Paul Naschy's Waldemar Daninsky wolf-man movies were a howling success in Japan, which explains this unusual Japanese/Spanish co-production in which the cursed Count Daninsky heads East to try and find a cure for his lycanthropy.

The film starts in the year 938 A. D., with Irineus Daninsky (Nashy) defeating Hungarian warrior Vulko (José Luis Chinchilla) in a duel to the death, much to the annoyance of the witch Amese (Sara Mora),who curses the Daninsky bloodline. Centuries later, and descendent Waldemar Daninsky (Naschy again) searches for an answer to his problem, his quest leading him to 'the land of the rising sun', where samurai/sorcerer Kian (Shigeru Amachi) tries to lift the curse; in doing so, he angers a rival samurai and an evil sorceress, Satomi (Junko Asahina).

Combining two of my favourite genres - the Euro-horror and the samurai movie - I had high hopes for The Beast and The Magic Sword, but even though the film does deliver several enjoyable scenes, there's also a fair amount of tedium, and with the film clocking in at a massive 115 minutes, it's far from the fast-paced, consistently entertaining genre mash-up I dearly wanted it to be.

While the lupine Daninsky's attacks are schlocky fun (I bet his victims regret having paper walls and doors),the monster's outdated appearance is a massive disappointment: considering this film was made after The Howling and An American Werewolf in London, the design and execution of the wolf-man make-up is very poor, and there's no attempt at a transformation scene (not even a time-lapse effect). To compensate, Naschy provides some exploitative nudity by tearing open the tops of his female victims before chomping on their throats. There's also a ridiculous wolfman vs. Tiger fight that is satisfyingly silly (the tiger is called Shere Khan!),plus an entertaining bath attack on Daninsky and Kian by a topless female ninja.

Unfortunately, the many unspectacular sword fights soon become very repetitive, and the story loses all momentum with a good half-an-hour still to go; by the time Kian locates the magic silver sword that can end Waldemar's curse, I had pretty much lost interest.

4.5/10, rounded up to 5 for the novelty of seeing Japanese actors dubbed into Spanish, and for having the cajones to kill off both of Waldemar's female travelling companions, Kinga (Beatriz Escudero) and blind girl Esther (Violeta Cela).

The tenth adventure of Count Waldemar Daninsky - played as always by Paul Naschy - this Spanish/ Japanese co-production was never theatrically shown in any country other than its native Spain. It was never dubbed in English, never released on VHS or even DVD. Now, Mondo Macabro comes to the rescue with a gorgeous blu ray release of a movie that defies any logic and makes me fall in love with werewolf movies all over again.

What do you need to know? Well, Waldemar Daninsky goes to Japan in the hopes of being cured of his lycanthropy. You may wonder, "Why is this movie in the past instead of modern times like most of the other Paul Naschy werewolf movies?"

Stop asking questions and buckle up.

For the first time, you will learn how the Daninsky curse began, way back in the 10th century. Yes, a witch busts in and screams, "All the seventh-born sons will be transformed into beasts! The Daninskys will be a race of murderers! Hated and persecuted FOREVER!" before taking a wolf skull and biting the baby Daninsky through his pregnant mother's stomach. Centuries later, that baby has grown up and searched the world looking for a cure before coming to Japan.

There, in the studios of Toshiro Mifune, he will battle a samurai played by Japanese actor Shigeru Amachi, as well as a tiger, a witch, ninja and ghost samurai.

How could something this magical happen? Well, Naschy was paid by some Japanese investors to make a series of documentaries on the history of Spain. They also paid for two films - Human Beasts and this movie.

I wish they had given him enough yen to make twenty of these movies.

This time Naschy is turned into a werewolf when annoyed witch cursed his ancestors. Middle Age, a magician (Sara Mora) pronounces a curse against heirs of Irineus Daninsky . XVI Century, Toledo , Spain, Waldemar Danisky looks desperately for a cure . He travels to Japan along with his lover (Beatriz Escudero) and a blind girl (Violeta Cela). There Waldemar goes on a murderous rampage every time the moon is full. At Japan contacts a Samurai (Amachi) who tries to cure his Lycanthropy with a potion of drugs and the flower of Tibet.

Unknown Werewolf movie with the unforgettable Waldemar Daninsky-Jacinto Monlina ,under pseudonym Paul Naschy. Continental Europe's biggest horror star again with his classic character and frightening to viewer. He returns as El Hombre Lobo for the umpteenth time and once again battles enemies. Jacinto Molina Aka Paul Naschy ,who recently passed away, was actor,screenwriter and director of various film about the personage based on fictitious character, the Polish count Waldemar Daninsky. The first film about Waldemar was ¨The mark of the Wolfman (1967)¨ by Enrique Eguiluz , after that ¨Night of Walpurgis¨, ¨Fury of the Wolfman¨ , ¨Doctor Jekill and the Wolfman¨ ,¨The return of the Walpurgis¨, ¨Howl of the devil¨, ¨The beast and the magic sword(1982)¨ that is filmed in Japan and finally ¨Licantropo(1998).

After ¨The craving¨ it was such a box office disaster that Jacinto was bankrupt. He was forced to turn to Japan for making artist documentaries, as he filmed ' Madrid Royal Palace and Museum of Prado' and he gets financing from Japanese producers for ¨The human beasts¨, the first co-production Spanish-Japan and followed ¨The beast and the magic sword¨. Lavishly produced for the Paul Naschy standards. As the Atrezzo and gowns were expressly made for XVI Century , the Katana is actually manufactured in silver, and the white horse is a precious race champion. Spectacular and very well made combat between a tiger and Wolfman. As Jacinta Molina tells for these scenes, there were brought 4 tigers (one of them is the Sandokan TV's tiger) dominated by a dog. Filmed in Japan and castle of Chinchon (where was shot El Cid) in which took place the tournament that appears Paul Naschy's family.

It's a B series entertainment with abundant sensationalistic scenes and a Naif style.The movie has a bit of ridiculous gore with loads of blood similar to tomato and is occasionally an engaging horror movie full of sword and witchery, beheading, Hara-Kiri and several other things. This time Paul Nashy/Jacinto Molina exhibits little breast but he was a weightlifting champion. Here Waldemar takes on wizards and Samurais in some unforgettable fighting scenes.Pretty slow going, but hang in there for the Werewolf versus witches , Samurais and spirits. Good cinematography by Julio Burgos is accompanied by a correct remastering. Eerie and atmospheric musical score by Angel Arteaga .The motion picture is professionally directed and played by Jacinto Molina , a slick craftsman and mediocre actor.The flick will appeal to Paul Naschy fans and terror genre enthusiastic. Rating : 6, Acceptable and entertaining.