Luisa (Carmen Yazalde, who is billed as Britt Nichols, and also shows up in Franco's Jungfrauen-Report, A Virgin Among the Living Dead and Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein) learns from her dying mother that her family - the Karlsteins not the Karnsteins - are all vampires and their leader, Count Karlstein still lies in half-dead, half-alive stasis in the crypt of their castle.

This being a Jess Franco movie, Luisa is soon taking her cousin Karine (Anne Libert, Sins of the Flesh) as a lover with just as much gusto - in front of a holy cross - as she throws victims to the Count (Howard Vernon),who stays in his coffin all of the time.

Franco also shows up as vampire killer Cyril Jefferson, who takes over the movie as the two main characters suddenly are no longer the leads. It also becomes a giallo, so a movie that feels like two films at once was ironically shot at the same time that Franco was making two other movies.

Actually I can be very positive about this movie, since it's a Jesus Franco movie that I didn't hated watching for a change. Still, it's far from being a great movie but it at least is watchable and even has some good moments in it.

Best thing about this movie is that it manages to create a good atmosphere. It's honestly a good looking movie and especially all of the sex sequences are filmed very well. Yes, it's a Jesus Franco movie, so it of course features quite a lot of nudity and sex in it. This time it involves girls only, so prepare yourself for some steamy lesbian moments. I'm actually getting real tired of these lesbian undertones in vampire movies but it's done quite well in this movie, so I have simply nothing to complain about, in this case.

The story is being somewhat pleasant and easy to follow, which is not something you could say for every Jesus Franco movie. Haven't said that, it's nothing too solid or original really. Even it's title is incredible formulaic but oh well, at least it still sounds good in French.

And this goes for the dialog as well. It's all better sounding in French and lets the actors come across as if they knew what they were doing. Still it's very obvious that most of the actor's voices got dubbed because they were non-French speaking ones. But this at least isn't anything too distracting and I don't know, it sort of adds to the charm of these sort of movies a well.

I'm not sure about it though that there is plenty for the horror/vampire lovers to enjoy. It's a movie that is more about its atmosphere really and not so much about its blood or scares. If this sound appealing enough to you, this movie is still worth checking out.

Not a great movie by any means but by normal Jesus Franco standards, it's definitely still a good and watchable enough movie.

5/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

As I gathered up movies to watch by writer/director/actor Jess Franco for an upcoming 'Horror Challenge' being held on IMDb's Horror board,I found myself feeling disappointed that I would be unable to include a Giallo title in my Franco viewings.Catching me completely by surprise,a very kind IMDber revealed to me a Franco film which combined Gothic Horror with Giallo elements,which led to me shaking hands with a black glove wearing Dracula.

The plot:

Laying on her death bed, Baroness Karlstein decides that this is the perfect time to reveal to Luisa Karlstein that her dad is a vampire called Count Karlstein,and that Luisa is the rightful heir to a hidden family secret.Taken aback by the revelation that her mum delivers with her final breath,Luisa decides to visit a small village,where Count Karlstein appears to be a residence.

As Luisa heads to the village, Inspector Ptsuschko begins to investigate a series of murders being committed by a stranger wearing black gloves and walking around with a cane.Holding a firm view that the killer must be within his sights,Ptsuschko dismisses mutterings from locals that the killings have a noticeable vampire appearance.Finding the castle that her dad lives in,Luisa discovers to her horror,that along with her dad,she has also found Count Karlstein's friend:Count Dracula.

View on the film:

Offering a tantalising combo of Gothic Horror and Giallo,the screenplay by writer/director/co-star Jess Franco is disappointingly unable to fully connect both threads,due to Franco taking a very halfhearted approach to the Gothic elements,and stabbing the Giallo elements with a real lack of focus,which leads to it re- appearing/disappearing from the centre of the title.Whilst Franco shows himself to be a bit too zoom-in happy with his stilted directing,the stunning Britt Nichols gives the film a strong mystique atmosphere,as Luisa opens the tomb to her secret family history.