A couple hundred years ago, Countess Elizabeth Bathory (Julia Saly) was caught for crimes of cannibalism and blood-drinking, not to mention copious amounts of murder, and sentenced to death. Along with her servants, also caught in this net of justice was one Waldemar Daninsky (Paul Naschy), a tortured man who also happened to be a werewolf! Daninsky, slave to the Countess, proudly goes along with his death sentence (they set a horrific mask into his face and drive a silver sword through his heart), glad to finally be free of his lycanthropic curse. These two objects of evil are put to death, but not before Countess Bathory vows to return from the ashes to have her vengeance. And wouldn’t you know it? A couple centuries later, along comes some ladies educated in the occult, who find the graves of Bathory and Daninsky and manage to resurrect both. The Countess is now a full-on vampire, and she seduces and turns the women who have brought her back. The only thing standing in her way now is Daninsky, who is still a werewolf, and determined to break free of her spell and save the life of a woman he loves.
Naschy made several films starring this character, Daninsky, around twelve, I believe. They are all loosely connected but don’t really serve as a cohesive series. The character is almost always the same: tortured yet determined to do the right thing. Naschy plays him with great pathos and, when he transforms, he plays the wolfman with great physicality and savagery. This film features some of the best makeup they’ve ever done, and those fangs! Watching the spittle drip from his mouth while his wild eyes glare at his prey, is a striking visual. And speaking of how the film looks, Night of the Werewolf is gorgeous, full of gothic darkness and splendor. Nascky, also serving as director, creates some breathtakingly beautiful moments, featuring wild vampire women shrouded in fog and back lights, as well as sets that would look happily at home in a Hammer film. The story itself is pretty routine; death, resurrection, revenge, blood. It moves along at a decent pace, but this one is more gothic than adventure, so know that going into it and you’ll know to be patient with it as sometimes the story meanders. But for every halting moment, there are a few more that just drip with atmosphere and menace.
For me, this is my favorite of Naschy’s Daninsky series. It has the best plotline, the best direction, the best acting, and by far the best final fight scene. Coffins fly! Blood is spilt! Vampires vs. a werewolf! How can you really ask for more?
Three Stars out of Four