El retorno del Hombre-Lobo (1981)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Paul Naschy

Writer:

Paul Naschy (writer)

Release Date:

1985 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

An evil witch brings back to life the infamous Elizabeth Bathory, who was executed several hundred years previously for murdering young woman and bathing in their blood. |

Plot Keywords:

Werewolf | Beautiful Woman | Student | Witchcraft | Satanism

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Paul Naschy	...	Waldemar Daninsky / Werewolf
Silvia Aguilar	...	Erika
Azucena Hernández	...	Karen
Julia Saly	...	Countess Elisabeth Bathory
Pilar Alcón	...	Barbara
Beatriz Elorrieta	...	Mircaya
Luis Barboo	...	Bandit
Narciso Ibáñez Menta	...	The professor
Charly Bravo
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
José Cela
Ramón Centenero
Tito García	...	First thief
Rafael Hernández	...	Second graverobber
Alexia Loreto	...	Victim in the stall besides her boyfriend
Ricardo Palacios	...	First graverobber
Manuel Pereiro
Mauro Ribera
José Riesgo
David Rocha	...	Young bandit
Pepe Ruiz

Also Known As:

Night of the Werewolf (USA)
Return of the Wolfman
The Craving
The Night of the Werewolf (International: English title)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R | Canada:(Banned) (Ontario)

Company:

Dálmata Films S.A.

Trivia:

The music playing during the opening and end titles is taken from Stelvio Cipriani's soundtrack for Tentacoli (1977).

Quotes:

Mircaya: You should watch Erika, Waldemar. Her spirit is false. She's totally evil.
Waldemar Daninsky: I know she's perverse...but she has such beauty!

Movie Connections:

Followed by Licántropo: El asesino de la luna llena (1996)

Above average entry into the Homo-Lobo series

I have to admit that I'm not a very big fan of Paul Naschy's "Homo-Lobo" series of films, and have disliked most of the ones I've seen. This one, however, was rather good. The film is set apart somewhat from the rest of the series because of the fact that lead star Paul Naschy also directed the film. The film was made in the early eighties; but Naschy retains the seventies feel of the previous films in the series and this one doesn't feel out of place with the rest of them, although the central character is slightly different as this time he originates from the middle ages. The film kicks off with a scene that sees Naschy's character Waldemar Daninsky and Countess Elizabeth Bathory, executed. We then fast forward a few hundred years and focus on a woman into black magic that wants to rejuvenate Elizabeth Bathory. However, upon reaching the resting place with her friends; she discovers Daninsky already awakened. She proceeds with her mission anyway, and ends up bringing the Countess (apparently a vampire) back to life.

The film could basically be summed up as 'werewolf vs vampires', as that is effectively what it turns into. I really do like Naschy's decision to feature the infamous Countess in the film; although he has been a bit liberal with the way she is used in the story. The style of the film is really great; the cinematography is interesting and the use of music is good; although slightly odd, it must be said. It does also have to be said that the film is more than just a little bit uneven; some of the set pieces are brilliant and really well worked, while other moments of the film are turgid and rather boring. The film also gets a bit sluggish towards the end and it seems like Naschy might have ran out of paper to write his script on as the final third contains hardly any dialogue. The werewolf effects are rather poor also; especially when you consider that An American Werewolf in London and The Howling were released in the same year. The film is slightly disappointing overall because with better handling it could have been really great...but even so, Night of the Werewolf is still worth a look.