Leonor (1975)

A female vampire rises from her crypt every night in search of children as her victims.

Director:

Juan Luis Buñuel

Writers:

Roberto Bodegas, Juan Luis Buñuel

Stars:

Michel Piccoli, Liv Ullmann, Ornella Muti

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michel Piccoli	...	Richard
Liv Ullmann	...	Leonor
Ornella Muti	...	Catherine
Antonio Ferrandis	...	Thomas
José María Prada
Ángel del Pozo	...	Chaplain
José Guardiola
George Rigaud	...	Catherine's father (as Jorge Rigaud)
José María Caffarel	...	Doctor
Piero Vida
Tito García
Francisco Nieto	...	(as Paco Nieto)
José Moreno
Carmen Maura
Ana Gasber

Storyline

Richard is a medieval nobleman. After his first wife dies in an accident and is buried in the family vault, he remarries and has children by his second wife. A mad longing for his first wife Leonor comes over him, and he sells his soul to the devil for a chance to get her back. But when she returns, she is a murderous vampire.

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Plot Keywords:

vampire | female vampire | vault | accident | gothic horror | 

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Genres:

Fantasy | Drama | Horror

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

Spain France Italy

Language:

French

Release Date:

September 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mistress of the Devil

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arcadie Productions, Films 66, Goya Producciones Cinematográficas S.A.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min 85 min (dubbed)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

User Reviews

Dark Romance

This is probably one of the most underrated, if not, THE most underrated horror film of all time. It has a 4.8 rating on IMDb, yet it deserves at least a 7.8. Never released in theaters in the US, the film eventually showed up on VHS, marketed as a cash-in on The Exorcist, under the title "Mistress of the Devil", and it was a huge disappointment, mainly because the two films have absolutely nothing in common. The story here, which recalls the works of Poe, follows a man who makes a pact with the Devil to have his dead wife, played by Liv Ullmann, back from the grave. She does come back, but as vampire who preys on young children. Stylishly directed by Luis Bunuel's son - Juan Bunuel, the film is a slow-burn, but never really boring, and it is actually pretty scary at times, while being romantic and touching as well, including some of the most heartbreaking scenes in horror cinema. The beautiful cinematography, courtesy of Suspiria's Luciano Tovoli, and the gorgeous locations at the Spanish countryside, add to the film's brooding Gothic atmosphere. Ullman gives an amazing performance as usual, and is one of the most gorgeous vampires out there IMO. Ennio Morricone's fantastic score perfectly captures the gloominess and foreboding atmosphere of this tragic love story. Overall, 10/10 for me.