Coming four years after his own "Dracula," Tod Browning's "Mark of the Vampire" gently skewers not only his earlier vampire film but the century's two-plus decades of other primitive horror films, as well. "Mark of the Vampire" is no parody, but it smartly uses audience expectations for its own gain. Small-scale yet beautifully rendered, the film is a haunting and, finally, whimsical early horror film.
Though it might be a bit convoluted, the film's plot combines vampire melodrama, mystery, and nefarious scheming. When a man is found dead, the superstitious townsfolk cry, "Vampire," while cooler heads attempt to prevail. Things are not as they seem, however, but the narrative's twists will not be revealed here. Rest assured, it is all…