El ataúd del Vampiro
NOTE: Sequel to "El Vampiro" (1957)Doctor Mendoza [Carlos Ancira] has heard so much about the vampire encountered by his colleague, Doctor Enrique Zaldívar [Abel Salazar], at Marta González's [Ariadna Welter] hacienda that he and his henchman, ex-con Barraza [Yeire Beirute], went back to Sierra Negra and found the coffin. Mendoza knows that the corpse is that of a vampire because it has no reflection in a mirror...or rather, the flesh has no reflection. Although Count Lavud's [Germán Robles] body looks as fresh to the eye as the day he was destroyed, all that reflects in a mirror is his skeleton. Consequently, Mendoza is bringing the corpse to Louis Pasteur Hospital in order to conduct experiments on it and find out how much of the vampire legend is true. Are vampires really sensitive to the sun? Do they really need to drink blood? Can they really turn into bats? Are they really immortal?On the other hand, Enrique adheres to his original belief that Duval
is simply a normal person with a liking for blood. Enrique's almost
convinced Marta of the same. He's been treating her and is, in fact,
planning to release her from the hospital tomorrow so that she can go back
to the Teatro (theater) where she works as a dancer. That is, until
Mendoza brings Duval's corpse to the hospital. At first, Enrique is
outraged that his colleague would engage in grave-robbing, but he
eventually agrees to help on the condition that they burn the body at the
end of the experiments. When they leave the room in order to get the
instruments for dissection, however, Barraza climbs in the window, opens
the coffin, and attempts to remove an ornate brooch from around Duval's
neck. In doing so, he dislodges the stake, Lavud revives, makes a renfield
out of Barraza, and escapes.Marta's aunt María Teresa [Alicia Montoya], who witnessed Mendoza and Barraza carting
away the coffin and tried to stop them, comes to the hospital to warn
Enrique that Duval's body has been stolen. When she hears that the coffin
is actually at that very hospital, she especially fears for Marta because
Marta has already been bitten once by Duval. If she's bitten again, she
will turn into a vampire, so the three of them -- Enrique, María Teresa,
and Mendoza -- comb the hospital for Lavud. It is too late, however, for
Lavud has been wandering the halls and come upon a little girl lying
asleep in her hosital bed. As he bends over to bite her neck, she awakens
and screams. Lavud runs to another room and is surprised to see Marta
standing before him. Lavud sees fate knocking and hypnotizes her to obey
his will. By the time Enrique comes to her room, Marta is passed out on
the floor and Lavud has disappeared.Meanwhile at the Museo de Cera (wax museum), a tour group is being
introduced to the wax figures of murderers and instruments of execution,
such as the gallows, the guillotine. and the Virgin of Nuremberg, an iron
maiden fitten with eight inch spears embedded in the door. After the tour
is over and the group has left, the guide is surprised to see his old
cellmate Barraza standing among the wax figures. Barraza needs a place to
stay, and the basement of the Museo will do just fine, thank you, or else.
Shortly thereafter, María Teresa and Mendoza come knocking on the Museo
door, looking for Lavud's corpse. While Barraza and Mendoza search among
the figures, María Teresa makes her way down into the basement where she
finds Lavud's coffin. Unfortunately, Lavud has been following them, too.
When María Teresa finds the coffin and calls to Mendoza for help, Lavud
strangles Mendoza. María Teresa attempts to hide in the iron maiden, but
Barraza sees her shawl hanging out and closes the door on her, killing her
instantly.Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Enrique has been trying to explain
to the director about the vampire, but he is not believed, particularly
now that the body, the coffin, and Dr Mendoza have all disappeared.
Concerned for Marta's safety, Enrique makes her sit up with him, drinking
coffee and smoking cigarettes, waiting for dawn. Marta reveals that she
saw Duval in her room earlier that evening and wants to know what is going
on. As Enrique explains about Mendoza bringing the vampire's body to the
hospital, neither of them realizes that Duval is standing outside the
door, mentally calling to Marta. Fortunately, Enrique intercepts her as
she tries to leave the room. Thwarted and with dawn almost upon him, Duval
returns to his coffin in the basement of the Museo.In the morning, Marta is released from the hospital and returns to
the theater with Enrique in tow. That evening, Lavud locates the theater
where Marta is rehearsing and has a bite to drink from the cafe across the
street. Enrique is summoned to tend to Lavud's dinner and recognizes the
telltale bites on her neck. When he tells the police that the girl died
from a vampire's bite, they don't believe him. Meanwhile, rehearsal has
ended, and Marta is primping in her dressing room. Suddenly, Lavud
appears. He removes the brooch from his neck and swings it in front of
Marta's eyes, placing her in a trance, then places the brooch on her neck
just as Enrique returns. When Enrique sees the brooch on Marta's neck, he
realizes that the time has come for them to confront Duval. Marta has no
idea how, but Enrique has a plan. As he explains it to her, telling her
that she must not exchange the brooch for a crucifix, they do not realize
that Duval is listening.But first the show must go on. While Marta dances, Enrique searches
the theater for signs of Duval. Following a jungle dance, Marta is lifted
off the stage by a swing made of vines. When she nears the top of the
scaffolding, Barraza is waiting for her. Marta fights him off, but a raise
of Duval's hand places her in trance. As Duval carries Marta down many
flights of metal stairs to where the Teatro links with the Museo, Barraza
knocks out Enrique and follows his master, but Enrique recovers quickly
and pursues. Duval carries Marta down into the Museo basement where he
lays her on top his coffin. He lights some candles and places a ring on
Marta's hand in preparation for making her his bride as Enrique and
Barraza play cat and mouse upstairs among the wax figures. In their
struggle, Barraza attempts to trap Enrique in the iron maiden, but he
escapes.In the basement, Duval is about to bite Marta for the second time
when she suddenly comes out of the trance, screams, and races up the
stairs and out into the Museo proper. Enrique pounces on Duval, and
accidentally pushes Marta onto the rack of the guillotine, her neck
fitting nicely in the slicer. Duval uses all his vampire tricks, such as
disappearing and changing into a bat, but Enrique finally gets him by
throwing a spear, which impales the bat against the wall, where he turns
back into Duval. Marta comes out of her trance and sits up ... just in
time. She has no sooner lifted her head from the guillotine when the blade
falls.The police come barreling down the stairs and catch Barraza, but it's
all over except for the final kiss. [Original synopsis by bj_kuehl]
murder