aren't vampires supposed to be seductive? This skinny little old man is laughable, looks like a good wind would blow him over. The bulging eyes are too much. I wouldn't rate this even a b movie, if anything I'd say f, for failure.

No classic, but an accomplished and offbeat "B"

[ofumalow · 6/10 · 18 June 2020]

This anomaly among horror movies of the period, and vampire movies in general, has the very long-working actor John Abbott as a sad, gentlemanly vampire who hates his "curse" and has chosen to live in "darkest Africa" presumably to suffer it in as much obscurity as he can find. Though modest, it's a nicely atmospheric film.

Charles Gordon, an appealing leading man whose career never went anywhere beyond a few more parts in Poverty Row features, is good as the plantation manager whose misfortune it is to discover Abbott's secret--rather surprisingly, he's the real "ingenue" in peril here, with less attention paid Peggy Stewart's innocuous love interest. (Interestingly, her career continued practically until her death at 95 just last year, while Gordon's was over by the end of the '40s.) Adele Mara--sort of a proto-Charo, in that she was a much earlier discovery by Xavier Cugat--does a flaming "exotic" dance at Abbott's club as the apparent mistress he's about to discard for Stewart.

The film's production values are not exactly elaborate, but it's got some handsome noir-ish lighting and attractive compositions. Though it allowed for a fair number of black actors to be employed (plus, strangely, Native American sports hero Jim Thorpe, who is apparently among the extras), the back-lot "Africa" setting is a novelty that's hardly exploited much-given the kinds of cliches on tap here, a South Seas "voodoo island" locale might have seemed more apt. It's interesting that Abbott grows more sinister as the movie goes on, yet remains somewhat sympathetic as a creature doomed to unhappy eternal life.

One of Republic's few horror outings a bit different

[kevinolzak · 5/10 · 25 September 2022]

1945's "The Vampire's Ghost" was a relatively rare horror outing from Republic, the first screenwriting effort by sci fi author Leigh Brackett, whose best known films are "The Big Sleep," "Rio Bravo," "El Dorado," "Rio Lobo," and her final, posthumous release "The Empire Strikes Back." A Poverty Row studio renowned for outdoor action and serials, this lone entry into vampire lore is obviously cut from a different cloth, set in coastal Africa in the fictitious town of Bakunda, where newcomer Webb Fallon (John Abbott) has recently opened up a saloon and gambling den, while native drums speak of death and victims drained of blood. It's not long before plantation official Roy (Charles Gordon) learns the truth about Fallon, walking the earth for four centuries under a curse for causing the death of a young maiden, who now targets Roy's pretty fiancee Julie (Peggy Stewart) to become his bride for eternity. This creature casts no reflection in a mirror and is fearful of the cross, but walks about in daylight wearing dark glasses and can only be dispatched by fire, keeping Roy in a feverish state of delirium while he manipulates the trusting Julie to come away with him. The 39 year old Abbott, physically unimposing and mild mannered, still proves effective in a dedicated portrayal, but more should have been made of Adele Mara as sultry dancer Lisa, joining cheating captain Roy Barcroft in revenge against Fallon, both of whom become prey before night's end (Fallon admits that his victims would return but we never see this). Western specialist Lesley Selander generates little atmosphere on obvious studio sets, and gruff tough guy Grant Withers is dreadfully miscast as a sympathetic jungle priest. Universal's 1959 "Curse of the Undead" would make somewhat better use of vampirism resulting from human tragedy, Michael Pate's Spaniard punished for murdering his beloved brother in a fit of jealousy before taking his own life, wandering the American West as a feared gunfighter impervious to bullets.

400 Year Old Vampire - Webb Fallon

[Rainey-Dawn · 7/10 · 20 May 2016]

The film is very loosely from John William Polidori's novel "The Vampyre." In Africa the natives are full of superstitions and, not surprisingly, they are afraid of the undead. There is a 400 year old Vampire among them, Webb Fallon, who has grown tired of "living" his life alone and seeks a bride.

The book was written before Bram Stoker wrote 'Dracula'. So it's nice to see a film that is based on an earlier Vampire story - even if it is very loosely based on the book.

This is not a film you hear talked about often and is hard to find a copy of... so if you love Vampires and get a chance to see the film you should grab the opportunity - it's not a bad film.

7/10

Where's the horror?

[jery-tillotson-1 · 1/10 · 7 July 2023]

A number of reviewers praise this very low budget production from Republic Studio as being unusually literate and serious. Okay, it is unusual in its unusual take on the origin of a vampire--but there's nothing remotely eerie or chilling or mysterious about the central figure who claims he's a vampire and that's that.

We see nothing to suggest this except he doesn't appear in mirrors. He comes across as just an ordinary guy who lives a long time and sometimes he bulges his eyes.

One of my fave Republiv heroines, Peggy Stewart, has the femme role but unfornately, doesn't do herself any favors. She's best in her cowboy and serial roles.

With a juicy title like this one, I expected a fun hour but instead nearly fell asleep.

Overlooked and under-appreciated Vampire film.

[Dewey1960 · 8/10 · 5 September 2006]

Republic Pictures cranked out a ton of "B" pictures in virtually every genre during the 1940s, many of which were (at best) barely watchable. There were, however, any number of mystery and horror titles which rose above the typical meager standards and achieved a special kind of wonderfulness all their own. One such example is THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST, a low budget horror film written by the legendary science fiction and horror scribe Leigh Brackett. The tale benefits from the exotic locale of an African plantation with the peculiarly mannered John Abbott starring as Webb Fallon, a centuries old vampire now living in Africa running a seedy saloon. The incidents in the film are quite unusual, most notably an exotic dance performed by Adele Mara in Fallon's saloon. A strange and atmospheric little gem that should appeal to fans of esoteric "B" films. Disregard all of the wrong-headed and annoyingly condescending critical evaluations in the conventional film guides (Leonard Maltin, John Stanley, etc); this film is definitely worth your time and attention.

Fanged Colonies, Dark Continent Dracula

[martinflashback · 6/10 · 7 October 2022]

Heart of Darkness done vaudeville, with vampires. This odd duck transplants Transylvania to a backlot Congo, dire in budget, peopled with imperialists both malevolent and paternal. John Abbot is a bloodsucking Rick Blaine who runs a degenerate watering hole and preys on the locals when the sanguine urge hits. His downfall comes in falling for a white chick--naturally--whom he wants for all time, rather than just a quick feed (the moody, beautifully shot opening shows Abbot biting a 'native' girl, with a self-pitying V/O). The black actors playing 'Africans' keep their American accents, which I take as a witty commentary on the absurd mise en scene, a totally beguiling construction which resembles a Wisconsin Tiki bar gone horribly wrong. Everyone plays it cool under the plastic palms and weird Hinduish icons; note the bedspread with Arabic calligraphy, butlers ambling around with spears, and a mad Afro Cuban number well-shaken by the lovely Adele Mara doing voodoo pole cat. Vampire Abbot wears shades during the day, a la Dr Livingstone, while his backstory places him as an Irish Quisling, sentenced to walk the earth under Elizabeth I because he overstepped his bounds. In the colonies, while managing port and freight for its river outposts, he acts like a fixer for the joint stock companies and administrators. The bone-nosed Natives communicate via drum morse code, taking a cue from the 'Indians' populating similar Western programmers Republic was churning out one stage over.

This is pretty ingenious programmer, and the first film to draw a line between the vampiric colonial enterprises of Dutch East India-style regimes and folksy vampirism. What with the war and some nervousness about both the imperial holdings of the Third Reich and the Allied European Powers, this strange little footnote of a flick seems an admission that pulp can acknowledges what newspapers rarely will. The heroes and vampiric villain all treat the natives like furniture or food; the Africa' of the mega budget actioner and the bargain budget basement is the same--but there is more humor and play going on in the depths, consciously or unconsciously. Scriptwriter Leigh Brackett's next job was with William Faulkner, doing The Big Sleep. She wrote this humble horror film off right after she penned it, which is a shame. There are some good ideas in the pasteboard and rubber palms, and the cheaply constructed colonial hinterland mirrors the despicable illusions of the pale parasites who have ruined Africa and plundered it like a swarm of mosquitos. If Republic Pictures would have hired someone like Edgar G Ulmer, this relic could have been a dime store masterpiece. But as it stands, director Lesley Selander keeps the rickety horrorshow moving along just fine. Martin Wilkins, already a vet of countless racist 'jungle' products such as Law of the Jungle and White Cargo, manages an aloof dignity in the cringeworthy part of a servile Black butler. He later appeared in the 1998 documentary Classified X, talking eloquently about these kinds of roles.

Vampire's Ghost would make a fascinating double bill with Bill Gunn's 1973 masterpiece, Ganja & Hess, whose protagonist is an agonized colonial bloodsucker stateside. Like The Vampire's Ghost, it also invents clever new powers and folklore for creaking old tropes, but Gunn's film uses a college campus rather than a rubbery jungle as the arena for demonic possession, predatory interests, and the corruption of one's soul in a savage land.

An atmospheric and offbeat gem from the 1940s

[Mikel3 · 30 January 2013]

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.