Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Nigel P 1971. No wonder so many horror films released at this time sank without trace. No DVDs, no VHS releases. The only time to catch these films was by seeing them at the cinema (or waiting for a possible television showing years later) – and there were so many. 1971 was like an Indian summer for horror – something of a last gasp, but a hugely prolific one.This Belgian/Italian offering is directed by Jean Brismée and also known as 'La Terrificante Notte del Demonio'. It boasts a terrific soundtrack composed by Alessandro Alessandroni (with mesmerising vocals from his sister Giulia.) Following a harrowing scene were, during a World War 2 air-raid, a woman dies delivering a child which is then stabbed to death by Baron von Rhoneberg (Jean Servais), we are brought up to date when a bus load of lost tourists arrives at the Baron's castle, in search of somewhere to stay for the night. He is an alchemist in the grip of a curse involving a deal with the Devil, who has demanded the eldest daughter of each generation becomes a succubus.As the tourists are shown to their rooms, the sinister butler Hans (Maurice De Groote) gives them a gruesome history of each room – such morbid, relentless tales become somewhat ludicrous in the telling; there is barely a curtain or a slab of stone that doesn't hold some macabre secret – and each time, a claw-like pattern is left at the scene.Into this classic setting, the tourists – including a feuding husband and wife, two attractive young women who discover they are lesbians (leading to inevitable softcore scenes), and a Richard Chamberlain-like priest – then meet a new guest. Lisa Müller (Erika Blanc) immediately attracts attention from the men and a certain jealousy from the women. Blanc's sultry, pout-some presence and typically exotic, revealing clothing – as well as the way she moves lizard-like amongst them – sets her apart from the ordinary. Could she be the legendary succubus? Her transformation from lithe, mysterious seductress into a mad-eyed, chiselled malignant spirit is hugely effective, a triumph of minimalist make-up and a powerhouse performance. Scary and deadly as she is, she isn't quite the main monster here, for Satan himself appears. Another supremely frightening performance, this time from the skeletal (Daniel Emilfork) ensures we don't forget the appearance of the Devil in any hurry – it is he who orchestrates events that land the tourists into the castle in the first place, and then to a more permanent state in a twist ending.Ironically, only Müller and the priest (Jacques Monseau) remain at the end. Only after reading a synopsis of 'The Devil's Nightmare' did I realise a further detail to this excellent, underrated euro-film – each death represents one of the Seven Deadly Sins, with the Priest volunteering to sacrifice his soul to save the others, representing Pride. A highly recommended low budget frightener.

Uriah43 During the last days of World War II a Nazi general by the name of "Baron von Rhoneberg" (Jean Servais) is awaiting the birth of his first child. Although his wife dies during labor the general is told that he has a healthy baby girl. He then proceeds to kill it due to a family curse which causes any daughter born into his family to become a succubus. A few years later a bus gets lost and because nightfall is approaching they decide to seek room and board at the castle of the baron. What none of the guests realize is that on this particular day of the year the succubus becomes active at the castle and that all of their lives hang in the balance. Now rather than reveal any more of this movie and risk spoiling it for those who haven't seen it I will just say it shared many of the same qualities of various other Euro-horror films made during this time. The acting was adequate enough with a few attractive actresses like Shirley Corrigan (as the beautiful blonde named "Regine"), Erica Blanc (as "Lisa Mueller") and Ivana Novak ("Corinne") to spice things up. On the minus side the action was rather methodical and the film would have almost certainly benefited from a bit more suspense. Even so it wasn't a bad film by any means and I rate it as about average.

Bezenby When a film starts out with a German officer stabbing a newborn baby to death, you know you're in for something special. The Devil's Nightmare is an Italian movie, and a good one at that, so you can expect loads of atmosphere, surrealism, and of course nudie love scenes. Wahey!Turns out our baby stabber is part of a curse family who's oldest daughter always turns out to be a succubus, and we flash forward about 30 years to his castle, where a bunch of tourists have just turned up. There's the always eating bus driver, the gold-obsessed wife and cheating husband, the old guy, two lesbian lovers, and a priest. After a lengthy and welcome love scene between our two girls, everybody settles down to show the audience how awful they are before Erika Blanc shows up for dinner. It's no spoiler to say that our Erika is a succubus and immediately starts messing with the tourist's minds. No one can get out of the castle and a stabbed cat is found in the attic. Erika starts killing everyone in a way that represents the seven deadly sins: gluttony, lust, avarice etc. This kind of sounds boring, but for some reason Erika Blanc can turn from being a Euro babe to resembling a cadaver, and it's all a bit on the creepy and weird side. Who will survive?Apart from the creepy atmosphere, the thing I liked about this film was how when I thought I had it pegged (i.e. I thought the remainder of the film would involve Blanc stalking the survivors) the film took a quick left turn when the devil himself showed up! Throw in a couple of more twists and you've got a pretty effective, weird horror that could only have come from the seventies. Good soundtrack too!

Woodyanders A bus full of tourists representing the Seven Deadly Sins are forced to seek refuge in a remote countryside castle owned by the eccentric Baron von Rhoneberg (a fine portrayal by Jean Servais). It turns out that the Baron's family suffers from a terrible curse: The Baron's alluring and mysterious daughter Lisa Muller (brilliantly played and exquisitely embodied by ravishing redhead Erika Blanc) is a lethal and cunning succubus in league with none other than Satan (a supremely suave and sinister performance by the gaunt Daniel Emilfork) to collect the souls of those who have sinned. Director Jean Brismee, working from a clever and intriguing script by Patrice Rohm and Pierre-Claude Garnier, relates the compelling story at a hypnotically gradual pace and does an expert job of crafting a remarkably spooky skin-crawling atmosphere that becomes more increasingly bleak and unnerving as the grim plot unfolds. The desolate location projects a strong feeling of isolation and vulnerability while further adding to the potent gloom-doom mood. The scenes with the various tourists meeting inventively nasty deaths are on the money chilling and effective. Better still, this picture not only benefits tremendously from the pulchritudinous presences of gorgeous blonde Shirley Corrigan as the lusty Regine and luscious brunette Ivana Novak as the enticing Corinne, but also delivers some hot lesbian action and a decent smattering of tasty bare distaff skin. Blanc cuts a very foxy, yet creepy figure in her sexy black belly-bearing outfit and looks genuinely scary in her demonic phase. Both the stylish cinematography by Andres Goeffers and Alessandro Alessandroni's funky shivery score are up to speed. Recommended viewing for fans of freaky European fright fare.