w/ Paul Naschy, Julia Saly, Silvia Aguilar, Azucena Hernández, Beatriz Elorrieta, Pilar Alcón and Narciso Ibáñez Menta. And written and directed by Paul Naschy.
But no Luis Ciges!
At long last, we get to El Hombre Lobo!
In 16th Century Hungary (although from a historical point-of-view, that opening text should have indicated the 17th Century), the werewolf Waldemar Daninsky (Paul Naschy) is in thrall to Countess Elizabeth Báthory (Julia Saly) and, when she is sentenced to be entombed for the rest of her life, he is relieved to be "executed" (a term that one should always use loosely in supernatural movies) along with the rest of her cohort.
Flash foward 370 years and (in the usual coincidence that is also common to supernatural movies) Daninsky is resurrected accidentally by a pair of grave robbers while Báthory is resurrected purposely by an evil student of the occult (Silvia Aguilar). With Báthory coming back as a real rather than a figurative vampire. Who quickly turns the evil student, one of her compatriots (Pilar Alcón) and Daninsky's assistant (Beatriz Elorrieta) into fellow vampires. Which sets us up for the eventual conflict between the werewolf (along with his lover (Azucena Hernández)) and the vampire women. Aided by the fact that whatever had him under her power in the past doesn't appear to exist in the present.
Now, there is little that is new in this movie. Especially since this is, for the most part, a remake of an earlier El Hombre Lobo movie: The Werewolf Versus the Vampire Woman (1971).
There is wolfsbane. And there is a walking stick with a silver head (but not a wolf's head). And there is the sign of the werewolf (although in this case it is a pentagon rather than a pentagram). All out of The Wolf Man (1941). And the werewolf being resurrected was obviously inspired by Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943). And a werewolf under the power of a vampire is right out of The Return of the Vampire (1943). And the concept that a werewolf can only be killed by one who loves him is right out of House of Frankenstein (1944).
And this is not the first movie that features Countess Elizabeth Báthory (Ingrid Pitt's Countess Dracula (1970) is the one that most easily comes to mind). And her resurrection was obviously inspired by Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966). Although, in this case, the person hanging upside down was female and, this being a Naschy movie, wears a lot less clothing.
However, although none of the pieces are new, the jigsaw puzzle is put together fairly well. And, since all of the El Hombre Lobo movies are fairly independent of each other, this one would be a worthwhile introduction to that series of films.
Although a good movie, however, it came out at the wrong time. Although technically a contemporary movie, once the women arrive in search of Báthory, this movie is pure old school gothic at that point. And even Hammer had stopped making old school gothic movies for many a year. And 1981 itself was a year made for true contemporary werewolf movies: The Howling, Wolfen, An American Werewolf in London. So, although this was not Paul Naschy's last movie, it definitely marked the end of an era.
Random comments:
a) This is the fifth and last of five movies in The Paul Naschy Collection Blu-Ray set. Of the movies on that set, I would rate this one third below both Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll (1974) and Horror Rises from the Tomb (1973) but above both Human Beasts (1980) and Vengeance of the Zombies (1973).
b) A literal translation of the Spanish title for this one is "The Return of the Wolf Man". Which is, technically, a valid title since the werewolf is resurrected in this one. But probably has that sequel feel that whomever released this one was trying to avoid.
c) The original U.S. title for this one was The Craving. Now that one leaves a lot to be desired.
d) Paul Naschy wears a beard in this movie. I think he looks better that way.
e) Julia Saly, Silvia Aguilar and Azucena Hernández were all in Human Beasts.
f) The first werewolf movie mystery: If you are a werewolf who doesn't want to kill anyone. And you have an assistant that you can trust. And full moons are not exactly random events. Why aren't you arranging to have yourself locked up for the night?
g) The second werewolf movie mystery: Why is the full moon already so high in the sky before the werewolf turns?
h) The third werewolf movie mystery: Why do people who are ready, willing and able to kill a werewolf allow the werewolf to get so close before they do so?
i) And, finally, I have The Paul Naschy Collection II Blu-Ray set on order. So you all may have to suffer through me doing this five more times! Although, at my rate, that will take another ten months!
Originally posted March 3, 2019 on forums.tcm.com.
