Oct 24 2008
The Halloween Marathon, Part Three: More Castles!
Returning to our Halloween horror movie “wine list,” here are two features rich with moonlight, fog and and ambient lighting…..
The Werewolf Vs. The Vampire Women (1970) is an early entry in a series of werewolf movies starring Paul Naschy (a stage name for screenwriter Jacinto Molina). Naschy stars as Waldemar Daninski, or “El Hombre Lobo,” the classic, tormented wolf-man character. Daninski is resurrected when a silver bullet is removed from his chest by the local coroner. He embarks on a brief killing spree and finds refuge in a deserted castle. However, Wandessa, the vampire queen becomes an even bigger problem for Waldemar than his own lycanthropy.
Fangs of the Living Dead (aka Malenka, 1969), directed by Amando de Ossorio (director of the “Blind Dead” films), deals with a wealthy European model who inherits an old castle. When she arrives, she is greeted by her uncle, the Count. It is revealed that the occupants of the castle (and her ancestors) are vampires. She is now torn between her fiancee (and her life in high society Europe) and her obligations to her ghoulish, new family…..
These films are both European masterpieces of gothic horror, but are relatively harmless. They are highly recommended not only because of their content, but also because of their wide availability and relatively low prices (they are perceived to be in the public domain; they can be purchased alone for as little as a dollar online or as part of a multi-movie set).
The Werewolf Vs. The Vampire Women, however is a cut version of The Werewolf Shadow, which features a bit more gore and exposition.
Next up: Horrible Horror!
Don’t look into The Devil’s eyes, you’ll get a headache.
