|
Werewolf Shadow
[Deimos]
1970; color
Directed by Leom Klimovsky
Starring: Paul Naschy, Gaby Fuchs, Barbara Capell, Patty Shepard & Andres Resino
|
|
Another pristine entry in Deimos' Spanish Horror series, this time with one of Naschy's best werewolf entries, Werewolf Shadow. Originally released as La Noche De Walpurgis (literally Night Of the Walpurgis), most US horror fans recognize it as Werewolf Vs. Vampire Woman. This version is 10 minutes longer than WVVW, but there's barely any difference except for some additional toplessness and a couple previously edited out scenes that really add nothing. The movie begins with a doctor and another man (possibly his assistant, but it's not specified) arriving at a morgue to do a post-mortem on a man apparently responsible for a number of brutal murders, a man the local villagers say is a werewolf. (Paul Nashcy, of course, as the ever hirsute Waldemar Daninsky.) Seeing as how a man of medicine can't resist trying to debunk superstitions with science, the doctor boldly removes the two silver bullets in the man's chest, telling his friend that the man will remain quite dead, proving he's not a werewolf. Wrong-o, doc. Within seconds of the second bullet being removed we see a familiar hairy paw on the startled doctor's shoulder and then a fully wolfed-out Naschy on the attack. Next, we jump to two female college students doing research for their thesis, which happens to center around witchcraft, black magic and the legend of a long-dead vampire named Wandessa. (Who's supposed to be an Elizabeth Bathory type of character.) The pair figure if they can find Wandessa's tomb, it will prove her existence and make them famous. The boyfriends of the two aren't thrilled about their ladies going off unescorted to the French equivalent of remote hillbilly country but accept it. As our two co-eds make their way further and further away from civilization they begin to worry about running out of gas and finding a place to spend the night. They find a farmhouse and go looking for help, only to find it deserted; save for one Waldemar Daninsky "exploring the ruins." He explains he's a writer who lives nearby and offers the girls hospitality for the night, promising a ride to town from his handyman in the morning so they can get gas and be on their way. As they eat dinner, the girls tell Waldemar of their research, at which point he clams up and gets all distant so they leave him alone and go to bed. The next day, they all go exploring and find Wandessa's tomb. Rather than just taking pictures, they open the coffin and one of the girls pulls the silver cross from Wandessa's chest, cuts her hand and - conveniently - drips blood into the mouth of Wandessa's skull. Well, we all know what that's gonna lead up to right? Sure enough, that night the girl is visited by Wandessa, gets vampirized and disappears. The rest of the film is spent with her friend, who's falling head over heels in love with Waldemar, trying to find her and figure out if Wandessa has come back to life. Then there's the little matter of Waldemar being a werewolf. He explains how it happened when he was exploring in Tibet, and tells the girl about the only way to kill a werewolf, which she knows she must eventually do. Around this time, Wandessa's getting ready for Walpurgis Night, where she'll complete a pact with Satan and have greatly increased powers. Also, the boyfriend of the girl who hasn't gone missing and is now in love with Waldemar, goes looking for her. Finding her at Waldemar's home, he convinces her to go with him. Unfortunately, the two run into Wandessa as they leave, and end up chained to a wall in a ruin and bearing witness to some heavy duty black magic. Waldemar comes in at the last second to save them, which he does, before wolfing out for a final confrontation with Wandessa. Eventually both of them are dispatched, freeing Waldemar of the curse and the world of Wandessa. Despite elements of the plot being recycled (as they would be again in future installments), this is one of the best entries in the Naschy-Werewolf canon and well worth repeat viewing.
—the Kommandant
|
|
