Monday, October 24, 2016

The Bloody Vampire, Germany Invades Mexico

Those of us who have tried it know it isn't worth the trouble.  Sure, enslaving every man and woman on the Earth to obey our every command might seem like a good idea.  In reality, this quest will introduce us to the reality that there are a lot of stupid and annoying people in the world.  However, if you are a vampire, the stupid and annoying can serve as your buffet line while the beautiful women can all share the coffin with you.  This is the quest of the German vampire, Count Frankenhausen. Let us examine, from Mexico, 1962's "The Bloody Vampire" (aka "El Vampiro Sagriento").
After fleeing Europe, Count Frankenhausen (Carlos Agosti), an arrogant vampire with lots of babe vampire brides arrives in Mexico to begin his conquest of the world.  I know, let him have it.  Back to the plot.  Too bad for him, the Count de Cagliastro has also moved his family to Mexico.  Of course, neither of these clans blend.  The mission of the de Cagliastro clan, through centuries, is to rid the world of vampires.  As Frankenhausen goes through Mexican senoritas like crap through a goose, the de Cagliastro team acts.  The beautiful Anna (Begona Palacios) infiltrates the Frankenhausen castle undercover as a servant.  Because she is so pretty, Frankenhausen desires her for his bride.  Her fiance, a doctor named Riccardo (Raul Farell) also infiltrates the castle, undercover as the Countess' personal doctor.
As Count Valsamo de Caglistro (Antonio Raxel), the patriarch of his clan, experiments with herbs and fresh corpses to find something to kill vampires, Anna and Riccardo continue their efforts inside the fiend's mansion.  With only traditional means of vampire hunting, are our lovebirds any match for for Frankenhausen and his allies?  As Mexican beauties are drained of blood at an alarming rate, will the good folks of that great country turn xenophobic against more immigration from Germany?  Did this 1962 film have a hand in all but ending any German immigration into Mexico?
In this short write-up, many key characters and subplots were ignored.  This film has so many other creepy elements that were omitted here in the interest of space.  Grave robbing, a mad scientist type lab, a torture chamber with gruesome happenings, ghostly images of a surreal Mexico are all included in this film.  Once again, our Mexican amigos have made an outstanding vampire film, "El Vampiro Sangriento," (directed by Miguel Morayta) which is available on YouTube.

1 comment:

  1. I heard of this film decades ago, in the pages of Famous Monsters, I believe. Glad to see it reviewed. I need to hunt it down now.

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