Never heard of this one! Gianni Garko, scratched, bloody, and having crazy visions, stumbles out of the woods and collapses. He is found and taken to the nearest nut house, where Dr Umberto Raho starts performing tests on him. Gianni is unresponsive and doesn't even seem to know his name, and only comes alive at night, where the darkness makes him really nervous. He REALLY comes alive when a mysterious woman shows up at the hospital, causing him to go completely insane and ends up wearing a nice comfy straightjacket while we witness a lengthy flashback.

You see Gianni was merely driving through the Yugoslavian countryside when a freak accident forced his car off the road. He eventually finds his way to a country house (not noticing the two men burying a corpse in a bloodied sheet),and finds himself in the company of a very frightened family indeed.

What we have here is another Italian film version of the Tosltoy novella The Family of the Vourdalak, and despite the other version being directed by Mario Bava and being great, this version holds it's own too. Basically there's a witch running around the woods who has turned that guy they just buried into a vampire and now the head of the family must go out and kill her. He warns everyone that if he returns after six o'clock, he must be killed on the spot, so naturally he comes back at that time...and all hell breaks loose in the family household.

This version takes its time to get to the chills, but still manages to convey the tension and horror that's needed. Those creepy kids help too, as does Gianni's mounting terror of what's unfolding around him. There's a thick atmosphere about the film too, with the animal skulls lying around and the reluctance of the family to explain to Gianni what's going on.

There's also a nice ambiguous ending too, just for kicks. Some gore and boobs for those that thought that was missing from Bava's version. Melting faces too, and who can hate a film where someone's face explodes?

Not I....not....I...

Giorgio Ferroni's Night of the Devils (not to be confused with the 1971 film of the same title) is an extremely rare little horror film; but in spite of that, any self respecting fan of Eurohorror will recognise the plot line instantly as it was also used to great effect in the longest segment of the Mario Bava masterpiece 'Black Sabbath'. While this film is not as good as the middle of Bava's film, and does feel a little stretched at times; it managed to hold my interest throughout and I'd rate it as a success overall. The film begins with an unknown man stumbling into hospital. He doesn't make any attempt to identify himself, but soon after an unknown woman turns up and he begins to panic. From there we go back in time as the man remembers the events that lead up to him stumbling into the hospital. It emerges that he had a break down and was forced to stay with a family out in the woods. They are clearly hiding something right from the start and we soon find out that there's a witch in the woods who has taken their father.

Director Giorgio Ferroni is best known for his excellent Gothic horror film Mill of the Stone Women which he made twelve years previously. Overall, I'd have to say that the earlier film is the more successful; but there are shades of the macabre atmosphere that made Mill of the Stone Women a success in this film. It has to be said that the film is rather slow and there are times when it is not very exciting; but this time is used well in building up the atmosphere and it pays off towards the end. The plot line follows basically the same narrative as the one we saw in Bava's earlier film so the story won't be much of a surprise to anyone who has seen Black Sabbath. The setting is very well used also and the director ensures that the isolation of it is always at the forefront. The film is not very gory but this is made up for with some memorably disturbing scenes. It all boils down to a very effective ending that certainly justifies the slow build featured throughout the film. Overall, Night of the Devils is a very solid little horror film and is well worth seeing if you can find it!

Weary traveler Nicola (a fine and credible performance by Gianna Garko) seeks refuge at the secluded home of a backwoods family after his car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Unbeknownst to Nicola, the family are afflicted by a centuries old curse involving a deadly vampiric being called the Wurdulak.

Director Giorgio Ferroni relates the compelling story at a gradual, yet still hypnotic pace, does a masterful job of crafting and sustaining a supremely spooky and unsettling atmosphere, makes sound use of the desolate and isolated country setting, and certainly doesn't skimp on both the hideous graphic gore and arousing explicit sex and nudity. Better yet, this film not only effectively presents a rich and fascinating depiction of a bucolic and folkloric netherworld steeped deep in dread, superstition, and ancient traditions, but also delivers a fresh and unique spin on the standard vampire premise. The excellent acting from a top-rate cast qualifies as another significant asset, with especially stand-out contributions from the ravishing Agostina Belli as the sweet and naive Sdenka, Roberto Maldera as the sullen Jovan, Bill Vanders as stern patriarch Gorca, and Luis Suurez as the antsy Vlado. The startling downbeat ending packs a devastating wallop. Kudos are also in order for both Manuel Berenguer's sumptuous widescreen cinematography and Giorgio Gaslini's exquisitely eerie score. Recommended viewing for aficionados of moody European fright fare.