43. MARK OF THE VAMPIRE

43. MARK OF THE VAMPIRE
(1935)
Directed by Tod Browning

Here is another Bela Lugosi-as-vampire movie directed by Tod Browning. "Mark of the Vampire" is a remake of Browning's 1927 silent movie "London After Midnight" which starred Lon Chaney with a mouth full of razor sharp teeth, creeping along in a tophat. Bela wisely chose to play the vampire in his patented Dracula mode instead of attempting to match or copy the Chaney performance. Here he is joined by his attractive protege Carol Borland who had known Bela since his days of performing "Dracula" on stage when she became understandably obsessed with the dashing Hungarian. She is stunning as she languishes through the night in her burial gown, ghostly pale with long black hair. She was not only an inspiration for Morticia Adams but also, whether they knew it or not, a legion of Goth girls who cultivated a serene post mortem allure that made the libidos of monster kids, male and female, spike off the charts many years later. Pale girls in black with dirty minds and death in their eyes have always caused me all manner of pleasant distractions and distresses. Carol Borland was an original. Beyond her presence, "Mark of the Vampire" is director Tod Browning's last good film and Wong Howe's photography is exquisite. Of course many of you reading this may already know that this is essentially a murder mystery but the horror elements are strong enough to make up for the cheater ending.