Yes it's a bit slow moving, and it was clearly edited for TV, but it captures the days of finding weird, obscure movies late at night on local TV. It has Spanish horror queen Patty Shepard, a great soundtrack, and an errie overall atmosphere. I just wish the uncut version would surface.
shareJUst saw it for the first time from GOD DVD Purveyors, Mill Creek. I'm actually stunned at how low the rating is, but this is the same dweeb site that gives gold stars to absolute modern bilge.
Cool movie, definitely has that Late Nite oddness down in spades. The leading lady is beyond delicious. Damn those Spanish and Italian exploitation queens were(and remain) absolutely unparalleled. Holy Jeebus those women were like living Goddesses.
I first caught this in the late 1970's on a late-night horror movie theater-show that aired on Saturday night/Sunday morning at about 1 a.m. and caught every rebroadcast that they aired over the years until I finally found it on videotape, and later DVD. I've had many different releases of this on tape and DVD but all seem to be from the same edited version dubbed in English. I think that version is probably the only English one that exists, and the only truly uncut version is probably the original Spanish-language version. Not being a popular movie I still have held out hope of a DVD with an original uncut version with subtitles eventually being released some day.
This is easily in my Top 10 horror movies of all time, along with another obscure little seen gem, "Messiah Of Evil", also from the early 70's.
I have never seen a better, real filming location in ANY horror movie (and i've seen hundreds over 50-something years). What a great, incredibly weird vibe the filming locations have. Would love to see more horror films take advantage of this area. The village huts where the "witches" live is just one of the most atmospheric, spooky real places i've ever seen on film.
Of course that incredible, spooky chanted soundtrack aides this vibe for sure. Another stroke of genius is using that music in this film.
Best seen in the late evening for sure...
I think the Sinister Cinema DVD-R of this film is the best release. It comes from an Avco Embassy 16 mm television print. I still have hope that somehow an uncut/alternate version will surface someday. A lot of my friends that are into horror don't care for this film, but I LOVE it. I can watch it over and over, never tire of it. The atmosphere is almost hypnotic..
Weird, eerie, and atmospheric... all that is definitely there. If only they could have come up with a tighter, more intelligible plot this could really be a really great classic. I think a remake wouldn't be a bad idea in this case.
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