Cowboy Blood Sucker

 

 (imdb)

CURSE OF THE UNDEAD-1959-In this unusual horror-western, a disease seems to only strike young woman. Buffer (Bruce Gordon), a mean rancher, wants the ranch owned by Dr. Carter (John Hoyt). Buffer is actually kind of a coward and backs off when the sheriff (Edward Binns) tells him to. Meanwhile, a mysterious cowboy dressed in back hangs around. When the doc is killed, his son Tim (Jimmy Murphy) vows revenge. After the funeral, the mysterious cowboy opens up Carter's coffin and gets in it! After Buffer kills Tim, his sister Dolores (Kathleen Crowley) advertises for a gun for hire. Of course, the mysterious cowboy, who's named Drake Robey (Michael Pate), takes the job much to the chagrin of local preacher Dan (Eric Fleming). That night Robey reveals his true self to Dolores. He's a vampire and puts the bite on her. Buffer wants protection from Robey although Dan says it's all Buffer's fault. Dan convinces Dolores to get rid of Robey and they declare their love for each other but Robey comes back and mesmerizes Dolores who fixes him up near the cemetery. “The Dead don't bother me. It's the livin' who give me trouble”, he says. 

The whole vampire thing is revealed in a flashback where a family named Robles was cursed when one brother killed another. (why he became a vampire isn't explained) He declares his love for Dolores but she's clearly under his thrall. When the sheriff advises Dolores to get rid of Robey, he kills the sheriff. Robey and Dan have a confrontation and argue good vs. evil. Robey almost kills Dan but is interrupted. Later Robey puts some more biting on Dolores. Robey winds up killing Buffer than going after Dan who uses bullets with crosses on them to kill Robey who withers away. 

This unusual vampire western was produced by Universal Pictures Music supervisor Joseph Gershenson (MONSTER ON THE CAMPUS (1958), THE LEECH WOMAN (1960)) and directed and co-written by Edward Dein (SHACK OUT ON 101 (1955); the aforementioned THE LEECH WOMAN). They pretty much succeed at making a different kind of vampire and supply a few eerie scenes.

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More Shadow

 

 (mubi.com)

THE SHADOW: INVISIBLE AVENGER-1958-In New York, Lamont Cranston (Richard Derr; WHEN WORLD'S COLLIDE (1951)) visits New Orleans after receiving a phone call from his friend Tony (Steve Dano) just before he's stabbed to death. As The Shadow, Cranston makes himself nearly invisible, appearing only as a shadow with an echo voice and creepy laughter. He's accompanied by his kind of guru, Jogendra (Mark Daniels). The main plot is about a dictator who runs the fictitious South American country, Santa Cruz. There's a firing squad execution on the local nightly news and two brothers are on the opposite side of the military dictatorship. 

This embarrassingly cheap production started out as several episodes of a planned TV show featuring the mysterious crimefighter (created by Walter Gibson in 1931). Three directors are created including the great cinematographer James Wong Howe. Another is named Ben Parker. Some sources say this is the same guy who later directed the nutty TEENAGE STRANGLER (1964) but somehow, I doubt it.

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Who Knows?

 (crimereads.com)

THE SHADOW: THE CURSE OF THE COTTON KIMONO-1954-Lamont Cranston (Tom Helmore; later in Hitchcock's VERTIGO (1958)), a police psychiatrist, helps a cheerful police commissioner (Frank M. Thomas) and a dour detective (Norman Shelly) solve the murder of a seemingly innocent woman. He's assisted by girlfriend Margo Lane (Paula Raymond; THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1952)). The dead girl's boyfriend Bromm (William Smithers) leads Cranston to music teacher Rollo (Alexander Scourby). Cranston becomes the Shadow laughs and threatens Rollo who's killed before being of any help. 

This pretty dull TV pilot failed to impress any network and was never picked up as a series. Directed by Charlie Haas who early directed episodes of the ill-fated Dick Tracy show.

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No Shadow

 

 (imdb)

INTERNATIONAL CRIME-1938-Disappointing crime drama features Lamont Cranston (Rod La Rocque; a silent film star who retired in 1941)) as a crime fighting reporter who writes a column and broadcasts a radio show both called “The Shadow Knows”. He's kind of assisted by Phoebe Lang (Astrid Allwyn) and a short cab driver (Lew Hearn). He doesn't “cloud men's minds” or laugh in this. He's just a regular guy. 

Director Charles Lamont went on to directed many of Abbott & Costello's “Meet” movies.

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Come In Anytime. I'm Always Open

 

 (themoviedatabase)

FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE-1973-Excellent horror anthology from Amicus, revolving around an antique shop run by The Proprietor (Peter Cushing). 

 In “The Gate Crasher”, art dealer Edward (David Warner) buys a mirror and says he cheated the proprietor. Then he and his friends hold a séance. Edward finds himself inside the mirror. He's grabbed by a hairy hand but it's only an hallucination. Soon after, he sees a hairy corpse like head in the mirror that says “You must feed me”. He brings a hooker back to his place and kills her. He wakes up with traces of blood in his apartment but no body. Next time the head says “Feed me blooood!”. He picks up another girl and kills her. He breaks the mirror but it fixes itself. He invites his girlfriend over (the head says “You are learning”). David doesn't kill her but instead kills a downstairs neighbor. The head turns up young and in the flesh and kills David. Later when his apartment is redone, the mirror watches different tenants occupy the place until one of them gets the bright idea to hold a séance and it's David who's in the mirror.

In “An Act of Kindness”, an unhappy business clerk, Christopher Lowe (Ian Bannen) with an unpleasant wife Mabel (Diana Dors), who's complaining and insulting and a bratty kid becomes friends with a former vet named Underwood (Donald Pleasance) who sells laces and matches. To impress him, because he was not in the army, Lowe wants to buy a DSO medal but can't without the proper papers, so he steals it. Later, he goes to Underwood's house for dinner and meets his daughter Emily (Pleasance's lookalike daughter Angela), who he takes a shine to. Meanwhile someone is shadowing Mabel, taking pictures of her, stealing a lock of her hair. Emily shows Lowe a doll she's made of his wife. When she sticks a pin in it, Mabel dies. Later, he and Emily get married. On their wedding cake is figures of a bride and groom. When Emily cuts off the head of the groom figure, blood spurts from the Lowe's head and he dies. Apparently, this was his son's wish.

Next is “The Elemental”. At the antique shop, a businessman Reginald Warren (Ian Carmichael) switches snuff boxes, then is told by the eccentric Madame Orloff (Margaret Leighton) that there is an “elemental” on his shoulder. His wife Susan (Nyree Dawn Porter) accuses him of hitting her even though he didn't. She even has a mark. Later she says he tried to choke her in bed. Orloff tries to help him. She seems to banish the spirit (and wreck his house) but the spirit takes over Susan and she kills Warren with a poker.

In “The Door”, William Seaton (Ian Ogilvy) buys an elaborate door which he says leaves him broke. While the dealer's back is turned, he eyes the money he just spent. He leaves and the dealer counts the money. He and his wife Rosemary (Lesley-Anne Warren) mount the door on a closet but later that night, William opens the door and finds a mysterious cobwebbed room. He hears footsteps and runs out. When he looks again, it's just a closet. He finds a book that mentions a guy named Richard Sinclair who created a “ghost room”. When Sinclair (Jack Watson) kidnaps his wife, William destroys the door and the room starts to crumble. Before the decrepit Sinclair can choke William to death, Rosemary whacks him a few times sounding the evil guy's death knell. They get their closet back, the dealer's money is all there and they live.

Finally, a robber who was hanging around outside the whole time, visits the shop. He threatens the dealer with some old guns. When he fires them, they have no effect and the robber winds up in a coffin.

This was directorial debut of Kevin Connor (THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT (1972); AT THE EARTH'S CORE (1974)), a former film editor. Screenwriters Raymond Christ and Robin Clarke adapted the segments from the stories of R. Chetwynd-Hayes (his stories were also basis for THE MONSTER CLUB, also produced by Amicus' Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg). Cushing was in THE BEAST MUST DIE!, MADHOUSE and FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL the same year. 

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Killer Party Time

 

 (themoviedatabase)

KILLER PARTY-1986-This opens with a movie at a drive-in. A girl then rebuffs her date's advances and goes for popcorn at a deserted concession stand. Then as a weird 80's pop rock band plays, the girl is attacked by zombies. Surprise! It's really a cheesy music video by a band called White Sister. Anyway, some sorority sisters hold their “goat night” in an old house where the owner, a woman who talks to her brother's grave, is beaten to death before the party starts. A killer is dressed in a diving suit and one girl becomes possessed. After she's killed, her friend Phoebe is possessed. It goes from slasher movie to “Evil Dead” rip-off. The diver murders are never explained. Paul Bartel is a teacher who's electrocuted. 

Director William Fruet also made FUNERAL HOME in 1980 and many TV episodes. Screenwriter Barry Cohen also penned FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER the same year.

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The Last Whistle

 

 (imdb)

THE RETURN OF THE WHISTLER-1948-A man (Michael Duane) and woman (Lenore Aubert) want to get married but the minister is away. Meanwhile someone sabotages their car. Since this is the 1940's they can't stay together in one room. The next day he goes to her room and she's disappeared. A private eye (Richard Lane)) tries to help him and flashbacks reveal how the two lovers met. Double crosses, evil in-laws and an inheritance all figure in the wild plot. Uncredited roles go to Trevor Bardette, Ann Doran, Wilton Graf and Olin Howland. 

This last installment into the series was directed by D. Ross Lederman. 

Lead actress Lenore Aubert was in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN the same year.

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