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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'50's Horror with Boris and Lon

THE BLACK CASTLE-1952-In Vienna, Sir Roland (Richard Greene; later the star of TV's THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD) goes undercover to investigate the deaths of 2 friends he believes were killed by the evil Count Karl von Bruno (Stephen McNally), a sadistic guy with an eye patch who's very mean to his wife The Countess (Rita Corday) and keeps a live panther in his dungeon which he plans to release and hunt in the Black Forest. He's assisted by the mute and equally sadistic Gargon (Lon Chaney Jr.; also in HIGH NOON the same year). There's even a pit of alligators downstairs. John Hoyt and Michael Pate are two foppish nobles loyal to the count. Of course Roland falls in love with the abused countess. Unfortunately Boris Karloff (in his only movie appearance for the year) is wasted in the role of the count's alcoholic doctor who helps the new lovers escape the baron's clutches by giving them a drug that makes them appear to be dead (it almost works too good!).

THE BLACK CASTLE was the first feature film directed by former Oscar winning art director Nathan Juran. Some might like it's fake horror trappings but for me it just wastes the talents of Chaney and Karloff who are good in the few scenes they have. Juran later made many well known horror/Sci-Fi films of the '50's including ATTACK OF THE 5O FOOT WOMAN, THE DEADLY MANTIS and 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH. He even directed Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis in HELLCATS OF THE NAVY. Later he did TV work including episodes of several Irwin Allen series.

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A-Mazing!

THE MAZE-1953-Usually underrated horror mystery (originally shot in 3-D) was the last film directed by William Cameron Menzies (also an art director and production designer) who also made INVADERS FROM MARS the same year!

A baronet named Gerald McTeam (Richard Carlson; in IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE the same year) seems quite happily engaged to a woman named Kitty (Veronica Hurst) until he gets a telegram from the mysterious Craven Castle in his native Scotland. He rushes off promising to come back for their wedding in 2 weeks but over a month goes by and she hasn't  heard from him. Eventually she learns that Gerald's uncle has died and Gerald is next in line to take his place.  A few weeks later Kitty receives a letter releasing her from their engagement. But Kitty loves Gerald too much. So she and her Aunt Edith (Katherine Emory; the woman who goes mad after being buried alive in ISLE OF THE DEAD) venture to the fog shrouded castle. There they find Gerald cold and distant having aged prematurely. His dour kind of sinister butler William (Michael Pate) hangs around. Gerald insists they leave but Kitty makes several excuses. Everything seems to revolve around Gerald's midnight jaunts and a giant maze no one is allowed access too. There seems to be one other resident in the castle no one knows about even after Edith has a small run-in with him. Hoping to help Gerald Kitty summons their old friends for a surprise weekend visit. One of them is a doctor and Kitty hopes he can "examine" Gerald and do something for him. He comes to believe Gerald may be insane and should be taken away by force. Later Kitty and Edith enter the maze and discovery the dreaded family secret. The real baron was born in 1750 and is still alive. He's also part frog and part man having never evolved from an amphibian state!

Despite some low budget drawback THE MAZE is a good mystery thriller.  Almost a film noir horror movie I guess. The castle sets are very dark and sinister and though not one of the more memorable screen monsters the frog like baron is eerie until fully seen. His demise is a little ridiculous.
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Apparently although based on a novel by Swiss writer Maurice Sandoz, THE MAZE also takes inspiration from the Scottish legend of Glamis Castle involving a deformed child who was walled up its room.

Hilary Brooke (also in INVADERS FROM MARS) and Robin Hughes (later in THE THING THAT COULDN'T DIE) are two of Gerald's friends who come to cheer him up.

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