The She Beast

THE SHE BEAST-1966-A newlywed couple (Barbara Steele & Ian Ogilvy) has their honeymoon interrupted when their car crashes into a Transylvanian lake. An ancient witch-monster is resurrected in Steele’s place and proceeds to kill all the relatives of the town she cursed vengeance on many years before. John Karlsen plays the bow tailed eccentric Count Van Helsing who lives in a cave and reads about the monster’s earlier demise (shown in flashback). He convinces Ogilvy that the only way to save Steele is through an exorcism. The monster (played by a man) looks like a frightening version of Grandmama from TV’s THE ADDAMS FAMILY! There is some intentional humor but I’m not sure the car chase toward the end is supposed to be intentional or not! Mel Welles plays a slimy owner of the inn where the couple stays.

Barbara Steele of course became a star cult actress with her roles in several Italian horror movies most notably Mario Bava's BLACK SUNDAY and NIGHTMARE CASTLE (she’s also in Fellini’s 81/2). Fans should be warned though. She only appears in the first 20 minutes and the last 10!

Ian Ogilvy was in debuting director Michael Reeves next two movies THE SORCERERS (which starred Boris Karloff) and PATHFINDER GENERAL (which starred Vincent Price).

Unfortunately three films would be Reeves' entire output as he died of an accidental drug overdose at 26 in 1969 while preparing to direct THE OBLONG BOX.

Thanks for reading!