THE MURDER MANSION

THE MURDER MANSION (aka La mansion de la niebla/1972). Director: Francisco Lara Polop. 

Hitchhiker Laura (Lisa Leonardi) is first picked up by Porter (Franco Fantasia of Kommissar X: Kill Panther Kill), who can't keep his hands to himself, and then given a motorcycle lift by Fred (Andres Resino). As they travel to Milan on a foggy night, they are nearly run off the road by a Mercedes with two occupants. Traveling the same dark byway are Elsa (Analia Gade), whose husband Ernest (Alberto Dalbes) is off with his mistress, Ellen (Ingrid Garbo); and Elsa's friends Mr. and Mrs. Tremont (Eduardo Fajardo and Yelena Samarina). Most of this bunch wind up in a secluded mansion near a cemetery which is owned by hostess Martha (Ida Galli of A White Dress for Mariale). Martha tells the assemblage a tale about how 12 people were murdered in one night in the mansion by vampires, which may include her Aunt and the old lady's chauffeur (Jose Luis Velasco), both of whom died decades before and supposedly haunt the graveyard. As everyone decides to spend the night despite the absence of electricity, Fred decides to explore the basement level of the building, determined to figure out if there are supernatural elements at play or not. Before he arrives at the solution, there is more than one death. 

In the basement crypt: Andres Resino and Lisa Leonardi

The Murder Mansion is a weird one. Its greatest strength is its unpredictability, although after awhile you get a bit impatient for things to happen and to make sense. The acting seems credible even if the dubbing is strange, and there's a degree of atmosphere. A very strange sequence has Fred and Laura encountering a cloaked man on the roadway who is carrying a huge scythe, and they don't even remark upon it! Even at the end of the film you may not be entirely certain as to exactly what has happened, but it's entertaining enough. Dalbes and Samarina both appeared in Night of the Skull. 

Verdict: Oddball Spanish-Italian co-production will have you guessing or put you to sleep. **1/2. 

NIGHT OF THE SKULL

The skull-faced killer 

NIGHT OF THE SKULL (aka Le noche de los asesinos/Night of the Killers/1974). Director: Jesus Franco (Jess Franco).

On a dark and stormy night in 19th century Louisiana, Lord Archibald Marian (Angel Menendez), originally from England, is buried alive by an assailant wearing a skull mask. Marian's wife, the vicious Cecelia (Maribel Hildago), is next, chained to rocks as the tide comes in. As the murders continue, all of them seemingly centering on the will and who will gain from it, there are numerous suspects: the weird servants, Rufus (Luis Barboo) and the ill-tempered Deborah (Yelena Samarina of House of a 1000 Dolls); Marian's two bastards, Rita (Lina Romay) and Alfred (Antonio Mayans); Baron Tobias (William Berger) and his wife Marta ((Evelyne Scott); Albert Pagan (Dan van Husen) and his wife. Inspector Bore (Vincente Roca) has just begun investigating when Major Oliver Brooks (Alberto Dalbes) from Scotland Yard arrives to take charge of the baffling case. 

getting ready to read the will

This is one of the prolific director Jess Franco's better movies, which, sadly, isn't saying much. The shame of it is that the film has atmosphere and a very good plot with an excellent twist, but the direction is as uninspired as ever.  Yet the picture isn't boring and has many intriguing aspects to it. Despite the credits, the movie has absolutely nothing to do with Edgar Allan Poe and is not based on any of his writings, but apparently was ripped off from an Edgar Wallace novel. Made in Spain.

Verdict: A pretty good mystery story that would have been much better with someone other than Jess Franco at the helm. **1/2. 

HOUSE OF A THOUSAND DOLLS

George Nader, Martha Hyer and Vincent Price

HOUSE OF A THOUSAND DOLLS (aka House of 1000 Dolls/1967). Director: Jeremy Summers. 

Dr. Stephen Armstrong (George Nader of Sins of Jezebel) and his wife, Marie (Ann Smryner), are vacationing in Tangier when their friend, Fernando (Sancho Gracia), tells them that he's searching for his missing fiancee, Diane (Maria Rohm). Diane was last seen in Vienna where she was made to disappear by stage magician Manderville (Vincent Price) and his assistant, Rebecca (Martha Hyer of First Men in the Moon) -- and she was never seen again. Diane has been shanghaied to the House of 1000 Dolls, a house of prostitution where most of the kidnapped girls are forced to service wealthy clients and are mistreated by the staff, including Madame Viera (Yelena Samarina). When Fernando is found murdered, Stephen begins his own investigation, but he doesn't realize that this will cause a lot of trouble for himself and his wife ... 

Magician Manderville (right) checks out Dr. Armstrong

House of a Thousand Dolls, whose villains are truly loathsome, has a certain sinister atmosphere throughout and holds the attention, if for no other reason than you hope to see the bad guys get their comeuppance at the finish. Manderville, Rebecca, and the others report to a mysterious King of Hearts whose identity isn't revealed until the end. The actors are all professional, although Price -- probably contemplating which piece of art he will buy with his paycheck -- doesn't put himself out too much. Luis Rivera makes an impression as Fernando's sexy friend, Paul. For some reason Stephen is remarkably obnoxious to the police inspector (Wolfgang Kieling of Our Man in Jamaica) in the case, which seems foolish for someone who may need the man's help in the future. There's a fairly exciting chase scene with two desperadoes pursuing Stephen through a series of interesting locations (the film was actually shot mostly in Spain). Reportedly a racier version of the flick was shown in Europe. The villains in this don't really get the vicious fates they so richly deserve. 

Verdict: Minor but entertaining and smooth Euro-thriller. ***.