(1973) Directed by Carlos Aured; Written by Paul Naschy; Starring: Paul Naschy, Emma Cohen, Vic Winner (aka: Victor Barrera), Helga Liné, Betsabé Ruiz, and María José Cantudo; Available on Blu-ray and DVD
Rating: ***
“Horror fans in particular are great people. They are devoted to their favorite type of film with loyalty few other genres have. It is sad that many modern directors are exploiting and abusing this audience with bad films. They try to appeal to them by title, take their money, and leave them disappointed. In my prime, I always gave the public what I thought they wanted. I was a horror fan myself before I became an actor, director, and screenwriter, so I knew first-hand what some of their tastes were. I’d like to think I reached my goal in keeping horror fans happy and entertained. If not, at least I gave them my best effort...” – Paul Naschy (from 1992 interview)
“The reason the producer decided to give me my first
directing opportunity was not because he believed that I had some special
merits, but because I promised to make the film on a very low budget” – Carlos
Aured
Paul Naschy (aka: Jacinto Molina Álvarez) has often been compared to Lon Chaney, not only for the breadth of characters he portrayed, but the depth of his commitment to the craft of acting. Even if you don’t know his name, I’d wager (if you’re a horror fan like me) you’ve seen his face multiple times. Besides acting, he often worked behind the camera, directing and writing. Horror Rises from the Tomb (aka: El Espanto Surge de la Tumba), featured a script by Naschy,* and direction by rookie Carlos Aured. While the movie was set in France,** it was mainly filmed in the Lozoya valley in Naschy’s native Spain.
* Fun Fact #1: According to Naschy’s memoir, Memorias de Un Hombre Lobo (aka: Memoirs of a Wolfman), he cranked out the screenplay in one-and-a-half days, with the aid of amphetamines.
** Recycled Fun Fact (see my Night of the Werewolf review): Why was this movie set in France if it was shot in Spain? Filmed depictions of supernatural events were forbidden under Franco’s Spain, but were permissible as long as the setting was outside of Spain.
In the film’s prologue, circa 15th century France, Alaric de Marnac* (Paul Naschy) and his lover/accomplice Mabille De Lancré (Helga Liné) are sentenced to death for the practice of witchcraft and a litany of atrocities. Before de Marnac is decapitated and Mabille is strung up on an oak tree,** he proclaims he will return for vengeance against his accusers’ descendants. Skip forward to 20th century Paris, where Hugo (also played by Naschy) and his friend Maurice (Vic Winner) discuss the legend of de Marnac. Maurice doesn’t believe the stories – until the spirit of Alaric de Marnac compels him to paint a portrait of the deceased warlock. The friends set out for the countryside to investigate, with their girlfriends in tow. After an unfortunate run-in with bandits, they eventually arrive at Hugo’s father’s house, *** conveniently located near the ancient ruins of a monastery where de Marnac and his mistress were supposedly buried. Still under the influence of de Marnac’s malevolent spirit, Maurice locates a small chest, buried in the courtyard of the monastery. Clouded by hopes of buried treasure, some villagers abscond with the chest. Instead of finding untold riches they discover de Marnac’s decapitated head inside, which begins asserting its control over anyone in its proximity (Does he have a limited range, like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth? The world may never know). Once de Marnac’s head has been restored to its proper place on his body, the warlock proceeds to drain Hugo’s girlfriend Silvie (Betsabé Ruiz) of her blood to revive Mabille. Subsequently, Maurice and his girlfriend Paula (Cristina Suriani) fall under the resurrected couple’s spell to carry out their bidding. Thus, the wheels are set in motion for the time-honored cinematic tradition of a showdown between the forces of good and evil.
* Fun Fact #2: Alaric de Marnac was based on a real historical figure, nobleman and alleged serial killer, Gilles de Rais who terrorized 15th century France.
** Fun Fact #3: The filmmakers chose an ancient oak tree for the scene, located within the historically significant location of Roble Gordo. According to Naschy, one of the torches used for the scene was left burning near the tree, reducing it to ashes overnight.
*** Fun Fact #4: Hugo’s country home conveniently belonged
to Naschy’s family.
Paul Naschy is in his element in the dual roles of evil
personified Alaric de Marnac and everyman Hugo. Helga Liné conveys the right
combination of seductive and spooky as Mabille, who’s every bit de Marnac’s
equal. Together, by far, they’re the most memorable characters in the film. The
other big star is the pervasive somber tone and moody lighting, making the most
of the film’s meager budget. In one of the most disturbing scenes, a group of
blank-eyed, reanimated dead villagers shamble into Hugo’s house.
Evil meets its match when Hugo produces “Thor’s Hammers” amulet, which has been in his family’s possession for centuries. The protective talisman (ahem, deus ex machina) is the key to Alric de Marnac’s destruction. How something Nordic in origin ended up in rural France is never explained, as well as why it would have such a deleterious effect on an ancient French nobleman (What did Alaric de Marnac do to piss off the Vikings?). Outside of our dynamic satanic duo, there’s not much in the way of character development – most of them seem to exist simply as a means to propel the plot. You’ll scarcely notice the film’s deficits when you’re treated to oodles of gothic atmosphere and many of the characters (predominately women) in various states of undress.* Horror Rises from the Tomb might not be Naschy’s best or most consistent effort, but it’s a hoot to watch – and sometimes, that’s all you need.
* Fun Fact #5: Due to content restrictions in Spain, the filmmakers shot nude scenes for the foreign export market, and re-filmed clothed scenes for the domestic version.
Sources for this article: Essay by Mirek Lipinski;“Paul
Naschy,” by Dale Pierce, Filmfax: The Magazine of Unusual Film, 1992; Memoirs
of a Wolfman, by Paul Naschy (Translated by Mike Hodges)
