Assignment: Terror

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Assignment: Terror
Los monstruos del terror.jpg
Spanish theatrical release poster
Directed by Hugo Fregonese
Tulio Demicheli [1]
Written by Jacinto Molina
Produced byJaime Prades
Starring Paul Naschy
Michael Rennie
Karin Dor
Craig Hill
Patty Shepard
Angel del Pozo
Manuel de Blas
CinematographyGodofredo Pacheco
Edited byEmilio Rodríguez
Music byRafael Fitó
Franco Salina
Production
companies
Eichberg-Film
International Jaguar Cinematografica
Producciones Jaime Prades
Distributed byCastilla Films
Release date
  • 24 February 1970 (1970-02-24)(West Germany)
Running time
85 minutes (Spain)
CountriesSpain
West Germany
Italy
LanguageSpanish
Budget$1 million [2]

Los Monstruos del Terror (translation: The Monsters of Terror), also known as Dracula vs. Frankenstein and Assignment: Terror, is a 1970 Spanish-German-Italian horror and Sci-Fi film co-directed by Tulio Demicheli and Hugo Fregonese. [3] (Fregonese quit midway through the production so the film was completed by Demicheli). Eberhard Meichsner was also credited as a director only in the British promotional material, but by all accounts he was not actually involved. [4]

Contents

It is the third in a series of 12 films that Paul Naschy wrote and starred in featuring the werewolf Waldemar Daninsky, a role that was always played by Naschy. It stars Paul Naschy, Michael Rennie (his last film), Craig Hill and Karin Dor. Maria Perschy was supposed to play Maleva Kerstein, but Karin Dor wound up getting the part.[ citation needed ]

It was filmed in early Spring, 1969. The film was first released theatrically in Germany (as Dracula vs Frankenstein) on February 24, 1970, and in Spain (as The Monsters of Terror) on August 28, 1971. The film was also shown in France and in the U.K. as Dracula vs Frankenstein. In Belgium, it was shown as Dracula and the Wolf Man vs Frankenstein. In Mexico, it was released as Operation Terror, and in Denmark it was known as Frankenstein Og Blodsugerne/ Frankenstein vs The Bloodsucker. In the 1980s, the film was released on home video in France as Reincarnator. (Most of the film's variant titles did not even mention Naschy's Wolfman character.). [5]

The film sold directly to late-night television in the U.S. in 1973, retitled Assignment Terror (since the title Dracula vs Frankenstein had already been used in the U.S. for the 1971 Al Adamson Hollywood film). [6] In the U.K., the film played on a double bill with Peter Walker's 1970 horror film Die Screaming Marianne.[ citation needed ]

Los Monstruos del Terror was originally going to be called El Hombre que Vino de Ummo (translation: The Man Who Came from Ummo), referring to Michael Rennie's space-man character, but the title was changed to The Monsters of Terror. [7]

It was followed in the series by the 1970 film The Fury of the Wolfman .[ citation needed ]

Summary

Aliens, occupying the bodies of deceased Earth scientists, revive a vampire, a werewolf, a female mummy, and Frankenstein's monster with a plan to use them to take over the human race by using their own primitive superstitions against them. (A Golem was supposed to be one of the monsters in this film, but unfortunately the budgetary problems the filmmakers encountered wouldn't permit it.) The aliens want to discover why these monsters are so frightening to Earthlings. For reference, the aliens use a book entitled The Anthology of the Monsters by a Professor Ulrich von Farancksalan, who was also the creator of the Frankenstein monster in this film.[ citation needed ]

The werewolf Waldemar Daninsky saves the world by destroying the other three monsters in hand-to-hand combat and ultimately blowing up the aliens' underground base; however, he is shot to death in the film's finale by a woman who loves him enough to end his torment.[ citation needed ]

Cast

Production

Lead actor Paul Naschy also wrote the screenplay at the request of producer Prades, who was impressed by the box office success of Naschy's La Marca del Hombre Lobo that year and wanted to film a sequel. The original shooting title was The Man Who Came from Ummo, but the producer changed it to The Monsters of Terror. Direction was split between two Argentine-born filmmakers, Hugo Fregonese and Tulio Demicheli. Naschy said Fregonese quit the project two-thirds of the way through, and Demichelli stepped in to finish the film. Only Demichelli was actually credited on the prints. Naschy claimed that Hollywood actor Robert Taylor volunteered to play the lead alien in the film, but the producer hired Michael Rennie instead.[ citation needed ]

Naschy also said the makeup man on the film, Rafael Ferrer, was the most incompetent man he ever worked with. (The makeup on Frankenstein in this film was so similar to the 1930s Universal make-up that it could easily have caused a lawsuit. Hence Naschy changed the name of the Monster in this film to "Farancksalan", but it fooled very few people.) [8]

Naschy was told the film would have a lavish budget, which inspired him to let his imagination run wild while writing the screenplay. The film was shot in Egypt, Germany, Italy and Spain. [2] Filming was interrupted several times because of Prades' financial difficulties, and thus the script was not filmed as it was written. Whole segments of the script involving flying saucers and the Golem were never carried out as the result of sorely lacking funds.[ citation needed ]

Release and attempts at restoration

An English language one-sheet poster exists for this film bearing the title Assignment Terror, but it is unknown why they created it because AIP only distributed the film direct to television in the U.S. in 1973. It was later released on VHS as Dracula vs. Frankenstein in a splicy, full screen panned-and-scanned print.[ citation needed ]

The film is available today on a DVD from Reel Vault under the title Assignment Terror, as well as on a German Blu-Ray under the title Assignment Terror (Dracula Jagt Frankenstein) [9]

Trivia

The film was broadcast on Tele 5 as part of the programme format SchleFaZ in season 2.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Naschy</span> Spanish actor and filmmaker (1934-2009)

Jacinto Molina Álvarez known by his stage name Paul Naschy, was a Spanish film actor, screenwriter, and director working primarily in horror films. His portrayals of numerous classic horror figures—The Wolfman, Frankenstein's monster, Count Dracula, Quasimodo, Fu Manchu and a mummy—earned him recognition as the Spanish Lon Chaney. Naschy also starred in dozens of action films, historical dramas, crime films, TV shows and documentaries. He also wrote the screenplays for most of his films and directed a number of them as well, signing many of them "Jacinto Molina". Naschy was bestowed Spain's Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugo Fregonese</span> Filmmaker active in Argentina and Hollywood

Hugo Geronimo Fregonese was an Argentine film director and screenwriter who worked both in Hollywood and his home country.

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<i>The Mark of the Wolfman</i> 1968 Spanish film

The Mark of the Wolfman, is a 1968 Spanish horror film, the first in a long series of films about the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky, played by Paul Naschy. The film was also known as Hell's Creatures, The Nights of Satan, The Vampires of Dr. Dracula and Frankenstein's Bloody Terror. Naschy originally suggested actress Barbara Steele for the part of the vampire countess Wandesa, but Aurora De Alba wound up getting the part.

Las Noches del Hombre Lobo is a lost 1968 Spanish horror film that centers around the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky, played by Paul Naschy. It has been credited as the second part of Paul Naschy's 12 "Hombre Lobo" films. However, it's been heavily disputed if the film was ever made or exists at all. No one, including Naschy himself, has ever viewed the film and it has never seen a theatrical or home media release.

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The Fury of the Wolfman, aka Wolfman Never Sleeps, is a 1970 Spanish horror film that is the fourth in a long series about the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky, played by Paul Naschy. Naschy wrote the screenplay as well. The film was shot in early 1970. It was not theatrically released in Spain until 1975 due to problems involved in finding a distributor, although it was distributed in edited form on U.S. TV in 1974.

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<i>El Retorno de Walpurgis</i> 1973 Spanish film

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<i>La Maldicion de la Bestia</i> 1975 Spanish film

La Maldicion de la Bestia is a 1975 Spanish horror film that is the eighth in a long series about the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky, played by Paul Naschy. The film has also been known as The Werewolf and the Yeti, Night of the Howling Beast and Hall of the Mountain King. This film ignored the events from the earlier Hombre Lobo films and provided an all-new origin for Waldemar's lycanthropy, having the curse transmitted to Waldemar by the bites of two female werewolves. A yeti is woven into the storyline, but in this film the Yeti is not the direct cause of Waldemar's lycanthropy. Fernando Florido and Adolfo Ponte handled the special effects throughout the film.

<i>Night of the Werewolf</i> (film) 1981 Spanish film

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<i>Vengeance of the Zombies</i> 1973 Spanish film

Vengeance of the Zombies is a 1972 Spanish horror film directed by León Klimovsky and starring Paul Naschy, Mirta Miller, Vic Winner and Aurora de Alba. The film was shot in July 1972, but was only theatrically released in Spain in June 1973. It was shown in Italy as La Vendetta dei Morti Viventi. The film was shown in Germany over the years under three different titles....Rebellion of the Living Dead, Invocation of the Devil and Blood Lust of the Zombies.

<i>The Hanging Woman</i> 1973 Spanish horror film

La orgía de los muertos a.k.a. The Hanging Woman, Beyond the Living Dead, Return of the Zombies and Bracula: Terror of the Living Dead, is a 1972 Spanish/ Italian horror film directed by José Luis Merino, starring Paul Naschy and Dyanik Zurakowska. The film was shot in March 1972, but wasn't shown in Spanish theaters until September 3, 1973. It was shown theatrically in the U.S. in 1974 as The Hanging Woman, and then was later re-released there as Beyond the Living Dead. It was released in Germany on April 6, 1976 as Der Totenchor der Knochenmanner/ Death Chorus of the Skeletons, and re-released in Germany on March 1, 1977 as Die Bestie aus dem Totenreich/ The Beast from the Death Realm. It was shown in the U.K. as Zombies - Terror of the Living Dead, in France as Les Orgies Macabres, and in Australia as Bracula, Terror of the Living Dead.

<i>Horror Rises from the Tomb</i> 1973 Spanish film

Horror Rises from the Tomb, is a 1972 Spanish horror film starring Paul Naschy and directed by Carlos Aured. Leon Klimovsky was Naschy's first choice for director, but he was busy on another film so his assistant director Carlos Aured took the job. Naschy was mercilessly rushed into writing the screenplay for the producers in 36 hours, yet after the film was completed, it took more than a year to get it released in theaters. The film was shot in February 1972, and was only released in Spain and Mexico on April 27, 1973 as El espanto surge de la tumba. The film was released in Germany on October 4, 1974 as Blutmesse fur der Teufel/ Blood Mass for the Devil. They re-released the film in Germany on Sept. 2, 1980 as Blood Mass of the Zombies in an attempt to cash in on George Romero's hit film Dawn of the Dead. In France, the film was retitled L'amour parmi les monstres.

<i>Panic Beats</i> 1983 Spanish film

Panic Beats is a 1983 film starring Paul Naschy and Julia Saly. The film was a Spanish-Japanese co-production made as a sequel to Naschy's 1972 Horror Rises From the Tomb. It was produced by Augusto Boue and Julia Saly for Naschy's company Aconito Films. Paul Naschy plays the monstrous Alaric de Marnac and Julia Saly, Lola Gaos, and Silvia Miro co-star. Some stock music written by Roberto Nicolosi for 1959's Caltiki the Immortal Monster can be heard in the background.

<i>Count Draculas Great Love</i> 1973 Spanish film

Count Dracula's Great Love is a 1973 Spanish film directed by Javier Aguirre, and starring Paul Naschy as Count Dracula. The film also features Rosanna Yanni, Haydee Politoff, Mirta Miller and Ingrid Garbo.

Inquisition is a 1976 Spanish-Italian historical horror film written and directed by Paul Naschy. It also features Daniela Giordano, Julia Saly and Mónica Randall. The film was shot in May and June 1976, and first shown in Spain in 1978. The special effects were handled by Fernando Florido, who outdid himself with his elaborate design for the demon Belphegor, seen during the film's bizarre dream sequence. Daniela Giordano loved the film and thought it was one of the best projects she ever worked on. An Argentinian one-sheet exists with the name of the film as Bajo el terror de la Inquisicion / Under the Terror of the Inquisition, but there is no evidence that the film was ever shown there theatrically.

<i>Seven Murders for Scotland Yard</i> 1971 film

Seven Murders for Scotland Yard is a 1971 Italian-Spanish giallo film directed by José Luis Madrid and starring Paul Naschy, Patricia Loran and Renzo Marignano. Naschy and Madrid wrote the screenplay, Tito Carpi's name was simply added to the credits to satisfy the requirements for a Spanish-Italian co-production. The film was shot in June 1971, and was first released in Italy in 1971 as Sette Cadaveri per Scotland Yard / Seven Corpses for Scotland Yard. It was shown in Spain on July 10, 1972, as Jack el destripador de Londres, and finally wound up theatrically released in the U.S. in 1976 as Seven Murders for Scotland Yard. The Mexican one-sheet poster simply called the film Jack el distripador/ Jack the Ripper.

References

  1. ↑ Howarth, Troy (2018). Human Beasts: The Films of Paul Naschy. WK Books. p. 40. ISBN   978-1718835894.
  2. 1 2 Besas, Peter (3 November 1971). "Spain Discovers Horror Pix". Variety . p. 27.
  3. ↑ Demicheli, Tulio; Fregonese, Hugo; Isasi-Isasmendi, Antonio (1970-02-24), Los monstruos del terror (Horror, Sci-Fi), Michael Rennie, Karin Dor, Craig Hill, Eichberg-Film, International Jaguar Cinematografica, Producciones Jaime Prades, retrieved 2023-09-26
  4. ↑ Howarth, Troy (2018). Human Beasts: The Films of Paul Naschy. WK Books. p. 40. ISBN   978-1718835894
  5. ↑ Benzel, Thorsten (2012). Muchas Gracias, Senor Lobo. Creepy Images. p.41.
  6. ↑ Howarth, Troy (2018). Human Beasts: The Films of Paul Naschy. WK Books. p. 40.ISBN 978-1718835894
  7. ↑ Howarth, Troy (2018). Human Beasts: The Films of Paul Naschy. WK Books. p. 30.ISBN 978-1718835894.
  8. ↑ Howarth, Troy (2018). Human Beasts: The Films of Paul Naschy. WK Books. p. 42. ISBN   978-1718835894.
  9. ↑ Howarth, Troy (2018). Human Beasts: The Films of Paul Naschy. WK Books. p. 317. ISBN 978-1718835894
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