MovieChat Forums > The Vampire's Ghost (1945) Discussion > This Has to Be One of the Most Inane 'ho...

This Has to Be One of the Most Inane 'horror films' of All Time.

posted 17 years ago by antpaste
2 replies | jump to latest

First of all, it looked like it was photographed on a collapsing pier in Venice, Calfornia. It was supposed to have been a steamy African port. The palm trees were obviously made of papier mache, and at times the light was so dim that it was difficult to see what was going on.

The film features a huge goof which I am surprised nobody caught on to. Fallon -- the vampire -- mentions that the only way a vampire can be killed is by having its body burned and then strewing the ashes everywhere and anywhere. Even the most naive viewer knows that a vampire can only be killed by having a stake driven through its heart.

There is a part of the film, though, that comes very close to expressing a theme that runs throughout what is considered THE vampire novel, "Dracula," by Bram Stoker. It is never specifically stated, but Dracula's domineeering, sado-masochistic relationship with his "slave" Renfield is obviously a homosexual one. The same can be said for the bond between Fallon and Roy, only it is much more obvious.

The symbolism for this homoerotic tie between the virile Fallon and the somewhat sappy Roy takes a bizarre and far from subtle turn. The natives believe that a spear dipped in molten silver will most certainly kill a vampire. Such a spear is treated and thrown so that it scores a direct hit in Fallon's heart. Fallon, obviously in great pain but still alive moans, "Pull it out, Roy. Pull it out!"*

But the REAL moment is when Fallon, nattily bedecked in a Cesar Romero tropical white suit takes a glance at himself in a mirror AND ONLY SEES THE SUIT!!! Then, of course, the mirror shatters. Roy asks, "What made that mirror break?" A Stepin Fetchit-type native (this was 1945, long before the genesis of the civil rights movement) answers, "Evil, Mr. Roy, evil." The scene was supposed to be scary, but I wound up laughing myself silly.

Just one more comment: John Abbott, who plays Fallon, has done some marvelous work. He has excelled at comedy as well as drama (case in point: his playing of the paranoid psychologist in the TV version of "Miracle on 34th Steet" in 1954.) One wonders why such a fine actor would lower himself to be in such a mucky picture as this one.

*It's in the film, so if there are any censors reading this, don't blame me.

[–] Mithrandir-Olorin22 13 years ago

The film features a huge goof which I am surprised nobody caught on to. Fallon -- the vampire -- mentions that the only way a vampire can be killed is by having its body burned and then strewing the ashes everywhere and anywhere. Even the most naive viewer knows that a vampire can only be killed by having a stake driven through its heart.

Inconsistent with other Lore is not a Film Goof, especially since the Stake is NOT fatal in actual folklore (or Stoker's Novel), it only holds the Vampire in place.

It's claimed this is inspired by Polidori's Novel (which predates Stoker), though the name Lord Ruthven isn't used. But at any rate in that Novel The Vampyr is never killed, so we don't know to kill them at all, so don't try to judge by the modern rules casual fans get indoctrinated whit form Universal and Hammer films.

"It's not about money.... It's about sending a Message..... Everything Burns!!!"

[–] mam13143 8 years ago

I expected a little more from this film but sadly it never delivers on any level. Typical sets, photography, etc for a B movie of the time, but the acting is so wooden it's absurd Usually love these flicks but had a hard time getting through this one as I type on my iPad as it reaches its "climax". Disappointing.