I VAMPIRI (1957, LUST OF THE VAMPIRE) – Episode 181 – Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

“The vampire could be insane, or equally someone in full control of his mental faculties.” So, you’re saying, crazy or not? Join this episode’s Grue-Crew – Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr, along with guest Bill Mulligan – as they discuss I Vampiri (1957, Lust of the Vampire), Italy’s first horror film of the sound era, directed first by Riccardo Freda and then Mario Bava!

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 181 – I Vampiri (1957)

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ANNOUNCEMENT
Decades of Horror The Classic Era is partnering with THE CLASSIC SCI-FI MOVIE CHANNEL, THE CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE CHANNEL, and WICKED HORROR TV CHANNEL
Which all now include video episodes of The Classic Era!
Available on Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, Online Website.
Across All OTT platforms, as well as mobile, tablet, and desktop.
https://classicscifichannel.com/; https://classichorrorchannel.com/; https://wickedhorrortv.com/

In Paris, young girls are found dead, drained of their blood. A journalist investigates these murders while the beautiful Gisele, from a noble family, tries to seduce him.

 

• Directed by: Riccardo Freda; Mario Bava (uncredited)
• Writer: Piero Regnoli, Mario Bava (as Rijk Sijöstrom), Riccardo Freda
• Cinematographer: Mario Bava (director of photography)
• Selected Cast:
  • Gianna Maria Canale as Giselle du Grand / Margherita du Grand
  • Carlo D’Angelo as L’ispettore Chantal (credited as Carlo d’Angelo)
  • Dario Michaelis as Pierre Lantin
  • Wandisa Guida as Laurette Robert
  • Angelo Galassi as Ronald Fontaine (as Angiolo Galassi)
  • Renato Tontini as L’assistente del professore Grand
  • Charles Fawcett as Signor Robert
  • Gisella Mancinotti as Amica di Laurette
  • Miranda Campa as Signora Robert
  • Antoine Balpêtré as Professor Julien du Grand (credited as Antoine Balpetré de la Comédie Française)
  • Paul Muller as Joseph Signoret
  • Riccardo Freda as Il dottore (uncredited)

When Riccardo Freda bet that he could complete a movie in twelve days and came up short, Mario Bava, already serving as the film’s cinematographer, was tagged to close out the directing duties. The result is I Vampiri (1957, Lust of the Vampire), an atmospheric, gothic film that carries the earmarks of Freda’s skill and Bava’s promise. There’s no “vampire” as such, but the shadow of Elizabeth Bathory looms large over this tale. Your Classic Era Grue Crew, with guest Bill Milligan, are wowed by much of I VAMPIRI, not the least of which is the special effects. There is much to talk about. 

At the time of this writing, I Vampiri is available to stream from YouTube.

Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror: The Classic Era records a new episode every two weeks. Up next in their very flexible schedule, as chosen by Chad, is The Gorilla (1939), in which The Ritz Brothers (Jimmy, Harry, & Al) are hired to find a killer known as “The Gorilla,” only to run into a “real” gorilla. And, oh yeah, Bela Lugosi and Lionel Atwill. Shenanigans ensue in this horror comedy. SHENANIGANS we tell you! 

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To each of you from each of them, “Thank you so much for watching and listening!”