More Naschy

 

 (imdb)

THE DEVIL'S POSSESSED-1974-Baron Gilles de Lancre (Paul Naschy) hires Simon (Eduardo Calvo) the alchemist to teach him how to make gold from glass. At first Gilles is reluctant to help the alchemist because it requires a human sacrifice. However, with some urging from his consort Georgelle (Norma Sebre), he overcomes his misgivings, and a local cutie is killed. Later Gaston Malebranche (Guillermo Bredeston) returns from the war and has a fight with some hooligans in a bar. The Baron uses murder and torture to keep everyone in check while searching for the philosopher's stone. His Georgella says the devil will talk to him through a severed head, so he has a local boy decapitated. The head does talk to him and tells him to sacrifice some virgins but the voice is actually that of the alchemist who is obviously in cahoots with Georgelle. 

Later Gaston, who once saved the Baron's life, is more than welcomed in the Baron's castle but Georgelle doesn't like him and says he should be killed. When an assassination fails, Gaston joins the underground peasants who oppose the Baron. After losing a jousting match to Gaston and killing the alchemist because he failed to produce the philosopher's stone, the Baron and his army go on a killing spree. Later he thinks he's invulnerable, but his enemies prove him wrong. 

This great historical bloody horror film was written by star Naschy under his real name Jacinto Molina as he once again teamed the director Leon Klimovsky (THE WEREWOLF VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMAN, DR. JEKYLL VS. THE WEREWOLF). The story is loosely an adaptation of the life of Gilles de Rais, a 15-century notorious French serial killer who had serves under Joan of Arc. Read about him here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilles_de_Rais

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Daminsky!

 

THE WEREWOLF VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMAN-1971-Two college students Elvira (Gaby Fuchs) and Genevieve (Barbara Capell) are looking for the grave of a blood drinking countess. They stumble upon the home of writer Vladimir Daminsky (Paul Naschy) who seems very hospitable until they mention the countess. He invites them to stay over and at night a strange woman tries to strangle Elvira. It turns out to be Daminsky's "mentally disturbed" sister Elizabeth (Yelena Samarina). The next day she attacks Genevieve. 

With Daminsky's help the women find the countess' tomb and open her coffin. Genevieve cuts herself and her blood drips on the corpse. Then Elvira is attacked by a skeletal faced figure dressed like a monk (some say this brief character may have influenced "The Blind Dead" series, the first of which was made several months later). At night Genevieve falls under the spell of the countess (Paty Shepard). Somehow Elvira and Daminsky fall in love. The countess kills Elizabeth and Daminsky explains it will soon be Walpurgis night when the devil rules and vampires take over. At night while Elvira is in the village with the dumb handyman, Daminsky finally turns into a scary werewolf. Elvira has a weird dream and the next day she learns her lover boy's secret. Genevieve bites Elvira but when Vlad kills her, Elivra gets better. The countess seems to disappear into the catacombs. 

Elvira chains up Vlad but the handyman tries to kidnap Elvira. Daminsky escapes and kills him. Elvira's boyfriend Marcello shows up to cause more trouble but he and Elvira are made prisoners by the countess. Vlad saves them just before the devil (director Carlos Aured) arrives and transforms into a wolf and kills the countess. Elvira stabs her wolfman with a cross and "frees him" (until the next movie). 

Leon Klimovsky directed from a screenplay by Naschy (under his real name Jacinto Molina) and the two would later team up for a few more horror outings. This fifth installment was a huge hit in Europe.

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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!

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Spanish Vampires

THE VAMPIRES NIGHT ORGY-1974-A busload of workers traveling to a castle make an unplanned stop in a strange village after their driver dies. The village is devoid of people but the weary travelers decide to stay in the cozy empty inn anyway. One person does show up though, a guy named Luis (the ubiquitous Jack Taylor) who says he got lost while driving around. When Ernest, one of the group goes out for a smoke he's attacked and killed en mass by some weird looking vampires. The next morning the remaining members are greeted by the town folk. A sort of town leader name Boris, who everyone calls Major (Jose' Guardiola) explains that the reason no one was around the previous night was that they were all attending a funeral. When the guests want some meat with their breakfast a big bearded cook chops off a villagers leg and it's serves it to them. One of the travelers goes on and on about how “different” tasting the meat is, much to the amusement of Boris. ”In no other place will you find a roast like this"...

Around this time a pasty faced Ernest shows up and later their bus won't start. Stranded with no money the visitors must accept the hospitality of The Countess (Helga Line', from several Paul Naschy movies), an aristocratic beauty who promptly seduces the young school teacher in the group, bites him on the neck and throws him to her hungry minions. Later the hairy cook hacks off a villager's arm (while a child watches) to serve as dinner. Luis suspects trouble (“There are too many strange and dangerous things going on”) and tries to save the remaining passengers including Alma (Dyanik Zurakowska from FRANKENSTEIN'S BLOODY TERROR) who finds a severed finger on her dinner plate! For some reason the one child, a girl passenger goes off with a mysterious boy and gets trapped in the cemetery. After her mother is killed the boy tries to save her the girl but winds up killing her instead. Luis and Alma flee in his car with the bloodthirsty villagers in hot pursuit. They escape but like in HG Lewis' 2000 MANIACS (and BRIGADOON) the evil village disappears once the pair bring back the authorities.

Director Leon Klimovsky made several films with Paul Naschy. He usually provides a lot of atmosphere and action but this Spanish production is pretty standard and way too dark. The vampires are strange enough but some things are left unexplained. Star Jack Taylor (from Oregon in the USA) made (and is still making) many Euro-films including some with Naschy and some for Jess Franco.

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