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Corpse Vanishes (B&W)
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by Madacy Records
Sales Rank: 68827
Price: $4.98
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After starring in "Dracula" (1931) one of the first major horror films of the sound era, Bela Lugosi's career should have kept going higher and higher. Instead, the talented actor found himself struggling to stay afloat and maintain credibility in a series of hokey productions from 'poverty row' studio, Monogram Pictures. The movies Lugosi made during this career lowpoint came to be known as "The Monogram 9". <br /> <br />THE CORPSE VANISHES (1942) is generally regarded as quite possibly the best from Lugosi's stay at the studio. Luana Walters stars as intrepid reporter Pat Hunter, out to solve the case of the missing brides. All over the city, brides have been dropping dead at the altar, and their bodies mysteriously taken from the morgue. Discovering that each ill-fated bride was wearing a rare scented orchid at the time of her death, Pat's search leads to the upstate mansion belonging to Dr. Lorenz (Bela Lugosi). After spending a very spooky night at the Lorenz house, Pat is convinced he holds the answers to the murder spree <br /> <br />All the right ingrediants for a classic horror movie are present in THE CORPSE VANISHES. Luana Walters is totally delightful as the snoopy reporter on the case, and Bela Lugosi is fabulous as the deranged Doctor. Also very memorable is Elizabeth Russell, playing Lugosi's equally-unhinged wife (she first greets Luana Walters' character by slapping her across the face!). B-movie stalwarts Minerva Urecal and Tristram Coffin co-star. <br /> <br />Alpha/Oldie's DVD is probably the best quality print currently available.
Viewer Reviews
The film begins with a church wedding. The bride faints; a doctor declares her dead! A black car takes the body away. Then the men from the morgue show up for the body. Who kidnapped another corpse? The police search only finds a hired man who knows nothing. There will be a society wedding. What can go wrong? The bride gets an unusual orchid as a gift. Poor Alice faints, her body is removed. Does the orchid have a strange smell? Miss Hunter discovers the connection btween the dead brides. We learn why the bodies are taken - for an extract that is given to the Countess! The people at the railroad station say Dr. Lorentz is strange and spooky. Who sent that coffin to Dr. Lorentz?
Reporter Hunter gets a ride to the Lorentz home with Dr. Foster. She wants information on the rare Stanhopia orchid. It is a dark and stormy night, so they will spend the night as guests. Will there be a frightful event in the night? Some horrible creature? Was it just a nightmare? Who would sleep in a coffin? Will something creepy happen? The background music telegraphs the action. Was it all a dream? Do reporters become cynical from working on a newspaper? Dr. Foster visits the newspaper to confirm Patricia Hunter's story. They plan a ruse to catch Dr. Lorentz. Will it work as planned? Will the police shoot first and ask questions later? Can the clever plan of Dr. Lorentz fail? Will bodies pile up to provide an ending?
Is this the worst horror film with Bela Lugosi as a villain? You can see the tight editing and low budget for this Monogram film. Higher production values would have made a better film of this story, which is a variation on the vampire legend but without the supernatural events. Could they ever use body parts for living persons? That reference to "new tires" is a joke about wartime rationing. Gasoline rationing also controlled travel.
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Corpse Vanishes (B&W)
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