KISS OF THE VAMPIRE (1963)

At a funeral in a Bavarian village, Prof. Zimmer arrives and thrusts a shovel into the coffin. From inside comes a scream and a flow of blood. Has a vampire just been destroyed? Next we see a honeymooning couple, Gerald and Marianne, run out of gas and take a room at an inn where Zimmer, an alcoholic, happens to be staying. Dr. Ravna, the owner of a huge nearby castle, sends the couple an invitation to dinner which they are happy to accept. The next night, they attend Ravna's elaborate masked ball and we soon discover Ravna's secret: he is a vampire and is the head of a vampire cult whose members wear white robes for their meetings. Marianne is spirited away and given an initial bite, and Ravna plans for her full initiation into vampirehood the next night. A drugged Gerald is returned to the inn alone and the innkeeper denies that Marianne ever existed. Luckily, Gerald gets help from Zimmer, whose own daughter had become a victim of the cult (and whom Zimmer destroyed in the opening scene). The two men engage in what Bram Stoker, in Dracula, called "wild work" in an attempt to free Marianne from the cult's bondage. Plotwise, this Hammer horror film doesn’t stray far from their 1960s formula as established in the 1958 HORROR OF DRACULA. Though Dracula is not a character, there is a European village, scared villagers, busty women, blood trickling from lips, and brave men trying to save a young woman from a fate worse than death. The addition of the Satanic-like cult is welcome, and the typical baroque and colorful sets are effective. Zimmer doesn't quite have the solid authoritative personality that Van Helsing does, but Gerald is glad to have anyone on his side. The final scene in which Zimmer conjures up evil to fight evil is one of Hammer's better climaxes. Acting is so-so. Noel Willman as Ravna is OK as a decadent castle owner but not as commanding as he should be as a vampire. Clifford Evans is better as Zimmer, but none of the characters have much presence which waters down to some degree how invested we are in Marianne's rescue. Still, I give points for the cult and for the ending. Also for a scene in which a potential victim scares away a vampire by making a crucifix shape in blood on his chest. Directed by Don Sharp who later did a couple of the Christopher Lee Fu Manchu movies. Pictured is Clifford Evans. [DVD]