La noche del terror ciego (1971)

Director:

Amando de Ossorio

Writers:

Jesús Navarro Carrión (additional dialogue)
Amando de Ossorio (writer)

Release Date:

February 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

Who are these unholy savages who hunt out their victims by sound alone?

Plot:

In the 13th century there existed a legion of evil knights known as the Templars, who quested for eternal...

Plot Keywords:

Knight | Blood | Corpse | Evil | 13th Century

Cast

Lone Fleming	...	Betty Turner
César Burner	...	Roger Whelan
María Elena Arpón	...	Virginia White (as Helen Harp)
José Thelman	...	Pedro Candal (as Joseph Thelman)
Rufino Inglés	...	Insp. Oliveira
Verónica Llimera	...	Nina
Simón Arriaga	...	Morgue keeper
Francisco Sanz	...	Prof. Candal (librarian)
Juan Cortés	...	Coroner
Andrés Isbert
Antonio Orengo	...	Train engineer
José Camoiras
María Silva	...	Maria

Also Known As:

A Noite do Terror Cego (Portugal)
Crypt of the Blind Dead
La noche de la muerta ciega
Mark of the Devil, Part 4: Tombs of the Blind Dead (USA)
Night of the Blind Dead
Revenge from Planet Ape (USA) (recut version)
The Blind Dead (USA)
The Night of the Blind Terror (International: English title) (literal title)
Tombs of the Blind Dead

Runtime:

USA:86 min | Spain:101 min

Country:

Spain | Portugal

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Spain:18 | New Zealand:R18 | Australia:R | Sweden:(Banned) | UK:18 (cut) | USA:PG | West Germany:18 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Estoril, Cascais, Lisbon, Portugal

Company:

Interfilme

Trivia:

Some distributors in the U.S. re-cut and released "La Noche del terror ciego" with the title "Revenge from Planet Ape" in an effort to capitalize on the success of the Planet of the Apes (1968). A prologue was added in this cut version to make a dubious connection between the two films. The prologue explains that 3000 years ago a simian civilization of super intelligent apes struggled with man to gain control of the planet. In the end man conquered ape after a brutal battle which saw him destroy the ape, his culture and society. After this battle man tortured and killed all the ape prisoners by piercing their eyes with a red hot pokers. One of the prisoners, who was also the leader of the apes, vowed they would return from the dead to avenge man's brutality at a point in time before man destroyed Earth himself. This alternate prologue is available for viewing on the Blue-Underground DVD release.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the films intro titles, the camera is looking around the "abandoned" ruins of the Templars monastery. In one shot, a van with a ladder strapped to its roof-rack can be seen going across a bridge in the background, at the top of the picture.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Planet X: (#2.3)" (2006)

Disturbing

I first found this film for rent back in the 80's. It was the old Paragon rental and I really liked it right from the get go. I had actually already seen Horror of the Zombies (aka El Buque Maldito) which is film numero three in De Ossorio's quadrilogy of the Blind Dead. I initially found that one to be a waste but seeing Tombs got me back into the swing of things.

Yes this film is slow moving but most Eurohorror films are a little on the slow side. That is because the spend more time on mood and atmosphere instead of clonking the audience over the head with the point of the story. Like Squonkamatic said his review of this film, you turn your brain on not OFF when you watch these types of films.

Tons of atmosphere in this film. The Templars rising from their tombs and then mounting ghostly horseback! Well you just cant much better than that! I absolutely love the soundtrack as well with the moaning/chanting Templar voices. The ending of this film also still packs a punch. THAT is a key sequence that must be seen it's complete form and THEN will you know why I titled this review as "disturbing".

Pick this up if you can. I have the double DVD from Anchor Bay which is outta print. Stick with the Anchor Bay VHS or wait because it might be coming out again, supposedly in late 2005. All FOUR films in fact if the cards are played right and the planets align. I will have my fingers crossed and my prayers prayed for Blue Underground who has taken on this task.

Rock on!