*** This review may contain spoilers ***
*Plot and ending analyzed*
El retorno de los vampiros
The Return of the Vampires
What an idiosyncratic film, although quite garrulous and monotonous throughout its runtime. There was still something interesting about it.
A man and his female lover awaken in his apartment. They talk about many things; one thing that is mentioned is that his wife is attempting to reconcile with him. Another thing that was divulged, was that his wife was diagnosed with anemia and weakness. This will have importance later in the end.
They talk and talk, and then the woman, who has grown fangs, suddenly attacks the man. He kills her, but she returns.
There is more conversation. And then the same thing happens to the man, as he grows fangs and attacks the woman.
It seems to all be set off by staring at a painting in the room, Saturno devorando a su hijo - Saturn Devouring His Son (Painting by Francisco Goya).
The man calls another man, who seems to be a bit dubious and shady. He also seems to be a gumshoe bloodhound or private investigator. He tells him to find out about his lover.
The private investigator does some extensive and quick snooping, and finds some odd items.
The man and woman talk about what is occurring, and the man thinks that they may be vampires, and are dead.
There is a tomb on the property and they find some old coffins with their names on it.
The shady private investigator visits him and tells him what he has uncovered. The man shows him the coffins. Then the man attempts to kill the private investigator, because he does not want the secret that he is a vampire to be known, but he is killed instead. The woman attempts to kill the private investigator also, and has her head chopped by a random axe that was just laying around.
At this point, you would think that the movie is finished. The audience would see that the couple were in fact vampires, but the director or scriptwriter wanted more.
The private investigator meets with a woman, who is actually the dead man's wife. The whole thing was a setup using hallucinogenic or psychotropic drugs that were administered to the lovers, so that they would believe in the vampire story, and could be killed off. If you think that is completely ridiculous, then the woman starts to kiss the private investigator.
At this point, you would think that the movie is finished. The audience would see that the woman and the private investigator simply concocted an elaborately devised, although entirely preposterous, plan to kill her husband and his lover, but the director or scriptwriter wanted even more.
The woman is kissing the private investigator, and then she bites into his neck with vampire fangs. Then it finally finishes. Or does it? Was she truly a real vampire, or merely an insane woman who believed it in her own mind?
So, you can either laugh about the entire movie, and especially the ending, or cry at the mere absurdity of it. It all depends on your point of view. But I think there were some things of interest in the movie. Of course, the first half is often repetitive and tediously prosaic. I do enjoy these uniquely different movies though.
The audio is not very good, so it is difficult to hear what is being said at times. It is also in Castilian Spanish from the heart of Spain, and introductory Spanish students may have trouble with the accents.
But in all, this extremely hard to find and rare film, was a curious discovery for me.
In Castilian Spanish with no subtitles.
*Plot and ending analyzed*
El retorno de los vampiros
The Return of the Vampires
What an idiosyncratic film, although quite garrulous and monotonous throughout its runtime. There was still something interesting about it.
A man and his female lover awaken in his apartment. They talk about many things; one thing that is mentioned is that his wife is attempting to reconcile with him. Another thing that was divulged, was that his wife was diagnosed with anemia and weakness. This will have importance later in the end.
They talk and talk, and then the woman, who has grown fangs, suddenly attacks the man. He kills her, but she returns.
There is more conversation. And then the same thing happens to the man, as he grows fangs and attacks the woman.
It seems to all be set off by staring at a painting in the room, Saturno devorando a su hijo - Saturn Devouring His Son (Painting by Francisco Goya).
The man calls another man, who seems to be a bit dubious and shady. He also seems to be a gumshoe bloodhound or private investigator. He tells him to find out about his lover.
The private investigator does some extensive and quick snooping, and finds some odd items.
The man and woman talk about what is occurring, and the man thinks that they may be vampires, and are dead.
There is a tomb on the property and they find some old coffins with their names on it.
The shady private investigator visits him and tells him what he has uncovered. The man shows him the coffins. Then the man attempts to kill the private investigator, because he does not want the secret that he is a vampire to be known, but he is killed instead. The woman attempts to kill the private investigator also, and has her head chopped by a random axe that was just laying around.
At this point, you would think that the movie is finished. The audience would see that the couple were in fact vampires, but the director or scriptwriter wanted more.
The private investigator meets with a woman, who is actually the dead man's wife. The whole thing was a setup using hallucinogenic or psychotropic drugs that were administered to the lovers, so that they would believe in the vampire story, and could be killed off. If you think that is completely ridiculous, then the woman starts to kiss the private investigator.
At this point, you would think that the movie is finished. The audience would see that the woman and the private investigator simply concocted an elaborately devised, although entirely preposterous, plan to kill her husband and his lover, but the director or scriptwriter wanted even more.
The woman is kissing the private investigator, and then she bites into his neck with vampire fangs. Then it finally finishes. Or does it? Was she truly a real vampire, or merely an insane woman who believed it in her own mind?
So, you can either laugh about the entire movie, and especially the ending, or cry at the mere absurdity of it. It all depends on your point of view. But I think there were some things of interest in the movie. Of course, the first half is often repetitive and tediously prosaic. I do enjoy these uniquely different movies though.
The audio is not very good, so it is difficult to hear what is being said at times. It is also in Castilian Spanish from the heart of Spain, and introductory Spanish students may have trouble with the accents.
But in all, this extremely hard to find and rare film, was a curious discovery for me.
In Castilian Spanish with no subtitles.
