- Actors: Donald Wolfit, Vincent Ball, Barbara Shelley, Victor Maddern, William Devlin
- Directors: Monty Berman, Henry Cass, Robert S. Baker
- Writers: Jimmy Sangster, Leon Griffiths
- Producers: Monty Berman, Robert S. Baker
- Format: Colour, DVD-Video, NTSC
- Language English
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.85:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: Unrated (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: Dark Sky Films
- DVD Release Date: 21 Nov 2006
- Run Time: 178 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- ASIN: B000H1RFG4
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 35,521 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
First of all about the presentation. Its called in Drive-In Theatre and with good reason as at the beginning of the feature as well as sandwiched in between the films, we have snack ads and trailers giving the whole thing a nice authentic 'night out' feel to it.
Now onto the films. Blood Of The Vampire is a gory 1950's British Horror that could be mistaken for a Hammer Horror at times. The plot concerns the mad Doctor Callistratus, who having been executed for his crimes once(staked through the heart and buried), is revived by a revolutionary heart operation performed by a drunken Doctor(!). He thens sets up residence in a Prison for the incurably insane, where he is free to carry on his nefarious experiments on the innocent men who are sent there due to the corrupt local system. He is also aided and abetted by a malicious, mute hunchback called Karl, who disposes of any trouble makers for his master. Into the mix comes a Doctor John Pierre(a rather bland Vincent Ball), who is sent to the prison to help the mad medic with his experiments in isolating blood groups.
This is an excellent little film, quite sadistic for a 1950's horror, and with enough plot to keep most genre fans interested. The film belongs to Victor Maddern as Karl, who is excellent in a thankless role, hidden under ridiculous, gory makeup
The viewer could be mistaken for thinking The Hellfire Club is a horror too, given its title, and the likes of Jimmy Sangster and Peter Cushing in the credits. In fact its an entertaining tale full of swash and buckle, as a nobleman comes back to claim the title that is rightfully his, from the wicked cousin who has stolen it. An entertaining hour and a half, with a good exercise in caddish villiany by Peter Arne as the evil cousin Thomas.
So an excellent double bill, lovingly presented
Now onto the films. Blood Of The Vampire is a gory 1950's British Horror that could be mistaken for a Hammer Horror at times. The plot concerns the mad Doctor Callistratus, who having been executed for his crimes once(staked through the heart and buried), is revived by a revolutionary heart operation performed by a drunken Doctor(!). He thens sets up residence in a Prison for the incurably insane, where he is free to carry on his nefarious experiments on the innocent men who are sent there due to the corrupt local system. He is also aided and abetted by a malicious, mute hunchback called Karl, who disposes of any trouble makers for his master. Into the mix comes a Doctor John Pierre(a rather bland Vincent Ball), who is sent to the prison to help the mad medic with his experiments in isolating blood groups.
This is an excellent little film, quite sadistic for a 1950's horror, and with enough plot to keep most genre fans interested. The film belongs to Victor Maddern as Karl, who is excellent in a thankless role, hidden under ridiculous, gory makeup
The viewer could be mistaken for thinking The Hellfire Club is a horror too, given its title, and the likes of Jimmy Sangster and Peter Cushing in the credits. In fact its an entertaining tale full of swash and buckle, as a nobleman comes back to claim the title that is rightfully his, from the wicked cousin who has stolen it. An entertaining hour and a half, with a good exercise in caddish villiany by Peter Arne as the evil cousin Thomas.
So an excellent double bill, lovingly presented
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Blood of the Vampire
17 Feb 2007
This is indeed a rare find. I saw this on the late show when I was a kid in the early 70s and I have never seen it since. I don't think that it has been on TV in decades. It's 19 century setting and unusual plot made it unforgetable. Being made in color is a real plus. It scared me so much back then, that I bought it now more for nostalgia reasons than anything else. It has definately not lost any of its charm. I'm not a horror movie buff per se but I'll watch a Classic on TV if I happen to be up late. The new horror movies are mostly gore with no story line. This old one definately has a story. I just had to see it again! Well worth the price! A MUST for classic horror buffs(Hammer fans; although it's not a Hammer film)
27 of 29 people found the following review helpful
ODD PAIRING OF BRITISH GEMS....
27 Nov 2006
Amazon Verified Purchase
These two British films are obscure and a rare find and DarkSky is to be commended for trotting them out. I'm not crazy about the "drive-in" packaging with the corny drive-in ads et al but the films alone are worth the purchase of the disc. 1958's color "Blood of the Vampire" was thought long lost but here we have a good print that is only slightly faded. In 1880, a good doctor is accused of malpractice and railroaded into a prison for the criminally insane run by a mad doctor experimenting in blood types. He has the good doc brought there to assist him. But the good doc is repelled by the fiendish experiments and held at bay by a deformed mute assistant. The good doc's fiance (British scream queen Barbara Shelley in an early horror role) sneaks in as a new "housekeeper" to save the good doc and winds up in peril. There is no "vampire" per se but the evil doc has to be kept alive through blood transfusions. He was executed (having been THOUGHT to ba vampire) and revived through a sloppy heart transplant. Pretty grisly for 1958 with more blood than was the norm (save for the Hammer horror films that were just coming out). This is a satisfying Gothic horror film well worth checking out due to it's rarity. The 2nd film 1963's "The Hellfire Club" is not a horror film but a period melodrama/adventure about a secret vigilante group that seeks to right wrongs when summoned. A good print here too and a good cast featuring Peter Cushing. All in all, a worthwhile treat and a collector's item due to the obscurity of both films. Enjoy.
Titles Mislead, but Films Are Good
31 Aug 2011
The titles of these two films are somewhat misleading -- clearly an attempt to lure viewers into the cinema. There's no vampire in Blood of the Vampire, per se (Maybe why they added an animated bat in an early scene), nor is there nearly as much skin or sin as you'd expect in a flick entitled The Hellfire Club.
That said, the two films are well made and quite entertaining. BotV is more in the style of a Hammer Frankenstein film than a Dracula one, and the HC is a Hammer-style swashbuckler. Two very good films to relax with on a rainy afternoon or quiet evening. I hadn't seen them in ages, and enjoyed both.
The packaging is good, though it's a bit annoying that there are no direct chapter jumps/menus -- especially since there are drive-in style trailers before the main films and at intermission.
Overall, a good product well made, definitely for Hammer fans. Check 'em out.
That said, the two films are well made and quite entertaining. BotV is more in the style of a Hammer Frankenstein film than a Dracula one, and the HC is a Hammer-style swashbuckler. Two very good films to relax with on a rainy afternoon or quiet evening. I hadn't seen them in ages, and enjoyed both.
The packaging is good, though it's a bit annoying that there are no direct chapter jumps/menus -- especially since there are drive-in style trailers before the main films and at intermission.
Overall, a good product well made, definitely for Hammer fans. Check 'em out.
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