La sangre de Nostradamus (1962) User Reviews

Talky, but....

[Ged-12 · 4/10 · 23 January 2001]

I've not seen many Mexican horror movies, although as a youngster stills printed in Famous Monsters only added to my excitement. I understand that this movie is an edited cut down of the final three episodes of a twelve part serial. All right it's very talky, but there's some very nice use of shadows and a fairly exciting climax, in fact I would like to see the remaining features edited from this serial!

Last of the Nostradamus quartet

[kevinolzak · 4/10 · 7 October 2019]

1959's "The Blood of Nostradamus" marked the finale to the quartet of films starring Mexico's most famous vampire actor German Robles, preceded by "The Curse of Nostradamus," "The Monsters Demolisher" and "The Genie of Darkness." The narrative running through them all is that Nostradamus is the undead son of the original 15th century French seer, conducting a reign of terror against an elderly professor belonging to a society of non believers. Unlike his clean shaven Count Lavud from "The Vampire" ("El Vampiro") and "The Vampire's Coffin," the actor's Nostradamus cuts a dapper, striking figure in his goatee and homburg, and there's a measure of fun to be had whenever he's on screen, but the less said about his hunchback assistant the better, K. Gordon Murray's decision to use the dumbest, most grating voice possible destroying much of the atmosphere from every sequence in the crypt. Seeking vindication for his illustrious ancestor by proving his supernatural powers to the professor only results in everyone out to get the old bat, believing that by removing the ashes of his ancestors from his coffin they ensure his demise at sunrise, only to find that the ashes belonged to someone else that the vampire had killed. Like previous entries the choppy storyline is split into several parts, the chief of police targeted by Nostradamus, who needs only the darkness of an eclipse to ensure success, then a singer in an adult cabaret actually suffers the vampire's bite as witnessed by the professor's daughter, the next to die also resulting in the hunchback falling to his death. The final portion lurches into science fiction, a combination of power cells electromagnetically producing sonic waves that disable Nostradamus, but not before he drives the citizens on an all out assault on the laboratory to destroy both the professor and his work. The vampire is able to escape his adversaries in bat form but finally meets his doom at the end of the sword cane belonging to his deceased enemy Igor, which was used to destroy a zombie/vampire servant at the conclusion of "The Monsters Demolisher" (played by Jack Taylor, his back broken in "The Genie of Darkness" by the hunchback wearing a Bob Denver/Gilligan sailors cap). Certainly the end was a long time in coming if indeed it was intended as a 12 chapter serial, later refuted by Robles, and also the longest of the entire series at 83 minutes. Most viewers opine that this is the weakest of the four but that's a matter of conjecture, none are truly outstanding and for the most part Nostradamus doesn't get much to do besides make pronouncements like his real life namesake, but Robles cemented his reputation as one of the screen's most indelible vampires, never to play another due to the shady nature of these productions (he does turn up in "The Brainiac" and "The Living Head," however). One misses Jack Taylor, yet it's a genuine surprise that his character laid the groundwork to finally dispose of the pesky bloodsucker, while Domingo Soler as the dogged old professor died in June 1961, well before any of these features finally saw release.

The Last, Least, and Longest of the Series

[newportbosco · 5/10 · 17 November 2010]

=Last chance...I'm going to discuss how this movie ends in pretty big detail, so if you don't want to know, stop RIGHT NOW=

I don't know why, but there's a huge drop in quality between number three of the series (THE GENII OF DARKNESS) and this one.

The biggest change is in Ruby Guberman's dialogue. Guberman wrote the English version of these movies for K. Gordon Murray who imported them from Mexico and released them stateside. It was intended first and foremost to look natural coming out of the actors mouths. A faithful translation didn't just take a backseat, it was often tossed right out the window. Usually Guberman's results are berserk and rapid fire..and a total joy to listen to. This time they almost qualify as pedestrian. There doesn't seem to be the sense of mayhem and fun you had before.

PART of this has to go back to the original script and plot Guberman had to work with. This time, the original story line tried to make Igor more likable before he is killed.

Mistake.

Igor should have been allowed to stay nasty...you had a genuine sense of MENACE before.

Big chunks of plot also seem to be missing. I know, I know..this is A Mexican VAMPIRE movie, based on the last three chapters of a 12 chapter serial. I'm NOT complaining about stuff like the chief of police showing up for a potential riot with just his gun...THOSE lapses in logic you savor ..but you still need continuity.. For instance, WHY Igor's cane should be anymore effective to kill Nostradamus then, say, Col Sanders' cane would be. Nostradamus doesn't mention it as anything special..a lot of the time, Igor doesn't even USE the thing. Suddenly in the last scene it's THE thing to stick through the heart of the rubber bat Nostradamus turns into.

How did Dolan know Nostradamus was after the singer? How come Nostradamus was SURPRISED when Dolan shows up? What did Nostradamus EXPECT? Dolan not to bug him on his night out on the town?

The film is also quieter then the others. There's a sort of Greek chorus of stock music that used to chime in whenever anything happened previously in the first three films. This time you get long long stretches where you only hear the echoes of the Foley artist as he creates shoes walking across lab floors.

Also silent is Nostradamus' dead dad. He looks like Willie Nelson, and Nostradamus evokes his aid from The Great Beyond underground at his tomb. The camera sticks on dad, but you don't HEAR anything. Nostradamus REPLIES to whatever dad DIDN'T say, but still nothing. Dad just stares into the camera. Annoying, since he talked up a storm in the first film. I don't know if that was a fault of the original print or with K Gordon Murray, but it wouldn't have killed Guberman to ad lib something if the original soundtrack had somehow been erased.

Why didn't they? Too little time? Too little money? Both?

The movies also just HALTS dead in it's tracks...Dolan is saved from being burned at the stake by a priest and Nostradamus is killed with Igor's cane...and then you get about 2 minutes of SILENCE.

No music, no crowd noises, just SILENCE. Everyone drops their torches and goes home. That's ALL.

But there ARE good points to BLOOD OF NOSTRADAMUS as well. It's worth at least a rental.

The chief of police (first victim) looks and acts like Ming the Merciless mixed with Charles Manson. It's HIS idea to combat death threats by staying up all night with his trigger happy men and getting blind drunk. (Wait for the fine examples of gun safety as they toss revolvers around like pizza plates.) The discovery of Nostradamus as a vampire by the singer (second victim) is well done. One of the guys who drags Dolan to the stake looks sort of like George Foreman. Nostradamus' set is atmospheric as always. Nostradamus himself can still stick his eyes out further then anyone else this side of The Coyote in the Roadrunner cartoons. The vampire attacks and the amount of blood are still very well done for their time.

In the end, this is not BAD K Gordon Murray as much as it is not as GOOD as what you've seen before. If you only have time and money for the best, get the second and third films in the series. (MONSTER'S DEMOLISHER, GENII OF DARKNESS) BUT if you have gone through the other three, have a look at this one by all means.

You just might not want to BUY it.

Bites the big burrito

[evilskip · 3/10 · 16 March 2001]

Aye caramba this is the fourth and last movie in the Nostradamus series.While the other three move along a little better and have their moments this one is tedious.It should have been called Boredom Of Nostradamus.

Nostradamus vows to kill the police chief.For once we should help because this guy is a stone jerk.He gathers all of his men to spend the night at the station to keep him alive.Well they do and he survives the night.They get rip roaring drunk and a solar eclipse occurs.This allows Nostradamus to sneak in and convince the man one of his men is going to kill him.There is a shoot out and the top cop bites the big burrito.

Nostradamus then targets an actress to be killed.Professor Dolan's daughter witnesses the murder.The vampire is about to put the bite on her when Tony (Dolan's assistant) shoos him away.

The vampire gets angry and targets one of Dolan's friends to die.The man hides out in a church which keeps Nostradamus from locating him.Leo the hunchback finds him and kills him.Tony blows away the hunchback.This really angers Nostradamus.He discredits the professor to the point where the villagers drag him from his home and are fixing to burn him at the stake.

Will Nostradamus win?Will the professor be burned alive?If so, how done would you like the ribs?Will you even be awake to care?

Part four

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 6 July 2020]

After three films - The Curse of Nostradamus, The Monsters Demolisher and The Genie of Darkness - we have arrived at the end of our tale, where the society to eliminate superstition must rise up against what we're to assume is the son of the seer Nostradamus (although this is disputed in this series, depending on where you come in).

The good guys are about as intelligent and effective as a bunch of cops in a giallo film, as they think that by removing the ashes of Nostradamus' ancestors from his coffin that he will die at sunrise. He just laughs and tells them that are the ashes of someone else he killed. Yes, he sleeps surrounded by the sooty remains of those he has killed before. You go, Nostradamus. You go.

Somehow, the good morons manage to kill off the hunchback and get their hands on a sonic weapon, which does some damage to the vampire before the sword cane of Igor - remember that dude who died and it was kind of a shock? - poetically is used to stake Nostradamus while in bat form.

I don't know if you should watch all four of these movies in one day, but then again, I've also watched around fifty Mexican horror movies in the last few weeks, so I may be muy macho when it comes to watching peliculas de terror.

Good Mexican Horror film

[vtcavuoto · 7/10 · 21 April 2007]

"Blood of Nostradamus" is a Mexican vampire film imported by K. Gordon Murray. It was dubbed into English for release. This is one of several films in the series. This film follows the typical vampire lore. The cinematography is good, the dubbing is decent and there are some nice scenes that provide atmosphere.I liked the scenes where the vampire bites one of his victims-it really looks like the fangs penetrate the neck and another of the vampire Nostradamus playing the violin in his crypt while we see shadows of his dead relations dancing upon the wall. Nostradamus is the son of his famous father, whose coffin is in the same crypt. The main story line is Nostradamus fighting against a Van Helsing-like character, Professor Dolan. The ending of the film is unique in that a stake destroys Nostradamus while he is in bat form. A film that is worth watching.

Mexican vampire movies are more about atmosphere and cater to populist superstition

[nadase · 6/10 · 6 November 2014]

Just saw the last film installment (from the original 12-part serial) on DirecTV on the Spanish film network, Cine Nostalgia. For some reason the serial may no longer exist as the producers edited it into four feature-length segments, the first three are called, "La Maldicion de Nostradamus" (The Curse of Nostradamus)Pt. 1, 2 and 3. The fourth and last installment is titled "La Sangre de Nostradamus" (The blood {line?} of Nostradamus). Sadly, perhaps due to the editing, the films seem to suffer from incoherent, almost ad-libbed story lines, although one sees these noir, black and white films for atmosphere, more than the thrills and horror (very little of that). What fascinated me about "Sangre" were Nostradamus's tragic sociological comments that seem to have been echoed in Jacques Ellul's seminal, 1962 classic, *The Technological Society*! Essentially, Nostradamus (a Count of sorts, royalty, as in "divine rights," etc.) "represents"/symbolizes old throwback, hierarchical, medieval, pre-scientific man, who knew his place in the cosmos and human hierarchy. Pre-scientific method man respected custom, tradition and with reason (within this worldview) feared the powerful, unreasoning unknown and blind fate. Dr. Duran, the scientist, champion of the "scientific method" and modern technology and enemy of superstition (even religion?) is Nostradamus's sworn enemy. Duran and his assistant default into "vampire hunters." The problem arises when nobody in Duran's circle of scientists, including the modern detection-method police, believe in silly, throw-back, "mob superstitions" which Nostradamus personifies! The mob and the new, rising middle-classes (the bourgeoisie) have to learn to leave behind the forces of irrationality and embrace science and modernity ("technique" or modern, soul/creativity-killing efficiencies, according to Ellul). One can see how this parable of Nostradamus vs. Dr. Duran (duran is a pun on "remains"/"lasts" as in "outlasts"/dies hard) plays out. Nostradamus may in this context also be a pun of sorts. Nuestro = "ours, what belongs to us"; damos = "we give, we surrender, we relinquish." In essence, we surrender or give of ourselves {our souls} when we submit to technology, its efficiencies and modernity in general) The college-educated, scientific mind of Dr. Duran and friends remain persuaded that science and its methods will win adherents by virtue of its fact-and-proof based objectivity. Nostradamus wants to have the last word, using superstition, fear, magic and hypnotism. In essence, this story-line is a duel between world-views. That said, back to the plot. SPOILER ALERT, SPOILER ALERT, SPOILER ALERT!!! Nostradamus frames Duran at two levels: Since no one in Duran's circle believes in vampires, and no one has seen them, Duran is denounced by his scientific peers and the police as delusional! Every one of Nostradamus *predicted* murders has a "perfectly logical explanation" (shades of Dana Andrews/Jacques Tourneur's "Curse/Night of the Demon!") which tend to discredit Duran. The plot comes to a head when Duran gets "blamed" for the deaths--as they occurred when he started spreading the word about them. Yep, blame the messenger! But more insidiously, as Nostradamus is a master of hypnosis and ostensibly mass-hypnosis, hysteria, he riles the mob--joined by the bourgeoisie--to blame Duran and his science for the rash of deaths, to rise against Duran, his "lethal" science, to destroy Duran's lab and burn Duran at the stake. All of this happens just as Duran has finally perfected an invention in his Edison-like lab that will stop Nostradamus in his tracks and free the people from the scourge of the medieval world view and its values... After that... Sociological comments. Recall Mexico may be a unique cultural hybrid. The Spaniards who conquered it back in the early 16 century descended from Goths and Moslems who had been at each other's throats for 700 years. The Spanish Inquisition was vicious toward modernity and challenges to its theology, rules, and hierarchies. The moors had severe gender-segregation rules in place. These customs were transplanted in Mexico where the Inquisition and royalist rule ran roughshod over the Indians and mestizos. Native beliefs and superstitions went underground and merged with European superstition. Thus, science did not advance unless it clearly demonstrated its profitability. In between the Mexican economic wars, the 1812 rebellion against Spain and the 1910 civil war against the abusive landholding class typical, poor, ignorant Mexicans and peasants were kept docile and submissive with massive doses of religious superstition. Turn of the century "cientificos" (scientific thinkers, policy-making intellectuals) wanted to end this reign of error and fear and modernize Mexico but still keep it as a military/corporate dictatorship! Hence, the uniquely "cultural" and historical appeal of the Nostradamus movies in Mexico. Thus, "evil" Nostradamus represents subjectivity, the "dictatorship of superstition"; "benevolent" Duran the dictatorship of *militarized* efficient science. Guess which side won?