This is really a slow builder. It's really the telling of Haeckel's story of course but it take a while before it all becomes creepy and even a bit scary. But at the end of the day it was rather good. Still, clocking in just under an hour I would have liked that the horror would come in earlier.A necromancer's help is needed to revive a man's beloved wife. It is told that the process isn't without any danger. When Haeckel's father becomes ill he travels toward him but comes across the necromancer Montesquino showing him how to bring a dead dog alive. Haeckel is fascinated and stays at the house of an old man married to a beautiful young wife. Haeckel is warned not to visit the cemetery nearby because the necropolis has it's dark secrets but Haeckel is attracted to the young woman and discovers her dark secrets. It is until the dark secrets are shown on the necropolis that the real horror comes in. Sure, when Montesquino shows that he can bring the dog back alive has it's own gruesome show but face it, the necrophilia at the end with the young woman is were it really starts to work. Leela Savasta who plays the young woman shows it all here and goes fully naked on the grave to have sex with the death and even goes for a trio. Leela moved further after this episode to some famous series and she's best known as Tracey Anne in the much acclaimed Battlestar Galactica (2008) series.I can understand that some will hate this episode due the storytelling and nothing really happening until the final minutes but it's worth the wait.Gore 1/5 Nudity 1,5/5 Effects 3/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5

In the nineteen century, a man seeks help with a necromancer, asking her to revive his beloved wife. The woman advises him that the process could be dangerous, since she can bring the body back, but not necessarily the spirit and proposes him to listen to Haeckel's story to help in his decision. Ernst Haeckel (Derek Cecil) is a cocky medical student fascinated with resuscitation. When the illness of his father becomes terminal, he travels to visit him and in his journey he meets the necromancer Montesquino (Jon Polito), who claims to have the ability to bring the dead back to life. While preparing to spend the night nearby a cemetery, the old man Wolfram (Tom McBeath) offers him shelter in his home, telling him that it would be very dangerous to stay near the necropolis. Haeckel accepts the invitation and meets his young wife Elise Wolfram (Leela Savasta). He feels seduced by the sexy woman, and sooner he finds her eternal love for her deceased husband."Haeckel's Tale" is a great erotic zombie tale and one of the best episodes of "Masters of Horror". The atmosphere is creepy, and the Canadian is one of the sexiest actresses I have ever seen. Her sensual "zombie gang bang" is morbidly fascinating and absolutely original, but not for conservative and bigoted audiences. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "A Terrível História de Haeckel" ("The Terrible Story of Haeckel")

Unlike the other reviewer I don't really care about framing techniques; special effects critiques and such; I bought this DVD because I think in terms of the Horror genre in general..it pushes the boundaries! This I think is pretty much the main emphasis in all of the 'Masters of Horror' pieces! I think (listen to the commentary) that a lot of the humorous moments in the film,like the Frankenstein homage, were done on purpose; there's also an Frankenstein homage in the other 'Master's of Horror' piece "Jenifer", see my review! I personally thought, as in 'Jenifer' by Dario Argento, that the eerie combination of horror mixed with sensuality is a delightful combination; exactly what's needed given the current torrent of teen horror flicks that are awash in the marketplace! Leela Savasta is one of the most gorgeous and perfectly constructed women I've ever seen; my Frankenstein homage...and lends the piece it's sensuality. A must have if you enjoy your horror mixed with sensuality and what something new an/or different!!

Young Haeckel (Derek Cecil) wants to bring corpses back to life after studying the notes of German doctor Victor Frankenstein. He fails in his early attempts, and then sets out to discredit the necromancer Montesquino (Jon Polito, who co-starred with Cecil in "Push, Nevada") who can accomplish the task with magic rather than science.We start with a short story written by Clive Barker, who has made himself a living legend by writing "Hellraiser", among other things. Add a "bookend" story from Mick Garris, and you have a film. Not surprisingly, the part from Garris is weaker than the Barker core, but it is hard to blame him for trying to make this story fit into a nice package.George A. Romero was set to direct, but had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts. The opening credits still say this was "in association with" Romero, but his involvement seems minimal and what he added is unclear. Stepping into his shoes is John McNaughton, who had previously worked the horror scene with "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" and "The Borrower". (McNaughton may be a "master of horror", but he has never defined himself so narrowly, working regularly in cop thrillers and comedies, as well.)McNaughton probably brought us some aspects Romero would have shied away from. Both have no qualms with gore, but McNaughton is more associated with sensuality than Romero, and that aspect of the film is a key aspect of the plot in the latter half. We know that McNaughton took over very early on, enough that he was taking part in the casting process. He also had direct input in the imagery, which was inspired by the artist Hieronymus Bosch and his "deadly orgies of skeletons".Of course, he cannot take full responsibility for the success or failure of the picture. McNaughton says "the crew was like a locomotive", and although he was only on set for ten days, they had been working on the series for months and knew how to maximize their resources. There was not even time for rehearsals beyond a table read, so casting known variables was key. Upon first seeing this film, viewers might feel that it is one of the weakest installments in the Masters of Horror series, due to the episode offering little excitement until the last ten minutes... which is then followed up by a "twist" ending that the audience should have seen coming halfway through the film. Repeat viewings might make viewers find something more. While it is true that the first half of the film relies heavily on retelling the Frankenstein story, which is well-established in other movies and not very innovative, the departure point is critical and the introduction of necromancy makes the film unique.The acting is fine, even if Jon Polito goes a bit over the top. McNaughton personally cast Polito, a regular in his work, knowing what he was able to bring to the role. The costumes and scenery are very nice. The effort put into getting period-appropriate outfits is noticeable and commendable. There is also great work from special effects wizard Howard Berger, particularly the dead dog puppet. Berger has few equals.For those looking deeper, you may find some interesting ideas touched upon, albeit briefly. There is discussion of bringing the soul back from the dead, and the declaration that animals have no soul. Haeckel finds this unusual, which seems out of character -- what use does a man without God have for a soul? And the idea certainly was not new. Many philosophers and theologians have declared animals soulless. George Hegel, in 1821, wrote, "An animal too has impulses, desires, inclinations, but it has no will and must obey its impulse if nothing external deters it." Haeckel also calls to mind the difference between religion and science, a "playing God" attitude that was largely absent in the "Frankenstein" story, at least in such a direct and blatant exposition.The features of the DVD are impressive, with plenty of interviews and featurettes. Someone could dismiss the Masters of Horror series as a television show, but the DVD proves these are films in their own right. Sadly, the commentary from McNaughton is sparse, and there are too many minutes of silence. But he still adds enough information to make a listen worthwhile.