The Devil's Wedding Night

It's a European horror movie from the '70s and has what you'd expect it would: a fairly predictable premise that alters the standard scenario a bit, slow pacing that adds to the tension, creepy supporting characters, and some vague reason for adding sexual content. This movie is not very interesting except as an example of a period piece that is heavily stylized.

Some bright red gore, the naked charms of several sexy women, including star Rosalba Neri, and a few unintentional laughs are the main attractions of this otherwise rather tedious vampiric potboiler. Appearing opposite a bland Mark Damon, Neri plays bride of Dracula La Contessa Dolingen de Vries, who uses the fabled ring of the Nibelungen to lure virgins to her castle. Damon plays dual roles (when he isn't really up to just the one), that of archaeologist Franz Schiller, who goes to the castle in search of the ring, and of his twin brother Karl, who follows, too late to save his sibling but not too late to end the Contessa's reign of terror.

As is often the case in such Gothic Euro horror, there's an awful lot of wandering around the castle, with an obligatory storm raging overhead, all of which is fairly mundane, but at least director Luigi Batzella sees fit to punctuate the boredom with the occasional spot of sleaze: the Contessa has sex with Franz, giving the viewer a good eyeful of Neri's bod; Neri also gets naked whilst taking a blood bath, the red stuff poured all over her chest by faithful housemaid Lara (Esmeralda Barros); the Contessa and Lara have a lesbian romp; and five virgins are stripped naked before being stabbed in the neck, their blood gushing over their bare breasts. All good stuff.

Also reasonably fun: the fight between Karl and a bald hunchbacked vampire; the trippy laughing scene (I haven't a clue what that was all about); Karl hacking off the Contessa's hand; the Contessa turning into a huge bat to attack comely innkeeper's daughter Tanya (Francesca Romana Davila); and the silly surprise ending.

5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for the hilarious moment when the Contessa holds up the magical ring to Karl and he starts to do Tai Chi. At least that's what it looked like to me.

Il Plenlunio delle vergini (THE DEVIL'S WEDDING NIGHT) is probably only interesting as a late example of Italian Gothic horror. By 1973 most Italian horror films were following in the footsteps of Alfred Hitchcock and Argento's giallos (eg. THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMMAGE, 1970), including those of the original gothic filmmakers, Riccardo Freda (THE IGUANA WITH THE TONGUE OF FIRE, 1971) and Mario Bava (HATCHET FOR THE HONEYMOON, 1970 and BAY OF BLOOD, 1971). Also of interest to cult and horror film buffs, the film was photographed by Italy's (probably inferior) equivalent of Jess Franco, Joe D'Amato. Other than that, this film has little to recommend for it. The photography is a mediocre homage to NOSFERATU, the sets pale in comparison to those of earlier gothic horror films (for example, Bava's BLACK SUNDAY), the story is dull and inconsistent, the nude scenes are neither necessary nor particularly erotic, and the atmosphere is less-than-spooky when it isn't unintentional comical. They don't make 'em like this anymore, and we should be thankful for it.

The kind of movie one has to not think about, just sit back and enjoy the lush visuals, and abundant nudity. Great looking topless girls in this Euro shocker/ sex flick, about Dracula's oversized joke shop ring, with a red amulet almost as large as girl's hand, and the various people are hoping to possess it. Film is kind of like an old Hammer Horror, with a bit more graphic sex and nudity: beautiful lesbian vampire lures young girls to castle to frolic with them, then offers them as sacrifices to the devil.

Several sequences are devoted to prowling through the old castle, to show off the film's well done sets and eerie lighting and smoke effects. Several scenes are devoted to showing off the female cast members' ample tits. Both held my attention.

Good fight between Shiller and vampire ghoul, defeated by a stake driven through his heart and a fall out a window, but mostly just an excuse for atmospherics and nudity.

There are roughly 18,262 days in a 50-year period. Thus, I would have to say that the odds of twin brothers Karl and Franz Schiller, in the 1978 Eurosleaze horror flick "The Devil's Wedding Night," arriving at the castle of Countess Dolingen de Vries in Transylvania on the one night in 50 years when village virgins are sacrificed is, well, 18,262 to 1. Still, the viewer can well imagine on which night they DO arrive: that's right, the Night of the Virgin Moon! In their quest for Wagner's legendary Ring of the Nibelungen, which gives its owner almost limitless powers, the brothers (well played, I suppose, by Mark Damon) run afoul of not only the beautiful vampiric countess, but her castleful of zombie retainers, as well. In the role of the countess we have the perfect 10 Eurobabe Rosalba Neri (here called Sara Bay, for some reason), an actress who I only recently became enamored of after admiring her performance as the doomed nymphomaniac in 1971's "Slaughter Hotel." Rosalba, though a talented thespian (and, in this film, lesbian) and much more than just a gorgeous face, nonetheless still looks incredible here, especially when streaked with blood and rising out of a steaming vat. She easily flaps away with the film. But there are still other, modest pleasures to be had here, in a film that ultimately comes off as sleazy shlock. Like another Italian film that I recently saw, 1960's "Mill of the Stone Women," "The Devil's Wedding Night" features a disorienting, drug-induced, psychedelic freakout sequence that comes roughly halfway in. Director Luigi Batzella and composer Vasili Kojucharov's contributions do create a film with some creepy atmosphere, and for all you hound dogs out there, the five virgins that are called to the castle, stripped and butchered are quite a toothsome lot. In all, certainly not a classic or even very good film, but still fun. Unfortunately, this DVD from Shout Factory showcases a very damaged-looking print that is only just barely watchable, and with no extras to speak of other than some snide comments from Elvira. Even this sleazy piece of Eurohorror deserves a better treatment!