Grave of the Vampire

In 1940 California, Caleb Croft awakes from his crypt during Paul and Leslie's cemetery proposal. He brutally murders Paul and rapes Leslie, shattering their future. Panzer begins investigating the crime, and Croft's tomb is found empty.

Panzer visits Leslie in the hospital and is shown a mugshot of Croft. He explains Croft's history as a Massachusetts killer who was electrocuted in the Boston Subway and later entombed in California. The case hints at a monstrous pattern connecting Croft to the crimes.

Croft continues to roam the town, killing a housewife and feeding on her blood. Leslie discovers she is pregnant, and her doctor warns that the fetus may be abnormal. Despite medical advice, she refuses to have an abortion, clinging to the memory of Paul.

Panzer returns to Croft's tomb to confront the killer, but Croft murders him, removing any immediate threat in his path. The town remains ignorant of the true danger stalking them. Croft remains at large and undetected.

Months later, Leslie gives birth to her son, James. The infant is pallid and unwilling to take milk, foreshadowing something unsettling. James grows stronger by feeding on blood, and Leslie begins drawing her own blood to nurse him, naming him James.

Thirty years later, after Leslie's death, James dedicates his life to hunting his father. He travels through towns and enrolls in a folk mythology class, meeting Anita Jacoby and Anne Arthur. Croft has assumed a new identity as Adrian Lockwood, a university professor.

In class, James articulates knowledge about Charles Croydon and Caleb Croft, catching the professor's attention. After class, Anne speaks with Croft, who remarks that she reminds him of his late wife Sarah. The tension hints at Croft's awareness of James's lineage.

Later that night, Croft murders the university librarian, severing any further clues about his true nature. The students remain oblivious to the danger among them. This act deepens the mystery surrounding the professor and his ties to Croft.

James attends a party with Anita, who wants Croft to turn her into a vampire. Croft visits Anita at her apartment and, after a confrontation, kills her by slashing her throat. The night marks a brutal escalation in Croft's presence among the students.

Anne returns to her apartment and finds Anita dead; Croft appears nearby and escapes unseen. James learns of the danger but is unaware of his own heritage. The thread of Croft's vampiric identity becomes undeniable.

The following evening, Croft hosts a séance at his estate with James and the others. Anita, speaking from beyond the grave, possesses Anne and exposes Croft as a vampire. Croft forces Anne to cast Anita out, and Anita collapses in the frenzy.

James confronts his father in a brutal struggle and drives a stake through Croft's heart, killing him. Croft dies, but James begins to convulse, and Anne realizes that James has begun to bear fangs himself. The legacy of blood continues to unfold.

The film ends with the line 'Fin. Ou peut-être pas?' indicating the vampire story may continue beyond the screen. The fate of James and the curse remains uncertain.