Very interesting horror movie from Columbia with a WW2 backdrop. Nazi bombing has unearthed the coffin of vampire Armand Tesla (Bela Lugosi). Two bumbling gravediggers remove the stake from Tesla's body, freeing the vampire to once again terrorize London. The vampire here has a werewolf sidekick. Actually, more like a weredog as he resembles some kind of terrier more than a wolf. He even growls and barks like a dog.
The cast is very good. Lugosi is Lugosi, of course. Classy Frieda Inescort is excellent as Lady Jane Ainsley, a rare case in the '40s where a woman gets to be the primary vampire hunter. This is the first full-length movie for Nina Foch, soon to become Columbia's B movie queen, For some reason Matt Willis talks normal as a human but in werewolf form he channels Henry Hull. Miles Mander is very good as the skeptical Scotland Yard inspector.
Columbia didn't make many horror films in the '40s and this is probably the best of the few. But it does seem to be missing something. While I do like the foggy streets and spooky graveyard, for the most part it's lacking that atmosphere the Universal horrors had in spades. Still, it's very entertaining and unique for the period. The ending is terrific.
The cast is very good. Lugosi is Lugosi, of course. Classy Frieda Inescort is excellent as Lady Jane Ainsley, a rare case in the '40s where a woman gets to be the primary vampire hunter. This is the first full-length movie for Nina Foch, soon to become Columbia's B movie queen, For some reason Matt Willis talks normal as a human but in werewolf form he channels Henry Hull. Miles Mander is very good as the skeptical Scotland Yard inspector.
Columbia didn't make many horror films in the '40s and this is probably the best of the few. But it does seem to be missing something. While I do like the foggy streets and spooky graveyard, for the most part it's lacking that atmosphere the Universal horrors had in spades. Still, it's very entertaining and unique for the period. The ending is terrific.