The Corpse Vanishes (1942)

The Corpse Vanishes: Directed by Wallace Fox. With Bela Lugosi, Luana Walters, Tristram Coffin, Elizabeth Russell. A scientist, aided by an old hag and her two sons, kills virginal brides, steals their bodies, and extracts gland fluid to keep his ancient wife alive and young.

“This low-budget cheapy is from the days when Bela was pretty hard up for roles, but it has a certain charm. The basic plot is that Lugosi is a mad scientist with an aging wife whose beauty he is determined to preserve forever. Apparently, the way to do this is by extracting some chemical from young women that makes them beautiful. The height of discretion, Bela decides to kidnap brides at the altar – because itu0026#39;s easy to find them, I guess, when they are the center of attention and surrounded by people. His clever plan is challenged by a young go-getting female reporter who seems just as interested in using her job to secure a doctor for a husband as in solving the case, her comedy-relief photographer buddy, and the inevitable bland love interest. Luckily, Lugosi has a dysfunctional degenerate white trash family to help him out, and he hires street people to distract the police. Great movie making ,this is not, but it is good for some fun.”