The Devil's Wedding Night (1973) User Reviews

Amusingly sleazy

[Zbigniew_Krycsiwiki · 5/10 · 8 June 2013]

The kind of movie one has to not think about, just sit back and enjoy the lush visuals, and abundant nudity. Great looking topless girls in this Euro shocker/ sex flick, about Dracula's oversized joke shop ring, with a red amulet almost as large as girl's hand, and the various people are hoping to possess it. Film is kind of like an old Hammer Horror, with a bit more graphic sex and nudity: beautiful lesbian vampire lures young girls to castle to frolic with them, then offers them as sacrifices to the devil.

Several sequences are devoted to prowling through the old castle, to show off the film's well done sets and eerie lighting and smoke effects. Several scenes are devoted to showing off the female cast members' ample tits. Both held my attention.

Good fight between Shiller and vampire ghoul, defeated by a stake driven through his heart and a fall out a window, but mostly just an excuse for atmospherics and nudity.

Cheesy and sleazy, but also rather boring in places.

[BA_Harrison · 6/10 · 6 October 2017]

Some bright red gore, the naked charms of several sexy women, including star Rosalba Neri, and a few unintentional laughs are the main attractions of this otherwise rather tedious vampiric potboiler. Appearing opposite a bland Mark Damon, Neri plays bride of Dracula La Contessa Dolingen de Vries, who uses the fabled ring of the Nibelungen to lure virgins to her castle. Damon plays dual roles (when he isn't really up to just the one), that of archaeologist Franz Schiller, who goes to the castle in search of the ring, and of his twin brother Karl, who follows, too late to save his sibling but not too late to end the Contessa's reign of terror.

As is often the case in such Gothic Euro horror, there's an awful lot of wandering around the castle, with an obligatory storm raging overhead, all of which is fairly mundane, but at least director Luigi Batzella sees fit to punctuate the boredom with the occasional spot of sleaze: the Contessa has sex with Franz, giving the viewer a good eyeful of Neri's bod; Neri also gets naked whilst taking a blood bath, the red stuff poured all over her chest by faithful housemaid Lara (Esmeralda Barros); the Contessa and Lara have a lesbian romp; and five virgins are stripped naked before being stabbed in the neck, their blood gushing over their bare breasts. All good stuff.

Also reasonably fun: the fight between Karl and a bald hunchbacked vampire; the trippy laughing scene (I haven't a clue what that was all about); Karl hacking off the Contessa's hand; the Contessa turning into a huge bat to attack comely innkeeper's daughter Tanya (Francesca Romana Davila); and the silly surprise ending.

5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for the hilarious moment when the Contessa holds up the magical ring to Karl and he starts to do Tai Chi. At least that's what it looked like to me.

See It For Rosalba

[ferbs54 · 5/10 · 13 December 2009]

There are roughly 18,262 days in a 50-year period. Thus, I would have to say that the odds of twin brothers Karl and Franz Schiller, in the 1978 Eurosleaze horror flick "The Devil's Wedding Night," arriving at the castle of Countess Dolingen de Vries in Transylvania on the one night in 50 years when village virgins are sacrificed is, well, 18,262 to 1. Still, the viewer can well imagine on which night they DO arrive: that's right, the Night of the Virgin Moon! In their quest for Wagner's legendary Ring of the Nibelungen, which gives its owner almost limitless powers, the brothers (well played, I suppose, by Mark Damon) run afoul of not only the beautiful vampiric countess, but her castleful of zombie retainers, as well. In the role of the countess we have the perfect 10 Eurobabe Rosalba Neri (here called Sara Bay, for some reason), an actress who I only recently became enamored of after admiring her performance as the doomed nymphomaniac in 1971's "Slaughter Hotel." Rosalba, though a talented thespian (and, in this film, lesbian) and much more than just a gorgeous face, nonetheless still looks incredible here, especially when streaked with blood and rising out of a steaming vat. She easily flaps away with the film. But there are still other, modest pleasures to be had here, in a film that ultimately comes off as sleazy shlock. Like another Italian film that I recently saw, 1960's "Mill of the Stone Women," "The Devil's Wedding Night" features a disorienting, drug-induced, psychedelic freakout sequence that comes roughly halfway in. Director Luigi Batzella and composer Vasili Kojucharov's contributions do create a film with some creepy atmosphere, and for all you hound dogs out there, the five virgins that are called to the castle, stripped and butchered are quite a toothsome lot. In all, certainly not a classic or even very good film, but still fun. Unfortunately, this DVD from Shout Factory showcases a very damaged-looking print that is only just barely watchable, and with no extras to speak of other than some snide comments from Elvira. Even this sleazy piece of Eurohorror deserves a better treatment!

Don't forget your RSVP.

[lost-in-limbo · 5/10 · 22 April 2019]

The invitation is there, but I don't know if many would be returning their RSVPs for "THE DEVIL'S WEDDING NIGHT"? The devil sure did not. Nothing really sets this apart from the cheap, sleazy and rough looking euro gothic horrors exploiting clichéd elements of sex and violence. In a way it's uneventful, lumpy and nonsensical. Twin brothers head to Transylvania and Castle Dracula in search of a mythical ring, but encounter the castle's current residents; a countess (Rosalba Neri) and her dead servant. She plans to use one of the brothers to house the spirit of her former lover - Count Dracula.

It doesn't really come into its own in delivering compulsive theatrics until the third act, when the black mass wedding / ritualistic resurrection gets under way throughout an earsplitting thunderstorm. Before then, there are few random atmospheric images (open graves, crypts and a blood bathing countess engulfed by mist), sound effects (bats squealing and heartbeats), and lustful or supernatural actions (floating vampires and an aggressive bald vampire with uneven fangs), but for most part it's drab, and fairly talky --- emphasizing the words; Transylvania, or vampire, or Dracula and constant zooms of people cackling, or staring straight at the camera in trying to set-up its nightmarish awe. The slow nature and disorienting camera angles are used to evoke superstition and mystery, but the plot comes off convoluted and it's hard to connect with Mark Damon's dual performance. Rosalba Neri on the other hand makes those dull moments bearable.

The climax of good vs. evil, amulet vs. ring transpires into what looks like a slow-mo (no effects though) dance off, or someone demonstrating their martial arts because of a lack of visual effects. Although there's a sequence involving a projected stuffed bat that needs to be seen to be believed. Anyhow think of kids playing with their toys using their imagination and making sounds, well that's how this climatic standoff plays out between the sharp-shooting brother and the delectable countess, where it's the music and psychical acting implying the powers of the mythical jewelry. At least the encounter's finale provides a nasty looking practical effect, cheap, yet, a well done throwaway.

Vampire meets erotica in outdated horror film.

[emm · 4/10 · 15 November 1998]

If Rosalba Neri's (credited as Sara Bay) seductive charms are plenty enough to tease on your vital mammaries, then you must see this one. That's why Italian horror movies such as THE DEVIL'S WEDDING NIGHT focus more on sex to compliment the genre. Eroticism aside, it isn't all too horrifying. The classic vampire-ritual movies had their place in the theaters long ago, but it's turned into pure camp now. There's hardly anything in here to please the most die-hard horror sickies other than its erotic nature, despite some occasional dark chills. The most popular scene is Neri rising naked while drenched with blood. The rest is strictly exploitation fare. See this only if you have the strong desire to become addicted to seductive beauty. Otherwise, it's just plain outdated with nothing but old-fashioned vampire fun and plenty of sex to see.

Don't go searching too hard for this rare video find.

[mhatchmiller · 20 October 2003]

Il Plenlunio delle vergini (THE DEVIL'S WEDDING NIGHT) is probably only interesting as a late example of Italian Gothic horror. By 1973 most Italian horror films were following in the footsteps of Alfred Hitchcock and Argento's giallos (eg. THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMMAGE, 1970), including those of the original gothic filmmakers, Riccardo Freda (THE IGUANA WITH THE TONGUE OF FIRE, 1971) and Mario Bava (HATCHET FOR THE HONEYMOON, 1970 and BAY OF BLOOD, 1971). Also of interest to cult and horror film buffs, the film was photographed by Italy's (probably inferior) equivalent of Jess Franco, Joe D'Amato. Other than that, this film has little to recommend for it. The photography is a mediocre homage to NOSFERATU, the sets pale in comparison to those of earlier gothic horror films (for example, Bava's BLACK SUNDAY), the story is dull and inconsistent, the nude scenes are neither necessary nor particularly erotic, and the atmosphere is less-than-spooky when it isn't unintentional comical. They don't make 'em like this anymore, and we should be thankful for it.

THE DEVIL'S WEDDING NIGHT (Luigi Batzella, 1973) **

[Bunuel1976 · 4/10 · 3 September 2008]

This is another disreputable "Euro-Cult" item of the Horror/Erotica variety: its director, in fact, is likened to Renato Polselli – whose vaguely similar THE REINCARNATION OF ISABEL (1973) I recently watched. Mind you, this is nowhere near the incomprehensible mess that ISABEL was – but the plot also concerns vampires, sacrificial victims and lookalike protagonists (in this case, Mark Damon as twin brothers).

It all starts with the search for the mythic Ring of the Nibelungens, currently residing in Transylvania(!)…which, of course, is the home of Count Dracula. When one of the Damons goes there, he finds a Countess ("Euro-Cult" starlet Rosalba Neri) living in Castle Dracula; having lost his protective amulet, he soon falls under her spell and is himself turned into a bloodsucker. Soon after, though, his twin turns up at the castle but, being the more studious of the two, he resists Neri's advances and, thinking something's not right with the place, spends a good part of the running-time roaming its various corridors and, naturally, the crypt (virtually a given for Gothic chillers)!

As it turned out, the brothers happened to pick the time when five local virgins are to be sacrificed (presumably for the reincarnation of Dracula); the film's most erotic yet visually impressive sequence, as a matter of fact, shows the blood of a freshly-slain girl being spilled on the naked Countess – residing in one of the crypts – by her zombie-like black maid (yes, various horror myths are thrown in for no very good reason and with little real impact!). Anyway, it all ends with the afflicted Damon being initiated into the ways of the vampire – but he's actually been disposed of and replaced by his heroic sibling who, in no time at all, manages to disarm the various diabolists (who turn up out of nowhere) at the ceremony. Meanwhile, Neri retreats to the castle tower and, with the aid of the ring, draws the intended sacrificial victims to her – but Damon disturbs her plans even here, and she eventually perishes thanks to some providential lightning. The hero leaves the castle with a local girl he had befriended but, in a clichéd downbeat conclusion, she has been turned into a vampire (off-screen) as well – given that the driver of the coach is none other than the sinister-looking character occasionally seen prowling the castle grounds…

To be fair, the tone of the piece is characteristically dream-like and it all looks pretty good for the little budget the director must have had at his disposal; on the other hand, being at once insufficiently-plotted and highly derivative, it's not memorable enough to live in the memory.

Occasionally effective Italian sleaze.

[HumanoidOfFlesh · 7/10 · 26 March 2007]

Two brothers searching in Transylvania for the legendary 'Ring of Nibelungen' fall under the spell of the sexy and evil Countess De Vries(Rosalba Neri)who uses the ring to attract the local virgins to her foreboding castle where they fall victim to her bloody rituals.This soft core piece of Italian erotica offers plenty of sleaze and nudity.Rosalba Neri is the convincing bloodsucker that spends much of the film in an advanced state of undress.In one memorable scene the Countess writhes around in a coffin in the pink while the faithful maid slowly pours a pitcher of fresh virgin blood over her naked body.Unfortunately the action is quite dull and there is almost no suspense.Still if you like lesbian vampire movies you can give it a look.7 out of 10.

Don't forget your toothbrush.

[bombersflyup · 3/10 · 8 April 2024]

In The Devil's Wedding Night, scholarly Karl Schiller believes he's found the ring of the Nibelungen, which holds great power. It's at Castle Dracula. His twin, Franz, a gambler, asks if vampires frighten Karl; Karl shows him an Egyptian amulet, which may protect him. Franz takes the amulet and sets out ahead of his brother, arriving at the castle first. There he finds a countess who invites him to dine.

The film's amateurish and dull mostly, but some points for effort, with a little bit of atmosphere and lots of perks. They're not really tantalizing though and the backstory and characterization's thin, so you don't really care about anything happening.

Maaaark Daaaaamon

[Bezenby · 7/10 · 30 December 2017]

Mark Damon and his twin brother Mark Damon are academic types out to find the ancient ring of Nibelungen for reasons that passed me by. The two are quite different - one is a bookish, academic type who has an amulet to protect him and the other is a hunky type who steals the amulet and heads off to a creepy castle, stopping on the way to bed a local innkeeper's daughter. He gets her in the sack when she tells him that the local creepy castle calls five virgins from the village every year who fall into a trance and walk up to the castle. Hunky Mark effectively says he'll save her life by popping her cherry - looks like another Italian film with a feminist agenda is well underway.

He gets to the castle and finds a dozy-looking maid who tells him that the sexy countess isn't around and he might as well have a trippy walk around the castle. After finding the tombs, and hearing strange screaming,he finds the maid dead in one of the coffins, and heads back to the castle to find sexy Rosalba Neri who is definitely not an evil vampire. Rosalba hits it off with Hunky Mark when she introduces the alive again maid, but to keep your mind off of why nothing up to this point makes any sense, Rosalba gets Hunky Mark in the sack for some filthy squeezy, then turns into a giant bat and bites him.

By this time Nerd Mark arrives at the castle and doesn't believe Rosalba when she says his brother wasn't there. Just when you think the last scene is going to repeat itself Rosalba gives Nerd Mark some drugs and while he's rolling about laughing gets the maid in the sack instead and has her pour blood all over her naked body. Up periscope!

This is all leading to the big virgin sacrificing scene where one brother has to rescue the other brother from a sexy vampire and although Luigi Betzella is associated with bottom of the barrel trash like the Beast in Heat, this is a decent film with a lot of effective scenes, and one particularly hilarious one of someone superimposed in front of a giant real bat. I'm not the hugest vampire film fan in the world so if I like it then it must have something good going for it.

There are also a huge amount of nude scenes in this one too, most of them by Rosalba Neri. There's a rat staring at me. Not much else to say, except that the image of Roslba emerging from a crypt nude and covered in blood is one you won't forget in a hurry,

Incomprehensible bloody nude Satanic dreck

[InjunNose · 3/10 · 25 December 2009]

"The Devil's Wedding Night" is a perfect example of everything that bugs me about Eurohorror. It boasts every cruddy cliché you can think of--magic rings and amulets, chanting Satanists, goofy-looking fake vampire teeth, and nudity out the wazoo--but has none of the style or atmosphere of, say, a Mario Bava film. Nothing inherently wrong with nudity, of course...but director Luigi Batzella pads this clunker with too much of it, hoping that T&A will prevent the viewer from dwelling on the lack of scares. No such luck. Mark Damon (who looks as if he'd done some hard living after starring in "House of Usher" and "Black Sabbath" a decade earlier) plays twin brothers Franz and Karl, both of whom are menaced by a beautiful but sinister countess (Rosalba Neri, who appears here as 'Sara Bay') in her gloomy castle. The countess has a scowling lesbian servant and a bald, apparently mute henchman whose cuspids are each about a foot long; eventually, some naked virgins and guys in executioners' hoods show up for an ill-defined, Black Mass- type ceremony which takes place once every fifty years. Or something. None of it makes a hell of a lot of sense. If you're not picky about your horror, or if you just want to have a good laugh, I guess "The Devil's Wedding Night" is an acceptable way to pass eighty minutes of your life. Everyone else is advised to steer clear.

Excellent Hammer-esquire Title

[vaughan-34 · 9/10 · 10 April 2009]

Unlike the only other reviewer of this title, I thought this was quite terrific. Actually I was amazed at how good it is.

My overall impression was of a film that had a Hammer vibe, with a couple twists - the twists being more blood (though there's not a tremendous amount), and more overt nudity (several topless shots).

Other than that it is as good - and silly - as Hammer vampire flicks of the day. Sure the plot is a bit daft, the whole thing turns on possession of an ancient ring, but what do you expect from a vampire film of this era? It didn't matter to me at all.

The copy I saw was from tape, so the quality wasn't great. Never mind though, seeing it was better than missing out.

As for the previously mentioned "lesbian" sequences, they're tame, and along the lines of the classic Hammer film "The Vampire Lovers".

So, if you're a Hammer fan who doesn't mind a slight Euro influence on the ambiance, then this is a film you simply must seek out. I think it's terrific and would buy a remastered edition in a heart beat.

Neri is perfect in this role

[christopher-underwood · 7/10 · 12 March 2013]

By no means a top notch Gothic horror but it is colourful and eventful, has the wondrous, Rosalba Neri and a cast of lovelies, all pretty keen to strip down. The ever effective Mark Damon, here plays a pair of twins with some silly mission involving a big red ring, worn throughout the film, of course by the vampiric countess (Neri) in some style. Indeed Neri is perfect in this role of the majestic yet deadly, beautiful but cruel lady of the night. Apart from the nonsense story there are one or two too many scenes of Damon on horseback or searching through corridors, but there are also such stylish set pieces, mainly involving blood and flesh, that it would be churlish to complain. Great title and if not expertly executed, certainly entertaining enough.

vampire ceremonies

[lee_eisenberg · 4/10 · 30 March 2015]

Italian cinema brings to mind Federico Fellini* and his ilk. Connoisseurs of this probably don't know that Italy spent the 1970s releasing a series of sleazy horror flicks. "Il plenilunio delle vergini" ("The Devil's Wedding Night" in English) is probably most readily available as part of Elvira's Movie Macabre. The Mistress of the Dark spends the whole time commenting on the movie's lack of an obvious plot...and then her Auntie Virus comes and tries to steal the show! The movie itself - about a castle in the Carpathians to which a collection of five virgins gets drawn and never seen again - is fairly enjoyable. There's no shortage of sex and gore. In a way, these horror flicks hearken back to Italy's famous paintings showing scenes of torture and suffering.

I don't know if it's possible to obtain this movie on its own. It's the sort of movie that only Elvira, "Mystery Science Theater 3000" or Joe Bob Briggs could present. It's some authentic good times. There's a reason why I got Elvira's autograph at Wizard World last year.

Anyway, enjoy Miss E's presentation. Unpleasant dreams!

*As it turns out, Cassandra Peterson (Elvira's portrayer) had a brief appearance in Fellini's "Roma".

The Devil's Wedding Night

[Michael_Elliott · 28 February 2016]

The Devil's Wedding Night (1973)

** (out of 4)

Archaeologist Karl Schiller (Mark Damon) is doing research on a mythical ring that was apparently once owned by Count Dracula. Even though his twin brothers tries to talk him out of going, Karl heads off to Transylvania where he goes to a castle ran by Countess de Vries (Rosalba Neri) and her assistant Lara (Esmeralda Barros).

THE DEVIL'S WEDDING NIGHT is one of the most popular EuroHorror movies out there but I'm going to guess the main reason is because of its public domain status and the fact that this film has been included in so many cheap releases that most collectors would have bought one of the various versions at some point in their life. That's not to say that this is a completely worthless film because it isn't but at the same time it's certainly not what one would consider a "good" movie.

Like most European films from this era that deals with vampires, this one here has a rich atmosphere as well as plenty of nudity, sex and of course blood. There are some effective moments throughout the picture but the highlight has to be a sequence where Neri is bathed in blood before standing up where we get a terrific shot of the blood covering her body as the fog rises and covers here. Neri was one of the most beautiful starlets from this era and she's very effective in the film here. Obviously she's on full display in regards to the nudity, which is never a bad thing. Damon is also good in his two roles and Barros is effective as well.

As I said, director Luigi Batzella does a very good job at building up some atmosphere and a few of the scenes are quite effective but at just 83 minutes there are still plenty of moments where the film becomes quite dull and talky. Even with that short of a running time the film seems long but the ending packs a nice punch. THE DEVIL'S WEDDING NIGHT isn't a masterpiece or even a good film but fans of Neri will want to check it out.

Countess Bathory, I mean Dracula, uses a gaudy magic ring to draw virgins to her castle

[Wuchakk · 5/10 · 6 May 2022]

Count Dracula is long gone in Transylvania, but a woman has supposedly bought his castle (Rosalba Neri, aka Sara Bay) and there are rumors of virgin sacrifice and lingering vampirism. Into this situation arrive twin brothers from Western Europe looking for the priceless ring of the Nibelungen, one noble and the other ignoble (Mark Damon in a dual role). Horror ensues.

"The Devil's Wedding Night" (1973) is colorful Gothic horror in the mold of Hammer's "The Vampire Lovers" (1970) and "Countess Dracula" (1971) mixed with their Dracula flicks, albeit with incoherent Italian filmmaking. It's the precursor to Coppola's "Bram Stoker's Dracula" two decades later with the difference that it was shot in a real European castle and looks it (Coppola's film was shot entirely on studio sets).

Luigi Batzella directed the film with Joe D'Amato reshooting some scenes. Rosalba said she couldn't understand Batzella and it seemed like there were two of him going in different directions, which might explain the drug-addled flourishes that some view as artistic. I call it questionable storytelling.

The uncut version naturally has more nudity. For better films of this ilk, see "Lady Frankenstein" (1971) and "The Devil's Nightmare" (1971).

The full version runs 1 hour, 23 minutes, and was shot in Castello Piccolomini in Balsorano, which is about 50 miles east of Rome, Italy.

GRADE: C.

A pretty good cheesy horror movie

[foster-dickson · 6/10 · 24 January 2019]

It's a European horror movie from the '70s and has what you'd expect it would: a fairly predictable premise that alters the standard scenario a bit, slow pacing that adds to the tension, creepy supporting characters, and some vague reason for adding sexual content. This movie is not very interesting except as an example of a period piece that is heavily stylized.

I am, in my own fashion, also a lady of the night.

[lastliberal · 6/10 · 13 June 2008]

This movie has as much life as the Countess's zombie housekeeper. Even Rosalba Neri's hot body couldn't get things exciting. But. then the housekeeper (Rosalba Neri) bathes the Countess in hot blood, and it gets a little steamier.

But, the real deal in this Italian classic is Dracula's ring. With it, the Countess summons young maidens from the village to fulfill her needs. She is a real hero to me in that she doesn't seek power or glory or riches, just young maidens to frolic with before she drinks and bathes in their blood. Bwa ha ha ha. And it's not just a single serving for the Countess, she orders in a five-pack, then does the funky chicken, and, voilà, 10 perfect breasts, extra spicy Italian-style. Yum.

Now, she must just avoid the evil Herr Schiller (Mark Damon), who wants to take her hand for his own purposes.

They don't make them like this anymore.

Rosalba Neri - Vampiric Queen of Satanic Sleaze Orgies

[Witchfinder-General-666 · 8/10 · 18 January 2011]

Italian Gothic Horror films from the 60s and 70s are usually as elegant, eerie and rewarding as Horror can get. While Luigi Batzella's "Il Plenilunio Delle Vergini" aka. "The Devil's Wedding Night" of 1973 is certainly no highlight of the genre, it is an enjoyable little slice of Sleaze that my fellow Eurohorror buffs should enjoy. Even though there are some brilliant Italian Gothic Horror films made in the 70s, one might say that the sub-genre had its heyday in the 60s, when filmmakers such as the inimitable Mario Bava, Antonio Margheriti and Riccardo Freda delivered the greatest contributions to the genre. In the 70s, the main focus of Italian Horror/Suspense cinema was on the equally brilliant and elegant Giallo-Genre; however, there were still plenty of Gothic Horror films being made, and those went with the time and were filled with the delightful sleaze that is omnipresent in 70s cult-cinema. "The Devil's Wedding Night" is a good example for this.

One has to admit that the storyline is not the film's strongest aspect, as it doesn't make a lot of sense. In search of the legendary Ring of the Nibelungen, Karl Schiller (Mark Damon) comes to Transylvania where he inspects Castle Dracula, claiming that he does so for architectural studies. The stunningly beautiful and sinister Contessa Dolingen De Vries (Rosalba Neri), who owns the castle, immediately seduces him. However, the sexy Contessa has some unholy secrets... In the meanwhile Karl's identical twin brother (also Mark Damon), has followed him to Transylvania in order to look after his safety...

As stated above, the story doesn't make a lot of sense. The film starts out extremely cheesy, but it gradually gets better and more entertaining. Italian directors have always had a particular talent to make their films visually elegant, even when the budget was low, and this film is no exception. "The Devi's Wedding Night" is beautifully shot in nice locations full of elegant and macabre set-pieces. The ravishing Rosalba Neri (credited here as Sara Bay) who is best known for her roles in other sleazy Italian gems such as "La Figlia Di Frankenstein" ("Frankenstein's Daughter", 1971) and "La Bestia Uccide A Sangue Freddo" ("Slaughter Hotel", 1971) and who is once again more than willing to take her clothes off, fits in the role of the Vampiric Countess very well. The rest of the female cast members are also beautiful to look at, and all have exhibitionist tendencies. Apart from her beauty, Rosalba Neri also has a great screen presence and the talent to be effectively eerie. The film includes all the essential ingredients of 70s Eurosleaze, such as gratuitous female nudity, lesbianism and lesbian Vampires, and bloody and perverted Satanic rituals. Leading man Mark Damon was in some of the greatest of Gothic Horror films in the sixties, including Bava's "I Tre Volti Della Paura" ("Black Sabbath", 1963) and Roger Corman's "House of Usher" (1960). He continued to be in the sleaziest of Gothic Horror movies in the seventies, including the visually stunning "Byleth - Il Demone Dell'Incesto" and this film.

Overall, "The Devil's Wedding Night" is no absoulute must-see, but it certainly is highly recommended to my fellow fans of low-budget European Gothic Horror..

Do you like Wagner?

[hmservant · 6/10 · 18 January 2021]

Here's a suggestion: if you are cast as a German (or as two Germans, in this case), learn to correctly pronounce the name of one of the most famous Germans! This film starts off on the wrong foot when Mark Damon commits this unforgiveable blunder, which was the same mistake repeated by Bennie Robinson that marred an otherwise fine film called "Messiah of Evil." Obvious mispronunciations aside, "The Devil's Wedding Night" ends up being a pretty enjoyable fright flick, with our hero traipsing off to (naturally) Castle Dracula in Transylvania in order to track down the mythical Ring of the Nibelungen. Once there, he encounters not Count Dracula, but rather the castle's current inhabitant, La Countessa Dolingen de Vries (Rosalba Neri). She does indeed have the aforementioned ring, which she uses to summon village virgins so she can bathe in their blood, Bathory-style, to retain her youthful appearance. When you periodically turn into a bat, apparently you need help retaining your appearance. Lots of cool music, psychedelic visuals and nakedness ensue as our hero's twin brother races to the castle in order to, um, save him from an eternity of naked debauchery with the other vampires in Castle Dracula... Take your time, man, take your time!

Pretty bad

[lazarillo · 20 March 2005]

A 19th century version of Indian Jones goes looking for a Ring of Vermougglian of Wagnerian legend in Castle Dracula in Transylvania!(While he's at it he might also look around for the mythical South American city of El Dorado). He stays at an inn at a nearby town and finds out from the attractive innkeeper's daughter that once every year during the full moon the town sends five virgin sacrifices to the mysterious inhabitants of the castle (thus the Italian title of this movie). After briefly pausing to help the innkeeper's daughter with her virginity problem, he heads to the castle. (The guy has an amulet which supposedly protects him from all evil, but in an act of unbelievable stupidity he leaves it at the inn). He meets the inhabitants of the castle-- Countess Dracula (Rosalba Neri) and her sinister lesbian servant. He quickly forgets about the Ring of Vermougghlian (being obviously more interested in Aureolas of Neri) and winds up sealed in a coffin and turned into a vampire for his trouble. Then just when you think the movie couldn't get any stupider his identical twin brother shows up for some reason. . .

This movie like "Death Smiles at Murder", "The Reincarnation of Isabel" and the director's more famous "Nude for Satan" was made at a time when the Italian Gothic horror films of the 1960's had pretty much completely sunk into blood-drenched and sex-fueled delirium. Most of these other movies were content to have no coherent plot at all; this one instead just has a really stupid one. The main attraction here, of course, is the numerous nude scenes by Rosalba Neri and the sequence where the five virgins are sacrificed (which, of course, involves each of them being stripped naked and stabbed to death by the lesbian servant). A professional critic I once read describes the famous scene where blood is poured on on Neri's nude, writhing body as "pretty unappealing". While I would never use the words "Rosalba Neri", "writhing, nude body" and "unappealing" in the same sentence, she is pretty much wasted here. Neri was a great actress when given a chance and this could have been a memorable role for her (like the famous Erica Blanc role in the similar "The Devil's Nightmare"), but this movie is just too stupid and ham-handedly executed. For what it's worth Neri's "blood bath" is longer and much more erotic than the one Ingrid Pitt takes in "Countess Dracula" (which no doubt inspired the one here). Die-hard flesh hounds at least won't be disappointed. I can't really recommend this to anyone else though.

Two brothers driven to Transsylvania by curiosity at the mercy of an allpowerful vampire countess

[clanciai · 7/10 · 31 August 2019]

Like in all vampire yarns the plot is absurd and not in the least credible or realistic, but this film is made with a sense of style, and the actors Mark Damon and Rosalba Neri make fairly goof performances, Mark Damon playing twin brothers helping each other out of vampire predicaments and having also written the script, which actually is well written - the dialog is not bad at all. The cinematography is rather expressionistic, the colours and effects are dominating elements of the film like in so many Italian horror movies, and the story isn't bad either - the final "wedding party" is quite impressing. In brief, not bad for an absurd vampire film in a preposterous genre, and it could have been much worse.

Bloody B-movie with violence , terror , horrifying atmosphere and gory scenes

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 1 December 2021]

This is a passable entry on Dracula series that results a be a good fun but only for enthusiasts of the genre . An extreme exploitation movie with sensationalist scenes , erotic piezes , nudism , primitive as well as botcher special effects , bood and gore . Horror film about the eerie activities of a sinister contessa , Dolingen de Vries : Lady Dracula , who uses a magic ring to lure beautiful girls to her castle , where she murders them so she can bathe in their blood . It is set circa 1800s , the intelligent scholar Karl Schiller (Mark Damon) believes he's found the ring of the Nibelungen , which holds great power , and that's why he wants to go to Romania . Karl's impulsive twin brother Franz (Mark Damon himself) reminds him that Transylvania is the land of vampires , but Karl laughs off such silly ideas . Then , Franz takes the Egyptian amulet which may protect him and sets out ahead of his brother , as he goes to Castle Dracula in the Carpathian mountains and arriving at the castle first . There he meets a maid (Esmeralda Barrios) and after the gorgeous contessa Dolingen de Vries (Rosalba Neri) who invites him to diner . Later on , things go wrong as Karl arrives in the tenebrous castle . Coincidently , it's the Night of the Virgin Moon, a night that falls every fifty years and draws five virgins from the surrounding village to the castle not be heard from again . The creepy aristocrat countess subsequently bathes in the blood of the virgins to preserve her power and eternal life . Exorcism ! The one last hope for the possessed...But this time the Devil wins ! Satan is Coming! .Not even 'Exorcist' could prepare you for this! .Dark desires unleash the legions of Lucifer!

Eerie terror movie from Italy delivering emotion enough , it contains stiff acting , thrills , chills , intrigue , nudism and grisly killing s. The movie is decent -shoddy sets apart- and still mysterious and acceptable thanks to emphasis on decay and corruption , as well as bloodsucking and vampirism . Mark Damon provides a passable acting in a double role , both as Karl who thinks he may have located Wagner's Ring of Nibelungen and as his adventurous gambler brother Franz . While Rosalba Neri gives a powerful and fierce portrayal , she pulls it all together with her splendid interpretation of a bitter woman's determination to hang on the immortality by taking the virgin's blood to give her beauty and eternity . Sarah Bay or Rosalba Neri was a star of the ¨Bis Cinema¨ of the Sixties and Seventies , including B-titles as ¨The Arena¨ , ¨Devil's wedding night¨, ¨Amuck ¡¨ ,¨Slaughter Hotel¨ , ¨The seducers¨, ¨The castle of Fumanchu¨, ¨Conquest of Mycene¨ and ¨Lady Frankenstein¨ . Here Sarah Bay/Rosalba Neri as Countess Dracula takes the helm of this terrifying movie , adding a lot of nude and erotic scenes . This flick about a vampire woman is more a Sheridan Le Fanu's Elisabeth Bathory story than a Bram Stoker's Dracula film. In fact , Elizabeth Bathory tale , -the countess who used to bathe in the blood of slain virgins- has been adapted sometimes as ¨Legend of Blood castle¨ 1973 by Jorge Grau with Lucia Bose, Ewa Aulin , Espartaco Santoni and ¨Walerian Borozyk's Immoral tales¨ with Paloma Picasso as countess Barthory and Countess Dracula (1976) by Peter Sasdy with Ingrid Pitt , Nigel Green, Lesley Anne Down and this¨Devil's wedding night¨ with Rosalba Neri.

It contains a splendid and atmospheric musical score by Vasili Kojucharov . As well as Joe D'Amato or Aristide Massaccesi 's rich cinematography full of color and with varying shades of red. The motion picture was uneven but professionally directed by Luigi Batzella with some flaws and gaps , as it has some scenes that result to be of variable quality . Luigi was a polifacetic person as he worked as a secondary actor , editor , writer and eventually as a director , being an average craftsman who directed a few films with penchant for Italian sub-genres as terror , Spaghetti Western , Giallo , Sexploitation , Naziexploitation, Nunexploitation, and Maccaroni Combat , such as : Nuda per Satana (1974) , Paid in Blood , La colt era il suo Dio , Secret Confessions in a Cloistered Convent , Achtung! The Desert Tigers , La bestia in calore , Kaput Lager - Gli ultimi giorni delle SS, among others . Rating : Acceptable and passable terror movie that will appeal to Rosalba Neri enthusiasts.

A terrifically trashy piece of 70's Eurosleaze horror junk

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 7 October 2006]

A top-rate, exquisitely trashy and sexy Eurosleaze Gothic horror treat starring the gorgeously sleek'n'slender brunette hottie supreme Rosalba ("Slaughter Hotel") Neri as a wicked bisexual Translyvanian vampire countess who every year sacrifices five virgins in order to appease Satan and retain her immortality. Furthermore, the thoroughly luscious Ms. Neri regularly bathes in the pure maidens' blood to keep her youthful beauty. The eternally insipid Mark Damon offers twice the blandness as a studious, bookish dweeb and his more loose, fun-loving party hearty womanizing heel twin brother (guess which one falls under Neri's evil, yet irresistibly alluring spell and winds up being turned into a vampire while searching for a precious rare glowing magical red amulet that Neri possesses). Fortunately Damon's drabness is more than compensated for by the spooky, misty atmosphere (the sequence where a writhing nude Neri takes a bloodbath is truly striking and beautifully shot), a wonderful overabundance of gratuitous female nudity, a nice smattering of steamy soft-core sex, plentiful gory violence, some deliciously gaudy psychedelic visual flourishes (the occasional use of shaky hand-held camera and prowling panning shots likewise seriously smoke), a robust, rousing, sweeping orchestral score, a bang-up nihilistic surprise ending, and Neri's searingly hot and hypnotic screen presence. A scuzzy hoot.

Weird but in a good and original way.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 7/10 · 8 April 2012]

Of course this movie is not a great one but you need to see it in its perspective. Within its genre this movie still simply remains a good and original watch, that will most definitely please most of the Italian horror movie lovers out there.

To me, this was a movie that was all about its atmosphere. It's a pretty odd movie to look at and follow but it's all very captivating. The entire movie had a dream like feeling and look to it, which was something I particularly liked about this movie.

The story...well, it's all very secondary to the movie really. It's all about the way it gets presented and looks. The story in itself is nothing special really, or anything that makes you care about the movie, or for any of the characters that are in it. It's also quite slow moving at times and it definitely takes its time with some of its moments. Not that I minded this very much though. It actually added to the moody and hypnotic atmosphere and style of the overall movie.

Horror-wise, this movie is also being very typical for an Italian '70's production, meaning that it's also a quite sleazy at times, in terms of its nudity and female characters. I still always amazes me that vampire movies so often have an erotic, lesbian undertone to it. It's not a movie with any scares in it but it's one that constantly builds- and relies on its atmosphere instead, which is something perfectly dark, Gothic and weird, in a good and original way.

Something that is also really worth mentioning is its musical score by Vasili Kojucharov. No idea who this guy was but his music almost sounded too good and classical for a movie of this sort.

It's true that you need to be into the genre to fully appreciate it but to me it was a great, atmospheric, little Italian genre film.

7/10

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