I agree, this one of the most under rated and unjustifiably forgotten Vampire horrors of all time.
Zucco gives the performance(s) of his life and the movie as a whole far from being derivative is actually influential.
The Vampire Elwyn is subtly evil and supremely overconfident in the manner of a Vampire "fledgling", not seen before or again until "Interview with the Vampire" and "Night Breed".
The idea of the Van Helsing Character and the Vampire being brothers would not be touched on again until "Van Helsing" the exploitation of contemporary setting was copied blatantly by Dark Shadows (Jonathon Frith even assuming Zuccos accent, dress sense and baring for Barnabas Collins).
Myton's Script is superb and has touches of character developmental and driving elements that would not be used again until Stephen King wrote Salem's Lot forty years later, the wavering ambiguity of the Doctors assistant accidentally instigating the rampaging mob and causing the inevitable tragic climax is a prime example.
The cinematography is beyond reproach, as is the inventive use of lighting to elevate the basic special effects to believably realistic.
The opening monologue spoken by the ghostly Zucco from the flames of the burning tome on Vampirism in the fireplace is particularly effective and almost certainly inspired Sirius Blacks preferred method of communication in the Harry Potter Movies.
Atheism is a religion in the same way that celibacy is a sexual position
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