This was one of 3 popular Italian films dealing with bloodsuckers (all starring the brooding-but-bland Walter Brandi) from the county's initial Gothic Horror outburst. Some years back, I had watched (and was not exactly impressed by) Renato Polselli's THE VAMPIRE AND THE BALLERINA (1960) – having now caught up with the other two in quick succession, I can see that their reputation has more to do with nostalgia than anything else
or, if you like, for providing a quaint alternative to the contemporaneous Mexican/Hammer model!
As can be gleaned from the title, this sees a group of entertainers (incidentally, their sleazy yet awkwardly-choreographed routines – and especially the taskmaster's own over-eagerness – are positively embarrassing to watch!) stranded on a stormy night and who manage to find shelter in a remote ancient castle (despite being specifically told not to go there!). Unsurprisingly, one of the many dancers in the troupe proves to be a dead-ringer for the host (Brandi)'s long-lost love!; likewise, while they are warned not to wander about at night, the liveliest lady among them disobeys orders and (apparently) pays the price with her life! However, since it transpires that she was bitten by a vampire, the girl is soon seeking her own victims – and she settles upon the comic-relief manager (played by Alfredo Rizzo, later director of the even worse THE BLOODSUCKER LEADS THE DANCE [1975], which is actually a period Giallo!) who used to give her a hard time. Though she fumbles the attempt, the scene is a striking one because she turns up completely naked before him and, in fact, stays that way for the rest of the duration (though, of course, this being the early 1960s still, we are actually shown very little except brief glimpses of her breasts)!
As for Brandi, it is eventually revealed that he plays two roles: the afore-mentioned aristocrat/castle owner and the rampaging vampire (presumably his revived ancestor). However, the former also dabbles in Science in an effort to cure the latter of his curse! The film definitely scores a few points on atmosphere (particularly the very first wraith-like appearance of the bloodsucker, predating by two years Herk Harvey's in his own CARNIVAL OF SOULS, hiding from the heroine's sight by the cemetery) and the climax – with the vampire first bloodily disposing of the jealous undead dancer and, then, the Brandis facing it off in the family crypt (where the tombs are adorned by a life-size engraving of their respective occupants!).
Though, at one point, the leading-lady is herself 'infected', there is the expected happy ending: she leaves with the troupe, who had conveniently exited the picture during its last act, until it is time for the hero (needless to say, the two have fallen for one another) to join her. For the record, director Regnoli was more usually credited as scriptwriter but, recently, I did catch a not-too-bad noir of his (with mild horror trimmings) from the same year i.e. I'LL SEE YOU IN HELL.
As can be gleaned from the title, this sees a group of entertainers (incidentally, their sleazy yet awkwardly-choreographed routines – and especially the taskmaster's own over-eagerness – are positively embarrassing to watch!) stranded on a stormy night and who manage to find shelter in a remote ancient castle (despite being specifically told not to go there!). Unsurprisingly, one of the many dancers in the troupe proves to be a dead-ringer for the host (Brandi)'s long-lost love!; likewise, while they are warned not to wander about at night, the liveliest lady among them disobeys orders and (apparently) pays the price with her life! However, since it transpires that she was bitten by a vampire, the girl is soon seeking her own victims – and she settles upon the comic-relief manager (played by Alfredo Rizzo, later director of the even worse THE BLOODSUCKER LEADS THE DANCE [1975], which is actually a period Giallo!) who used to give her a hard time. Though she fumbles the attempt, the scene is a striking one because she turns up completely naked before him and, in fact, stays that way for the rest of the duration (though, of course, this being the early 1960s still, we are actually shown very little except brief glimpses of her breasts)!
As for Brandi, it is eventually revealed that he plays two roles: the afore-mentioned aristocrat/castle owner and the rampaging vampire (presumably his revived ancestor). However, the former also dabbles in Science in an effort to cure the latter of his curse! The film definitely scores a few points on atmosphere (particularly the very first wraith-like appearance of the bloodsucker, predating by two years Herk Harvey's in his own CARNIVAL OF SOULS, hiding from the heroine's sight by the cemetery) and the climax – with the vampire first bloodily disposing of the jealous undead dancer and, then, the Brandis facing it off in the family crypt (where the tombs are adorned by a life-size engraving of their respective occupants!).
Though, at one point, the leading-lady is herself 'infected', there is the expected happy ending: she leaves with the troupe, who had conveniently exited the picture during its last act, until it is time for the hero (needless to say, the two have fallen for one another) to join her. For the record, director Regnoli was more usually credited as scriptwriter but, recently, I did catch a not-too-bad noir of his (with mild horror trimmings) from the same year i.e. I'LL SEE YOU IN HELL.