List Price: $14.94Amazon.com's Price: $8.99 You Save: $5.95 (40%)as of 11/23/2009 19:06 EST
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
Brand: Sony
EAN: 9780767882675
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD, NTSC
ISBN: 0767882679
Item Dimensions: 25
Label: Sony Pictures
Languages: EnglishOriginal Language
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
MPN: COLD07872D
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Sony Pictures
Region Code: 99
Release Date: August 13, 2002
Running Time: 69 minutes
Studio: Sony Pictures
Theatrical Release Date: January 01, 1944
Related Items:
Browse for similar items by category: Click to Display
Editorial Review:
Product Description:
In 1918 an english family is terrorized by a vampire until they learn how to deal with it. They think their troubles are over but wwii german bombs free the monster. He assumes the identity of a scientist who has just escaped from a concentration camp & plans revenge on the family. Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 05/13/2008 Starring: Bela Lugosi Run time: 70 minutes Rating: Nr Director: Lew Landers
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
This movie will only be of interest to fans of the Universal horror films. The production imitates the popular Universal horrors, even to the extent of casting Bela Lugosi as a vampire with a werewolf sidekick, but in most departments it falls far short.
The story itself is interesting, and touches on Stoker's original Dracula plot, but the dialogue is terribly clunky, and there are a couple of major plot holes (to do with Jane not recognising Tesla, and the inconsistent effect of crucifixes). The acting is not up to Universal's standard, but this may partly be due to a rushed production schedule. The sets are atmospheric (especially the overgrown graveyard), though obviously done on a budget (Lady Jane's staircase looks like a parade of showgirls will dance down it at any minute). Sadly, the director wastes many opportunities to create atmosphere or drama, and doesn't even bother to hide the blank wall at the back of the graveyard set. The music by Tedesco is a high point - written to resemble the work of Salter, Skinner, et al. at Universal, it is nonetheless original and well crafted, though the small size of the orchestra reveals itself.
Lastly, Lugosi himself is actually not on-screen for long, and when he is, his enfeeblement (due to sciatica) is obvious. The slipshod direction does not give him a chance to shine as he does in other roles.
The Universal horror films were ostensibly B movies, but, with Universal's lavish resources, could boast the production standards of an A picture. Columbia's imitation, in comparison, is notably inferior in almost every respect, and falls well below even Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, arguably the weakest of the Universal series. If you are a fan of the Universal horror films, you'll find Return of the Vampire makes an interesting point of comparison, but don't expect to find present the same elements that make those films so enjoyable.
Rating: -
I saw this movies years ago on the AMC monsterfest in October. It is an old fashioned,mysterious dracula movie starring no other than Bela Lugosi himself. It has great atmosphere as well as good campy acting. Perfect for a dark saturday night with a bowl of popcorn.
Rating:  -
Sure it's dated. Yes you might laugh in all the wrong places and groan in the places you were supposed to laugh. But, if you appreciate horror movie classics from the golden age of the 30's and 40's this surely ranks as one of the best. Without giving away the plot for those who never saw this, let's just say it puts a nice spin on the revenge of the vampire motif.
Lugosi has never been better as a character obviously meant to be Dracula and the confrontation scene between him and the female Van Helsing character ranks right up there with the pool scene in the orginal Cat People.
Again, this is only for those who love old horror movies. If you never caught this one, catch it now.
Rating: -
During the 1930s and 1940s, Universal Studios had a string of hits with horror films. Most of these films went on to become classics, mainly because of the presence of three actors: Béla Lugosi, Boris Karloff, and Lon Chaney, Jr.. Universal was then imitated by many other studios that tried to capitalize on the success of these iconic horror films, but typically the results were disastrous. There were, however, a few noteworthy exceptions. In the Columbia Pictures film, The Return of the Vampire, Béla Lugosi once again played a bloodsucker, though this time in World War II England. His role as Armand Tesla is almost identical to the role he played in Dracula, which was the classic film from Universal that spawned the horror movie craze. Along with Béla Lugosi playing the archetypal vampire, there is also a reluctant werewolf, and a chase seen through a fog-enshrouded cemetery; all of these things, which could be attributed to the Universal Monster cycle of films. Unlike most attempts at recreating the atmosphere of the Universal films, The Return of the Vampire succeeds on most levels. The acting is of the same style and quality of the Universal films and look of the sets and costumes is very close to those films. The film so closely resembles the horror films of Universal that I'm surprised that the Universal Studios didn't sue for plagiarism. Luckily they did not.
During the air raids in London a vampire named Armand Tesla is accidentally resurrected after a bomb blast disturbs his coffin. He sets out to destroy those responsible for his temporary demise twenty-three years earlier. Tesla targets the offspring of his assailants, Lady Jane and Professor Saunders. He once again calls upon his slave, the reluctant werewolf Andréas to help him carry out his insidious plans. But little does Tesla realize that in his absence, Lady Jane has been teaching Andréas to resist his master's hypnotic powers. As Tesla takes his revenge, Lady Jane is forced to consider the possibility that only through sacrificing her son, John and Professor Saunders' granddaughter, Nikki will they be able to stop Tesla from spreading his plague of death and vampirism. But can Armand Tesla be thwarted?
While Béla Lugosi's performance is by no stretch of the imagination groundbreaking, viewers will delight in seeing him once again playing a Count Dracula-like vampire. The cast also includes Nina Foch, who later would famously declare that she hated horror films.
While the plot is not that dissimilar from other horror films of the time, it is interesting to see a B-movie address the war, even if they merely exploit it as a plot device. Most films intentionally avoided the subject for fear of depressing audiences further.
It's also fascinating to take note that Lugosi's costume is almost exactly the same as the one he wore in Dracula, and some film historians have even suggested that the costume he wore was that from the 1927 stage play of Dracula.
Despite it's predictable plot and hammy acting, The Return of the Vampire is a must-have for horror fans, if not for its story then for its star, Béla Lugosi. Another reason for adding this often-overlooked film to your collection is its novel ending. After seeing the disintegrated corpse of the vampire, a skeptical police investigator turns toward the camera and actually asks viewers if they believe in the existence of vampires. Priceless!
Also recommended:
Dracula: The Legacy Collection
Frankenstein: The Legacy Collection
The Wolf Man: The Legacy Collection
Hollywood's Legends of Horror Collection
The Val Lewton Horror Collection
Rating: -
I have loved this movie ever since I was a kid, because it has absolutely everything, including classic British character actors, comedy, atmosphere, and above all, a talking werewolf who aids the title vampire.
A talking werewolf is unusual enough, but this one is also quite talkative, asking his master questions, making jokes, laughing, and generally capering around in a most lively manner. The actor Matt Willis is almost unknown outside of this one role, but he had a wonderful voice that gives a strange charisma to the werewolf's conversations with his vampire boss.
Lugosi plays vampire Armand Tesla for all it's worth, creating a truly sinister character. Some of his speeches sound curiously Fascist in their ideas about power and dominance, which may well have been intentional, given the World War Two production date.
Anyone who enjoys old horror movies or is a Lugosi fan should see this picture. It is odd, funny and unforgettable. It may not be great cinematic art, but it is one of the most purely entertaining movies ever made.
|
