Return of the Evil Dead (1973) El ataque de los muertos sin ojos (original title)

Director:

Amando de Ossorio

Writers:

Amando de Ossorio (screenplay)
Amando de Ossorio (story)

Release Date:

14 September 1973 (West Germany)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Have they heard your heart beating?

Plot:

500 years after they were blinded and executed for committing human sacrifices, a band of Templar knights...

Plot Keywords:

Escape | Scream | Return | Human Sacrifice | Templar Knight

Cast

Tony Kendall	...	Jack Marlowe
Fernando Sancho	...	Mayor Duncan
Esperanza Roy	...	Vivian
Frank Braña	...	Howard
José Canalejas	...	Murdo
Loreta Tovar	...	Monica
Ramón Lillo	...	Bert
Lone Fleming	...	Amalia
Maria Nuria	...	Nancy - Amalia's daughter
José Thelman	...	Juan - Monica's boyfriend
Juan Cazalilla	...	Governor
Betsabé Ruiz	...	Governor's maid
Marisol Delgado	...	Doncella
Luis Barboo	...	Executed Templar
Francisco Sanz	...	Station Manager (as Paco Sanz)
Ramón Centenero	...	Farmer 1
Cristino Álmodóvar	...	Farmer 2

Directed by
Amando de Ossorio

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Amando de Ossorio		screenplay
Amando de Ossorio		story

Produced by
Ramón Plana	....	producer

Original Music by
Antón García Abril

Cinematography by
Miguel Fernández Mila

Film Editing by
José Antonio Rojo

Makeup Department
José Luis Campos	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Ramón Plana	....	production manager

Special Effects by
Amando de Ossorio	....	special effects

Production Companies

• Ancla Century Films

Distributors

• Belén Films (1973) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Cinépix Film Properties (CFP) (1976) (Canada) (theatrical) (as "Return of the Evil Dead") (dubbed)
• Excelsior Films (1974) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• London International Film Distributors (1974) (UK) (theatrical)
• MGM/BEF Film Distributors (1974) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Arte (2006) (Germany) (TV)
• Astro Distribution (1998) (Germany) (VHS)
• Atlas International Film (1973) (worldwide) (all media)
• Bingo Video Inc. (USA) (VHS) (as "Return of the Evil Dead")
• Blue Underground (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Cinehollywood (1982) (Hong Kong) (VHS)
• General Video Distributors (unknown) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Genesis Home Video (VHS)
• JEF Films (USA) (VHS) (as "Return of the Evil Dead")
• JTC (unknown) (USA) (VHS)
• Precision Video (1984) (UK) (VHS)
• Redemption Films (1994) (UK) (VHS)
• Siren Entertainment (1995) (Australia) (VHS)
• Svenska Walthers Video (SW) (????) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Video for Pleasure (VFP) (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS) (Samson Draaiplezier)
• Vox (????) (Germany) (TV)

Also Known As:

"El ataque de los muertos sin ojos" - Spain (original title)
"The Return of the Evil Dead" - Australia (imdb display title), USA
"Mark of the Devil 5: Return of the Blind Dead" - USA
"Mark of the Devil Part V: Night of the Blind Terror" - USA (video box title)
"Mark of the Devil V" - USA (video title)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 (re-rating) (1994) | UK:X (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Italy:VM14 | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Australia:MA | West Germany:18 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Company:

Ancla Century Films

Goofs:

Continuity: throughout the movie the day changes from a night to day multiple times.

Movie Connections:

Featured in La llamaban La Madrina (1973)

Spanish Rake Fight

It is hard to deny Amando De Ossorio's talent behind the camera--the man knows how to make even the most foreboding locales postcard-pretty. His writing, on the other hand, is a different story..."Return of the Evil Dead" is essentially a plot less rehash of "Tombs of the Blind Dead," with a liberal helping of "Night of the Living Dead" thrown into the mix. I don't have a problem with movies borrowing from each other, but "Return" is so bereft of story and interesting characters that the whole thing becomes kind of tedious. While "Tombs" didn't really spring to life until its impressive climax, Ossorio does a much better job integrating the resurrected Templars into the film--mostly filmed in mid- and long-shots set against dark sets, they exude more menace this time out (also drawing attention away from their creaky marionette movements); problem is, the action scenes revolving around the Templars go on far too long, diluting their presence. And underneath the surface, there isn't much going on here--a bunch of forgettable, cliché characters hole up in an unusually well-lit church to hold out against the Templar menace--subplots involving a greedy Mayor, a jealous lover, and a lost child ensue. Ho hum. To "Return"'s credit, the opening Templar slaughter is effective, as is a suspenseful child retrieval scene, and the climax is chilling. Too bad everything in between is beautiful to look at but aesthetically mediocre.