The Invasion of the Vampires (1963)

Directed by Miguel Morayta, The Invasion of the Vampires (La invasión de los vampiros) is a stylish and atmospheric Mexican horror film that stands as a sequel to Morayta’s earlier work, The Bloody Vampire (1962). Released on June 20, 1963, the film blends classic Gothic tropes—foggy graveyards, haunted castles, and sinister aristocrats—with a uniquely Latin American flair.

Plot Summary
The story follows Dr. Ulises Albarrán (Rafael del Río), who arrives in a remote village plagued by mysterious deaths and supernatural occurrences. He soon discovers that the aristocratic Count Frankenhausen (Carlos Agostí) is a vampire, and that the town is under his dark influence. With the help of local allies, including the brave Brunhilda (Erna Martha Bauman), Ulises must confront the Count and his undead minions in a battle of science versus superstition.

Cast Highlights

• Erna Martha Bauman as Brunhilda Frankenhausen
• Rafael del Río as Dr. Ulises Albarrán
• Carlos Agostí as Count Frankenhausen
• Tito Junco, Fernando Soto, Bertha Moss, and Enrique Lucero in supporting roles

Behind-the-Scenes & Trivia

• The film was part of a duology, following The Bloody Vampire, and both were later dubbed into English by K. Gordon Murray for American audiences
• The bat prop used for Count Frankenhausen’s transformations was reused in later Mexican horror films like Santo and Blue Demon vs. the Monsters and The Vengeance of the Vampire Women
• Critics have praised the film’s atmosphere, with fog-drenched cemeteries, eerie sound design, and elaborate vampire rituals that evoke classic Universal horror with a Latin twist
• Rob Craig, in his book on American International Pictures, called it “a genuinely creepy and moving example of modern Gothic horror” and possibly the showpiece of the K. Gordon Murray horror canon