FORMAT: BLU-RAY
Right up front, we get a note from writer/director/star Paul Naschy stating that this is intended as an homage to the classic Universal movies of the ‘30s and ‘40s. Unlike Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, Naschy gets to bang hot naked chicks.
Naschy stars in a dual role, which adds to the fun. He’s Hector, a rich, reclusive actor who has his chauffeur (Howard Vernon from countless Jess Franco movies) pick up sexy babes for him. Then, he dresses up like various movie characters (Rasputin, Bluebeard, and Fu Manchu) and has his way with them. Afterwards, as the ladies are in the middle of their walk of shame through the woods, a masked killer hacks them up.
Naschy also plays the ghost of the actor’s twin brother, a dead movie star known for his horror roles. He appears to his orphan son (played by Naschy’s real life son, Sergio Molina) dressed as his most iconic characters (Frankenstein, Mr. Hyde, the Phantom of the Opera, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, and of course, the Wolfman) and tries to keep the boy’s spirits up. On top of that we have Caroline Munro as Hector’s sexy servant. I bet you’re asking yourself, what’s not to love about this movie?
Well, some of this is a little confusing, but it kind of adds to the overall dreamlike quality of the film. Sure, it’s disjointed, a tad overlong (the subplot with the scheming priest and his hobo sidekick threaten to drag things down), and some parts are way more effective than others. However, Naschy is clearly having a ball playing multiple roles and dressing up in various monster get-ups, and that level of fun rubs off on the audience. The copious nudity certainly helps too, and the gore is solid as well. (There’s a shocking pre-title kill scene, pliers to the nipple, and a sweet bathtub murder.) The ending is straight-up bonkers too.
What are you waiting for? Why are you still reading this? Check it out!
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