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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
BUY THIS DISC!!!, September 18, 2001
This review is from: Tombs of the Blind Dead/Return of the Blind Dead (DVD)
De Ossorio's masterpiece! Along with Naschy's werewolf movies, the Blind Dead films are the best that Spanish horror has to offer. These films have everything you could possibly want from Euro exploitation--zombies, lesbians, flesh-eating, nudity (did I mention there're lesbians?), and, of course, the Blind Dead their own bad selves. The plot concerns the Knights Templar, executed for withcraft and their eyes plucked by ravens, raising from the dead and doing the kind of stuff you've come to expect from satanic flesh-eating zombies. What sets these skeletal dead-heads apart from the legions of walking dead that have come before and since is that they carry swords, wear monk robes, ride horses, and have no eyes (duh). They find their prey by sound alone, and then it's hell to pay, baby!!!! This movie is lots and lots of fun. Too bad the other two films in the series aren't on DVD. A cut version of the 3rd film used to be available on video as Horror of the Zombies and can sometimes be found in bigger video stores--just be prepared to blow dust off the box. You might even find the fourth film, the great Night Of the Seagulls, uncut, under the title Mark Of The Devil 3. Good luck!!! And if you REALLY like this movie, the heavy metal band Cathederal has a song on one of their discs called "Night Of The Seagulls" about none other than our friends the Blind Dead. "We are the Blind Dead, we have no eyes inside our head..." If you REALLY, REALLY dig this freaky movie, check out Michael Soavi's film The Church to see more zombie versions of the Knights Templar (though with their eyes).
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
See no evil?, December 22, 2004
This review is from: Tombs of the Blind Dead/Return of the Blind Dead (DVD)
I caught TOTBD on Elvira's Movie Macabre back in the day and have loved it ever since. That should be all you need to know to understand how cheese-y the movie is (for you younger folks, this is the kind of movie you'd see lambasted on Mystery Science Theater 3000). Of course, it's tasty cheese and it has aged rather well.
The quality of this DVD presentation is very good; however, after paying around $30 when it first came out, I have seen this DVD offered much cheaper at brick and mortar locations in recent years. If you can't find a cheaper copy locally and absolutely must have one, I guess you'll have to bite the bullet and order here.
The movies hinge on the Knights Templar, who were actual, historical figures & the original proponents of the (European) War on Terror. Though they lost many battles throughout the Crusades, the Templars became so wealthy & consequently so powerful that they began to challenge the rule & authority of European monarchs. The monarchs eventually conspired against the Templars, charging them with heresy. Templar leaders were prosecuted & subsequently executed, causing the organization's dissolution. Though the heresy charges were largely false concoctions, the sordid allegations make for a much more interesting premise on which to build a horror movie.
To his credit, de Ossorio's decision to exploit the more diabolical aspects of Templar mythology pays off. The overall concept is brilliant, though it just begs to be remade with more money and better effects. The coolest, most unique features of TOTBD are the genuine, on-location castle ruins & the eerily undead Templars riding horseback in slo-mo. Conversely, it's most annoying & inexplicable how apparently in Spain day turns to night in a matter of about fifteen seconds and yet the dead of night looks just like noon! Watch it; you'll understand what I mean.
The movie has creep factor galore (one creep in particular being a leacherous, necrophile mortician's assistant), but few genuine scares. It's also subtitled, as I recall, so be warned.
Sadly, ROTBD is much less effective. Forsaking the castle ruins, the Blind Templars instead attack a neighboring village. The less creepy environs make for a less creepy movie. Still, if you're a fan of B horror movies (and why wouldn't you be?) this double feature is a great way to spend an evening. Even if it's an inexplicably sunny evening...
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cult Classic Euro Zombie horror is a true classic, February 2, 2000
This review is from: Tombs of the Blind Dead/Return of the Blind Dead (DVD)
Old fashioned Euro horror absolutely dripping with wonderful Hammer-esque atmosphere. The cheesy acting only help add to the bizarre happenings on screen. There is a bit of titillation (no pun intended) thrown in just to give it that extra euro-trashy flavour....but its the Templar Zombies that rule...they are about as menacing and horrifying as Zombie's have ever been. Also outstanding is the haunting, chilling discordant soundtrack - very influential on stuff like The Omen which followed a few years later. The sequel on the flip side is a far weaker outing altogether.....now one can only hope that Anchor Bay get their hands on the next installment of Templar Terror. This is a must for genre fans......Portugal/Spain's very welcome contribution to the annals of Terror Movies. Epic Zombie stuff. The transfer is a touch hazy as can be expected of such a low budget film and one that is also fairly old. One sometimes has the impression that Elite's laser transfer was at least as good if not better.
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