What if someone made a horror movie that was completely devoid of plot?Well, I think it would probably end up a little bit like this one. I don't think I've ever seen a move was so steady it its slide from hackneyed (at the beginning) to complete crap (by the end). I only stuck with it, because I kept thinking it couldn't possibly get worse. Well, up until the very end, "Necrophagus"/"Graveyard of Horror" proved me wrong.Who would have suspected that a movie with an undead lizard-man, evil grave-robbing cultists, and mad scientists tossed in for no discernible reason could suck this bad? One would think there'd at least be some humor value... but not here.

This movie has a lot of potential. The lighting is eerie, the sets are great, there's crumbling castles, dark cemeteries, shadowy forests, all the elements of an atmospheric horror gem which reminds me of a Hammer Film. Unfortunately, the attacking scenes are awkwardly acted and edited and there is no coherrent story that makes much sense or holds your interest. While it retains a melancholy mood and is worth a look for any big horror fan, the overall experience is tiring without any clear idea of what's happening or when it's going to end. The DVD is usually overpriced from $16 to $20, however it's still worth it for some rare bonus trailers.

This Spanish-made horror flick suffers from many of the common short-comings of this type of genre; a disconjuncted plot, many awkward cuts and innane dialogues, actresses chosen for their looks more then acting ability, as well as a poor English over-dub of the Spanish screen play. The opening scene grabs your attention, but soon on "Graveyard of Horror" keeps you wondering not only what will happen next, but why what you just saw actually took place. That aside, the film does have some qualities which still can provide an attraction to the most-avid horror fan. The graveyard/castle settings provide a few atmospheric, though not chilling scenes. Best of all is the periodic use in the score of an uniquely errie whistled tune very similar to the melody of "Morning has Broken" which offers a seeming tranquil juxtaposition to the gory nature of this topsy-turvy grave robbing tale.

Firstly a warning: this film is a very aquired taste. If you like 'hip' new American Slasher films such as Wes Craven's "Scream", then this film is probably not for you (your head may explode!) But, if you are a devout fan early-70's Spanish horror films like me, this is very highly recommended. You may feel somewhat dis-orientated - but that is the film's intention, it does not want to you to have a clear idea of exavtly what is going on for the first 50 minutes! The director plays with the viewer by fragmenting the narrative in a jarring way backwards and forwards so the chronology can only be worked out at the end. The wintery locations and gothic imagery give the whole film a sense of unease and melancholy. There would be no point in me trying to explain the plot of this movie as it would ruin the dis-orientating experience. The title has become very mis-leading since Jorg Buttgereit unleashed "Nekromantik" upon the world: there is NO gore, NO nudity, NO graphic depictions of necrophilia. But it certainly IS as disturbing as Buttgereit's film because of all the dark undercurrents in the film's depictions of rural family life and the decay of heritage. However, it is advised that the movie be watched in the language it is shot in, Spanish, as the English dubbing in the American and Scandinavian video releases is truly appalling. Unfortuantely, the Spanish video release (Norma Video) is very very rare.