Atom Age Vampire
Encyclopedia
Atom Age Vampire is a 1963
black-and-white Italian
horror
/science fiction film
directed by Anton Giulio Majano
and starring Alberto Lupo
.
Despite the implication of its American
title, the film does not feature an actual vampire. The titular Seddok is actually the brilliant but deranged scientist Dr. Levin, mutated by a chemical formula created using radiation. Dr. Levin studied the effects of radiation on living tissue in post-Hiroshima
Japan, and created an imperfect and teratogenic serum, "Derma 25", which he later refined into the miraculous healing agent "Derma 28" which he uses to treat the heroine. When his supply of Derma 28 runs out, he realizes he must kill to obtain more, and injects himself with Derma 25 in order to become monstrous and remorseless, so that he may seek these victims without hesitation. Because many of the murders take place near the docks where shiploads of Japanese refugees are arriving, and leave behind the victims' bodies with holes in the neck where Dr. Levin has extracted the glands, the refugees claim that a vampire (whom they call "Seddok", though this is not a Japanese name) is responsible for the attacks. During a meeting with police, a restored-to-humanity Dr. Levin speculates that the Hiroshima survivors' tales of a mutated killer are due to psychological strain from the radiation damage to their bodies...but also wonders aloud whether the "vampire" these witnesses describe might simply be a disturbed man wishing to be normal again.
on May 29, 1963, over two years after its 1960 production and original 1961 premiere in Italy. The running time of the Italian version was 105 minutes, but in its 1963 U.S. theatrical run, the film was shorn of 18 minutes, clocking in at 87 minutes. It lost an additional 15 to 18 minutes by the time it was released on videocassette and DVD, where the timing is generally given as 69 or 72 minutes. This public domain film has had a number of DVD releases, the earliest coming on March 20, 2001, paired with the unrelated U.S. horror/suspense title, Bloodlust!
.
Although no 105 minute print has ever been found, it is believed by some that the 105 minute running time was because the deleted VHS release on Acme Video stated a run time of ±105 Mins. (when it meant 1 Hour and 5 Minutes).
1963 in film
The year 1963 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* June 12 - Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rex Harrison and Richard Burton premieres at the Rivoli Theatre in New York City....
black-and-white Italian
Cinema of Italy
The history of Italian cinema began just a few months after the Lumière brothers had patented their Cinematographe, when Pope Leo XIII was filmed for a few seconds in the act of blessing the camera.-Early years:...
horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
/science fiction film
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
directed by Anton Giulio Majano
Anton Giulio Majano
Anton Giulio Majano was an Italian screenwriter and film director. His career spanned from 1937 to 1986.-Selected filmography:* Un giorno nella vita * The Eternal Chain * Atom Age Vampire...
and starring Alberto Lupo
Alberto Lupo
Alberto Lupo was an Italian film and television actor best known for his roles in swash-buckling and actions films of the 1960s....
.
Plot
When a singer (Susanne Loret) is horribly disfigured in a car accident, a scientist (Alberto Lupo) develops a treatment which can restore her beauty by injecting her with a special serum. While performing the procedure, however, he falls in love with her. As the treatment begins to fail, he determines to save her appearance, regardless of how many women he must kill for her sake.Despite the implication of its American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
title, the film does not feature an actual vampire. The titular Seddok is actually the brilliant but deranged scientist Dr. Levin, mutated by a chemical formula created using radiation. Dr. Levin studied the effects of radiation on living tissue in post-Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
Japan, and created an imperfect and teratogenic serum, "Derma 25", which he later refined into the miraculous healing agent "Derma 28" which he uses to treat the heroine. When his supply of Derma 28 runs out, he realizes he must kill to obtain more, and injects himself with Derma 25 in order to become monstrous and remorseless, so that he may seek these victims without hesitation. Because many of the murders take place near the docks where shiploads of Japanese refugees are arriving, and leave behind the victims' bodies with holes in the neck where Dr. Levin has extracted the glands, the refugees claim that a vampire (whom they call "Seddok", though this is not a Japanese name) is responsible for the attacks. During a meeting with police, a restored-to-humanity Dr. Levin speculates that the Hiroshima survivors' tales of a mutated killer are due to psychological strain from the radiation damage to their bodies...but also wonders aloud whether the "vampire" these witnesses describe might simply be a disturbed man wishing to be normal again.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Alberto Lupo Alberto Lupo Alberto Lupo was an Italian film and television actor best known for his roles in swash-buckling and actions films of the 1960s.... |
Prof. Alberto Levin |
| Susanne Loret | Jeanette Moreneau |
| Sergio Fantoni Sergio Fantoni Sergio Fantoni, is an Italian actor.He was born in Rome, the son of actor Cesare Fantoni . In films from the late 1940s, he has worked mainly in his own country but made several appearances in American films in the 1960s, most notably opposite Frank Sinatra in the war film Von Ryan's Express,... |
Pierre Mornet |
| Franca Parisi | Monique Riviere |
| Andrea Scotti | |
| Rina Franchetti | |
| Roberto Bertea | Sacha |
| Ivo Garrani Ivo Garrani Ivo Garrani is an Italian actor. In films since 1952, Garrani is possibly best known for his role as Prince Vajda in Mario Bava's Black Sunday .-External links:... |
|
| Glamor Mora | |
| Gianna Piaz |
Technical details, premiere dates, running time and DVD release
Atom Age Vampire was filmed in 1.66:1 aspect ratio on 35-millimeter film and was first shown in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on May 29, 1963, over two years after its 1960 production and original 1961 premiere in Italy. The running time of the Italian version was 105 minutes, but in its 1963 U.S. theatrical run, the film was shorn of 18 minutes, clocking in at 87 minutes. It lost an additional 15 to 18 minutes by the time it was released on videocassette and DVD, where the timing is generally given as 69 or 72 minutes. This public domain film has had a number of DVD releases, the earliest coming on March 20, 2001, paired with the unrelated U.S. horror/suspense title, Bloodlust!
Bloodlust!
Bloodlust! is a horror/thriller film about a group of young adults who visit a tropical island only to become prey for a sadistic hunter. Filmed in 1959 and released in 1961, the feature was picked up for cinema release by Crown International Pictures...
.
Although no 105 minute print has ever been found, it is believed by some that the 105 minute running time was because the deleted VHS release on Acme Video stated a run time of ±105 Mins. (when it meant 1 Hour and 5 Minutes).
External links
- Watch "Atom Age Vampire" on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Watch "Atom Age Vampire" on Google VideoGoogle VideoGoogle Videos is a video search engine, and formerly a free video sharing website, from Google Inc. Before removing user-uploaded content, the service allowed selected videos to be remotely embedded on other websites and provided the necessary HTML code alongside the media, similar to YouTube...
- PAu001073690 / 1987-11-25 - US copyright record for new material "Previous Registration: Preexisting material: old photos. and original film.", 'Basis of Claim: New Matter: "narration and editing."'