Customer Reviews

Hunchback of the Morgue

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This is easily the most satisfying exploitation flick I've seen in a long time, and probably my favorite Naschy film - it's one I'd give an enthusiastic five stars IF you are into this kind of thing (probably a big fat "if," there). (Warning: not for PETAphiles, though - [spoiler] it has an infamous scene involving some rodents that probably paid more dearly than they would have liked for their shot at screen immortality. [end spoiler])

The late (and much beloved) Mr. Naschy successfully upgrades the usually marginal role of mad doctor's deformed half-wit assistant to full-fledged leading man status - and that includes the traditional leading man privileges, if you know what I mean. Yeah. Eeeeeeww! Despite his deformity, lots of grisly acts of violence and a really stupid looking wig, Naschy actually manages to create a sympathetic character here, and you can even kinda sorta almost see what the ladies see in his character, even if one of them (Rosanna Yanni of Jess Franco's Red Lips movies) does take it a bit way too far.

The opposite sex notwithstanding, Gotho, the eponymous hunchback, is pretty much despised and mistreated by everyone he encounters - small children stone him and med students try to beat him up. The plot, just when you think things can't get loopier, throws a flesh eating homunculus into the mix - and, I don't know about you, but homunculi are something I don't see enough of in movies these days.

The cheese index is as high as you could possibly want, but the film also manages to create a GENUINELY macabre atmosphere, making this a real treat for genre fans - grody, icky and bizarre enough, with a streak of unabashed sentimentality, it somehow works on more than just the level of camp, while working it's butt off on that level just fine, too. Really, this movie is one nice surprise after another (well, if your idea of "nice" includes inappropriate love scenes, leaping rat attacks and acid baths - mine sure does). This one had me grinning from ear to ear all the way through and for a long time afterward.

So it is my unfortunate duty to report that MYA's disc is rental-only material. I will give them credit for some nice extras and a fine choice in bringing us this title - but I absolutely cannot recommend the smeary, artifact ridden transfer. It's really too bad, because they appear to have gone to some trouble, and the film itself is one I'd definitely want in my collection. It's doubly unfortunate because this release comes not long after Mr. Naschy's recent passing, and it would have made a lovely tribute to the man and his work, had just a bit more gone into it. Still, the film itself is definitely worth checking out.

R.I.P. Hombre Lobo.

Spanish Horror Film star Paul Naschy aka Jacinto Molina said in many interviews that he was a great fan of the old Hollywood Universal monster forays of the thirties and forties and this film, 'THE HUNCHBACK OF THE MORGUE' has hommages not only to those but to the low budget mad scientist flicks of the forties and fifties. Naschy plays Gotho , a hunchback in the Dwight Frye vain who supplies the Dr. Frankenstein character here named Dr. Orla and nicely played by Jess Franco actor Alberto Dalbes with fresh bodies for his ultimate creation: the monster in the closet which resembles Joseph Green's cult classic 'THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE'. It also has another Jess Franco stalwart Rosanna Yanni playing a psychiatrist and has a kinky nude scene with our hunchback which puts the term humping into a new orbit. Its directed by Javier Aguirre who also directed Naschy and Yanni in one of my favorite horror opus's 'COUNT DRACULA'S GREAT LOVE' and contains some extremely gory set pieces. Dalbes seems to come from the George Zucco/Lionel Atwill school of scientists constantly spewing speeches of creating the perfect being which dates back to the time of the Necromomicon?! and is perfectly over the top. Naschy who also wrote the script is adequate as the lovesick handicapped slave. Mya Communication releases a nice 1.85 transfer with optional English/Spanish/Italian subtitles , an alternate scene between Yanni and Naschy , trailers, and poster and still galleries. Not one of Naschy's best , but a must for his fans and Euro Exploitation buffs.

I must agree with the Reviewer above me (Grypton)

Very poor transfer,perfectly watchable though,but should have been much better.

There is no excuse for Artifacts and Bad compression on a 2011 release.

But as a Paul Nashy fan I had to have it.

The 1970s delivered some spectacular horror films. Spanish horror was particularly good during these years. These films are still known for their macabre atmosphere and stories, and this particular film is among the best of them. The atmosphere, set pieces, gore, and story are all well done. The quality on the DVD isn't up to the standards of the Naschy films from BCI Deimos. However, it still looks superior to my decades old VHS bootleg that is complete crap. I hope one day someone will release that WEREWOLF AND THE YETI film that's also called NIGHT OF THE HOWLING BEAST. I really liked that Naschy film when I saw it as a kid, but it seems that it may never get a DVD release.