Starring Anita Ekberg, Gianni Medici, Diana Lorys, Rosanna Yanni, Cesar Benet
Directed by Amando de Ossorio
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A young heiress visits the castle she has inherited, and learns her uncle may be a centuries old vampire, with plans to initiate her into the undead.
This Italian/Spanish co-production is distinguished by its strong performances (from Ekberg as the heiress Sylvia and Julian Ugarte as the count in particular), as well as Fulvio Testi's beautiful cinematography, with many scenes lit in sumptuous color. It is a tad slow moving as Ugarte tries to convince the defiant Ekberg of the reality of the supernatural, and later as a local doctor (Carlos Casaravilla) tries to impress Ekberg's fiancee (Paul Muller) of the same, and I thought attempts at comic relief fell a little flat. However, the production values and the impressive exterior shots of the castle really make this an aesthetically pleasing picture, and Ekberg looks stunning in her various outfits. When the film reaches its climax, the screenplay comes up with a twist I didn't see coming, thanks to convincing acting from all the cast.
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