Now that the lesbians and the crazy people are gone, let's take a trip to Spain. One of the million Paul Naschy films out there is...
Paul here was the Jesus Franco of relatively-good Spanish horror films. Unlike the artistically-challenged auteur, his films at least feel professional. Both Spaniards did make films that were just freaking strange though. This is the case today.
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This movie is basically a horror/soap opera, mixed with some ghost story and slasher elements. Wow, that sounds simple, right? Yeah, it's a big mess of a plot. It's not terrible though, just hard to decipher. Speaking of hard to decipher, check out the opening of this movie.
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A naked woman running through the forest. Okay, interesting choice. We quickly learn that she is being chased by a man in armor on a horse. Sucks to be her, evidently. In true horror movie fashion, she trips and is attacked by his flail. Her death is so violent that it triggers the title screen.
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We cut to the present where Paul is taking his wife out into the woods. We learn that she is very rich and he is most assuredly not. Paul- looking a lot like John Belushi here- gets a flat tire and is attacked by bandits. Wow, this is the exact same scene from Werewolf Shadow, except you are the one in peril this time. That's very clever, pal.*
The gist of the movie is that Paul's wife has a heart condition and needs some R&R. They go to Paul's family estate which is allegedly haunted by a ghost- the villain from the beginning- and features a painting of our hero as Vigo the Carpathian. As time goes by, the wife begins to get scared frequently and nearly dies. It all climaxes in the visage of our ghost villain appearing and pushing her over the edge. Bad luck. So, how do you feel, Paul?*
Oh, you're happy, because this was all part of a plan to kill her off that you made with the maid. But, she doesn't like you either and plots your death with a mysterious man over the phone? Bad choice, Paul. Despite hearing her do this later on, he still falls prey to the 'toaster in the bathtub' trick.
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The finale of the movie is chock full of violent deaths and crazy ghost appearances. It ends with our mischievous and malicious heroine attempting to leave the estate. However, the real ghost rises from his grave and gives her a violent death. Every good person and bad person dies. The End.
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Yeah, this is another interesting recommendation. Those who can stomach the retro gore and frequent nudity may enjoy it. Much like Dario Argento's 'Opera,' the film is very dark in tone and does not end in the most happy of ways. Naschy himself even admits this in the interviews packed onto the Mondo Macabro disc. This is a less accessible Spanish horror film than say "The Loreley's Grasp" or "Return of the Evil Dead." It's worth a rental for those who think it sounds interesting.
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Four more movies to go. Will we see sex traps, Satanic ceremonies and scientific shibari? Probably. Stay tuned...
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