{"id":30704,"date":"2019-03-07T20:40:37","date_gmt":"2019-03-08T01:40:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/?p=30704"},"modified":"2019-03-07T20:40:37","modified_gmt":"2019-03-08T01:40:37","slug":"the-return-of-the-vampire-1943-blu-ray","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/2019\/03\/07\/the-return-of-the-vampire-1943-blu-ray\/","title":{"rendered":"The Return of the Vampire (1943) [Blu-Ray]"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Although Universal eventually did follow up Tod Browning\u2019s \u201cDracula\u201d from 1931 with their own \u201cDracula\u2019s Daughter\u201d and \u201cSon of Dracula,\u201d the unofficial sequel has always been 1943\u2019s \u201cThe Return of the Vampire.\u201d When Columbia Pictures sough to revive Dracula for the big screener, Universal halted their efforts, prompting Columbia to basically deliver the follow up to Dracula but under a variety of different names and different circumstances. With \u201cThe Return of the Vampire\u201d we have a great spiritual sequel that stars Lugosi returning as Dracula, but–not<\/em><\/strong> Dracula.<\/p>\n

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In 1918, Armand Tesla, a two hundred year old Hungarian Vampire prowls the English countryside feeding on locals and villagers alike. When Tesla\u2019s chaos is interrupted by Lady Jane and Sir John Ainsley, both of whom stop him by driving a railroad spike in to his heart, he is entombed. For decades he remains safely encased away from human victims, but during World War II, he awakens thanks to a bomb dropped by the Nazis that releases him from his grave. Alongside his loyal werewolf servant Andreas Obry, the revived vampire lord now looks for revenge with the family that destroyed him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Return of the Vampire\u201d relies a lot around reminding you that Lugosi is playing Dracula, but you know: he\u2019s not really, for the sake of evading lawsuits. So while Armand Tesla is a vampire lord who is draped in a cape, hides in the darkness, hypnotizes his victims with his eyes, and sucks their blood, he\u2019s not Dracula. Although we all know who Lugosi is playing, and it\u2019s quite clear Lugosi knows what character he\u2019s reprising from beginning to end. One of my favorite elements of \u201cThe Return of the Vampire\u201d is how ahead of its time it tends to be, implementing character Lady Jane as something of a pseudo-Van Helsing nemesis for the vampire villain. Frieda Inescort is very good as the bold Lady Jane who stands up against Count Tesla and faces him down, especially when granted the upper hand quite often.<\/p>\n

Matt Willis is also very good as Tesla\u2019s tragic second hand, a man cursed with the task of being his assistant and thug, who spends an enormous amount of time looking for ways to stop Tesla. The make up effects are surprisingly very good, and next to Larry Talbot\u2019s Wolfman, Andreas is one of the better horror tragic figures. Lew Landers\u2019 direction is fantastic often resembling much of the nuances that Tod Browning injected in his own adaptation of the Bram Stoker novel. There are so many striking scenes teeming with atmosphere and tension; there are even moments that feel like early Val Lewton. \u201cThe Return of the Vampire\u201d is a great spiritual sequel to 1931\u2019s \u201cDracula.\u201d It\u2019s a strong vampire film and one where the cast shines, especially Lugosi.<\/p>\n

The Blu-Ray from Scream Factory features a trio of audio commentaries<\/strong>. There is one with film author\/historian Troy Howarth, one with author\/film historian Gary Don Rhodes, and one with film author\/historian Lee Gambin. There\u2019s the eight minute Silent 8mm Presentation Edit<\/strong>, a \u201chome version\u201d with the film restored as much as possible. Finally there\u2019s the original theatrical trailer<\/strong>, and an HD Still Gallery<\/strong> that should serve as a nice bit of history and eye candy for horror fans with poster art, lobby cards, publicity stills, newspaper ads, and theater displays.<\/strong><\/p>\n