Spanish Horror Month Quick Picks and Pans

The Lorely’s Grasp (1973) What if Hammer produced a movie in Spain? It might look something like The Lorely’s Grasp, from Amando de Ossorio (Tombs of the Blind Dead). Set in Germany (but filmed mostly in Spain), Lorely (Helga Liné), a legendary, centuries-old creature emerges from the lake to feast on the hearts of its victims. When an all-girls boarding school appears to be the creature’s primary target, the schoolmaster hires the experienced hunter Sigurd (Tony Kendall) to track down and destroy it. Helga Liné is appropriately enticing as the siren-like Lorely, who transforms into a hideous beast at night. The rubbery monster is nothing to write home about, but the film makes up for any deficits with heaps of gothic atmosphere. Great fun! 

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Tubi   

Howl of the Devil (1988) Director/co-writer Paul Naschy’s love letter to the Universal monsters of yesteryear is a twisted tale of obsession, imagination gone awry, and death. Naschy plays Hector, the psychologically unbalanced brother of a famous, deceased character actor, Alex (also played by Naschy). While Hector partakes in bizarre sex games, his nephew Adrián lives in a world of his own. He’s watched over by Hector’s comely housekeeper, Carmen (Caroline Munro), who dreams of taking Adrián away. Adrián holds imaginary conversations with several monsters (including Waldemar Daninsky, the Wolf Man, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Frankenstein’s Monster, and the Phantom of the Opera), which naturally gives Naschy a golden opportunity to revisit these characters. While it’s hard to justify some of the plot’s sleazier elements, it’s a treat to see Naschy in his element. 

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray 

The Baby’s Room (aka: Películas Para no Dormir: La habitación del Niño) (2006) In this intriguing film from director/co-writer Álex de la Iglesia, a young couple with an infant son move into an old house. Not long after they begin renovating the place, Juan and Sonia (Javier Gutiérrez and Leonor Watling) experience a number of strange occurrences, with Juan insisting there’s an intruder watching over their baby. Rather than a ghostly presence, signs point to parallel universes at work, with the house as their focal point. Although it may not quite deliver on such a fascinating premise, The Baby’s Room is worth a look. 

Rating: ***. Available on DVD (part of The Horror Anthology, Volume 1) and Tubi

Edge of the Axe (1988) In this standard slasher from director José Ramón Larraz, an axe murderer in a creepy mask stalks women in a a small Northern California town. Mostly shot in Spain, Edge of the Axe relies on 2^nd unit footage in California, to remind us where we’re supposed to be. A computer “expert” (the filmmakers apparently had no idea what late ‘80s computers were actually capable of) teams up with one of the locals to locate the killer. An escaped mental patient (or course), proves to be the culprit. Yawn. 

Rating: **. Available on Blu-ray, Prime Video and Midnight Pulp

Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein (1972) When your monster movie features Frankenstein’s creation, Dracula and the Wolfman, what can go wrong? Well, if it’s the wildly prolific Jesús (“Jess”) Franco at the helm, plenty. With the help of his homemade monster, Dr. Frankenstein revives Dracula, hoping to create an invincible vampire army to rule the world (just forget about stakes, fire and sunlight). This would-be tribute to Universal’s classic monsters somehow manages to be dull, despite the presence of three horror icons. Featuring sloth-like pacing, non-existent character development, and dollar-store makeup effects, Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein underwhelms from the first reel to the last. If someone told me Franco made this while someone held a gun to his head, I’d believe it. Unless you’re on a masochistic mission to see all 200+ of his movies, skip it.  

Rating: *½. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Tubi

Black Candles (aka: Los Ritos Sexuales del Diablo) (1982) After she learns about her brother’s untimely death, Carol (Vanessa Hidalgo) travels to England to visit her sister-in-law Fiona (Helga Liné) in her farmhouse. All is not as it seems, as Carol stumbles onto a satanic cult, falling into Fiona’s trap. The paper-thin plot is mostly an excuse to depict one sleazy escapade after another (including a sex scene with a pig). More unpleasant than scary, Black Candles is a must-miss. 

Rating: *½. Available on Blu-ray and DVD

 

Horror Rises from the Tomb

 

(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 15^th 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 20^th 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 15^th 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)