The Vampire’s Coffin – original title: El ataúd del Vampiro – is a 1958 Mexican supernatural horror film directed by Fernando Méndez (The Living Coffin; Black Pit of Dr. M; The Vampire; et al) from a screenplay by Ramón Obón (The She-Wolf; 100 Cries of Terror; The World of the Vampires), based on a story by Raúl Zenteno (The Man and the Monster). It stars Abel Salazar, Ariadna Welter and Germán Robles.
Dr. Marion (Carlos Ancira) employs a criminal (Yerye Beirute) to remove the coffin of vampire Count Lavud (Germán Robles) from a crypt. At the doctor’s hospital, a wooden stake is removed from the Count’s heart, and he is soon stalking nurse Martha (Ariadna Welter)…
Reviews:
“Abel Salazar is given more to do this time and he makes good use of his ample amount of screen time. The character Marta almost seems like a different person now that is nothing more than the typical girlfriend role. Once again the best part of the film is watching actor Germán Robles as Count Karol de Lavud.” Michael Den Boer, 10K Bullets
” …director Fernando Méndez handles things quite nicely with a lot of stunning shadowy photography, cobweb-ridden sets, and blankets of fog lingering almost constantly. The great Azteca studios gives both films a an air of pure gothic […] moving the action to such places as a lofty theater and a waxworks museum…” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In
” …the film has its share of terrific set pieces, particularly when Lavud chases a dancer (and coded prostitute?) through the empty city streets, with the vampire’s enormous shadow threatening to swallow her whole.” Stuart Galbraith IV, DVD Talk
Main cast:
- Abel Salazar
- Ariadna Welter
- Germán Robles
- Yerye Beirute
- Alicia Montoya
- Guillermo Orea
- Carlos Ancira
- Antonio Raxel
Release:
CasaNegra released the film on DVD with The Vampire (1957) on October 31st, 2006.
