El retorno de Walpurgis (1973)

Director:

Carlos Aured

Writers:

Edward Mannix (American dialogue)
Paul Naschy (story)

Release Date:

May 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Prepare yourself for the HORROR of PSYCHO! The TERROR of EXORCIST!

Plot:

A man whose ancestors executed a witch is turned into a werewolf by modern-day descendants of the executed witch.

Plot Keywords:

Werewolf | Severed Head | Decapitation | Sequel | Female Nudity

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Paul Naschy	...	Waldemar Daninsky / Irineus Daninsky / Werewolf
Fabiola Falcón	...	Kinga Wilowa (as Fabiola Falcon)
Mariano Vidal Molina	...	Roulka (as Vidal Molina)
Maritza Olivares	...	Maria Wilowa
José Manuel Martín	...	Bela (as Jose M. Martin)
Elsa Zabala	...	Gypsy Witch
Eduardo Calvo	...	Laszlo Wilowa
Ana Farra	...	Malitza
Fernando Sánchez Polack	...	Maurice, Waldemar's valet (as Fernando S. Polack)
Inés Morales	...	Ilona (as Ines Morales)
Santiago Rivero
Pilar Vela
José Yepes		(as Jose Yepes)
Ana Maria Rossie		(as Ana Mª Rossie)
Sandalio Hernández		(as Sandalio Hernandez)

Also Known As:

Curse of the Devil (USA)
La noche del asesino (Mexico)
Return of the Werewolf (International: English title) (informal literal title)
The Black Harvest of Countess Dracula (USA) (video title)
The Return of Walpurgis (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

USA:73 min | Spain:81 min (original uncut version)

Country:

Spain | Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated (uncut version) | France:-12 | Germany:16 (video) | Spain:18 | West Germany:18 | USA:R | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Company:

Lotus Films

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ban the Sadist Videos! (2005) (V)

The Unending Nightmare of DejaVu

Although I'm a great admirer of Paul Naschy's films, I have to admit that his werewolf/vampire movies are basically the same story being revamped (if you'll pardon the pun) over and over. It must have been an extremely laid-back atmosphere making these movies in Spain, considering that none of the funders of these films seemed to care that it was the same script with a few minor changes each time.

Not only that, but it's amusing to see how this particular film was marketed to capitalize on the success of "The Exorcist", without actually having anything to do with demonic possession. I can only imagine the shock of going to the theater in 1973 to see a movie called "The Curse of the Devil" and finding out that it's about a werewolf, especially when the American poster art featured a woman holding a giant crucifix, with the tagline "Damn the exorcist! The devil won't let go!". (However cheated filmgoers must have felt to find out this movie had nothing to do with "The Exorcist", they couldn't have been as outraged as they must have been when they bought a ticket to Naschy's film "Frankenstein's Bloody Terror" and found out it had nothing to do with Frankenstein, and was yet another werewolf flick!!)

Instead, Naschy resurrects his own hybrid of werewolfism vs. vampirism/witchcraft, this time with the emphasis on the witchcraft element. In the next logical step after his own "La Noche de Walpurgis (1971)" (which was shown in American theaters with the no-nonsense title "Werewolf Vs. the Vampire Woman"), Naschy translates the Countess Wandessa character into Countess Elizabeth Bathory, another Satan worshipper/vampire. The idea is still the same--Waldemar Daninsky is cursed with werewolfism and must find a woman who truly loves him to kill him and set him free--and Naschy would revisit this same plot yet again in 1980 in "El Retorno del Hombre-Lobo" (with a greater emphasis on Elizabeth Bathory).

What makes "El Retorno de Walpurgis" unique is that, despite the inappropriate marketing and the recycled plot, it is perhaps the best example of what Naschy's films had going for them, the chief element being a strong sense of style and an obvious affection for the folklore that the material is drawn from.

This particular entry takes great pleasure in its gothic settings and period costumes, and the cinematography is sumptuous. The sets are marvelously detailed; one of my favorite shots shows a woman baking bread in a kitchen, and the camera travels leisurely along a high shelf to reveal the various pieces of crockery and kitchen utensils resting there. It's a simple concept, yet it reveals the care that went into this production. The movie features several greats shots like this one, in addition to the standard flowing nightgowns (strategically backlit), gypsy costumes, and sly shots of the moon (these films seem to exist in a universe where the full moon rises several times every week). One memorable dream sequence finds Naschy ambushed in the woods by vengeful gyspies who pull some wicked knives on him, intercut with rapid-fire shots of a wolf, a corpse, and the full moon. There are also some beautiful scenes in the daylit wilderness that surrounds Daninsky's castle, particularly when Daninsky meets his love interest.

Although most of Naschy's films displayed this same attention to aesthetics, "El Retorno de Walpurgis" is the highest quality effort that I've seen yet. Of course there are the prerequisite camp elements, too--there aren't many ways to film this type of hackneyed material and not have it seem...well, hackneyed. Although the Anchor Bay DVD is superior visually, the dub track sounds curiously crisp and bland, as if it has been recently re-recorded using state-of-the-art technology that seems jarring in comparison to the film elements. They have also given us a werewolf that makes no sound at all, which is either an oversight or a deliberate attempt to be unique. Although the DVD is lovely to look at, I would say that the cheap VHS editions of "Curse of the Devil" that circulate may actually be more enjoyable due to the original dub track. Sometimes a little crackle and scratch can be a good thing.