Tomb of the Werewolf

Last updated
Tomb of the Werewolf
Tomb of the Werewolf.jpg
Home video cover art
Directed by Fred Olen Ray
Written byFred Olen Ray
(as Sherman Scott)
Produced byKimberly A. Ray
Starring Paul Naschy
Jay Richardson
Michelle Bauer
Cinematography Gary Graver
Edited byDean McKendrick
Distributed byRetromedia Entertainment
Release date
  • June 8, 2004 (June 8, 2004)
Running time
82 min
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Tomb of the Werewolf (aka The Unliving) is a 2003 film [1] directed by Fred Olen Ray. It is the twelfth and last in a long series of films about the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky, played by Paul Naschy. The film contains a number of adult sex scenes bordering on softcore pornography. The film was shot on Video in 2003 and first distributed directly to VHS (in edited form) as Tomb of the Werewolf in June 2004. It was later reissued as an uncensored DVD (with bonus behind the scenes material) in 2015 as The Unliving by Retromedia Entertainment. Director Ray said years later in an interview that the film never made a profit. [1]

Contents

Plot

Richard Daninsky, the descendant of a werewolf named Waldemar Daninsky, inherits a castle that may have hidden treasure and takes a reality show TV crew along to document his search. Vampire Elizabeth Bathory gets Richard Daninsky to remove a silver dagger from the body of his ancestor Waldemar Daninsky, whose corpse has been residing in a crypt beneath the castle for many decades, causing Waldemar to revive and go on a rampage as a werewolf.

Cast

Production

Naschy traveled to Hollywood briefly in 2003 to appear in two filmed-on-video (adult content) horror films directed by Donald F. Glut and Fred Olen Ray, two former horror fans-turned-directors who must have treated him like royalty on the set. The other film he made that week was Countess Dracula's Orgy of Blood (2003).

(Filming got a bit complicated since Naschy had never learned to speak English. Also Naschy had brought his wife and son Sergio along with him, and the day after they arrived, his wife was hospitalized with a stomach virus, so Naschy was a bit preoccupied during the shoot.)

While in the States, Naschy visited Universal Studios and the famous "Ackermansion" museum of Forrest J Ackerman, editor of the legendary magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland . Cameraman Gary Graver used to work for horror filmmaker Al Adamson back in the early 1970s. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Báthory</span> Hungarian countess and alleged serial killer

Countess Elizabeth Báthory of Ecsed was a Hungarian noblewoman and alleged serial killer from the powerful House of Báthory, who owned land in the Kingdom of Hungary. Báthory and four of her servants were accused of torturing and killing hundreds of girls and women from 1590 to 1610. Her servants were put on trial and convicted whereas Báthory was imprisoned within the Castle of Csejte (Čachtice), where she died under mysterious circumstances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Bauer</span> American actress

Michelle Bauer is an American actress, model, and B movie scream queen.

<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.

<i>Howling V: The Rebirth</i> 1989 film by Neal Sundstrom

Howling V: The Rebirth is a 1989 direct-to-video horror film directed by Neal Sundstrom from the screenplay by Freddie Rowe and Clive Turner, and filmed in Budapest, Hungary. Starring Philip Davis, Victoria Catlin, Elizabeth She, Ben Cole, and William Shockley, The Rebirth is the fifth entry in the series of seven stand-alone films with loose continuity.

<i>Final Examination</i> (film) 2003 American film

Final Examination is a 2003 American erotic horror thriller film which was directed by Fred Olen Ray and stars Kari Wührer, Brent Huff and Debbie Rochon.

<i>La Noche de Walpurgis</i> 1971 Spanish film

La Noche de Walpurgis /Walpurgis Night, is a 1970 Spanish/German horror film starring Paul Naschy, the fifth in his series about the werewolf Waldemar Daninsky. This film was directed by León Klimovsky and written by Paul Naschy, and is generally regarded to have kickstarted the Spanish horror film boom of the 1970s. This was Naschy's all-time most financially successful film. It was also the first of 8 films that he would make with director Leon Klimovsky at the helm.

<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.

<i>Assignment: Terror</i> 1970 Spanish film

Los Monstruos del 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.. Eberhard Meichsner was also credited as a director only in the British promotional material, but by all accounts he was not actually involved.

<i>The Fury of the Wolfman</i> 1974 Spanish film

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.

<i>Dr. Jekyll y el Hombre Lobo</i> 1972 Spanish film

Dr. Jekyll y el Hombre Lobo, also known as Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf, is a 1971 Spanish horror film, the sixth in a series of 12 films about the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky, played by Paul Naschy. Naschy actually plays a triple role in the film, portraying Waldemar Daninsky, the Wolf Man and Mr. Hyde. This was Naschy's 2nd film working with director Leon Klimovsky, following their hugely successful 1970 collaboration La Noche de Walpurgis. This film also featured Euro-Horror star Jack Taylor, Mirta Miller and the beautiful Shirley Corrigan of England. The film failed however to reach the box office success of Walpurgis.

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

El Retorno de Walpurgis is a 1973 Mexican-Spanish co-production horror film that is the seventh in a twelve-film series about the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky, played by Paul Naschy. This film ignored the events in all of the earlier Wolf Man films and began an entirely new origin for el Hombre Lobo, which is strange because the film's Spanish title The Return of Walpurgis seems to tie it in with Naschy's earlier 1970 film Walpurgis Night. The Wolf Man makeup was done by Fernando Florido. The film was shot in June 1973, and by September, it was already in theaters in Spain, as El Retorno de Walpurgis. It wasn't released theatrically in the U.S. however until 1976, as Curse of the Devil.

<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

El Retorno del Hombre Lobo is a 1980 Spanish horror film that is the ninth in a 12-film series about the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky, played by Paul Naschy. It is also known as The Craving and Night of the Werewolf.

The Beast and the Magic Sword is a 1983 Spanish/Japanese horror film that is the tenth in a long series of films about the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky, played by Paul Naschy. This film moved the Daninsky family curse back to a medieval setting, as Naschy felt the Daninsky saga need not always be confined to a modern-day setting.

<i>Licántropo</i> 1997 Spanish film

Licántropo, also known as Licantropo: The Moonlight Murders or Lycanthrope: The Full Moon Killer, is a 1996 Spanish horror film that is the 11th in the "Hombre Lobo" series about the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky, played by Paul Naschy. Following his near-fatal heart attack in 1991, Naschy wrote the screenplay for this film as a sort of therapy while he was recuperating from his surgery. He filed it away for future use and the script lay dormant until producer Primitivo Rodriguez contacted Naschy in 1996 and asked him if he had any ideas for a new horror movie.

The influence of Countess Elizabeth Báthory in popular culture has been notable from the 18th century to the present day. Since her death, various myths and legends surrounding her story have preserved her as a prominent figure in folklore, literature, music, film, games and toys.

<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 Tomb</i> (1986 film) 1986 American film

The Tomb is a 1986 American supernatural horror film directed by Fred Olen Ray and starring Michelle Bauer, Richard Alan Hench, David Pearson and Susan Stokey. Despite being respectively given first and second billing, Cameron Mitchell only has a supporting role, and John Carradine features in single scene. Sybil Danning also only appears in the prologue, despite being prominently shown on the poster. The plot concerns an ancient Egyptian vampire who kills those in possession of artifacts stolen from her and taken to the United States by grave robbers.

<i>House of the Black Death</i> 1965 American film

House of the Black Death is a 1965 American horror film directed by Harold Daniels, Reginald LeBorg and Jerry Warren. The film was written by Richard Mahoney, based on a novel titled The Widderburn Horror by Lora Crozetti. The movie starred Lon Chaney Jr. and John Carradine, although the two actors shared no scenes in the film.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Howarth, Troy (2018). Human Beasts: The Films of Paul Naschy. WK Books. ISBN 978-1718835894