Vampiro, El (1957)

Director:

Fernando Méndez

Writers:

Ramón Obón (story)
Ramón Obón (adaptation)

Release Date:

1958 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller | Horror

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Vampire

Cast

Abel Salazar	...	Dr. Enrique
Ariadna Welter	...	Marta Gonzalez
Carmen Montejo	...	Eloisa
José Luis Jiménez	...	Emilio
Mercedes Soler	...	Maria ,servant
Alicia Montoya	...	María Teresa
José Chávez	...	Anselmo
Julio Daneri	...	Duval's servant
Amado Zumaya	...	Duval's servant
Germán Robles	...	Count Karol de Lavud / Duval
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Guillermo Álvarez Bianchi	...	Train administrator (uncredited)
Dick Barker	...	Man (uncredited)
Margarito Luna	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Fernando Méndez

Writing credits
Ramón Obón		(story)
Ramón Obón		(adaptation)

Produced by
Abel Salazar	....	producer

Original Music by
Gustavo César Carrión		(as Gustavo C. Carrion)

Cinematography by
Rosalío Solano

Film Editing by
José W. Bustos

Art Direction by
Gunther Gerszo

Makeup Department
Elda Loza	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Antonio Guerrero Tello	....	production leader
Fernando Méndez Jr.	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Américo Fernández	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Enrique Rodríguez	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rafael Ruiz Esparza	....	dialogue editor (as Rafael R. Esparza)

Camera and Electrical Department
Antonio Solano	....	lighting technician
Hugo Velasco	....	camera operator

Music Department
Gustavo César Carrión	....	musical director (as Gustavo C. Carrion)
Enrique Rodríguez	....	music editor

Other crew
Nicolás Rueda hijo	....	titles (as Nicolás Rueda Jr.)

Production Companies

• Cinematográfica ABSA

Distributors

• Alameda Films (1957) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Azteca Films Inc. (1958) (USA) (theatrical) (Spanish language only)
• American-International Television (AIP-TV) (1964) (USA) (TV) (dubbed) (syndication)
• Trans-International Films (1968) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• CasaNegra Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Mondo Macabro (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (video)

Other Companies

• Grabaciones Magnéticas Sincrónicas S.A.  sound re-recording
• Orquesta de la Sección de Filarmónicos del S.T.P.C. de la R.M.  orchestra
• C.L.A.S.A.  studio
• Screen Time Images  DVD menus and authoring
• Screen Time Images  audio restoration
• Screen Time Images  film restoration

Also Known As:

The Vampire

Runtime:

95 min | UK:84 min (DVD)

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Company:

Cinematográfica ABSA

Movie Connections:

Featured in Mondo Macabro: Episode 2 - Mexican Horror Movies (2002)

A classic and cult film

I had heard a lot about this Mexican horror classic and cult film by Fernando Méndez: that it was a remarkable B&W production, that it established the vampire genre in México, that it was the first movie in which the vampire had fangs and –most of all- that it was intentionally funny in parts. I had seen its sequel, "El ataúd del vampiro" (The Vampire's Coffin) when I was 8 years old, of which I have a vague memory. Now, after 47 years of its release, I've finally seen "El vampiro" and to my surprise it is better than what I expected. Producer Abel Salazar knew what he was getting into –as probably did Luis Buñuel when he made "Abismos de pasión", adapting Emily Brontë's "Wuthering Heights"- and decided not only to approach the tale of an Hungarian vampire in México with humor, but to play the leading part of the doctor with comic touches, as a cynic and fearful hero. Beautiful Ariadne Welter (Tyrone Power's once sister-in-law, sometimes credited as Ariadna) is the young heroine who returns to her family hacienda in Sierra Negra (Black Sierra) and meets Salazar on her way, while they are followed by her aunt (Cuban soap opera superstar Carmen Montejo), a spinster under the spell of Count Duval (Germán Robles), the local vampire. The initial situation reminded me of the Hammer Films production "Kiss of the Vampire", which was made a few years later: a young woman being observed and chosen to be part of the undead, though in this case the open setting is darker and in obvious decay. What was surprising to me was the plot's twists, which seem quite original for its time and probably not yet equaled, mainly the introduction of a woman buried alive (Alicia Montoya) –whose appearance predates Myrna Fahey in Roger Corman's "The Fall of the House of Usher"- who protects the heroine and has a decidedly active part in the conclusion. Although screenwriter Ramón Obón takes many elements from Bram Stoker's classic novel, he introduces clever touches, immensely helped by Rosalío Solano's cinematography, Gustavo César Carrión's eerie score and Méndez' firm direction. As a research, it's also interesting to see another movie by Méndez, "Ladrón de cadáveres", which paved the way for a unique Mexican cross of genres: the wrestler and horror films.