Friday, July 24, 2020

Naschy Returns!


VENGEANCE OF THE ZOMBIES-1973-A grave robbing married couple are killed when the corpse they planned to loot comes to life. After this an unseen figure performs a ritual. In London a Indian mystic/guru/cult leader Krishna (Paul Naschy) puts himself in a trace and is stab by an assistant but feels no pain. Elvira (Rommy) is one his followers and his friend author Dr. Radcliffe (Vic Winner) is doing research. Radcliffe warns Elvira not too go too far with Krishna's stuff. Later she's terrorized by a pale faced zombie woman and an ugly guy in a top hat who puts an ax in a caretaker's head and hangs her father. After the funeral Elvira goes to visit Krishna. While waiting in the train station, the stationmaster tells her the village is evil and that house Krishna rented is called "The Devil's House" because years before a family called The Whatleys performed blood sacrifices there until the townspeople killed them all. She's finally met by scarred driver Ti Zachery (Pierre Bisari) who takes her to Krishna who seems to be under the weather. Kala (Mirta Miller) is his second in command. When Elvira goes to bed she has a dream Ti and the stationmaster kidnap her and take her to a chamber where some pale faced women stand around and satyr like horned demon (who resembles Krishna) slashes her throat and drinks her blood. After she and Krishna have a chat the next day the scene changes to a meat packing company where the accountant is having an affair with his boss's wife Olivia (Aurora de Alba; FRANKENSTEIN'S BLOODY TERROR). Someone in a top hat, cape and clown mask kills them and drains the blood out of the guy. Then two pale faced women kill a morgue attendant and a figure in a top hat and ghoul mask sets fire to a small figure. Scotland Yard calls in Radcliffe for advice and he tells them that someone is creating zombies using voodoo. Then Krishna buys a knife and walks through a graveyard while some jazzy music plays. After that, the stationmaster is forced to cut his own throat. Gala says Elvira has to leave but Krishna says he needs her help. A maid warns Elvira not to fall in love with Krishna. The maid wants to show something to Elvira in the basement but all she finds is the maid with her head chopped off. Ti appears with a bloody scythe but Krishna shows up and overpowers him. "This is a nightmare! Inexplicable and frightening!". When Elvira wants to call the police Krishna is against it and they have sex instead. Meantime the masked guy makes the zombie women rise and they kill two cops (one is impaled with a cross). After a lot of talk it seems Krishna is the unwilling slave of his occult loving revenge seeking disfigured brother Tantaka and his female zombies. 

This isn't nearly as entertaining as some other screenwriter Paul Naschy/ director Leon Klimlovsky combos (like THE WEREWOLF VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMEN) but it has some fire, nudity and death by soda can with Naschy suitably demented as the crazed Tantaka!

Thanks for reading!



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