The Revenge of Frankenstein

The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) continues Hammer's Frankenstein series and doesn't do much else.

Impressions
Victor Frankenstein escapes the sentence he's given at the end of "Curse" and sets up a practice in a new village. He becomes very popular with the ladies of the town and uses them to regain his fortune. He also works with the poor and steals their body parts under the pretense of helping them. He is approached by a man who knows his past, but is willing not to mention it if Victor shows him the secret of creating life. Together, they assemble a new, more perfect creation!


I think I made it sound way more exciting than it is. For a revenge movie there's not much revenge. The best they offer is it is Frankenstein's revenge against the medical world. Weak. Classism is an issue that this movie glosses over a few times. And why does everyone suddenly know about the monster? The whole frame story of the first film revolved around no one believing in the monster.

No More Heroes
Seriously, no 'good guy' in this. The closest is Karl at the start. but even then he's too weak willed.

Observers
Margaret is there to look pretty and scream.

There is a character named Fritz, presumably as a callback to the Universal series.

The Mob makes a brief appearance and are motivated by blind baseless hatred much like the Universal film.

Vengeful Foes
Carl springs from the Universal tradition of handicapped henchmen. He follows a similar path as Ygor, but without getting to be a mastermind in his own right. He draws the most sympathy and is the most touching part of this movie.

Han Kleve is Victor's assistant. he is suave, sophisticated and cocky. He isn't so much a bad guy as he is an arrogant fool. He is willing to forgive Victor's crimes in order to work with him.

Victor just kind of goes along with his work His desire to prove his theory is still strong in this, but he play it much smarter. Unfortunately, his caution and cleverness make this film much less fun to watch than the first. Peter Cushing still gives a great performance with a lot of nuance. I was really hoping to see Victor obsessed with getting revenge on Paul and Elizabeth, but this movie takes it a different route.

Lush Atmosphere
This was filmed alongside Hammer's Dracula and benefits from using many of the same sets. The larger budget makes everything more real and interesting to look at.

In the End
An interesting ending an not one that I expected. Vindication for Victor. No real thrills or scares though.

Overall
The lesson of this film: Brain damage turns you into a bloodthirsty cannibal. The biggest problem with this film is its lack of solid story. It has no plot driving it forward, other than "will Victor be discovered?" It doesn't even have a proper monster. Any tension that is brought up in the Karl story get dealt with quickly. I'd say skip this one.
4/10

Dracula Continues - Hammer Horror -

Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966) continues Dracula's story.

Impressions
Four people get kicked off their stage coach because he won't go near Dracula's Castle. They end up taking shelter in Dracula's castle. His servant offers them a hot meal and a place to stay. During the night the servant lures one of them out and uses his blood to resurrect Dracula.

A boring film with unlikable stupid characters. I really could not find anything to like about this movie that wasn't held over from a previous movie.

Our Priest
Father Sandor is a combination of every male character from the original. He knows how to kill vampires, he helps crazy people and he's firm  in his beliefs. The strange thing is that he's not in this very much and he makes some stupid mistakes. For instance after he explains how Dracula can't get in we cut to the prisoner he has who he know is clearly under Dracula's influence... So, with him as out most interesting character, we're so doomed.

Uninteresting Others
Four annoying Brits get lost and end up in Dracula's castle. There's the annoying stuck-up one, the screechy prophetic one, and those other two who are there to die and be captured respectively. I didn't care about any of them. They do a lot of talking, but we don't manage to learn anything other than three of them like to travel and one doesn't.

Silent Foe
Dracula doesn't speak in this. Either the scrip writer didn't write any lines or Christopher Lee thought the lines were so bad he refused to speak them. Personally, there are some moments that Dracula seems have had a line removed, so I'm going to go with Chris Lee. Also, I think he knew how bad this movie was and he was obligated to star in it. I wouldn't have any words either.

Same Atmosphere
It has most of the same sets as "Horror." So, they were pretty again.

In the End
So, we get to see the awesome end of "Horror" in the opening. Then they give us an interesting, but badly executed Dracula death scene. Dracula looks like a slow idiot and it was a boring end to a boring movie.

Overall
A bad rehash of the first film. Boring. Painfully so. Skip it.
4/10

Dracula has Risen from the Grave (1968) is a more interesting sequel.

Impressions
A local parish is desecrated by Dracula leaving a body in their bell and now no one wants to go to mass. After a year, the local Monsignor comes around and finds out. He takes the local priest up to the castle to purify it. The local priest gets tired halfway there and stops. After the purification a storm whips up and scares the local priest into falling off a cliff onto an ice block containing Dracula. The priest's blood drips into a crack and Dracula lives again. When the Monsignor returns home he finds his niece wants to marry an atheist baker and he can't allow that.

A ridiculously complicated plot, but it does have its small payoffs. There are themes of redemption and finding faith in the face of evil. While I don't like how atheism is treated as a plot point, it is at least something interesting. How faith affects dealing with Dracula.

Our Priests
The Local Priest isn't given a name, but he suffers as Dracula's pawn. His faith isn't as strong as the Monsignor and he struggles with that. His struggle was a nice addition to this.

The Monsignor is strong in faith, but becoming weak in body.  He is forceful and unafraid to stand up to what he thinks is right. He struggles with his own convictions in regard to whom his niece will marry.

Romantic Youth
Maria Muller is the Monsignor's niece. She plays the damsel in distress and ends up being used like a plot device like all the other women we've looked at in Dracula movies.

Paul is an atheist with his eye on the Monsignor's niece. He has trouble with his station and wants to move up in the world. He is enjoyable if a bit on the dumb side (though he looks like a genius compared to characters in the previous film).

Fierce Foe
Dracula is back in full force as a manipulative master. He apparenly considers locking him out of his castle to be more offensive than killing him since he decides he must have his revenge on the Monsignor.

Atmosphere
Some bad stock footage is used for the town and sunrise effects. It is a painfully obvious drop inquality when compared to the sets. The rest of the sets look fine including an interesting series of roofs where some action takes place.

In the End
While not as good as the series' first Dracula death, it has some interesting religious overtones and comletes a lot of the themes nicely. I honestly would have liked this as the final end before the reboots, but there is one more.

Overall
Much better than the one before or after it. It isn't great, but it is interesting and not bad. I'd recomend it to fans of Christopher Lee and Dracula.
6/10

Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) is a weak nonsensical conclusion to the initial Dracula line.

Impressions
A merchant comes upon Dracula as he is dying from the last movie. The merchant gathers Dracula's ashes, cloak and ring and takes them to London. In London Mr. Hargood does not want his daughter to see Paul Paxton, but refuses to say why. The truth is that he, Paul's father and another gentleman are in a secret hedonistic club. The club goes to a brothel where they meet a disgraced lord's son. He tells them he can give them the ultimate thrill through his lord, Count Dracula.

This story cannot decide on a main character. We start with the merchant then move to the adulterous fools with occasional jumps to the young lovers. I felt like I was watching a supernatural murder mystery that just happened to have a very weak version of Dracula in it.

Romantic Youth
Paul Paxton is a local youth who's in love with Alice. He tries to convince her to run away with him, but she refuses.

Alice Hargood is the daughter of William and is trying to break free from her spirit, but doesn't have the will. I was expecting her to be our main character and the movie would have been better off with her being more strong willed. However; we can;t have a strong woman, so she spends half the movie murdering people as Dracula's pawn.

Adulterous Others
The hedonist club consists of William Hargood, Samuel Paxton, and Jonathan Secker. William is the alcoholic mean spirited one. Samuel is the weak spirited one. Jonathan just seems to be along for the ride. None of them are likeable or interesting. I don't think any of them do anything that makes sense.

Manipulative Foe

Dracula wants to take revenge for the death of his servant... again. Given how Dracula kills most of his servants and sweeps them aside after they're vampires, I don't see why this guy mattered. It is like the last one except Dracula has even less reason to hate these people. Christopher Lee does his best with what he's given, but...

Atmosphere
Nice, I suppose. Nothing really stood out as spectacular.

In the End
They couldn't beat the deaths at the end of "Horror" and "Brides" so they decided to just keep making his deaths more silly and weak. This one is so bad I don't care about it. Spoilers: He dies from a prayer... Paul says a prayer, Dracula realizes he's in a church, Dracula falls on an altar and dies. Screw you too movie.

Overall
It's like a bad remake of "Risen from the Grave.". Nothing of intelligence happens. None of the characters are interesting. Don't see this one. It is pathetic.
3/10

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Night 6
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1820) By: Washington Irving

Impressions
Ichabod Crane is a schoolteacher in Tarry Town, New York near Sleepy Hollow, a secluded glen. He competes with the local hotshot Brom Bones over the heart of Katrina Van Tassel. However, in the countryside lurks a mysterious specter: the Headless Horseman.

This is a longer short story out of a collection of non-horror short stories, so I pulled this one since it's a classic. It features some dated descriptions with a lack of building tension. There is only horror at the beginning and at the end. The middle sets up the characters and shows Ichabod's situation leading up to his fateful encounter with the Horseman. It is always nice to get some solid characters out of a story.

Our Hero
Ichabod Crane is a superstitious schoolteacher from Connecticut. He's also quite the ladies' man, singer, and ghost story enthusiast. He's often described as a wuss (partly because of the Disney version), but I think this unfair since he does plenty of other things. The story does suggest he might be a coward, but there is a darker interpretation of the final ending.

Fickle Observers
Brom Bones is the mischievous tough guy, complete with posse, who rivals Ichabod for Katrina's affections. He is a bully and a braggart, but he plays it smart and isn't openly malicious. He claims to have raced the horseman and nearly won; however his reputation as a braggart takes credence for his tale. He's also one of the people who hint at the cowardly ghostless end of this tale, though his motives remain questionable.

Katrina is a coquette (flirt) whose father is well off. Other than having her sights set on improving her lot, she isn't described much personality wise, but she does seem like the type of girl guys would fight over. She has "vast ambitions" and "a provokingly short petticoat, to display the prettiest foot and ankle in the country round." Scandalous. Ichabod is mostly interested in her father's land anyway, though he wouldn't mind having several kids with her.

Inescapable Foe
The Headless Horseman is a classic foe described as a Hessian who was killed in the American Revolutionary War. He is among the first of the American created monsters and among the most enduring. He is menacing and unflinching. He will chase you to the ends of the earth if he chooses. Plus he throws pumpkins, badass!

Picturesque Atmosphere
Irving describes the countryside in beautiful detail. It paints a lush picture of New England that makes you want to visit. His descriptions of food (and there are a few) are enough to make anyone hungry.

In the End
There are several possible endings within the story, but the last one is the darkest is the most interesting. The others end it more as a bad romantic comedy and it builts to more than that. Either way, a happy ending it is not.

Overall
I could have done without the extra endings and been happier with the solid ghost tale, some great characters, and a sprawling setting. All this at under a hundred pages. It isn't scary, but it is well written and tense. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves classic short stories.
8/10

Free! Only at Project Gutenberg!

Dracula - Classic Novel -

Night 5
Dracula (1897) By: Bram Stoker

Impressions
Jonathan Harker heads to the Carpathian Mountains to offer his council to Count Dracula on the purchase of some property in London. On the way, the locals seem wary and constantly try to delay him. Once he arrives he finds his host is more than he seems. Later, a ship of dead men crashes into London harbor with a large black dog being the only survivor. Afterwards, strange things start happening in town.

Dracula is another classic that has a more populous appeal than Frankenstein. It has fewer intricacies and themes, but is much more dramatic and draws the reader in so that they don't want to put it down.

Not to say that it doesn't have very interesting ideas. In one part, an old man talks to Mina and Lucy about the lies that tombstones tell. It is a very interesting and dark bit of humor. Also, Dr. Seward makes some comments of man's view of man in relation to himself. How God views his creations versus how man tends to think he views them are really fascinating to think about.

"These infinitesimal distinctions between man and man are too paltry for an Omnipotent Being. How these madmen give themselves away! The real God taketh heed lest a sparrow fall. But the God created from human vanity sees no difference between an eagle and a sparrow. Oh, if men only knew!"

Our Heroes
Lord Godalming aka Arthur Holmwood is Lucy's finance. He uses his influence and money to make the heroes' hunt for Dracula smoother. He is devoted to Lucy and we get to experience his shock, anguish, and drive through the others. He takes the leading in hunting and tracking, but is assisted by Quincey. Each of our heroes has a part to play, though the film versions often omit or combine them.

Quincey Morris is a Texan and a former suitor of Lucy's. He is also an experienced hunter. He uses American slang and is the quickest to jump into a fight. While many of his mannerism are cliche Texan, he has a soft, gentlemanly side. He really feels for his friends and would do anything for them.

Doctor John Seward is one of our POV characters, one of Lucy's suitors, and a doctor at the sanitarium. He is the man who calls in Van Helsing, though even he doubts his former mentor at times. Through him we get lots of insight from Renfield as well as learning about Lucy and Van Helsing. he starts out a bit know it all, but soon warmed as a solid member of the team.

Jonathan Harker is another of our POV characters, Mina's fiance (husband later), and is a solicitor who is originally contracted to buy a house for Dracula. Jonathan is often portrayed as kind of a wuss in Dracula film adaptions and this is unfair, since he is quite brave in the novel. He has periods of insanity and self-doubt, but he mans up and does what needs to be done.

Mina Murray-Harker is the fiance (wife later) and assistant to Jonathan. Many of the film adaptions portray her as a smitten young woman, but that is not how she is portrayed in the novel. She is a strong capable woman who really only gets in trouble due to the sexist ignorance of her male counterparts. There is a curious sense of feminism about her story that is difficult to pin down.

Abraham Van Helsing is the old expert of everything. His age limits him from being able to take on Dracula and his ilk alone. He also realizes how crazy he could sound and introduces the characters to the darker side of the world slowly. He gets a bit talkative toward the end, but he ends up being every bit the methodical demon hunter he's cracked up to be.

Distressed Observers
Lucy is a popular lady who is the love of Dr. Seward, Mr. Morris, and Lord Godlaming. She is the character we first get to see plagued by Dracula. The effect is scary, and their fight is an uphill battle.

Renfield is a patient at the insane asylum who has fallen under the thrall of Dracula. Through his point of view we get many creepy scenes and some vital information about the count. He is a strange, but likeable tortured character.

Monstrous Foe
Dracula is quite mysterious and disguises his presence quite well. Without the combined experience of all the characters it is really doubtful that he could have been defeated. Dracula is at the height of his power in this. He is able to transform into: a wolf, a bat, a dog, and fog. He is able to travel using moonlight and he can summon storms, fog and wind. Not to mention the typical vampire abilities of strength and speed. They use 'less is more' to great effect in showing only Dracula at his most mysterious and powerful. He is not often present, but drives every aspect of the plot anyway.

Gripping Atmosphere
The descriptions and pacing draw you into the story fantastically. The characters are smoothly introduced, so by then time we get an excerpt from them we've gotten a description or mention of them from another character beforehand.

In the End
Right before the end there are a lot of drawn out planning and discussion scenes leading into the rather abrupt finale. The ending was satisfying and surprisingly dark. The final confrontation with Dracula could have been a bit more climactic and clear.

Overall
This book is full of suspense and horror that is well executed. The plot threads that seem distant and numerous at the beginning slowly wind into a masterful story that still holds up today. From Jonathan's thrilling exploits in Castle Dracula to the harrowing chase at the end. I can recommend Dracula as something anyone can enjoy.
10/10

Remember, it's free for Kindle and from Project Gutenberg!

The Castle of Otranto

Night 4
The Castle of Otranto (1764)
By: Horace Walpole

Impressions
On Prince Conrad's wedding day he is crushed by a massive helmet that seems to have fallen from the sky. His father, Prince Manfred, is furious and believes there to be some culprit. When a young man, Theodore, steps forward and notes that the helmet is from the statue of a former ruler, he is accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death. Manfred realizes that he has no heir, so he decides to divorce his wife and take his son's promised bride as his own. Isabella, the bride, doesn't like this and decides to flee to the nearby abbey run by Friar Jerome. In her escape she is aided by a ghost and the mysteriously escaped Theodore. Soon Manfred's wife, Hippolita, and daughter, Matilda are drawn into the mysteries of the Castle of Otranto.

As identified in the forward, the closest we get to a moral is that the sins of the father are visited on his heirs. In this story that means giant ghosts and statues crying blood. The Castle of Otranto is very much a product of the eighteenth century. Everyone seems either bursting with virtue or descends into sin at the slightest provocation. All the characters have an intense fear of God and most are easily dissuaded by omens. The only character with a touch of grayness is the priest and he seems to sin more often than not. Though, unlike Manfred he has good reason most of the time. As such, it is very difficult to measure on a modern scale, but I'll do my best.

Our Hero
Theodore is a young man who starts off as a minor character down on his luck, but rapidly ascends through the course of the book. He is so good it's almost painful to read. He has no flaws. He forgives all who wrong him and speaks only the truth. He is so virtuous that he can make any good person come to his aide just by giving an impassioned speech. It seems the only ones able to resist him are vile assholes. Fortunately, there's one of those to oppose him.

Assorted Observers
Hippolita is the infinitely virtuous Princess and wife of Manfred. She won't even hear bad things said about her husband. This gets really obnoxious since she just comes off as stupid.

Matilda is Hippolita and Manfred's daughter. She is attracted to Theodore, but they can't be together because he is a peasant, and it would ruin Manfred's plotting. She is pious and chaste and is alright sometimes, but some of her overly polite conversations with Isabella, Hippolita and her servants are unbearably tedious.

Isabella is the former fiance of Manfred's son Conrad. Most of the novel involves her trying to avoid marrying Manfred. She is very similar to Matilda, but with less family ties. As such she can also be kind of tedious, but she has less opportunity due to the fact that she's constantly fleeing Manfred.

Friar Jerome is a priest who knows Hippolita well and is the chief religious official in the area. He comes under Manfred's sway, but struggles with his own sins. As mentioned above, he is perhaps the most interesting character. His struggle and motives are the easiest to relate with in this tale.

Frederic is Isabella's father who arrives near the end to reclaim Castle Otranto to his family. He ends up being almost as bad as Manfred, but not quite.

Awful Foe
Prince Manfred is one of the worst fathers in literature. It is only due to the limit of his title that he doesn't go around raping and pillaging. He is a cunning asshole though, as he uses leverage and deceit to manipulate all those around him. Toward the end you find out why, but it really doesn't make him any better.

Gothic Atmosphere
This is considered the first Gothic novel and it has everything a haunted castle, virtuous maidens, secrets, you name it. It comes across as a medieval fairy tale and that is how it was originally marketed. The writing is nothing special, but it will give you a look at the structures and vocabulary of the time.

The Real Otranto Castle in Italy

In the End
The secrets are revealed and prophecies come true. It was pretty much as advertised complete with bittersweet ending.

Overall
Old men are perverts, women are chaste and young men are beacons of chastity. I didn't love it, but it wasn't bad. This is will be an interesting read for fans of Eighteenth century or Gothic literature, but likely rather puzzling for most others. I'm in the latter category, but I thought it was okay.
6/10

Of course, it's free on Kindle and at Project Gutenburg!

Dracula vs. Van Helsing - Hammer Horror -

Dracula aka The Horror of Dracula (1958) is Hammer's take on Bram Stoker's classic. Also, Grand Moff Tarkin and Alfred Pennyworth vs. Saruman!

Impressions
Jonathan Harker arrives to tend the mysterious Count Dracula's library. We soon learn that he is there to kill the Count. After a fight with one of his brides, Harker is saved by Dracula. Harker finally discovers the crypt, but in killing the bride he awakens Dracula. Later, Doctor Van Helsing arrives looking for his young friend and goes to Castle Dracula to meet his friend or face his foe.

This film is not what I was expecting, but I do appreciate that they thought out all of the changes they made. They also keep some of the spirit of the novel with Mina getting in trouble due to the men being distracted and Arthur and Helsing bonding over protecting Mina. They even have to race back to the castle to defeat him at the end. At first I thought the changes they made were strange, but I soon got sucked into some great acting and storytelling.

This film does not have much wrong with it other than some bizarre action at the beginning when Dracula and his Bride fight and the outcome is weird. This is not a deep movie, but is fun and enjoyable. I also found it interesting that Dracula does bite and change a man, but there is little to no controversy over this. No, homosexuality comments or anything. I guess the difference between this and Dracula's Daughter are that he didn't make the guy undress first...

Our Heroes
Jonathan Harker is Lucy's love and Van Helsing's vampire hunting partner. He has some surprising moments and I'd rather not go too deeply into his character.

Arthur Holmwood is Mina's husband and Lucy's brother.  He starts off as a bit of a prick, sort of like faux-Harker from the Universal Dracula. Unlike faux-Harker he is more susceptible to reason (and Van Helsing shows him definitive proof). After that he becomes much more enjoyable as a member of the team.

Doctor Van Helsing is a professional demon hunter in addition to his doctorates. He is also played by the cool and suave Peter Cushing. This Helsing is methodical, but still learning about vampires. He seems to capture the assertive yet comforting air of the novel's Helsing and add some charm. Each kill matters and gets the remorse it deserves. He also gets much more dynamic action scenes where we get some creative vampire deaths (finally).

Damsels in Distress
Lucy is Jonathan's fiance and Arthur's sister. She fulfills the role of willing victim akin to Kay in Son of Dracula. Van Helsing makes an interesting comparison of vampire victims to drug users and Lucy does a fine job exemplifying that. Sadly, like many Hammer pictures, this idea isn't really explored beyond her character.

Mina is Arthur's wife and she has the limited role of damsel in distress. Vampire films really haven't been progressive for women's rights.

Vicious Foe
Count Dracula is an itelligent monstrous fiend and played by Christopher Lee. This is Lee's break out role and it isn't hard to see why. Much like the novel, Dracula has limited appearance time, but he is fantastically menacing. He is either stalking a victim or attacking a foe. His menace is apparent in all his scenes.

Grand Atmosphere
Dracula's castle is not the drab thing we've seen in the Universal series, but a lush and extravagant home. The countryside locations are gorgeous. We are in east Germany, I think, and though they mention Transylvania, they also mention the German towns that were in Frankenstein.

In the End
The ending is the epic climax you'd expect from a Dracula film with a really cool final death that many weaker film have tried to copy and failed. The finale and the aftermath are both must sees.

Overall
This is the Dracula that is remembered and copied for modern audiences. This film is a great showing of an adaptation done right. Some characters are switched around, but much of the spirit remains the same. Add some great action, solid storytelling, and interesting characters and you've got a great movie.

7/10

The Brides of Dracula (1960) continues Van Helsing's vampire eradication story as he tracks another vampiric menace.

Impressions
A girl enters a town and we see the townsfolk afraid of keeping her. Soon she abducted to Castle Meinster by the Baroness. While there the girl notices a handsome young man in a lower part of the castle. He seems to try to commit suicide to she runs to him. He convinces her to free him and when she does, he doesn't appear to be all he promised. She flees and ends up in the woods. Soon a carriage approaches and Van Helsing the demon hunter appears.

This film is a loose follow-up to the last one and suffers from a lack of Dracula. This has nothing to do with anyone other than Van Helsing. He fights the new vampire and his wives, not Dracula's wives. It is a decent action piece, but ends as a retread of the first.

Our Hero
Van Helsing is awesome as always. He seems to have more patience in this, since he is willing to put up with Marianne's stupidity. He laso has even more action scenes that paint him as the John McClane of the vampire world.

Damsels in Distress
Marianne Danielle is gullible young woman who release Baron Meinster from his mother's imprisonment. Her story could be interesting if she didn't seem so stupid. She meets the Baron and she's instantly okay with freeing him. Then he kills his mother and Marianne consents to marry him. There isn't even any hypnotism shown.

Other women are there as eye candy and other potential victims. Oh and one looks like Michael Jackson.

Foe
Baron Meinster is the poor man's Dracula. He tires to be menacing, but how bad can he be when his mom managed to keep him chained in another part of the tower? His look has aged badly and he doesn't have much menace.

Another Grand Atmosphere
Meinster castle has some nice large and beautiful sets. The game also has some excellent location work with the town and the windmill.

In the End
Perhaps the most creative vampire death occurs at the very end of this film. I loved that, but Helisng doesn't kill all the vampires or at least it isn't shown. Cool, but incomplete.

Overall
Not as good as the first, mostly due to the fact that Baron Meinster is no Dracula. Van Helsing has some great action scenes though, so if you want some interesting vampire deaths and can wait to the end, see this. Also, another fine Peter Cushing performance.
5/10

Vathek; The History of the Caliph

Night 3
Vathek (1786) By: William Beckford

Impressions
Vathek is the ruler of a kingdom and has devoted his life to pleasure. One day he buys some beautiful swords from a merchant claiming to be from India. He wants to know where the merchant got them, but when he refuses to speak the Caliph becomes angry. He uses his special ability of killing people with a look, but that doesn't work. Instead, he imprisons the merchant. The next morning the merchant has escaped, and his guards are all dead. This begins several misadventures involving the merchant, known as the Giaour, offering Vathek more and more at increasingly higher cost. This leads his mother, Princess Carathis, to send him on a quest of power and damnation.

This is a stream of consciousness story and would have benefited from chapters or at least some form of break. It is a long series of paragraphs that make it difficult to tell when we switch characters, place or start a new part of the story. The first quarter is enjoyable, but as characters were added and plot points randomly brought up it becomes more difficult to follow. Also, all the characters have Arabian names that cause confusion. especially about several of the minor characters and their allegiances.

They're All Doomed Anyway  (Maybe Not All)
Vathek is the Caliph who has grown up in the lap of luxury. The story says be is beautiful, but once they describe his ridiculous eating habits; it is easy to picture him as fat. The man has everything one could want, which leads him to want more than he should is nothing new and his character is stretched to the breaking point. His antics are amusing at the start, but begin to wear in the middle

Carathis is Vathek’s mother who craves power and has a accursed castle filled with mummys and mute servants. She has raised her some into the spoiled brat that he is, but she has managed to teach him black magic and astronomy. At the start her role is quite confusing. Adviser? Lover? Mother? Temptress? She evolves from adviser to mother over the course of the story.

The Giaour is the best thing about this tale. He is a devil figure and an amusing tempter and tormenter of Vathek. He becomes a minor character after the first 25% and that's where this story lost its luster. The Giaour torturing Vathek is funny. Vathek doing stupid things is not funny. His name mean unbeliever or infidel, so don't use 'giaour' around any Muslim friends.

Emir Fakreddin offers Vthek and his entourage a place to rest during their travels. He is a man of such faith that his keeps fifty dwarves who study the Koran daily. Vathek, being the little crap that he is, decides to seduce the Emir's daughter, break up her engagement and nearly kill the Emir.

Nouronihar is the Emir's daughter. She was almost as difficult to pin down as Carathis. I think Beckford either had a hard time writing women or knew only fickle women. She starts off being in love with and engaged to her effeminate cousin Gulchenrouz. After a series of events she changes her mind and sticks by Vathek to the end. I really didn't care about her or her story.


Hellish Atmosphere
The book has some great descriptions and it is clear that Beckford knew a lot about his subject. This has been called the 1,002nd Arabian Night and does evoke the feel of a Middle Eastern Fairy Tale. Unfortunately. Beckford is a white guy which makes a lot of things in this story fairly racist. He wrote it a long time ago, but it is still uncomfortable to read about how 'blackness' is 'evil.'

In the End
This story gets a bit rambling and lost in the middle as it tries to hammer in its point. As such, the ending being a moral lesson dump is a big let down. It does have some fantastically gruesome imagery right before the end, but the last page spoils the effort made that far.

Overall
For modern readers this will likely be more of a chore than it's worth. There are much better horror comedy fictions to read. However, the writing and descriptions were well done, and the start is amusing. I'd say it is worth reading the first 25% and then the last 15% all you miss is Vathek doing more stupid things and picking up the princess.
5/10

Remember this is free for Kindle and at Project Gutenberg!