Le messe nere della contessa Dracula

"The Werewolf vs the Vampire Woman" wastes lots of great Gothic elements in plodding through it's (too long) running time. The ideas are there, but thoroughly unrealized by Director Leon Klimovsky, as one boring scene follows another, generating little or no tension or interest. Scenes from this flick look great as stills; when moving, they leave a lot to be desired.

Paul Naschy's acting talents never advanced beyond "high school play status" in any of his filmic endeavors. He reacts to most of the outlandish goings-on with his usual impassiveness, as though his scenes were for blocking purposes only. When his character, Waldemar Daninsky, transforms into the werewolf of the title, Naschy employs body slams, punches and arm-swipes as though he were on the undercard of a poorly rehearsed wrestling match. The climatic battle between Vampiress and Werewolf is underwhelming in its embarrassing lack of action. Naschy's slavering drool, however, provides one of the few highlights.

The soundtrack plays like one of those "Halloween Sounds" tapes offered every season, littered with ghostly wails, shrieks, and assorted bumps. That, along with some haunting (but oft-repeated) musical motifs, offer some pleasant diversion. Unfortunately, the werewolf's growls sound like a guy with serious indigestion and leave alot to be desired.

Definitely a reminiscense for those who fell in love with drive-in & grindhouse fodder in the 60's & 70's. Given the relatively short life span of homo sapiens, why waste valuable hours of your lifetime on this dreck?