Synopsis for
Fangs of the Living Dead (1969) More at IMDbPro »Malenka (original title)

Just two weeks from her marriage, model Sylvia Morelle [Anita Ekberg] receives a letter from her Uncle, Count Waldrick [Julián Ugarte], informing her that her mother has died and that she has inherited a castle and the title of Countess. Consequently, Sylvia leaves her fiance, Dr Piero Lufuani [John Hamilton], in Rome while she goes to Castle Waldrick to sign papers and check out her good fortune. However, the afternoon she arrives at the castle, her uncle is not there to greet her, and she is told that he never rises this early and will see her at 10 PM. At precisely 10 PM, Sylvia's uncle appears. For an "uncle", he looks very young, and Sylvia can't help but notice the chill in his cheeks. The first thing Uncle does is to show Sylvia a portrait of her grandmother Malenka and point out how much alike they look (except that Sylvia is blonde and Malenka has dark hair).

Later that night, after Sylvia has gone to bed, she is awakened by a dark-haired woman who calls herself Blinka [Adriana Ambesi] and who tells Sylvia that her "Uncle" is not her Uncle, explains how he would lock Sylvia's mother in her bedroom each night, and warns that he wants Sylvia to do something her mother refused to do. As Blinka bends down to "kiss" Sylvia's neck, Uncle interrupts Blinka and, angrily, escorts her to the dungeon where he proceeds to whip her. When Sylvia confronts her Uncle, he tells her the family curse. Seems that Grandma Malenka was a witch. It was her mysterious alchemical rituals and her search for immortality that scared the villagers, so they burned her at the stake. They didn't know, however, that Malenka was successful in her search. In fact, Uncle claims to be Malenka's husband and now lives on as an immortal nosferatu.

Uncle commands that Sylvia cancel her plan to wed Piero, but Piero isn't about to be put off so easily. He and friend Max [Guy Roberts] travel to Waldrick, but they are turned away at the castle. They go to the village inn where Piero is asked to examine Bertha Ziemsen [Diana Lorys], who has lately been feeling unwell. It's a mild case of anemia, says Piero and writes her a prescription for iron. Later, following a visit from the Count, Bertha is found dead by her sister Freya [Rosanna Yanni]. Dr Horbinger [Carlos Casaravilla], the local physician and drunkard, points out the two holes in Bertha's neck and tells Piero the local legends about Malenka. Of course, Piero doesn't believe in vampires, and the next day Bertha is buried without the usual precautions.

Meanwhile, back at the castle, tonight is the night of the ritual that will make Sylvia immortal. First, the Count slices his arm and fills a chalice with his blood. Then he bades Sylvia to drink it, but Sylvia refuses. As the Count is about to pour it down her throat, Bertha comes calling. As the Count is distracted by Bertha, promising to call her tomorrow, Sylvia dumps out the blood and makes her getaway. Helpful Blinka shows her a way out of the castle. Sylvia runs to the village inn and into the arms of Piero, but when she tells him that she saw Bertha, he doesn't believe her until one of the villagers wanders by and says that he also saw Bertha.

Dr Horbinger advises that they must drive a wooden stake through Bertha's heart, so that night he, Piero, and Max go to the cemetery to await Bertha's awakening. Meanwhile, the Count's coachman Vladis [Fernando Bilbao] comes to the inn and forces Sylvia to return to the castle with him. When Piero hears that Sylvia has been taken, he, Max, and Dr Horbinger pay the Count a visit, but Sylvia tells Piero to go away, explaining that she is bound by her heritage to remain at the castle. When Piero confronts the Count, the Count has him placed in chains and then explains his plan to have Sylvia declared insane by virtue of her believing herself to be a vampire, her Uncle to be over 150 years old, and then killing Piero in order to drink his blood.

Seemingly in a trance and obeying her uncle's commands, Sylvia approaches Piero to drink his blood. Blinka suddenly enters the room, announcing that none of this is true. Bertha attacks Blinka, and, while the Count watches them tussle, Sylvia releases Piero's bonds. Piero punches the Count and sets him afire. The Count ages before his eyes, and Malenka's picture begins to burn.

Epilogue: The next morning, Sylvia and Piero prepare to return to Rome. Freya stops Max and asks if she can go to Rome with him and become a model. Max smiles widely, showing vampire fangs and chases her. [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl.]