A classic slice of Spanish exploitation, this is Euro Horror at its finest. It runs like a Hammer film and contains many of the usual Gothic traditions - crucifixes, atmosphere, ruined graveyards, vampires, witches, werewolves, manacles, and deserted castles. The film is even set in an unspecified European locale (Northern France is mentioned, but this doesn't look much like France to me),so beloved of the Hammer studio. However, as this is a Spanish exploitation film and the Europeans were always less prudish than their British counterparts, there are the added touches of nudity (whenever women fight their tops get torn off, unsurprisingly) and more gore than we would usually expect from a fantasy piece about classic monsters like this. The gore is really icing on the cake though as the film is strong enough to stand up without it.

Highlights include the scene where Naschy kills his vampire sister and the final sequence where the witch dissolves into a maggot-covered skeleton. In the former, we watch as Naschy nonchalantly hammers a stake (with a huge mallet!) into his sister's chest, watching blood erupt from the wound, and then hacks her head off with an axe - all portrayed in a jaw-droppingly matter-of-fact way! The latter death scene is highly reminiscent of the influential Hammer Dracula deaths, once again a wax model being used to make it look like the corpse is decaying. A wonderfully over the top moment in a brilliant film.

This was my first exposure to Naschy's films and I have to say that I am greatly impressed. It would have been easy to let the gore run riot (no harm in that) and while the film isn't restrained, it also succeeds in building the type of atmosphere favoured by classic horror films from the decades before it. As a matter of interest, two of the classic monsters of the horror film are involved, and zombies and even the devil (well, his shadow anyway) turn up in bit parts. Naschy has said that he's fond of the Universal monster bashes of the 1940s, where one monster was teamed against another, and the evidence is clear here. The violent werewolf scenes are pretty good, although Naschy looks slightly comedic he is still excellent value for money. The only problem would be the poor quality of the makeup, which admittedly looks rather bad. The evil witch is intimidating and evokes Barbara Steele in her black robes and veil. Add to that the subplot of vampirism and you have a film well worth watching.

The locations are nice, the atmosphere is brilliant, the acting, although affected by dubbing, is nonetheless more than adequate with Naschy particularly excelling himself in his role. Never since the days Lon Chaney Jr. played Lawrence Talbot have we had such a well-portrayed and charismatic character consumed by his werewolf hunger and forced to kill in a series of films. Naschy certainly knows his stuff and he makes for a very memorable leading hero in his leather jacket. There are a couple of surprisingly touching romantic interludes between Naschy and Fuchs, achieved via a bit of tinkling piano music. The rest of the female cast is either required to strip or look spooky! Another guy, a policeman, looks like the spitting image of Gregory Peck.

Okay, the film itself is not particularly well made, down to the lack of budget more than anything else, but there are some nice bits of editing (the repeat flashes from Naschy to the full moon and back again are rather good) and it could have been a lot worse. The only problem comes when one piece of footage is accidentally repeated twice, making things truly weird. Watch out for an excellent scene where a girl is attacked by a decayed monk in the ruined castle. Could this be one of the undead Templars from TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD making a guest appearance? It sure looks like it! The film has all you could ever want from a horror film: violence, gore, action, suspense, atmosphere, romance, and characters you feel for. The only hurdle would be the obvious cultural barrier and the fact that you have to ignore that it's poorly dubbed. If you can get over that, this is an excellent slice of horror from a much-maligned age. This film has certainly led to a desire within me (not unlike the craving of a bloodthirsty vampire) to see more of Naschy's yarns, and on recent second viewing it was just as good again.

Paul Naschy again with his classic character and frightening to viewer. It deals with Elvira (Gaby Fuchs) and her friend Genevieve (Barbara Capell) travelling through the French countryside in search of the lost grave of a medieval vampire, Countess Wandesa (Patty Shepard) , then things go wrong . The Blood Flows Like Vintage Wine ! . Things happen that have never been seen by human beings ! . The blood flows like vintage wine ! .

Jacinto Molina or Paul Naschy , who recently passed away, was actor, screenwriter and director of various films about the personage based on a 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).

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 . This time Paul Nashy/Jacinto Molina exhibits little breast but he was a weightlifting champion. Here Waldemar takes on Countess Wandessa played by Patty Shepard in some unforgettable slow-moving scenes . Brief nudism and erotic situations in charge of Gaby Fuchs and Barbara Capell . Good cinematography by cameraman Leopoldo Villaseñor is accompanied by a correct remastering . Eerie and atmospheric musical score by composer Anton Garcia Abril .The motion picture was professionally directed by Leon Klimovsky , a slick craftsman who directed all kind of genres, as Terror for Paul Naschy (Marshall of hell, Rebellion of dead one , Orgy of vampires , Werewolf shadow ,Dr Jekill vs. The werewolf) , Warlike (June 44 attack force Normandy , A bullet for Rommel, Bridge over Elba) and Spaghetti/Paella Westerns (Badland drifter , Some dollars for Django , Death knows no time , Two thousand dollars for Coyote). Carlos Aured's assistant direction, who directed the following sequel titled, ¨ The return of the Walpurgis ¨. The flick will appeal to Paul Naschy fans and horror genre enthusiastic. Rating : 6/10 . Acceptable and entertaining.

While performing an autopsy a man removes silver bullets from Paul Naschy and viola! We have a movie! Two coeds traveling in Europe looking for a dead female vampire who drank the blood of virgins stumble upon the manor of the only werewolf in Europe. who happens to live nearby. The vampire died by a silver cross to the heart, something our man Paul can carry around with him, without any side effects.

Entertaining from a campy point of view.

This feature has been poorly transferred to DVD and on some copies, the few nude scenes have been cut. Night time shots appear to be done with natural lighting, and that is bad.