Has it been long enough for me to make Paul Naschy jokes? While I'm sure many have me beat, I can say that I've seen a lot of Paul Naschy films. This is my first Video Nasty starring him though (to my knowledge). What can he do that is so violent and disturbing? In this film, he plays a man who turns into a werewolf. He only did that fourteen times, so why did this one stand out? The plot is kind of confusing, as it is placed after another Naschy werewolf movie that- to me, anyways- is unavailable. The story involves lycanthropy, pseudo-science and murder. Does it make sense? No, not really. To see what offended by the BBFC so much, read on as we face...
In this, the U.S. dubbed version, we get some awkward exposition explaining that Naschy was in Tibet, became a werewolf and just returned to his job. Sure- why not?!?
The plot gets weird as Naschy fakes a car accident to get revenge on his wife for having an affair with a young student. Why? You'll see later.
He ends up in the clutches of this lady doctor who experiments on the human brain. This isn't turning into the 'brain swelling makes you a werewolf' plot from House of Dracula, is it? Mercifully, no.
I include many shots of Naschy as the werewolf, since he actually doesn't do a whole lot as him in the movie. I love to be misleading!
Remember when I said that this film was weird? Here's one reason- a guy in a suit of armor attacks a scientist helping out Naschy while in the doctor's castle. How long was he in that? Why was he in that?
Oh, we just wanted an excuse to have Naschy fight a guy in a suit of armor. It was obviously foreshadowing for Panic Beats...or something. I might be stretching things here...
The climax of the film gets confusing and weird. Essentially, the lady doctor keeps Naschy around to experiment on, the same way that she experimented on Naschy's wife and made her have an affair. No, really. She turns the wife into a werewolf, the two fight and pretty much everyone dies. The End.
It's hard to have Fury when you're this confused! The plot of this movie is very, very weird. The idea of Paul Naschy as a werewolf teacher who comes home, fakes his death and kills people is the least ridiculous part! The idea of brain science that allows you to make people feel emotions and just change their personality is silly. Never mind the concept of life and death here! Of course, that is not what's important here. Is the movie so offensive and violent that it should have been banned? No, not really. In fact, the most violent part is actually Stock Footage, as a scene of him in a different werewolf movie is randomly-interspersed during his 'rampage montage.' Did they not think that we would notice that? He suddenly goes from having brown fur and a white shirt to having black fur and a red shirt! Plus, he attacks some villagers, which makes more sense in that film than it does here. I liked this film a lot, even if it was bat-shit insane. I would prefer to see a better print of it somewhere, as this one is clearly ripped from an old VHS and slapped onto a single DVD with The Brainiac and some film I didn't watch. I'll leave you with this shot of Paul Naschy fighting Leatherface- a year or so before Texas Chainsaw Massacre was made...
Next up, I finally cover one of the most controversial films of all-time. Is this Cannibal Holocaust-lite? Stay tuned...
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