(248) CURSE OF NOSTRADAMUS (1961-62) 4 Movies w/German Robles
5019DVD
THE
COMPLETE FOUR FILM COLLECTION IN ENGLISH
IN A SPECIAL 4 DISC PACKAGE
1
THE CURSE OF NOSTRADAMUS
[LA MALDICION DE NOSTRADAMUS] 1961
2 THE MONSTER DESTROYER [NOSTRADAMUS Y EL DESTRUCTOR
DE MONSTROUS] 1961
3 THE GENIE OF DARKNESS [NOSTRADAMUS EL GENIO
TINIEBLAS] 1962
4 THE BLOOD OF NOSTRADAMUS [LA SANGRE DE NOSTRADAMUS] 1962
director: Federico Curiel
starring: German Robles · Julio Aleman · Jack Tayor [as Grek Martin]
· Domingo Soler · Aurora Alvarado
OVERVIEW:
Ericson Nostradamus is son of the famous 17th Century prophet Nostradamus.
He is also a vampire, plagued with the realization that his family name
has been tarnished by 'today's intellectuals.' He attempts to convince
Professor Dolan [chairman of the Society For Abolishment of Superstition]
to embrace the Nostradamus legacy. But the scientist refuses. The vampire
recoils with a murderous threat of extortion: publicly acknowledge the
legitimacy of Nostradamus [and the existence of vampires, as well] or
be responsible for the death of 13 innocent people including Dr Dolan
himself.
In
the First Episode, an aristocratic vampire [the son of Nostradamus]
plans to eliminate the enemies of his father and all those who refuse
to respect the legacy. He furthers his threat by prophesying each death
days prior. Professor Dolan and assistant Antonio try unsuccessfully
to stop the carnage. For Part 2, Jack Taylor joins the cast as
mysterious vampire hunter Count Igor. He and Dr Dolan attempt to put
an end to Nostradamus' reign of terror. In #3, after the death
of Count Igor, some locals open the coffin of Nostradamus and steal
the ashes. But they soon discover this does not stop the vampire. And
in the final film, the chief of police is targeted by Nostradamus.
Despite squad protection, he's killed anyway. Next, a singer in an adult
cabaret is attacked and suffers the vampire's bite (the only scene of
blood drinking in the series) [see pic, above left]. Tensions mount
when the professor's daughter is earmarked as the next victim, leading
to confrontation in Ericson's castle.
There
is some mystery surrounding these four movies. For numerous years - in
many different horror reference books - it's been written "this was
originally a Mexican TV series edited into four films by American producer
K. Gordon Murray marketed to USA television in the mid '60s." However,
this may not be accurate. Mexican movie posters exist for each of these
four films [see pics at the top of this page] and lead actor German Robles
leveled a lawsuit against the producer in 1964 claiming he had "only
been contracted to make one movie and his work was spread into four productions."
Mr Robles (who also played a blood-sucker in the earlier VAMPIRO)
was so upset by the trickery that he'd never again reprise the role [although
he did appear as a companion to Mil Mascaras in VAMPIRES
OF COYOACAN]. It's all a bit confusing. Was this actually a televised
serial in Mexico, a serial for theaters, or a movie with three sequels?
Regardless of the answer, it can now be seen and appreciated as a collection
of four films. Interestingly, K. Gordon Murray - known for dubbing and
releasing numerous Mexican projects to the American market - was also
criticized for taking unnecessary liberties with the movies, often changing
the storyline with lengthy edits, newly-shot footage and whimsical 'translations.'
But, to his credit, these four films were reproduced intact and the English
dub is surprisingly accurate and well done.
Four
Mexican films in English language; fullscreen format, 315 minutes,
DVD encoded for ALL REGION NTSC WORLD FORMAT. On four DVDs.
