1935 Directed by Tod Browning
Sir Karell Borotyn appears to have been killed by Count Mora, a vampire believed to haunt the local village. It is clear that Sir Karell's daughter Irena is intended to become the next victim. Enter Professor Zelen, an expert on vampires who's sent in to prevent her death.
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…
My 2016 October Horror List (aka Why I'm Extremely Pale in October)
Movie #4
I can't help but feel that the entire movie was shot just for the joke that Bela Lugosi delivers in the final scene.
There's a lot of scenes of people running around, tying weeds to door handles, or arguing about whether vampires are real, but the only time that I was really into this was when the vampires were on screen. Tod Browning knows how to shoot horror and set dress horror that actually is effectively creepy. Too bad that most of the film is just a seemingly plot-less mess. With a surprise ending that sort of explains things, but not really. And the aforementioned final Bela scene which is almost enough to save everything and made me laugh out loud. So yeah, there's at least that.
Hooptober 4.0 Film #12
TASK #5: Six films from the following: James Whale, Tod Browning, John Carpenter, Sam Raimi, Wes Craven, Tom Holland (mix-and-match or all one)!
DIRECTOR #5: Tod Browning
A horror film that manages to expertly skewer the entire genre, Tod Browning's Mark of the Vampire may not have the best-constructed story but it's still a rather delightful watch thanks to its creepy atmosphere and entertaining performances.
Hooptober 2017: 15/38 - Directors, Tod Browning
Afterthoughts: This ain’t a scene, it’s a goddamn snoozefest!
All I can muster for this one is that it’s bloody boring.
Best thing about it is it’s only 60 minutes long, and every time Bela Lugosi is onscreen it brings back happy memories of Tim Burton’s best film, Ed Wood.
One Depraved Month in Hell: Michael & Lorna's Hooptober 2017
MGM's attempt at a Universal horror picture that ends up almost a parody of those films, especially Dracula.
Bela Lugosi is here but the standout is his alluring and entrancing female accomplice Luna played by Carroll Borland- who has an iconic look that inspired numerous female vampires.
The film can't make up its mind if it wants to play it straight (which it does quite well with spooky atmosphere on par with Dracula) or if it wants to send-up the genre with broad comedy that doesn't really work.
Needs more vampires and less of the uninteresting plot.
Lionel Barrymore (playing a doddering Van Helsing clone) and Lionel Atwill (who would get cast in similar roles in Universal flicks) are both in it as well.
The Scooby Doo-like twist ending doesn't quite make sense but worth it for the punchline with Bela.
It's all a little too silly to be considered a horror film, and Barrymore, playing a vampire expert, doesn't seem to be taking it too seriously, either, as it's the first time I've seen him phone it in. Just a tad, Lionel, just a tad! As a sort of folk tale with vampires it kinda works (at least until the twist towards the end), the special effects have a DYI feel to them that give it an unexpected charm, and the vampire girl was super creepy, with her floating walk and the long hair and that weird stare. I liked that she could put people to sleep just by staring at them.
This perfectly captures my aesthetic tbh. What a beautiful film!!! Happy spooky season bitches
Mark of the Vampire follows a small village that has had numerous murders happen where bodies are left bloodles and all believe that vampires roam. This movie feels like a bootleg sequel to Dracula. Bela Lugosi is in it (and pitifully so, barely having any screentime and about two lines of dialogue) and that’s about it. Short, hammy and, honestly, rather boring in all
I watched this again shortly after hearing the latest episode of Karina Longworth's You Must Remember This podcast. She's currently doing a series on Bela and Boris. I've watched more Boris than Bela, and think the former is a far superior actor. That may change as I dig in more, but not likely.
There's a twist that crash lands with only ten minutes to go, but it kind of works???
TOD BROWNING.
There is one scene shot through a window where Luna, Bela’s hypnotic daughter, is leaning in to prey on a woman and I’m like.....😳
The ending was disappointing, but: Hollywoodland, right?
Mess up in Hollywood and you get MARK OF THE VAMPIRE.
So. Apparently after Tod Browning's FREAKS flopped, the studio folded his pointer finger down aka his director's finger, and took away his decision making power. The studio made all the decisions about this movie and of corpse made a mess of things to the point of it making absolutely no sense.
This makes me sad. I feel this movie could have been so much more. I recently purchased a dvd copy of this, and the transfer is YES. Tod Browning knows how to set a mood... THE FOG, the LIGHTING, the COSTUMES, the SHOTS! Tod is YES.
This story, it is a head scratcher. There seems to be huge…
What a pleasant surprise. Solid acting, solid camerawork, and some genuine suspense about what direction this movie is going to go. That said, the plot makes absolutely no sense.
I couldn't pass up a Tod Browning movie where Bela Lugosi played a vampire, but this was not the horror gem I was looking for. Mark of the Vampire is a pondering, poorly made horror film which has a way too convoluted story for its own good and totally squanders Lugosi. The twist is dumb and non-nonsensical and more than anything I was just bored the whole time. What a waste.
Slow low-key remake of London After Midnight. I totally get why most people don’t think much of this film, and there’s not that much to it really, but I appreciate the atmosphere (bats and skeletons appear in many scenes) and Bela Lugosi poking fun at himself.
An all-star remake of Tod Browning's LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT has various murders happening where people have to small bites on their necks. Lionel Barrymore plays an expert on the occult who shows up to investigate and soon suspicion falls on Count Mora (Bela Lugosi) and his strange daughter (Carroll Borland).
Outside of FREAKS, I think a lot of Browning's sound films are less than good and that's certainly true for MARK OF THE VAMPIRE. It's really a shame because there's so much here that the end result should have been much better but as it stands this is just a very disappointing film on so many levels. As I said, I think Browning's vision and style was much better during…
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