TCM's Osborne Gives HODS a Nice Intro

It was cool to see it on, becasue the next day the wife and I were driving up to MA and stopped to check out the Lyndhurst estate. No time to investigate Spratt House ruins, but a fun little field trip.

"The Return of the Vampire" had a wonderfully spooky graveyard set in the film.  I wonder if the Dark Shadows set designers were inspired by that highly-underrated Bela Lugosi film, when they designed the Eagle Hill Cemetery set?   

Bob the Bartender, I thought the same thing!  I also see a similarity between the mausoleum that contained Tessla's coffin and the secret room of the Collins mausoleum, though the former's opened to the outside whereas Barn's has the anteroom.  And the first thing we see as Lugosi comes out of his coffin is the hand wearing one large ring, which becomes important to the plot, though it's actually worn on his ring finger.

Midnite,  yes that mausoleum in the film did look very much like the secret room on Dark Shadows.

I loved the part in the film, when that Nazi plane bombed the cemetery and literally kayoed Tessla the vampire.  I wonder if an American B-52 bomber ever accidentally dropped a bomb on the Collins mausoleum as Barnabas was about to bite Maggie, would Barnabas too have been completely kayoed like Tessla was?

And, what about Andreas (sp?), the werewolf/slave of Tessla?  Andreas was the first (and only) speaking werewolf, I've ever seen in a horror film.  As I remember, Lon Chaney, Jr., Michael Landon, Oliver Reed and James Naughton all snarled in their respective werewolf fillms!   

Midnite,  yes that mausoleum in the film did look very much like the secret room on Dark Shadows.

I loved the part in the film, when that Nazi plane bombed the cemetery and literally kayoed Tessla the vampire.  I wonder if an American B-52 bomber ever accidentally dropped a bomb on the Collins mausoleum as Barnabas was about to bite Maggie, would Barnabas too have been completely kayoed like Tessla was?

And, what about Andreas (sp?), the werewolf/slave of Tessla?  Andreas was the first (and only) speaking werewolf, I've ever seen in a horror film.  As I remember, Lon Chaney, Jr., Michael Landon, Oliver Reed and James Naughton all snarled in their respective werewolf fillms!   

Great list of werewolves!  (Except you meant brother David; James "Nexium" Naughton was one of young Midnite's crushes.  Oh hell, he still is!   )

Coincidentally, "The Return of the Vampire" is screening in Santa Monica tonight (Aero Theatre, along with "Fearless Vampire Killers") at the same start time as the DS Halloween event at the Vista.  The double feature costs $10 vs. $20 for the DS event.  I hope I chose wisely.  

BTW, I was so shocked when Osborne mentioned that Lugosi only played a vampire 3 times-- the movie we're talking about, Dracula, and Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein.  (Mark of the Vampire does not count. )  That's only once more than J Frid played a vampire!

I suppose he means three separate characterizations?  Lugosi was Count Dracula in ACMF and then the original movie.  The other vampire creations were under a different name if my memory serves correctly.  Lugosi played Count Dracula in a few revivals on the road.

Nancy

BTW, I was so shocked when Osborne mentioned that Lugosi only played a vampire 3 times-- the movie we're talking about, Dracula, and Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein.  (Mark of the Vampire does not count. )  That's only once more than J Frid played a vampire!

I suppose he means three separate characterizations?  Lugosi was Count Dracula in ACMF and then the original movie.  The other vampire creations were under a different name if my memory serves correctly.  Lugosi played Count Dracula in a few revivals on the road.

He was referring to his portrayal of a vampire in movies.  Sorry, I forgot to mention "movies".  He played Dracula twice, and Tessla once-- just 3 times as a vampire.  Christopher Lee played Dracula in something like 10 movies.

"The Return of the Vampire" had a wonderfully spooky graveyard set in the film.  I wonder if the Dark Shadows set designers were inspired by that highly-underrated Bela Lugosi film, when they designed the Eagle Hill Cemetery set?   

It's pretty interesting how Armand Tesler is unearthed in this picture. Like a graveyard is a vital military installation to bomb. Cracks me up every time.

"Andreas, you are a fool. A complete and utter fool!"