We're down in the graveyard at midnight as two men - a Doctor and his disreputable hired hand - carry away a coffin containing the body of one Count Lavud (Germán Robles). For the Doctor, the object of this exercise can be filed under 'Medical advancement', while filthy lucre is the motivation for the 'dark half' of this temporary partnership. With their dark deed acomplished, the pair find Lavud is no longer out for the count, spending the hours of darkness in pursuit of a bride while the rest of the cast trail in his wake.
Despite an appropriately atmospheric opening, The Vampire's Coffin soon disolves into a combination of missed opportunities and lame humour, only rallying for an unholy wedding ceremony near the end. There is one priceless scene, where Salazar reports to his hospital administrator that:
A) He's stolen a cadaver
B) The body is missing
C) It's a vampire
Apart from that, it's a long haul to the finale where we see a nifty game of cat and mouse in a wax museum: exhibits include Madame Guillotine, a bloodless Virgin Of Nuremburg and a silent figure that anticipates Black Sunday's Javutich, who was still a couple of years down the line. Check out the bat on strings, and allow yourself a chuckle as Lavud (just like Helena Markos in Suspiria) fails to keep his eye on the ball.
