3/16/2023 0 Comments Kingdom of the dead tombsIf you're a gore fan you may be disappointed (there is some) but it's a pretty good film that manages a few very suspenseful sequences. This film is quite slow-paced but genuinely creepy at points. And they sometimes ride around on horseback in eerily soundtracked slow motion. They're blind and hunt by sound (their eyes were pecked out by birds after the villagers hung them) which gives the director a chance to engineer some decent suspense. They rise creepily and slowly from their graves centuries later. These ones are skeletal, undead Templar knights from the 13th century, killed by villagers for their human sacrifices and blood-drinking practises that gained them immortality. You won't get the usual lumbering, half-rotted zombies. Tombs Of The Blind Dead (the first of 4 "Blind Dead" films) is an atmospheric variation on the undead/zombie genre. I've got this film on a double sided US import DVD that has "Tombs." in a slightly less edited form that's a couple of minutes longer and has "Return Of The Blind Dead" on the other side. The version I watched was The Anchor Bay release, which had great image quality, full screen and was uncut. Still even with these flaws this is still a enjoyable film made better by a powerful score by Anton Garcia Abril. Another compliment that has to go to Ossorio is his effective use of slow motion as the Knights Templar return from their graves and as the horseman appear out of the darkness.Įven with all its plus points this is a by the numbers horror filled with the typical cliches such as a girl spending the night alone in a deserted and creepy village and the zombies move really slowly and it appears that it would be pretty easy to escape from them. Where the film really ex hails is its ghostly atmosphere, the medieval village is very creepy and a perfect location choice. Some of these zombies carry swords and other rides horses. They look like cross between mummies and skeletons and wear black hooded cloaks that resemble the grim reaper. He may copy the style in how he wants his zombies to move but he does incorporate some stylish ideas of his own, such as their appearance. He had obviously watched George A Romero's Night of the Living Dead as his zombies move very slow and sluggish just like the ones in Romero's classic. This was Spanish director Amando de Ossorio's first of four films he made that would be known has his Blind dead collection. Fearing for Virginia's safety Roger and Betty go in search for her. While she is their she is killed by a band of zombie like Knight Templar's who return from their grave to drink the blood of the living. Of course the one to watch is the longer version.īetty, Roger and Virginia are all going on a camping trip but Virginia goes off alone and decides to stay the night at a abandoned medieval village. It has choice of the shorter English dubbed version or the longer full version in Spanish with English subtitles. I've had this US Blue Underground version for years. Parts 2 and 3 "The Ghost Galleon" and "Night of the "Seagulls" are still a good watch and underrated. Of the sequels part 2 "Return of the Evil Dead" is the best and a lot of fun with plenty of action and gore. You also get some blood and gore but it generally takes a backseat to the atmosphere and style of the film.Ī definite must have in any horror collection. The film in general is just a hell of a lot of fun throughout. The soundtrack is excellent and so effective in adding to the suspense. The Blind Dead Templar's themselves have a great creepy look with their rotten faces and black cloaks and who can forget the stylish slow motion scenes on horse back. The sequences where the Templar's rise from their tombs are excellent and the whole build up to it around the monastery exudes atmosphere of the highest order. I've always been a massive fan of "Tombs of the Blind Dead" and just love the atmosphere and mood of the film. Any serious horror fan will be fully familiar with the Blind Dead series and I'm sure most would agree that this first part is the best.
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