The Vampire Bat (1933)

When the villagers of Klineschloss start dying of blood loss, the town fathers suspect a resurgence of vampirism. While police inspector Karl remains skeptical, scientist Dr. von Niemann cares for the vampire's victims one by one, and suspicion falls on simple-minded Herman Gleib because of his fondness for bats. A blood-thirsty mob hounds Gleib to his death, but the vampire attacks don't stop. 

The Vampire Bat is an American horror movie starring Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Melvyn Douglas, and Dwight Frye.  It was directed by Frank Strayer.  This movie was turned out by Majestic Pictures and had a pre-famous Fay Wray since King Kong had not yet been released.  It also has Dwight Frye, who basically plays Renfield throughout the movie.  He's very effective and creepy, but all I kept thinking while watching the movie was....that's Renfield.  His performance is fine, it's just a carbon copy of what he did in Dracula.  He is amusing though when he gives unsuspecting people bats as gifts...he's obsessed with bats you see.  Comic relief is provided by a hypochondriac aunt of the doctor's. 

Bats are furry....like cats.

This is not a horror film in the traditional sense but is instead more of a murder mystery.  It's not an awful picture and it's certainly visually inspired by the Universal horror films. The characters aren't developed at all and the ending will leave you scratching your head as to what the hell was the purpose of all this. True horror fans will appreciate this film more than a casual viewer.  It's a fun little film and it's cool to see Fay Wray with her natural brown hair color. There are three things that make "The Vampire Bat" stand out from the other poverty row films - the cast, the direction, and the comedy.

Trivia:
Filmed at night on Universal's European village set. The interior of Lionel Atwill's house is the set from The Old Dark House.

Majestic Pictures cashed in on the success of Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray, who had been a sensation in the Technicolor thriller Doctor X and had already completed Mystery of the Wax Museum, which was also being heavily promoted at the time. Majestic was able to get this film into theaters over a month before the release of the latter one.

Goodnight, gentlemen. Don't let the vampires get you.

The Ghost Walks (1934)

On a stormy night, a theatrical producer, his secretary, and playwright Prescott Ames are stranded when their car skids off the road and gets stuck. The three take refuge in the nearby home of Dr. Kent, a friend of Ames. One of Kent's patients, who is staying at the house, is acting strangely, and the others in the house tell the newcomers that she is behaving this way because it is the anniversary of her husband's murder. At dinner, the group begins exchanging accusations about the murder, when suddenly the lights go out, and soon afterwards comes the first in a series of mysterious and fearful events.

The Ghost Walks is a 1934 horror film, directed by Frank R. Strayer.  It stars John Miljan, June Collyer, Richard Carle and Johnny Arthur.  This is a neat little film if you're a fan of old movies from the 30's.  There's not really any supernatural forces at work here but is instead more of a whodunit movie.  The stand outs are easily Carle and Arthur.  Carle plays the theater producer who is constantly firing his obviously gay assistant, played by Arthur.  They are the comedy relief and steal the film.  

It's raining out here son.

Once the lights go out we get a bit of a twist in the story which in turn is followed by even more twists.  The story is routine at times but the unpredictability of the film keeps the viewer's attention.  Director Frank R. Strayer was an experienced craftsman in the Poverty row side of the film industry and this is one of his better offerings.  The largely unknown cast make the most of their characters.  They are given some pretty clever lines and they deliver.

It's not a classic of the genre but it's a nice little movie.  It clocks in at a little over an hour and is worth your time if you run across a copy.  

My assistant might like to try that on.

White Zombie (1932)

Young couple Madeleine and Neil are coaxed by acquaintance Monsieur Beaumont to get married on his Haitian plantation. Beaumont's motives are purely selfish as he makes every attempt to convince the beautiful young girl to run away with him. For help Beaumont turns to the devious Legendre, a man who runs his mill by mind controlling people he has turned into zombies. After Beaumont uses Legendre's zombie potion on Madeleine, he is dissatisfied with her emotionless being and wants her to be changed back. Legendre has no intention of doing this and he drugs Beaumont as well to add to his zombie collection. Meanwhile, grieving 'widower' Neil is convinced by a local priest that Madeleine may still be alive and he seeks her out. 

Here we have the very first Zombie movie....EVER. Not only that, this was the film that inspired Rob Zombie to name his band White Zombie.  He would later go on to become quite the film maker himself.  

The film was directed and produced by brothers Victor Halperin and Edward Halperin.  The screenplay was written by Garnett Weston.  Béla Lugosi stars as the antagonist, Murder Legendre, with Madge Bellamy appearing as his victim. Other cast members included Robert W. Frazer, John Harron and Joseph Cawthorn

The zombies are indeed unnerving.

The film opened to mostly negative reviews. They complained of poor acting and an over the top story.  The acting is indeed poor in spots but not by Bela Lugosi.  Even though his portrayal of Dracula proved to be more iconic, I find this to be Lugosi's best performance. He oozes evil and menace in this film.  There is no question that he is the best thing in White Zombie.

For the modern viewer White Zombie may move too slow or not have the gore they're used too. But the film has a sense of wickedness.  One such example is the scene at the Sugar Mill where the zombies are working, making no sound.  The only noise is the creaking of the machinery that they are forced to operate. This scene gives a kick to the viewer's system and a realization of the evil that is taking place here.  The shot of the undead walking across the mountain is a great visual.  The whole film has an atmosphere that makes it a classic. And the aura that Lugosi gives with his piercing eyes take it over the top. Some may take the look in his as eyes as comical but they're damn unnerving to me.  But the rest of the cast could not keep up and their performances are certainly lacking the same enthusiasm. It's a shame that Lugosi made a shitty $800 for his performance.

Lugosi shines with his performance in White Zombie.

 Even with a shoestring budget it's still a spooky film and one that I feel falls into the category "Classic". And this is almost exclusively due to Lugosi.


Trivia:
The play "Zombie" opened in New York in February, 1932, and the author, Kenneth S. Webb, sued Edward Halperin and Victor Halperin, the film's producers, for the movie rights. The Halperins won the case.

The film was thought lost until its rediscovery in the 1960s. A court battle was fought between film distributor Frank Storace and the estate of Stanley Krellberg, the copyright owner of the film. Storace had wished to produce a restored version of the film but the estate refused him access to original footage in their possession. Storace gave up the court battle and did not win his access to his original footage.

According to friends of Bela Lugosi, the actor always regretted that he had taken the role of "Murder" Legendre for only $800 while the film was quite successful at the box office for the Halperin brothers.

This film was shot in only eleven days, completed March 1932.

The voodoo chanting that plays over the opening credits is sampled in the song "El Imperio del Mal" by the Spanish rock band Migala.

There is no other way.

Quotes:
Charles Beaumont: But there must be another way.
Legendre: There is no other way!

Madeline: Driver, who were those men we saw?
Coach Driver: They are not men, madame. They are dead bodies!

Dr. Bruner: Before we get through with this thing we may uncover sins that even the devil would be ashamed of.

Cheers