Paul Naschy's 1981 werewolf opus, NIGHT OF THE WEREWOLF, is a glorious slice of Gothic mayhem. It feels like this was a real labour of love for the horror actor, who wrote and directed as well as taking the leading role; the entire film is full to the brim of the elements of classic horror fare, from the ruined castle locales to the graveyards, haunted woods and rotten skeletons. Then, of course, there's the fascination of seeing not one but two monstrous beasts wreaking carnage on the screen: Naschy's much-loved werebeast, Waldemar Daninsky, is up to his old tricks, while vampiric Countess Bathory is also back for good measure. It's a clear homage to those lovely monster mash-ups put out by Universal during the 1940s, so what's not to love? Not a lot, as it turns out. NIGHT OF THE WEREWOLF is right up my street; it's a film that exudes Gothic menace, is packed full of spectral imagery, and tells an interesting story at the same time. Naschy makes the most of his relatively low budget and small cast, drawing out character in admittedly limited time and space; the storyline might be entirely predictable, but it's never less than engaging. The film, which I had the pleasure to see on Blu-ray, has sumptuous colours and looks beautiful on regular occasions.If I had any complaint, it would be that this film is an unacknowledged remake of the 1971 Naschy movie SHADOW OF THE WEREWOLF (aka WEREWOLF's SHADOW), right down to the inclusion of an undead zombie who seems to have wandered in from an Amando de Ossorio set. As is ever the case, the earlier film is the better one, but that doesn't stop NIGHT OF THE WEREWOLF from being a great deal of fun, and a real treat for Naschy fans.

Night Of The Werewolf aka Retorno del Hombre-Lobo is without a doubt a must see classic in the Spanish horror genre. One negative I must mention first is an odd score in one early scene in particular, but that is a very minor complaint. Night Of The Werewolf is an absolutely beautifully shot film, with an amazing Gothic atmosphere. The look cannot be praised enough, such stunning shots and sets. Paul Naschy is in top form here, and I recommend Night Of The Werewolf to horror enthusiasts not familiar with Naschy's work. And lets not forget the drop dead gorgeous actresses', who are easy on the eyes, and deliver in there performances. Definitely makes one think "she can bathe in my blood anytime" LOL. Highly recommended to fans of Naschy, and fans of the genre in general. Get the new remastered DVD, which at Best Buy is available in a two pack with another Naschy film Vengeance Of The Zombies. It looks amazing.

Night of the Werewolf is quite an achievement for Paul Naschy. It is pretty much the same type of movie he always makes, but a few things really clicked to make this movie work.First, the actresses in this movie were absolutely terrific. Julia Saly as Countess Bathory was particularly effective. Her interpretation was a female equivalent to Nosferatu. Something about her eyes made her seem absolutely rat-like. Her eyes were black, beady, and nearly lidless. She could've been a worthy successor to Barbara Steele...Second, the photography and effects for the vampire women was exceptionally beautiful. I think Naschy was inspired by Jean Rollins' 'Thrill of the Vampires' in his use of fog and spotlights for the night scenes featuring the women.Lastly, the film benefited greatly by having Naschy direct it himself. Daninsky is his creation, and Naschy's direction really captures performances and scenes that have gone lacking in previous Werewolf movies...'Vengeance of the Zombies' is the release getting the attention, but this movie is very much worth buying on its own right.

I liked this movie, although I enjoy most of Paul Nashys movies anyway I found this one special. I starts at the beginning when Countess Bathory and Nashy who is accused as a warewolf are being executed only to be brought back to life 400 years later. I liked the switch with the vampire going after the warewolf and each being enemies instead of alies with eachother. I could do without the terrible love scenes of Nashy and his lady who falls in love with him only to be bitten by the vampire and bitten by Nashy. It's worth a look, but it's not a classic.