Ah, Paul Naschy, the Spanish king of horror, the man who had a passion for playing every monstrous archetype under the sun, often in the same movie. Welcome to the Paul Naschy-athon. In this inaugural installment, we dive into three of his most iconic films: Night of the Werewolf, Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll, and Hunchback of the Morgue. Hold onto your garlic and silver bullets, folks.
Night of the Werewolf (1981)
A wolfman movie that doesn’t just settle for being another lycanthropic tale, Night of the Werewolf is the Paul Naschy werewolf film, a decadent blend of gothic horror and viva la España that reeks of full moon madness. Naschy, who wrote and starred in this cinematic homage to the classic Universal horrors, plays Waldemar Daninsky, a cursed man caught between the beast within and the tragic circumstances that surround him. In short: it’s a guy who can’t catch a break. He’s either a tortured werewolf or being pursued by vengeance-seeking supernatural forces. So, you know, Wednesday night stuff.
What really elevates this film is Naschy’s unbridled devotion to his craft. He doesn't just act as a werewolf; he embodies the agony of being one. The transformation scenes might not have the polished Hollywood sheen of An American Werewolf in London, but they pack a certain charm. And when Naschy shifts from tragic hero to snarling monster? It’s like watching a puppy transform into a rabid lion on a budget—but a very lovable rabid lion.
Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll (1974)
If you’re looking for the equivalent of a giallo film mixed with a hint of noir, Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll is your ticket to twisted, sleazy paradise. It’s your standard whodunit slasher, but with Naschy bringing his usual touch of sleaze and emotional gravitas to his character, a man cursed to be perpetually involved in every woman’s troubles. You know, the usual.
The film’s strength lies in its ability to keep you guessing while offering enough red herrings and gratuitous nudity to make you wonder if someone just threw in a bunch of random mystery tropes and hoped they would stick. Sure, it’s a mess, but it's Naschy’s kind of mess—and that’s the beauty of it. You won’t see him throwing away the charm, even when he's chasing down killers and chasing women who, it turns out, are mostly in distress because they have blue eyes and a penchant for finding trouble.
Hunchback of the Morgue (1973)
Now, this one’s for the connoisseur. Hunchback of the Morgue isn’t just a horror film—it’s an examination of Naschy’s obsession with making every film as disturbing as possible. He plays a character named the Hunchback (who could’ve seen that coming?) who works at a morgue and gets involved in a series of grisly murders. Why? Because that’s what happens when you’re Paul Naschy. If he’s not playing a werewolf, he’s a hunchback. It’s a fate worse than living in a town full of creepy, supernatural townsfolk.
The real gem here is Naschy’s portrayal of pure, unadulterated tragedy. He’s the tortured soul who cannot escape his fate, wrapped up in strange (read: very strange) love affairs with dead women. There's an almost surreal quality to the horror in Hunchback of the Morgue, making it the most unsettling of the trio.
And let’s not forget the magnificent, grimy cinematography and atmosphere of this flick. It’s as if someone handed Naschy a handful of gothic clichés and a bucket of blood, and he simply said, “Yes, please.” It’s atmospheric and cheesy as all hell—and that’s exactly why we love it. The film is gloriously grotesque and strange, in a way only Naschy could make work.
The Verdict:
It’s no surprise that Naschy has a devoted cult following. He didn’t just act in these films; he lived them, breathed his passion for horror into every single frame. Sure, these films are riddled with hokey effects, melodramatic moments, and—let’s face it—cheesy dialogue, but they’re endearing in their earnestness. Naschy’s work may have been a little out there (okay, a lot out there), but he was undeniably ahead of his time in mixing serious horror with the kitsch that would later define the genre.
So here's to Paul Naschy, the man who could play werewolves, hunchbacks, and every other monster in between with aplomb. Are these films masterpieces? Absolutely not. But do we love them? With a fervor that no moonlight or morgue can ever dim.
Final Rating: 4 out of 5 full moons—because why not?
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