Movie Review: The Return of Dracula (1958)
Synopsis: With authorities hot on his trail in the Balkans, Dracula boards a train and flees to the United States. Assuming the identity of Bellac Gordal, a Czech artist he killed on his journey, Dracula moves in with the artist's California family while continuing his killing ways and pursuing Bellac's cousin, Rachel.
Who's in it? The movie stars Francis Lederer, Norma Eberhardt, Ray Stricklyn, John Wengraf and Virginia Vincent.
Review: I've had The Return of Dracula on my list for several years and finally had the opportunity to watch it this morning. While I had more than my fair share of doubts about a film that doesn't have Bela Lugosi in the title role, it ended up being a solid choice.
Despite (like most Dracula movies) ignoring the fact Dracula was supposedly killed, the film stays mostly true to form in terms of the Dracula legend. Dracula/Bellac (Lederer) has a good mix of charm and mystery, creating questions about his quirky habits while, at the same time, always having a good explanation for why he behaves the way he does and, if needed, a plan to keep his secret via deadly means.
This, in turn, kept the movie from being as predictable as it could have been. While there were those who suspected the truth reasonably early in the film, it was unclear just what that would lead to. Rachel (Eberhardt) for example, seemed to have her suspicions but also was under Dracula's control, raising doubts about her ability to protect herself. Her boyfriend, Tim (Stricklyn), never liked the new houseguest but it was unclear if he was mature enough to put the pieces together and step up when needed. Plus, Dracula had a history of escaping whenever things got too hot.
I also liked how the film managed to build up some suspense regarding Rachel, having her seemingly on her way to being turned into one of Dracula's brides only to have her snatched to safety because of a random interruption. Oh, and the hint of red when his other bride, Jennie (Vincent) is staked in an otherwise black-and-white movie was a nice touch as well.
I was a little concerned the shorter runtime (77 minutes) would result in the ending being rushed, as has been the case with similar movies. However, the film made good use of its time and even had a nice twist that made good use of an earlier, subtle foreshadow. While it might have been slightly better if some of the aftermath was shown, it was still reasonably satisfying.
Final Opinion: It's a good movie that re-tells the Dracula story in a modern setting with just enough twists to make it feel unique. I enjoyed the film and would recommend it.
My Grade: A
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Here are some reviews of other vampire movies:
Movie Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
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