Let's be realistic.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

The monster here is really more of a "Jekyll-Hyde" or "Werewolf" character, although I supposed its need for blood, the fact that the medicine that created him came from vampire bats. and the puncture marks the monster leaves on its victims necks allow the movie to go with "The Vampire". So we'll let that pass. There's a lot to appreciate about this over-looked "monster" movie about a man mutated by science gone wrong into a blood-thirsty fiend, and, of course, the rock-jawed handsome law-man who tracks him down. It's well staged, well acted, and has an element of tragedy in the fate of a well meaning and devoted doctor whose life is ruined by a series of happenstances that no one could have foreseen. Because the doctor is so likable, the screen play becomes more than a bit uncomfortable, because it is obvious from the very beginning that there is no hope for a cure (even before the experts figure out what the issue is) and the character's growing realization about his fate is well portrayed. (And he really did deserve better).Unusual feel for a monster movie, and a fresh take on the idea of vampirism. Really well done.

Dr. Paul Beecher asked his daughter one night to get him some aspirin out of his coat pocket. She did as he asked but she gave him the wrong pills accidentally - he had forgotten the other pills where still in his coat pocket. The other pills were experimental - a way to regress humans in hopes to reverse them into something that could help humans progress. These regression pills that Dr. Paul Beecher took were made from blood of a vampire bat that turn him into "The Vampire".This is a fun vampire film that has a slightly different twist. It's entertaining to those that enjoy the older styles of horror films.6.5/10

More unseen than underrated, this is a well acted Movie that is odd and quite engaging. A misleading Title because it has little to do with typical Vampire lore. This is a chemically induced modern incarnation of the Myth that can be read as a take on Drug Addiction as much as anything else.it is at times heartbreaking, and manages to be unconventional and empathetic. Suffering from a low-budget it emerges from the restraint by believable Characters and effective suspense. The Creep Factor is present throughout and the fine Cast rises above this throw-away Movie and delivers a surprising realism that is not usually found in this type of Product.A forgotten and until recently hard to find Film, it deserves a look for its offbeat and sincere attempt to make this much more than it should have been.

Kindly small town physician Dr. John Beecher (a fine and likable performance by John Beal) gets transformed into a vicious predatory vampire after mistakenly taking an experimental drug made from the blood of vampire bats. Director Francis Lederer relates the engrossing story in an admirably taut and straightforward manner and neatly grounds the fantastic premise in a believable quiet small town setting, but unfortunately fails to generate much in the way of either suspense or creepy atmosphere. Moreover, the vampire make-up is regrettably shoddy and the pace a touch too slow. That said, this film still delivers a few tense and thrilling moments such as when Beecher chases after his loyal nurse Carol Butler (well played by the lovely Coleen Gray) through the dark streets. The climax is likewise quite exciting. Pat Fielder's concise and offbeat script offers a fresh and inspired non-Gothic modern scientific take on vampirism. The sound acting by a sturdy cast helps a lot: Beal makes for a sympathetic anguished protagonist, Kenneth Tobey is in typically fine form as the stalwart Sheriff Buck Donnelly, plus there are nice turns by Dabbs Greer as the cheery Dr. Will Beaumont, Ann Stanton as the terrified Marion Williams, and James Griffith as the aloof Dr. Henry Winston. Jack MacKenzie's crisp black and white cinematography boasts several graceful fades and dissolves. Gerald Fried's spirited shivery score does the shuddery trick. A rather flawed, but overall still solid and enjoyable movie.