CREEPY CLASSICS presents...

MOVIE NIGHTS

Every weekend we're watching movies together...whether you're in Pennsylvania USA, or Sydney Australia. It's a throwback! Back to the days when you had the anticipation for waiting till the weekend to see the classic horror or science fiction film that was listed in the TV Guide. The plan is to watch a movie at 7:30PM on Saturday night in your own time zone. Or, if you can't Saturday night...anytime during the weekend. Then, we'll all get together and e-mail our thoughts on the film...a few paragraphs...or simply a sentence if you'd like. They after-viewing reviews appear first on our Creepy Classics/Monster Bash News Page. See the latest thoughts posted by viewers ther now.

Concept submitted by Mike Adams of Cartaret, New Jeresey.

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A RECENT SATURDAY GROUP MOVIE:Saturday May 5, 2012 - MOVIE - Melodrama "THE VAMPIRE" (1957/Starring John Beal) John Beal as a doctor addicted to a bat serum that transforms him into a hideous vampire. Jekyll/Hyde meets Dracula. aka: MARK OF THE THE VAMPIRE. Also stars Kenneth Tobey of THE THING. Suggested by Justin Thompson, Waterloo, IA.

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Here's comments on this movie:

The memory that stands out for me about this movie, even more than the film itself, is the name it had in TV syndication back in the1970s. It was listed in the TV Guide as MARK OF THE VAMPIRE. It did say 1957 and that it starred John Beal. But, each time I saw it listed, I hoped that the TV Guide was wrong about the description and that it would actually turn out to be the 1935 movie called MARK OF THE VAMPIRE with Bela Lugosi. I had seen so may photos of that Lugosi movie in Famous Monsters magazine, but never saw the movie. In fact, I never saw that movie on broadcast TV. It wasn't until the 1980s, and the age of home video tape, that I finally got to see that Lugosi movie.

I think the title on the John Beal film was changed for TV to MARK F THE VAMPIRE because there was already a TV package that had a movie (also from 1957) called THE VAMPIRE. The American-International, K. Gordon Murray dubbed in English Mexican film.

But, I would watch this John Beal movie each time it came on and enjoy it. It was almost a mash-up of a vampire story with the serum from vampire bats and a Jekyll-Hyde type story. Creepy, nasty make-up on Beal and when he shoves that one guy's body into the furnace....whoah, THAT stuck with me. Tobey is great as a monster hunter again (without his leather jacket), just more of a traditional local cop. I got to know Colleen Gray a little after numerous phone conversations with her. She was planning on doing one of our MONSTER BASH conferences, but ill health stopped that. Very, very nice woman who loved meeting fans.

-Ron Adams, Ligonier, PA

First time I heard of this movie was through Alan Frank's Monsters and Vampires (my all time favorite monster film book!). The look of John Beal's vampire was unique and I new I had to see this one. However, it would be a few years until finally it appeared on our local late night Creature Features at 1am. Fighting sleep, I made it through and loved every minute. It instantly became a favorite. The music is thrilling and really sets the mood for the vampire attacks. Same music cues can be heard in another great vampire film, Return of Dracula, both directed by Paul Landres. My favorite scene has to be the night time attack on the assitant. The power goes out and the room is just lit by a bunson burner. You see the vampire lurking around and suddenly his hand grabs the guy from behind.

-Justin Thompson, Waterloo, IA

Hi Ron,

Have fond memories of this. My Dad was in the service and from
1973-76, we were stationed in the Panama Canal Zone at Quarry Heights,
Very close to us was The Balboa Theater which was like the old
classic ones you hear about: Giant screen, a balcony and a huge lobby
with all sorts of upcoming movie posters. Every Friday, the theater
would have the "Owl Show" which almost always showed a horror or
sci/fi goodie (Lots of Hammers were viewed in this fashion) and would
start at ten. This was the first one my brother and I saw.
While there are really no supernatural elements in the film, it
stands as a pretty good Jekyll/Hyde story with a quite convincing
drug addiction warning, although the way it is introduced is quite
innocent (The title character is handed the wrong bottle of pills by
his daughter, who, thankfully is not as annoying as kids tended to be
in these films).

John Beal is very good as the small town doctor, loved and respected
by all, who finds himself with a SERIOUS monkey on his back and the
growing horror he is responsible for the carnage happening in his
community. Kenneth Tobey is on hand to save the day, Dabs Greer who
was in a million movies/TV shows does a fine job and if not mistaken,
the actor playing "Willie", the mortician was in HOW TO MAKE A
MONSTER. Lastly, beautiful Colleen Grey gives her usual good
performance. You are right, Ron. She is very nice and DOES enjoy her
fans. My wife and I met her at CHILLER in 2006 and she was wonderful.
The film also really captures the flavor of small town America,
where everybody knew and cared for everybody, you could walk the
streets without worry and when is the last time you ever heard your
Doctor tell you "Just pay what you can, when you can" as Dr. Beecher
says here?

The only complaint is the makeup is a little cheesy and Dr. Beecher
looks and sounds a lot like The Tasmanian Devil towards the end of the
film. But, overall, a good little film and excellent choice for
viewing. Also, a couple of good gruesome scenes-when the coffin is
opened in the town graveyard and the poor guy being stuffed in the
incinerator!

Steve Schimming
Sanbornton NH

Hi Ron,

A Chicago-land ad for the showing of "The Vampire."

-Doug

"I was watching 'SvenGoolie' host 'The VAMPIRE' today(starring John Beal) on my vcr with vhs video tape from when he aired it in '98! It's always more Fun when hosted by 'Sven'(SvenGOOLie)! A Fun 'Monsta'(Monster) Movie from the 'Glorious' 1950s, The ATOMIC Age of 'Monstas'(Monsters), my fave decade of Monster Movies! It has Paul Brinegar who played 'Wishbone' the cook on the ol' tv show 'Rawhide'! It even has a James Griffith in it -& I was stationed in Marine 'Boot Camp' & at 'SUBIC Bay', Philippines('77-'78) with a James Griffith -& made a 'monster' movie at his house. -David ROCK Nelson, Des Plaines, IL

Great movie, the Vampire, classic cast, James Griffith,Collen Gray,John Beal and of course Dabbs Greer and
Ken Tobey, it has an errieness to it to this day, just like the other great classic directed by P.Landres, the
Curse of Dracula'

-Jay Maggio, Kingsman, AZ

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