Reviewed by:

Robert Monell on July 19, 2001

Journalist Lantin investigates the disappearances of young women in Paris. Exsanguinated bodies discovered in the Siene suggest a vampire is at work. Lantin exploits this element in a series of newspaper articles. A lot of footage is taken up with the police procedural aspect but it slowly evolves into a giallo scenario with a black gloved figure injecting drugs into a sort of zombie (the exemplary Paul Muller) who kidnaps the women and delivers them to Prof Julien Du Grand. The aging scientist is reminiscent of Lang's Dr Mabuse, wanting to create a force which revitalizes humans from age and disease. His agenda is a selfish, egotistical one, though. Then there's Giselle (the delectable Gianna Maria Canale, the beautiful and jealous aristocrat who seems to have it in for Lantin, sexually speaking. Her aunt, the aged Duchess Du Grand , hides in her room, driving her husband Julien onto greater crimes in search of a fountain of youth to restore her beauty. It all comes together with a devastating revelation at the climax.

An elegant, stately, deliberately paced horror masterwork which takes some patience but is still very rewarding. The multiple plot strands are as complexly intertwined as Lang's spidery TESTAMENT OF DR MABUSE (a 1933 classic which makes a great double bill with this). Freda openly admired Lang and the scene where Du Grand steps from his ghastly blood chamber to interrogate Muller from behind a glaring light is a direct quotation from TESTAMENT. Shadows are used to atmospherically suggest violence, there's no blood, rather a sense of unease and staggered suspense. The sets of Beni Montresor are macabre constructions of encrusted skulls, melting candles and intricate medieval sculpture--the Du Grand castle is a work of art in itself. Bava 's interior lighting now features layers of moody detail courtesy of meticulous re-mastering. The performances of GIANNI MARIA CANALE (Freda's then wife), MULLER, along with Carlo de Angelo's cynical cop, are first rate. Unfortunately, the actor cast as Lantin looks like he would be more at home in a light romantic comedy. I can live with that one drawback in this important restoration of a key Italian horror film. Highly recommended.