Rent Mark of the Vampire (1935)
3.3 of 5 from 48 ratings
1h 0min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Blood-sucking vampires are on the loose, terrorising the frightened residents of a tiny village in this long-lost horror masterpiece. Directed by master of the macabre Tod Browning (Dracula, Freaks), 'Mark of the Vampire' is a classic shocker with a startling twist. Academy Award-winning screen legend Lionel Barrymore plays a local professor Zelin called in to investigate the strange murder of Sir Karell (Holmes Herbert), who died with puncture marks in his neck and his body drained of blood. Soon, Sir Karell's daughter (Carroll Borland) and would-be son-in-law (Bela Lugosi) are also victims of apparent vampire attacks. You'll shiver in fear as the professor's investigation takes him to the haunted castle, where deadly creatures of the night are said to reside. The mystery he uncovers in the castle's dark catacombs involves much more than legendary monsters! - Actors:
- Lionel Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Jean Hersholt, Henry Wadsworth, Donald Meek, Jessie Ralph, Ivan F. Simpson, Franklyn Ardell, Leila Bennett, June Gittelson, Carroll Borland, Holmes Herbert, Michael Visaroff, Eily Malyon, Guy Bellis, James Bradbury Jr., Egon Brecher, Louise Emmons
- Directors:
- Tod Browning
- Producers:
- Tod Browning, E.J. Mannix
- Writers:
- Guy Endore, Bernard Schubert, John L. Balderston, Tod Browning, H.S. Kraft, Samuel Ornitz
- Aka:
- Vampires of Prague / Vampires of the Night
- Genres:
- Classics, Horror, Thrillers
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 23/12/2024
- Run Time:
- 60 minutes
- Languages:
- English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Various
- Colour:
- B & W
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Commentary by Genre Historians Kim Newman and Stephen Jones
- Short: A Thrill for Thelma
- Cartoon: The Calico Dragon
- Theatrical Trailer
More like Mark of the Vampire
Reviews (1) of Mark of the Vampire
Horror Spoof (spoiler). - Mark of the Vampire review by Steve
Lightweight gothic horror-comedy which is most of interest to golden age aficionados because it is a sound remake of the lost Lon Chaney silent, London After Midnight (1927), also directed by Tod Browning. It’s among a handful of decent scare pictures made by MGM in the mid-30s.
Though its production values reflect those of Universal studios, with the foggy graveyards and rudimentary effects. There’s a proper star in Lionel Barrymore as a vampire hunter investigating the supernatural possession of a rural estate in middle Europe. Bela Lugosi reprises his performance from Dracula (1931).
Except, there’s a twist, which isn’t inspired and negates everything that happened before. And it means the film only really works once. In fact, a second viewing makes no sense at all. Still, it’s good ‘30s horror escapism with a fun cast…
Carol Borland is a standout a kind of proto-goth. Lugosi camps it up as the undead and Lionel Atwill plays it straight as a bristling policeman. It’s a loose spoof of Browning’s Dracula and while no masterpiece, its curiosity value makes it a must-see for studio era horror fans. But only once.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.