Movie Review: Blood of the Vampire (1958)

Synopsis: After one of his patients dies in 1880, Dr. John Pierre is convicted of malpractice and sentenced to life's imprisonment in a penal colony but is instead sent to a prison for the criminally insane run by Dr. Callistratus. Callistratus puts John in charge of helping with blood transfusion experiments on inmates, something he is very uncomfortable with even before he discovers the horrifying reason for the experiments.

Who's in it? The movie stars Donald Wolfit, Vincent Ball, Barbara Shelley, Victor Maddern and Andrew Faulds.

Review: I had planned on watching another movie this morning but decided on Blood of the Vampire instead because it popped up on the list first. Unfortunately, this one wound up being a rare miss for me as far as movie choices are concerned.

The premise of this movie isn't an awful one. In fact, the idea of putting a scientific spin on vampirism is somewhat intriguing. Callistratus (Wolfit) isn't some supernatural demon, he's a man who is suffering the consequences of a life-restoring medical procedure, needs blood to stay alive, and is looking for a permanent solution. At minimum, it's a somewhat unique concept.

The main problem with the film is the execution. For lack of a better word at the moment, it was a bit dull. A lot of the reason for this is there is a whole lot of the movie, especially in the beginning that could have simply been referenced rather than shown without having an impact on the plot. That, in turn, could have allowed the film to set a better pace and put more emphasis on the horror movie elements. 

It would have also helped the movie be a bit less predictable. It felt like Callistratus' motives were supposed to be a big secret until the end but both because of the lengthy set-up and the title of the movie, that just didn't happen. If anything, it might have been better to show more of the movie from Callistratus' perspective, starting immediately after his surgery and not fast forwarding several years. Seeing him learning about his condition and finding ways to cope with it while seeking a cure might have been a better way to go, in my opinion, though I'm not sure it would have been any more exciting.

Final Opinion: As I said, the premise is an intriguing one. However, the execution left a lot to be desired and this was not a movie I enjoyed as much as I thought I would as a result.

My Grade: C