Howard Vernon, dapper and hidden in shadows for his first few appearances, abducts silly young ladies in order to transplant their faces onto that of his scarred daughter. Vernon began his long association with Spanish Director Jess Franco with this film, often starring as main characters in often low-budget European horrors after a career playing mainly playing 'gangsters and heavies'. As his billing in mainstream films got lower and lower, his star rose under Franco. Vernon is excellent in this, as he is in all Franco's films – an underrated actor often starring in underrated productions.He plays Orlof, a villain with a smattering of sympathy and a henchman called Morpho (Ricardo Valle). The practicalities of employing a totally blind assistant must be limited – Morpho's scarred, boggle-eyed make-up is not dissimilar from that of the titular monsters in Franco's 'Oasis of the Zombies' twenty years later. The name Morpho would be given to many villainous underlings in future projects.Inspector, Tanner (Conrado San Martín), finds his time divided between this gruesome case and his new fiancée Wanda (who on occasion, bears a resemblance to Yvonne Monlaur's character from Hammer's 1960 hit, 'Brides of Dracula' – a film that inspired Franco to pursue a horror film career). Imagine if Orlof decides that she should be his latest victim! Taking cues from 'Frankenstein', 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' and especially the French classic 'Eyes Without a Face (1960)' – there's even a black cat thrown in for good measure - this is reputedly Spain's first horror film. It is a chiaroscuro triumph, striking in black and white, almost film noir. Directed with assurance and almost completely lacking Franco's predilection for camera zooms, 'The Awful Dr. Orlof' is the film that put Franco on the map – and deservedly so. Otherwise known as 'Screams in the Night'/'L'Horrible Docteur Orloff', there are few signs of his future in cut-price 'exploitation' that would become his trademarks. An entirely respectable, well played, good looking and confidently produced horror, it ticks all the right boxes and a few more besides.

If THE AWFUL DR. ORLF doesn't quite reach the first rank of classic horror films from the 1960s, it is nonetheless an eerie, thoroughly entertaining little gem that deserves a broader audience. Director Jesus Franco establishes a rich, fog-haunted atmosphere that saturates the viewer in Gothic ambiance, and the story manages to rise above the limitations of formula for all that it lovingly embraces the familiar trappings of genre. The principal characters are believable and quite well acted, notably Howard Vernon as the eponymous mad doctor (who, awful as he is, is motivated to torture and kill young women in the vain hope that he can restore youth and life to his disfigured daughter) and Conrado San Martin as the police detective determined to track him down. Also noteworthy are Ricardo Valle as Morpho, the murderous but helpless thrall of Orlof whose shambling, blind killer is both frightening and yet somehow sympathetic, and the enchanting Diana Lorys, who essays a dual role as both the detective's ballerina girlfriend and also Orlof's comatose daughter. Lorys is blessed with beauty and charisma in equal measure, and her role is in many ways the central one of the film. The movie's only notable flaw is a pace that occasionally drags, but all the same the picture maintains interest and the eventual climax is not only fitting but exciting. Overall, THE AWFUL DR. ORLOF is a small but vital triumph, well-directed with an even hand and a fine Gothic treasure of 60s cinema.

Legendary cult director Jesus "Jess" Franco does well with this "Eyes Without a Face" type story that he wrote himself. It has many of the trappings of a traditional old style horror film, complete with a spooky old castle, a creepy henchman, darkly lit streets, and an occasionally overpowering score. Its acting is good, its atmosphere undeniable. The plot is spiced up a bit by the inclusion of some eroticism and some very mild gore. Overall, it's very enjoyable.Franco regular Howard Vernon stars as the mad Dr. Orlof, a surgeon determined to restore beauty to his daughters' face (she was disfigured in a lab accident) by using unwilling female donors. At first, he and his scar faced lackey Morpho (Ricardo Valle) take women whom he thinks people won't miss - namely, prostitutes - but gets more bold when he believes that the key to a successful operation is the use of living flesh. Meanwhile, a dogged police inspector named Tanner (Conrado San Martin) tries to figure out the identity of the maniac.Set in Paris in the early 20th century, "The Awful Dr. Orlof" is considered by some to be the first horror film to come out of Spain. It certainly shows that Franco was a man of real talent, as he creates a wonderful Gothic feel throughout. It plays kind of like a police procedural for a while, with an extended sequence of Tanner interrogating witnesses as to the appearance of Orlof and Morpho, who have been glimpsed at the murder scenes. It may not appeal to some horror fans as it is quite talky, but otherwise it works just fine.The cast features some gorgeous woman and some men with distinctive character faces, such as leading actor Vernon. He's effectively low key in the antagonistic role, and Valle is fine as a hulking brute who's not completely unsympathetic. San Martin is engaging as the likable cop in love with his ballerina girlfriend, Wanda (Diana Lorys). Faustino Cornejo is a delight in a neat role as a sometimes drunken but helpful informant. Lorys is enchanting and pulls double duty by also playing the role of the disfigured Melissa. Perla Cristal is likewise appealing as Orlofs' disapproving associate Arne.Fans of the horror films of the 1930s and 1940s should find a fair deal to enjoy here. It's well made but fairly straightforward, and the story moves along at a good clip.Eight out of 10.

In 1912, five beautiful easy women are kidnapped and the efficient Inspector Tanner (Conrado San Martín), who is engaged of Wanda Bronsky (Diana Lorys), is assigned to the case. The responsible for the abductions is Dr. Orloff (Howard Vernon), a former prison doctor, and his deformed assistant Morpho Lodner (Ricardo Valle), who was a prisoner sentenced to death and revived by Dr. Orloff, that bring the women to the Hartog Castle to remove the skin of his victims to repair the face of his daughter that was burned in a fire. When Wanda decides to help her beloved fiancé to find the criminal, she becomes the next victim of Dr. Orloff. Now Inspector Tanner's last chance to find Dr. Orloff relies on the lead of the drunkard Jeannot (Faustino Cornejo)."Gritos en la Noche" (a.k.a. "The Awful Dr. Orloff") is one of the best films of director Jesus Franco that I have seen so far. The story combines the story lines of the successful 1960 "Les Yeux Sans Visage" ("Eyes without a Face") with Frankenstein, Jack the Ripper and Sherlock Holmes and the result is good. The cinematography in black and white is great and the acting is decent. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): "O Terrível Dr. Orloff" ("The Terrible Dr. Orloff")