“The Corpse Vanishes” is a 1942 horror film directed by Wallace Fox and produced by Sam Katzman. The movie features Bela Lugosi as Dr. Lorenz, a mad scientist who is killing young brides to obtain a rare substance from their glands in order to keep his aging wife youthful.
The movie begins with a journalist, Patricia Hunter (played by Luana Walters), attending the wedding of a young society girl. During the ceremony, the bride suddenly collapses and dies, leaving everyone in shock. Patricia suspects that something sinister is going on and decides to investigate.
She discovers that several young brides have died mysteriously and that each of them had been wearing a particular type of orchid. She also learns that Dr. Lorenz has been present at each of the weddings and that he has a connection to a cosmetics company that uses the rare substance he extracts from the brides’ glands in their products.
Patricia and her boyfriend, Dr. Foster (played by Tristram Coffin), team up to stop Dr. Lorenz and save the life of the next bride on his list. They go undercover as a couple getting married and lure Dr. Lorenz into their trap.
In the end, Dr. Lorenz is killed in a fiery explosion and his wife, who had been kept alive by the gland substance, ages rapidly and dies. Patricia and Dr. Foster are left to enjoy their happy ending.
Overall, “The Corpse Vanishes” is a classic horror film that showcases Lugosi’s talents as a villainous mad scientist. It’s a must-see for fans of old-school horror movies.
Directors:
Wallace Fox
Writer:
Sam Robins, Gerald Schnitzer, Harvey Gates
Stars:
Bela Lugosi, Luana Walters, Tristram Coffin
