According to Mexican lore, a vampire can survive the usual wooden stake. Who knew? You must use Clammic acid, which can only be distilled from the black Mandragora flower. This flower grows only on spots over which a man was hanged. Killing vampires is tough work!A watchable Gothic horror film with some really spooky music. Perfect accompaniment to the aspirations of Count Siegfried von Frankenhausen (Carlos Agostí)., who plan to turn the whole world into vampires with himself as the head vamp in charge.Where he plans to get blood after that is anyone's guess.The Count's wife Eugenia (Erna Martha Bauman, a former Miss Mexico) is not a vampire. An interesting proposition, with some funny scenes between them.The o0verly melodramatic acting and the presence of Frau Hildegarde (Bertha Moss) make this a must see. You won't be disappointed.The best part is that they will be back in La invasión de los vampiros.
... View MoreCount Frankenhausen is a sui generis villain. But that means that he's effective, creepy, and evil for Satan's sake! This is one of the best Vampire flicks I've seen from the 60's. The movie follows the school of "Curse Of The Crying Woman" and of course, "El Vampiro".The movie centers around Count Frankenhausen and his diabolical wife; not to mention their diabolical minions.If you want a Hammer related Horror vampire flick this is the best option for those who enjoy monster movies. This one isn't exactly a monster feature but the plot suggests it. There's room for sadism, sexiness, violence, and of course, vampire action.Not the best vampire performance but still deserves a credit.The Gothic atmosphere and chilling score is also a decent feature for the movie. Please give it a chance and rent it or better, buy it. It's a very good Mexican Horror movie that should be ranked higher.
... View MoreOf interest to absolutely no one this is my 100th posted review and I thought I would choose a movie that is one of my wife's favourites. We both love Mexican movies but Count Frankenhausen is her absolute favourite villain. This movie, directed by Miguel Morayta, opens promisingly enough. A black coach rumbles silently through the night, its driver is a skeleton; its passenger is Count Seigfried von Frankenhausen and he musty reach his home, the forebodingly named Haunted Hacienda, before daylight. Bellowing "Whip the horses, for Satan's sake!" they proceed through the night. This movie creates its own lore about vampires and it all works very well. A Dr. Ulysses Albaran, student of Count Cagliostro, learns that a vampire can survive having a stake driven through its heart. the only way to really kill them is by injecting Clammic Acid into their veins. What is Clammic Acid, you ask? It can be distilled only from the black Mandragora flower that grows only on spots over which a man was hanged. Sounds like killing vampires is a tougher job then we thought! Count Frankenhausen is nothing if not an over-achiever. He wants to turn everyone in the world into vampires with himself as their supreme leader! But if everyone in the world is a vampire where will they get the blood they need to survive? I don't think the Count has thought this plan through very well. He might not get to try it out anyway, Dr. Albaran and the daughter of Count Cagliostro have determined to get into the Haunted Hacienda and put an end to the Count. They have a surprise ally in the Count's still human wife who hates her blood drinking husband and keeps a wooden stake by her bed at all times. Out of this surprisingly eclectic assortment of characters watch especially for Bertha Moss as Frau Hildegard. This is a cold hearted a witch as ever graced a terror film. She protects the Count jealously against everyone. She stomps about the castle barking orders and dolling out hideous punishments to servants who transgress, like cutting the tongue out of the footman because he talked too much, and letting the Count appease his thirst on badness knows how many chambermaids. So can this vampire be stopped? Not in this movie! A sequel, INVASION OF THE VAMPIRES, came soon after. The effects are cheap but good editing makes them look more effective than they should. The impressive castle set was also used in THE BRAINIAC. The studio, Churubusco-Azteca, guards the copyrights to its movies very well so expect to search hard for this one on VHS or DVD. This film and its sequel though are well worth the hunt. They are entertaining and scary too.
... View Morei love b horror movies. i was really excited to win this on ebay for $2.00. then i put it in the dvd player and fell asleepwithin 10 mins. so the next day i try again, though i didnt fall asleep this time, i wish i had. this isnt just a b-movie, as i stated before i love those. this is pure crap, no fun to watch at all, i would rather watch paint dry, if you are looking for a good b-movie do yourself a favor and look elsewhere
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