The Corpse Vanishes (1942)

User Rating:

3.7/10   

Director:

Wallace Fox

Writers:

Harvey Gates (screenplay)
Sam Robins (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 May 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Horror

Tagline:

Horror to make your hair stand on end!

Plot:

A scientist, aided by an old hag & her two sons - a malicious dwarf and a brutish moron, kills virgin brides, steals their bodies, & extracts gland fluid to keep his ancient wife alive and young.

Plot Keywords:

Mad Scientist | Bride | Dwarf | Orchid | Coffin

Cast

Bela Lugosi	...	Dr. Lorenz
Luana Walters	...	Patricia Hunter, Reporter
Tristram Coffin	...	Dr. Foster (as Tris Coffin)
Elizabeth Russell	...	Countess Lorenz
Minerva Urecal	...	Fagah
Angelo Rossitto	...	Toby (as Angelo)
Joan Barclay	...	Alice Wentworth
Kenneth Harlan	...	Keenan
Gwen Kenyon	...	Peggy Woods
Vince Barnett	...	Sandy, Photographer
Frank Moran	...	Angel
George Eldredge	...	Mike

Also Known As:

The Case of the Missing Brides (UK)

Runtime:

64 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:H (re-rating) (1946) | UK:PG (video rating) (1995) | UK:R (original rating) | USA:Approved (PCA #8276)

Company:

Banner Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: When getting ready for bed, Pat unbuttons her jacket but in the next shot, the jacket is buttoned again and stays buttoned for the rest of the scene.

Quotes:

Patricia Hunter: Oh, professor, do you also make a habit of collecting coffins?
Dr. Lorenz: Why, yes, in a manner of speaking. I find a coffin much more comfortable than a bed.

Movie Connections:

Edited into "Muchachada nui: (#1.4)" (2007)

Here is where it starts to come together for Monogram

Bela made 9 pics for Monogram, but it was only at THIS one, the 4TH, that things started to come together. All the rest in the series would use this one as the essential template for production, writing and character development. From here on, better or worse, the series would also deal with one essential theme: a scientist (usually Bela) makes experiments in the basement or the old house (sometimes IN the basement in the old house) that causes things to go blooey. This was also the first time that Art Director Dave Milton got a chance to spread his wings. He came on board for BLACK DRAGONS, the flick before, but THIS one is where he gets to make his craft start to click. Lewis made great atmosphere for next to nothing, and was around for all the rest of the Monograms. Casting is key in these, and it's a pretty good one B movie wise, here. You get Barclay and Harlen (also from BLACK DRAGONS),along with Russell, who would star in Lewtons' CAT PEOPLE movies..and Rosetto, from SPOOKS RUN WILD...a nice slice of Poverty Row talent. If you have limited time and budget, start with this one...it sums up everything they had learned up to this point, and gives you something to compare the rest to. The plot? Bela steals gland juice to keep his nasty wife young. They both like to sleep in coffins. If you can read that and smile, the rest will be easy.