Genii of Darkness (1962) User Reviews (5)

The best of the series?

[evilskip · 5/10 · 17 March 2001]

This is the third time I've done a review on this flick;the other two times must have been stolen by the Genie Of Darkness.Anyway this is the third in the Nostradamus series and probably the best of the bunch.

Nostradamus hypnotizes Tony (the professor's assistant) one night to secretly do his bidding.Igor, Tony and the Professor(sounds like a 70's cartoon show) discover that Leo the hunchback's mother is hiding an important scroll for Nostradamus.Tony informs Nostradamus of this. Nostradamus goes to the house and orders Leo out.Then the vampire burns the hunchback's mother alive and takes the scroll.

Nostradamus then has Tony attempt to kill Igor.Igor breaks Tony from the spell and goes to face the vampire.Igor is immune to vampiric attack and is just about to stake Nostradamus.Leo shows up and breaks Igor's spine.

The vampire then manages to kill yet another victim to spite Dolan.However the grand plan of the vampire is thwarted by a ghost.The vampire then begins to doubt his power.

Some new (and idiotic) lore is revealed that the vampire must sleep on the ashes of his ancestors.Anyway Dolan and Tony steal the ashes from Nostradamus' coffin.The vampire races against time to retake the ashes or die by sunrise.

This film in the series moves along at a better clip than the rest.Sadly the next film is all downhill.Stay tuned for Blood Of Nostradamus...

Part three

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 6 July 2020]

The real trouble with the villagers and professor who are supposed to be the heroes of the Nostradamus film series is that they're boring as all get out. The only interesting one, Igor the vampire hunter, is unceremoniously dispatched early in this film. The rest just sit around and yammer away at what they should do instead of doing anything.

Meanwhile, the nattily dressed Nostradamus and his hunchback pal Leo are living it up. Well, maybe not so much Leo, whose witch mother Rebeca dares to question the villainous vampiro and gets set on fire for her troubles.

Director Federico Curiel would go on to work with Santo several times, as well as write one of the most out there of all early Mexican horror films - and trust me, that's saying something - El Baron del Terror.

Third of the Nostradamus quartet

[kevinolzak · 4/10 · 7 October 2019]

1959's "The Genie of Darkness" ("Nostradamus el Genio de las Tinieblas") came third in the Nostradamus quartet, following second chapter "The Monsters Demolisher," continuing the initial film's outline of German Robles' undead Nostradamus predicting murder and mayhem, his colorless adversaries seated for lengthy discussions on how to stop him. The introduction of vampire hunter Igor (Jack Taylor) provided a late spark, vanquishing a zombie-like servant with a sword through the heart, sending Nostradamus into a clutching fit that leaves him on the floor. Unfortunately this one contains more footage of the vampire's hunchback assistant Leo, rightly called an imbecile by his master at one point despite saving him from immolation courtesy the previous film's climax, but at least Leo's cackling witch of a mother lasts just long enough to literally burn for daring to question the power of Nostradamus. Evenly divided into three sections like the serial it was purported to be, the first ends with the shocking demise of Jack Taylor's vampire hunter Igor, followed by a subplot in which the intended target is a woman already dead yet refusing to fall under the vampire's spell due to the strength of her love for another. The final third brings back the professor's society of nonbelievers, now quite eager to assist in the destruction of Nostradamus, his coffin discovered in a deserted hilltop house, the ashes of his ancestors upon which he must nourish himself during the day the key to his demise. While the imbecile is out stealing a new coffin, Nostradamus causes the deaths of two scientists examining those ashes, the professor wrongly assuming that justice has prevailed since he disposes of them at sunrise. A definite anticlimax setting up "The Blood of Nostradamus," on par with "The Monsters Demolisher," affording more screen time for German Robles who does not disappoint even when the picture does (that dimwitted hunchback in the Gilligan cap and his clinging Jewish mother are dubbed by the absolute worst voices that K. Gordon Murray ever selected). It's debatable as to whether or not this is the best of the quartet, there's more for Robles to do but also too much of his blubbering assistant.

A Reuban Guberman masterpiece

[newportbosco · 8/10 · 14 October 2006]

Reuban Guberman, who called himself the fat Jewish maverick, is the guy who wrote the English dialogue for these four Nostradamus films put together from a 12 part serial. (This one is #3.) He's famous for coming up with lines matching the way the lips moved, NOT the literal translation. The results were often impressive, and you get to the point where you savor the over the top, high pressure of speech. This time, he outdid himself. The fun starts when you get to meet Leo the Hunchback's Mom..complete with Jewish Mom accent. She even says;'feh' when she's hacked off with the big lug. You're also treated to a shouting match between Igor the Vampire Destroyer and Nostradamus as they try to outshout and overact the other..But it's not all for laughs. It's the 3rd quarter, and both sides are taking hits. You laugh at Leo's Mom, but Nostradamus also burns her to death, in a well done scene. You also have some very savage-for-their-time killings, such as when the assistant takes a chair to Dr. Shiller..before now, when Nostradamus had someone under his spell, they acted like your typical brain fried minion. This time, the assistant is a savage, motivated murderer. Nora, whom Nostradamus brings back from the dead to set up her boyfriend, flatly refuses his offer for power. Her man is dead now, shot in a misunderstanding. She has what she wants..him..and is one of the first persons to dismiss Nostradamus out of hand, and make it stick. After sending her back to oblivion, Nostradamus looks tired. There also seems to be a sad fatalism that's taking over. On the whole, this is an impressive series, with scenes that sometimes match the Italian horror films being made at the same time but with much less money. Also, the fact it's stitched together from a serial gives it a sort of 'one thing after another' feel that's refreshing. Most guides tend to be unkind to the series, not being able to get past the dialogue and loopy plots or enjoy them with the moments of legit horror. Don't make the same mistake. It's a very enjoyable and spooky and kooky movie and series.

Leo's the man! in the best Nostradamas film

[Thomas_J_McKeon · 10/10 · 7 April 2006]

Manuel Vergara 'Manver', playing Leo, demonstrates his tremendous acting skills to great success in this fine film. Genie of Darkness is the best of the four Nostradamus films (which were put together from a serial and dubbed by K. Gordon Murray's Soundlab studio in Coral Gables) and is the perfect vehicle for Leo to showcase his many thespian talents. There is the pathos of the family moment between Leo and his mother Rebbecca the witch (played by Fanny Schiller). What a mother and son--a son that only a mother could love and a mother that only a son could love.

Shortly after their touching scene, Nostradamus learns that Leo's mother has not properly safeguarded the scrolls Nostradamus has entrusted to her. Nostradamus tells Leo to leave her hut and burns her alive which Leo ends up seeing. Leo, ever the great tragedian, shows convincingly how pained he the loyal son is as he witnesses his mothers death at the hands of our leader to whom he owes the ultimate fealty. Of course, Leo being the brilliant theoretician harbors no ill feeling for this and follows his leader without any questions. He even actually saves Nostradamus's existence (life?) from Igor the vampire hunter in whom Nostradamus has met his match.

Alas, the villains (ostensibly the putative heroes) do not treat Leo & Nostradamus with the honor and respect they deserve.

This Nostradamus film is the best of the lot, does have atmosphere and pathos, and all in all is a lot of fun.