Firstly everyone expecting gory bloodbath will be sorely disappointed,because this film is almost completely bloodless(however there's some mild violence like quick decapitation,but not too much).Secondly,if you like Euro-horror you'll certainly appreciate "The Hanging Woman".Why?Because it's well-made and there are some lovely atmospheric bits.The acting is surprisingly good and Paul Naschy as a necrophiliac servant Igor simply steals the show!The film reminds me early Hammer horror movies,mostly because it features some elements typical for English horror like tunnels,secret passages,tombs etc.There's also a little bit of sleaze(both ladies have a nude scenes),so fans of nudity will not be disappointed.Of course "The Hanging Woman" has its faults:it's overlong,quite boring and some scenes are rather stupid,but if you like Spanish horror give this one a look.
32 Reviews
Nothing really spectacular, but the movie itself is enjoyable somehow,
Milo-Jeeder20 April 2007
Frankly, I'm still trying to figure out why I got pleasure from a horror film as effortless and unhurried as this one. If I have to be objective for a second, I would probably say that "La orgía de los muertos" actually didn't have much to offer to begin with. A nice variety of clichés and a predictable ending, are some of the magnificent qualities about this film. Let's just get this straight: the reason why I'm not praising this film, is not because I'm against clichés or predictable endings. I don't think a movie is great, only when it has a plot twist or unpredicted states of affairs. I believe that in order to be decent, a horror film needs to be either entertaining, gory or at least mildly eerie. However, I'm not sure "La orgia de los muertos", provides much of these three virtues. For the contrary, it's a very sluggish movie, with no gore and almost no eerie situations. Perhaps we could say that the story gets interesting and mildly freaky during the last minutes, but that's all. If we were talking about a different film, I would almost certainly say that it doesn't reunite enough elements to be considered a decent horror flick. Nevertheless, there's something about this film that makes enjoyable and it has to do with the fact that it is awfully stylish and nice to look at. The striking and yet ominous European landscapes, the 19th-century wardrobe and the graveyard, create a perfect Gothic background that unquestionably belongs to the horror type. The atmosphere is somehow dark, but still enchanting in a way. The highland village exposes two facades, which makes the scenery so ambiguous and mysterious.
This may be a film that could be considered worn out by some people, but it's still captivating and charming in a spooky way. I could only spot one or two unintentionally funny situations and dialogs, which is a great flattering remark, in this case. Let's just keep in mind that this is a low budget film with actors who didn't even speak Spanish, or at least not all of them, and the film was supposed to be in that language. One of the scenes that really made me burst into laughter, was the one where Stelvio Rosi gets in a fist fight with Jacinto Molina that was just plain hilarious. Without anything else to add, I can only say that despite of the flaws I mentioned, I believe "La orgia de los muertos" is a film that could be easily enjoyed by Gothic horror fans. Especially the ones who don't need a really complex plot and can appreciate a charming esthetic like the one in this film.
This may be a film that could be considered worn out by some people, but it's still captivating and charming in a spooky way. I could only spot one or two unintentionally funny situations and dialogs, which is a great flattering remark, in this case. Let's just keep in mind that this is a low budget film with actors who didn't even speak Spanish, or at least not all of them, and the film was supposed to be in that language. One of the scenes that really made me burst into laughter, was the one where Stelvio Rosi gets in a fist fight with Jacinto Molina that was just plain hilarious. Without anything else to add, I can only say that despite of the flaws I mentioned, I believe "La orgia de los muertos" is a film that could be easily enjoyed by Gothic horror fans. Especially the ones who don't need a really complex plot and can appreciate a charming esthetic like the one in this film.
A WTF? film, for sure
melvelvit-17 September 2015
There's plenty of skullduggery in store for Serge Chekov when he travels to a gloomy estate to collect an inheritance bequeathed him by his late uncle. Not only does he have to contend with witchcraft, sexual seduction, and a séance upon his arrival, the guy also stumbles upon gratuitous necrophilia and just when you think the plot can't get any sillier, he's shown a laboratory where the dead are secretly reanimated...
Resembling an Italian horror film from the '60s (like the ones with Barbara Steele, only in color), TERROR OF THE LIVING DEAD is all about atmosphere even though there's an actual mystery (later explained through flashbacks) going on right under the nose of a none-too-bright police inspector puffing a Sherlock Holmes pipe. Like Amando de Ossorio's trilogy, the dead are blind here, too, and there's also bare breasts and a woman's heart removed but I don't know what (if anything) can be inferred about audience tastes at the time. Filmmaking in Franco-era Spain obviously didn't shrink from explicit gore (there's an autopsy and a nice beheading here) but they were rather squeamish about nudity, it seems. There's a spinning montage as our hero gets drugged and seduced by the femme fatale and they're in bed together but he's got his pants on while she's completely nude. That's not the only thing weird; the film is set in nineteenth-century Scotland but I'm not sure the filmmakers knew where that was since the characters all have names like Chekov and Nadia and the fine-looking locations resemble Eastern Europe. Genre icon Paul Naschy plays a gravedigger who likes his ladies ice cold and he looked a lot like John Belushi in some scenes. A WTF? film, for sure.
Resembling an Italian horror film from the '60s (like the ones with Barbara Steele, only in color), TERROR OF THE LIVING DEAD is all about atmosphere even though there's an actual mystery (later explained through flashbacks) going on right under the nose of a none-too-bright police inspector puffing a Sherlock Holmes pipe. Like Amando de Ossorio's trilogy, the dead are blind here, too, and there's also bare breasts and a woman's heart removed but I don't know what (if anything) can be inferred about audience tastes at the time. Filmmaking in Franco-era Spain obviously didn't shrink from explicit gore (there's an autopsy and a nice beheading here) but they were rather squeamish about nudity, it seems. There's a spinning montage as our hero gets drugged and seduced by the femme fatale and they're in bed together but he's got his pants on while she's completely nude. That's not the only thing weird; the film is set in nineteenth-century Scotland but I'm not sure the filmmakers knew where that was since the characters all have names like Chekov and Nadia and the fine-looking locations resemble Eastern Europe. Genre icon Paul Naschy plays a gravedigger who likes his ladies ice cold and he looked a lot like John Belushi in some scenes. A WTF? film, for sure.
Has its moments
Vince-51 May 2001
I saw this dubbed Spanish film as The Hanging Woman, on Gorgon Video. The box promised scenes of brutality, rape, and humiliation beyond Last House on the Left. Just to clear the record, this is not true. There is no rape, and the closest thing to humiliation is when an innocent virgin bares her breasts. There is violence and graphic gore, but it really doesn't kick in until the climax. And what a climax! Bloody zombies rampaging in the best Night of the Living Dead fashion, with the luridness increased in typical European style. The final shot is chilling and almost Bergman-esque. However, the rest of the movie is pretty uneventful. Despite a strong beginning and creepy atmosphere--with the dirtiness of the period perfectly captured by grainy, washed-out color photography--most of the film is like an overlong episode of Dark Shadows. Sexy Dyanik Zurakowska has some powerful nude scenes, and her sex scene with Stelvio Rosi helps spice things up...but not much else happens. Paul Naschy, the reason many people seek this out, has a small role as a red-herring necrophile. On the whole, I think The Hanging Woman is worth seeing--but you should know what you're getting into. If you want your Naschy fix, see one of his werewolf movies.
Trivia: La Orgia de los muertos originally hit the States in 1974 as The Hanging Woman. International Artists promoted the film with a Last House-inspired campaign: "For the squeamish, keep repeating: It can't be true, can't be true, can't be true, can't be true, can't be true." Stelvio Rosi was billed as Stanley Cooper.
Trivia: La Orgia de los muertos originally hit the States in 1974 as The Hanging Woman. International Artists promoted the film with a Last House-inspired campaign: "For the squeamish, keep repeating: It can't be true, can't be true, can't be true, can't be true, can't be true." Stelvio Rosi was billed as Stanley Cooper.
I'd be lying if I said it was good, but it's enjoyably bad in its outlandish little way.
barnabyrudge11 November 2004
I'm always suspicious of films with many titles. I invariably find myself musing as to why the film can be found under so many guises. Could it be that the film is absolutely awful, so its makers and distributors have re-named it and re-marketed it again and again in the hope of eventually finding an appreciative audience? This is such a film - a Euro horror zombie flick which has more alternative titles than cast members! The version I saw was entitled "Beyond The Living Dead", and most of the cast members were given nondescript pseudonyms on the credits. For instance, hero Stelvio Rosi was billed as Stanley Cooper, and principle female player Dyanik Zurakowska was billed as Vickie Nesbitt. It's not a particularly good film, but to whole-heartedly savage it would be a touch harsh as there are just a few interesting elements which drag it up above "awful" to somewhere in the "slightly-below-average" category.
Serge Checkhov (Stelvio Rosi) arrives in an East European town (Skopje in Macedonia is hinted at) for the reading of his uncle's will. He soon discovers that he is to inherit his uncle's mansion, much to the annoyance of his cruel and ambitious aunt Nadia (Maria Pia Conte). Something creepy seems to be going on in town at the same time - his cousin is found hanged from a tree in the cemetery; necrophiliac grave-digger Igor (Paul Naschy) starts to act more outlandishly than usual; Aunt Nadia seduces and copulates with young Serge; a doctor residing in the house starts to show off his experiments to reanimate dead animals; and uncle's corpse occasionally goes missing as if it's got up and begun walking of its own accord. Gradually, Serge investigates and uncovers a plot that Baron Frankenstein himself would've been mighty proud of.
Mainly the film is underwhelming. The solution to the mystery is revealed in a phony, heavy-handed scene which resembles the unmasking of the villain in a Scooby Doo cartoon. Sometimes the characters say and do such dumb things that you want to scream in despair. The performances are generally amateurish, and the film is thin on real terror. However, as I've indicated already, it escapes total damnation for a couple of reasons. Firstly, Naschy as the necrophiliac grave digger is hilarious and disturbing (at the same time) in all his scenes. Secondly, the location work is quite impressive. And thirdly, for some reason that I've never been able to figure out, the preposterous story is actually engrossing in a totally inexplicable way. Beyond The Living Dead - or whatever title you know it by - is undoubtedly a bad film, but at least it's ENTERTAININGLY bad.
Serge Checkhov (Stelvio Rosi) arrives in an East European town (Skopje in Macedonia is hinted at) for the reading of his uncle's will. He soon discovers that he is to inherit his uncle's mansion, much to the annoyance of his cruel and ambitious aunt Nadia (Maria Pia Conte). Something creepy seems to be going on in town at the same time - his cousin is found hanged from a tree in the cemetery; necrophiliac grave-digger Igor (Paul Naschy) starts to act more outlandishly than usual; Aunt Nadia seduces and copulates with young Serge; a doctor residing in the house starts to show off his experiments to reanimate dead animals; and uncle's corpse occasionally goes missing as if it's got up and begun walking of its own accord. Gradually, Serge investigates and uncovers a plot that Baron Frankenstein himself would've been mighty proud of.
Mainly the film is underwhelming. The solution to the mystery is revealed in a phony, heavy-handed scene which resembles the unmasking of the villain in a Scooby Doo cartoon. Sometimes the characters say and do such dumb things that you want to scream in despair. The performances are generally amateurish, and the film is thin on real terror. However, as I've indicated already, it escapes total damnation for a couple of reasons. Firstly, Naschy as the necrophiliac grave digger is hilarious and disturbing (at the same time) in all his scenes. Secondly, the location work is quite impressive. And thirdly, for some reason that I've never been able to figure out, the preposterous story is actually engrossing in a totally inexplicable way. Beyond The Living Dead - or whatever title you know it by - is undoubtedly a bad film, but at least it's ENTERTAININGLY bad.
Creepy and scary Spanish/Italian co-production with lots of chills, blood and gore
ma-cortes13 February 2021
Set in 19th-century in Scotland, when a count dies, his nephew named Chekov : Stelvio Rossi comes to the mansion located at a village in a mountain location. But then the daughter of the recently deceased count appears hanged. At his house a group of people reunite to know the inheritance to be supervised by a notary. There join the following ones : the disgraced widow : Maria Pia Conte , a Doctor : Gerard Tichy who worked with the dead man, his beautiful daughter : Dyanik Zurawoska and assisting them a suspicious butler : Charles Quiney . Along the way here also shows up a Police Inspector : Paquale Basile to investigate the strange death of the hanged woman . Scariest than you worst nightmare! . We dare you take one step beyond the grave!
A horrific and terrfying Zombie movie that at the time had a certain success and being nowadays well considered. Spanish Gothic with chills, horrifying set pieces, thrills, ghastly scenes, beheading and nudism in charge of two Eurotrash beauties : Maria Pia Conte, Dyanik Zurawoska . This is a mixed bag in which there are all kinds of elements and characters of terror genre as living dead, voodoo, psych people, creepy undertakers , sinister caves and anything else. The film is full of familar faces of the B-Spanish/Italian genres from Spaghetti, Sex comedy, Macarroni Combat, Horror to Giallo such as : Stelvio Rosi, Gerard Tichy, Charles Quiney , Maria Pia Conte, Dyanik Zurawoska. Special mention for the great Paul Naschy or Jacinto Molina who in a brief role gives one of his best interpretations as a really deranged gravedigger.
It contains a thrilling and suspenseful musical score that fits perfectly to the frightening scenes. As well as an atmospheric and dark cinematography with strong shades by Rizzolo. Being shot on location in the Pyrenees mountains, Huesca. The picture was professionally directed by Jose Luis Merino who recently passed away. This Spanish craftsman had a long career making all kinds of genres : adventures, comedy, Musical, action, Paella Western and Horror. Outstanding his films about Robin Hood, El Zorro, Tiger of Kyber and his Terror movies as Ivanna and La Orgia de los muertos 1973. Rating 6/10. Acceptable and passable but not for squeamish.
A horrific and terrfying Zombie movie that at the time had a certain success and being nowadays well considered. Spanish Gothic with chills, horrifying set pieces, thrills, ghastly scenes, beheading and nudism in charge of two Eurotrash beauties : Maria Pia Conte, Dyanik Zurawoska . This is a mixed bag in which there are all kinds of elements and characters of terror genre as living dead, voodoo, psych people, creepy undertakers , sinister caves and anything else. The film is full of familar faces of the B-Spanish/Italian genres from Spaghetti, Sex comedy, Macarroni Combat, Horror to Giallo such as : Stelvio Rosi, Gerard Tichy, Charles Quiney , Maria Pia Conte, Dyanik Zurawoska. Special mention for the great Paul Naschy or Jacinto Molina who in a brief role gives one of his best interpretations as a really deranged gravedigger.
It contains a thrilling and suspenseful musical score that fits perfectly to the frightening scenes. As well as an atmospheric and dark cinematography with strong shades by Rizzolo. Being shot on location in the Pyrenees mountains, Huesca. The picture was professionally directed by Jose Luis Merino who recently passed away. This Spanish craftsman had a long career making all kinds of genres : adventures, comedy, Musical, action, Paella Western and Horror. Outstanding his films about Robin Hood, El Zorro, Tiger of Kyber and his Terror movies as Ivanna and La Orgia de los muertos 1973. Rating 6/10. Acceptable and passable but not for squeamish.
A Competent Zombie Film
Uriah436 February 2013
This film is an example of a zombie movie which has zombies that are created rather than transformed by a virus as generally depicted today. The usual differences between the two are that those created (by voodoo, black magic or science) generally follow instructions from their creator, don't eat flesh and don't infect others. Produced in 1973 in Europe it had a good Gothic feel to it. Likewise, although it was originally filmed in Spanish and dubbed in English the overall effect wasn't too bad either. However, one clear fault was that the lead actor, Stelvio Rosi (as "Serge Chekov") sported a haircut from the early 1970's even though the film was supposed to have taken place sometime in the 19th Century. Not only that but I thought his performance was slightly below that of the rest of the cast as well. On the other hand, some bright spots involved two gorgeous actresses, Maria Pia Conte ("Nadia Mihaly") and Dyanik Zurakowska ("Doris Droila") along with excellent makeup for the zombies. In short, other than the slight miscasting of the lead actor, this was a competent zombie film which fans of this genre might find interesting.
Macedonia has someone who talks like a rural American
lee_eisenberg3 June 2010
One of the movies in which Paul Naschy doesn't play werewolf Waldemar Daninsky casts him in a supporting role, as a guy with a weird fetish. The movie focuses on a man who arrives at an estate where a professor is carrying out bizarre experiments. Among the other things that I noticed in "La orgia de los muertos" ("The Hanging Woman" in English):
*Although I couldn't tell that any of the character identified where the movie is set, I noticed a sign that said Skopje, which is the capital of Macedonia. Immediately after that, there was a man who had a rural American accent (although it was obviously dubbed). Whodathunk that Macedonia - if that's the setting - had that?!
*The main character is named Chekhov, and at one point, it sounded as though someone tried to say his name and made it sound like a sexual act.
Anyway, it's an OK movie. Not great, but entertaining.
Paul Naschy died last year. I wonder what the result would have been had he collaborated with Pedro Almodovar.
*Although I couldn't tell that any of the character identified where the movie is set, I noticed a sign that said Skopje, which is the capital of Macedonia. Immediately after that, there was a man who had a rural American accent (although it was obviously dubbed). Whodathunk that Macedonia - if that's the setting - had that?!
*The main character is named Chekhov, and at one point, it sounded as though someone tried to say his name and made it sound like a sexual act.
Anyway, it's an OK movie. Not great, but entertaining.
Paul Naschy died last year. I wonder what the result would have been had he collaborated with Pedro Almodovar.
Quite possibly the most incomprehensible film ever made!
bfan839 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
It's really difficult to try and explain what THE HANGING WOMAN is about, but I'll give it a shot. A young man returns to his uncle's mansion shortly after his death to find out what really happened to his uncle, and . Upon his arrival, he discovers a woman hanging from a tree. He makes it to the mansion and informs the people there about the woman. When he returns to the spot, she has disappeared. He soon uncovers a plot to make an army of the living dead in order for world dominance.
THE HANGING WOMAN is so erratic that you never really understand what's going on. There are also two other sub-plots in the mix here. There are also a couple more things that made me despise this film so much. 1.) Spanish horror star, Paul Naschy was woefully under-used at the necrophiliac gravedigger. 2.) The pacing was awful. It's only a 90 minute film, but it felt like it was four hours long. Mostly due to the fact that nothing is really happening for a good hour of the film. 3.) The incestuous relationship between the uncle's nephew and his nymphomaniac aunt. The love scene was just way too much to handle. And finally, 4.) The ending was completely unbelievable and rushed.
Honestly, I can only really recommend THE HANGING WOMAN to Naschy fans. Even that's difficult to do. Skip it and use the 90 minutes of your precious life watching something that's far better (perhaps, HORROR RISES FROM THE TOMB or THE WEREWOLF VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMEN. Two of my personal favorite Naschy film) instead of wasting it on this abomination. Trust me, you'll thank me later.
THE HANGING WOMAN is so erratic that you never really understand what's going on. There are also two other sub-plots in the mix here. There are also a couple more things that made me despise this film so much. 1.) Spanish horror star, Paul Naschy was woefully under-used at the necrophiliac gravedigger. 2.) The pacing was awful. It's only a 90 minute film, but it felt like it was four hours long. Mostly due to the fact that nothing is really happening for a good hour of the film. 3.) The incestuous relationship between the uncle's nephew and his nymphomaniac aunt. The love scene was just way too much to handle. And finally, 4.) The ending was completely unbelievable and rushed.
Honestly, I can only really recommend THE HANGING WOMAN to Naschy fans. Even that's difficult to do. Skip it and use the 90 minutes of your precious life watching something that's far better (perhaps, HORROR RISES FROM THE TOMB or THE WEREWOLF VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMEN. Two of my personal favorite Naschy film) instead of wasting it on this abomination. Trust me, you'll thank me later.
Hang down your head, poor woman
Hang down your head and die
Coventry24 May 2010
"The Hanging Woman" is a rather curious early 70's Euro-exploitation effort, but there are nevertheless many aspects that will appeal to horror fanatics. The plot seems incomprehensible and aimless for quite a long time, but the ambiance is irresistibly macabre and there are plentiful of genuinely unsettling and grisly images. Then all of a sudden, although admittedly quite a bit too late, the story begins to makes sense and even boosts a couple of original twists and "The Hanging Woman" unexpectedly becomes a modest exploitation sleeper hit. Clearly inspired by Italian Gothic horror and Hammer movies from the sixties, the film mostly benefices from its ultra-creepy set pieces and scenery, like abandoned cemeteries, sinister vaults and secret passageways in old Victorian houses. These traditional Euro-horror trademarks in combination with a couple of provocatively depraved undertones, like necrophilia and autopsies on beautiful women, make "The Hanging Woman" a peculiarly fascinating little gem. Serge Chekov, a slightly pompous young man with a weird haircut, arrives in a remote Scottish highland town to listen to the testament reading of his deceased uncle. He walks passed the cemetery and literally stumbles upon the body of a lifeless woman hanging from a tree. It's quite funny how only at this point the title appears on screen even though the film's already running for a good twelve minutes. The woman turns out to be murdered, which isn't too surprising as there are numerous of morbid occurrences and deranged inhabitants in this little town. Chekov meets with a black magic practicing aunt, an amateur scientist reviving dead frogs, blackmailing servants and a necrophiliac grave digger. Even more disturbing is the fact that the dead in this town regularly emerge from their tombs to scare the hell out of the living. "The Hanging Woman" has a fantastic atmosphere and multiple of terrific "weirdo" moments, like a surreal sex sequence and Paul Naschy fondling female cadavers in a severe state of decomposition. There also are some flashes of nail-biting suspense, most notably the séance and the exhumation of the deceased uncle. The finale is excellent and good old-fashioned horrific, with petrifying zombies and bloodshed. The make-up effects on the zombies are effectively nasty and vile, like they did it best in contemporary European horror flicks. Weirdness, sleaze, filth and a perverted Paul Naschy
What more could you wish for?
More suspense then horror
trashgang1 October 2008
Watching this one I came beware that it was made a bit the style of the Hammer movies but this one has his slow start. There is a lot of chatting and for almost an hour nothing happens. But the end makes it a better movie. The zombies look convincing although how they became zombies is rather stupid. My copy on VHS was very dark so sometimes you see almost nothing especially the night and dungeon scenes. It isn't bloody at all, just one heart in a hand that's all. Never released on DVD this one, a shame, well it's watchable and if your in Paul Naschy you should search for this one. For the other actors, they convinced me, Get it while you can...
Paul Naschy - Deranged Gravedigger
Witchfinder-General-66620 June 2009
"La Orgía de los Muertos" aka. "The Hanging Woman" of 1973 is an underrated and greatly atmospheric Spanish/Italian co-production that should be appreciated by my fellow fans of Gothic Horror. Originally, my main reason to watch "The Hanging Woman" was Spanish Horror/Exploitation icon Paul Naschy, who plays a another really, REALLY demented role here, and the film turned out to be one of the best I've ever seen him in. I've been a great Naschy fan for years, and while most of his films are not necessarily 'good' movies, they are all highly entertaining. Many of the films this prolific Spanish Horror virtuoso (Actor/Writer/Director) was involved in in the 70s successfully merged the Gothic- and the Zombie-sub-genre (most prominently in Carlos Aured's "Horror Rises From The Tomb"). And this moody and delightfully creepy film does so in a great manner (the Gothic part is predominant). Spanish director José Luis Merino, who is also known in the Eurohorror fan community for directing "Altar of Blood" obviously didn't dispose of a huge budget for this film, but he nevertheless managed to create a wonderful Gothic atmosphere and give the film an elegantly eerie look.
Set in a remote 19th century Scottish village, "The Hanging Woman" begins eerily with a funeral. Shortly thereafter, Serge Chekov (Stelvio Rossi), the nephew of the deceased, comes to the village in order to accept his inheritance. Before even reaching his uncle's house, however, he finds the man's daughter, his cousin, hanged in the graveyard... The film was obviously inspired by other European Gothic Horror films, most distinctively by Mario Bava's masterpiece "Operazione Paura" ("Kill Baby Kill", 1966). "The Hanging Woman" is, of course, nowhere near en par with "Kill Baby Kill" (in my humble opinion one of the greatest Gothic Horror film ever made; by Mario Bava, who is arguably THE greatest Horror director of all-time). However, it is an amazingly atmospheric, creepy and intelligent piece of low-budget European Gothic Horror that no true genre lover should miss. The village is elegantly uncanny, with graveyards, tombs, eerie old houses, and tombstones like one would see them in films by Bava or the Hammer Studios. The storyline is clever and quite original and combines great elements such as Black Magic, Mad Science and Resurrection. There are several great gory moments, as well as some sleaze. Paul Naschy, who plays a truly deranged undertaker, is great as always, and I've never seen a role that suits him better than this one. Naschy is, of course, the highlight here, but the cast members all fit well in their roles and deliver good performances. Stelvio Rossi is good in the lead and so is Gérard Tichy ("Hatchet for the Honeymoon"). I liked sexy Maria Pia Conte, who plays the seductive widow, especially. For early 70s Spanish Horror, the film isn't particularly sleazy, but it features a bunch of deranged perversions and both Miss Conte and Dyanik Zurakowska, who plays the part of the innocent Doris, show off some goods. The film mainly profits from a great Gothic atmosphere, genuine creepiness, some really deranged weirdness and, not least, Paul Naschy. Naschy only has a supporting role here, but he is nonetheless the most memorable character in this film which ranks among the best he has ever been in. Highly recommended to Eurohorror fans.
Set in a remote 19th century Scottish village, "The Hanging Woman" begins eerily with a funeral. Shortly thereafter, Serge Chekov (Stelvio Rossi), the nephew of the deceased, comes to the village in order to accept his inheritance. Before even reaching his uncle's house, however, he finds the man's daughter, his cousin, hanged in the graveyard... The film was obviously inspired by other European Gothic Horror films, most distinctively by Mario Bava's masterpiece "Operazione Paura" ("Kill Baby Kill", 1966). "The Hanging Woman" is, of course, nowhere near en par with "Kill Baby Kill" (in my humble opinion one of the greatest Gothic Horror film ever made; by Mario Bava, who is arguably THE greatest Horror director of all-time). However, it is an amazingly atmospheric, creepy and intelligent piece of low-budget European Gothic Horror that no true genre lover should miss. The village is elegantly uncanny, with graveyards, tombs, eerie old houses, and tombstones like one would see them in films by Bava or the Hammer Studios. The storyline is clever and quite original and combines great elements such as Black Magic, Mad Science and Resurrection. There are several great gory moments, as well as some sleaze. Paul Naschy, who plays a truly deranged undertaker, is great as always, and I've never seen a role that suits him better than this one. Naschy is, of course, the highlight here, but the cast members all fit well in their roles and deliver good performances. Stelvio Rossi is good in the lead and so is Gérard Tichy ("Hatchet for the Honeymoon"). I liked sexy Maria Pia Conte, who plays the seductive widow, especially. For early 70s Spanish Horror, the film isn't particularly sleazy, but it features a bunch of deranged perversions and both Miss Conte and Dyanik Zurakowska, who plays the part of the innocent Doris, show off some goods. The film mainly profits from a great Gothic atmosphere, genuine creepiness, some really deranged weirdness and, not least, Paul Naschy. Naschy only has a supporting role here, but he is nonetheless the most memorable character in this film which ranks among the best he has ever been in. Highly recommended to Eurohorror fans.
Great atmosphere and zombies, shame about the DVD
udar5512 October 2009
Entertaining little Spanish supernatural thriller that features Paul Nashcy in a pivotal supporting role. Serge Chekov (Stelvio Rosi) rushes to the country after his Uncle's untimely death. Immediately upon arrival, Serge stumbles upon the hanging body of his cousin by the graveyard. This makes the local police doubly suspicious of his appearance because, with his cousin's death, Serge is now the sole beneficiary of his Uncle's estate. This mystery in this one won't blow your mind open, but the film has enough mood to compensate. Director José Luis Merino gets a lot of use out of the atmospheric village he shoots in and some cool underground tunnels. There is also some great make-up for the dead in this film. On the DVD, Naschy is interviewed and states how he did an uncredited rewrite on the film, making his grave digger character more interesting. Anyone spoiled by the BCI Naschy discs will be disappointed in Troma's fullscreen transfer with only an English dub track option. On the plus side, this is apparently the longest cut of the film available.
There are good parts & bad parts...
currax9 August 2000
Warning: Spoilers
This movie has a surprisingly high rating on this site. I gave it a 5, but I find it difficult to rate. It's about this guy, Serge Chekov (or something like that), who comes for the reading of his uncle's last will and testament and soon finds himself in the middle of a murder mystery. Lots of people seem suspect (particularly Paul Naschy as Igor, who is practically shoved in your face as the mad killer), then soon the main character is accused. Meanwhile, there's a group of zombies who may or may not be the culprits.
This is definitely not a great movie, but it has some decent moments. Unfortunately, there are also many very stupid things in the movie. There were stretches of up to 15 minutes where I genuinely enjoyed it, then along came a very stupid 5 or 10 minutes that immediately made me forget how much I was enjoying it. Definitely see it if you're a zombie movie completist or some kind of deranged Paul Naschy fan, otherwise just go rent something else.
*****SPOILER WARNING!!!************
I do think that the reason behind the dead coming back to life has got to be the stupidest one I have ever seen. A capsule in the brain that receives the doctor's commands??? If that really is true, then WHY does the doctor himself come alive at the end of the film?
This is definitely not a great movie, but it has some decent moments. Unfortunately, there are also many very stupid things in the movie. There were stretches of up to 15 minutes where I genuinely enjoyed it, then along came a very stupid 5 or 10 minutes that immediately made me forget how much I was enjoying it. Definitely see it if you're a zombie movie completist or some kind of deranged Paul Naschy fan, otherwise just go rent something else.
*****SPOILER WARNING!!!************
I do think that the reason behind the dead coming back to life has got to be the stupidest one I have ever seen. A capsule in the brain that receives the doctor's commands??? If that really is true, then WHY does the doctor himself come alive at the end of the film?
very cult
horrorscope1 April 2001
An Italian and Spanish production of cult Bernard Woolner (you must remember him in `Swamp Women' of Roger Corman) which is directed by Jose Luis Merino (`Altar Of Blood') , who also written the script with Enrico Colombo (`Altar Of Blood') . As you can understand from the title , the film has a lot to do with zombies , who directly are similar to zombies of Amando De Ossorio (Tombs Of The Blind Dead) . You shouldn't think of a gothic atmosphere , because our living dead are very slow , which is a negative point . Although this movie is not considered as a great movie , it stills remains cult , because of her almost all star cast , which can be taken as a remain of 60's . In this b-movie you can meet Auro De Alba & Dyanik Zurakowska (`Frankenstein's Bloody Terror') , Maria Pia Conte (`The Death Dealer') , Girard Tichy (Mario Bava's `Hatchet For A Honeymoon') , Stelvio Rosi (`Shadows In The Dark') , Carlos Quiney (`Altar Of Blood') , the most classic of all in this cast is Paul Naschy (who has a role model for many later generations) , as Igor! If this column was marking each movie for its cult worth , then `Beyond The Living Dead' would be marked at least with 9/10 , but this column is marking the whole movie
so , what we got here is
7/10
Ill Paced Gothic Horror
Theo Robertson23 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
According to the plot summary this film is set in remote 19th Century Scotland but some reason the signs on the village train station read Skopje and the characters refer to the location as Skopje which I assure you is not a Scottish sounding place . The characters too don't have Scottish sounding names either and I can assure you I've never met a Scotsman called Igor . This mistaken geography is matched by the title of the movie which is known under several different titles one of which is given as the title on this website which is misleading because Dracula doesn't appear but the living dead do . Well done IMDb because the zombies don't appear until the final third and the plotting revolves around this plot turn . Perhaps if the title was the oft used THE HANGING WOMAN it might have made for a better film ?
This Spanish film plays out very much like one of those British Hammer horrors with Gothic overtones . A stranger arrives in a small village and he's met by locals who are the usual types who mutter " A stranger sir ? We don't get strangers here sir " . As it stands the protagonist finds himself investigating a mysterious death and if you know the film as THE HANGING WOMAN some mystery is built up unlike if you go in to the film knowing it by the title on this page and it's strange watching zombies stumble around as if they've taken an overdose of methadone rather than the Olympic sprinters they had become after 28 DAYS LATER but I guess the film works better as a horror film than the big budget zombie movie starring Brad Pitt
Two things let the film down . One is the rather ill paced structure where not a lot happens throughout much of the running time but for a film trying to build up an air of mystery this is understandable . The second thing is being a dubbed Spanish film many of the accents are laughable with a butler sounding like he's dubbed by Dick Van Dyke from MARY POPPINS . Walt Disney meets zombie horror ! What's not to like ?
This Spanish film plays out very much like one of those British Hammer horrors with Gothic overtones . A stranger arrives in a small village and he's met by locals who are the usual types who mutter " A stranger sir ? We don't get strangers here sir " . As it stands the protagonist finds himself investigating a mysterious death and if you know the film as THE HANGING WOMAN some mystery is built up unlike if you go in to the film knowing it by the title on this page and it's strange watching zombies stumble around as if they've taken an overdose of methadone rather than the Olympic sprinters they had become after 28 DAYS LATER but I guess the film works better as a horror film than the big budget zombie movie starring Brad Pitt
Two things let the film down . One is the rather ill paced structure where not a lot happens throughout much of the running time but for a film trying to build up an air of mystery this is understandable . The second thing is being a dubbed Spanish film many of the accents are laughable with a butler sounding like he's dubbed by Dick Van Dyke from MARY POPPINS . Walt Disney meets zombie horror ! What's not to like ?
Igor vs. Gotho
ferbs5419 March 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Paul Naschy, the so-called "Boris Karloff of Spain," was apparently very proud of the work he turned in for Jose Luis Merino's 1973 cult favorite "The Hanging Woman." In an interview taped for the Troma DVD release, shortly before his death from pancreatic cancer in 2009, Naschy revealed that he initially turned the part down, only accepting after Merino allowed him to add some "dimensionality" to the small role of Igor, a grave digger who is murdered shortly after the film's midpoint. Naschy rewrote the part, making Igor a necrophilic grave digger (has there EVER been a "normal" character named Igor in the history of the horror film?) who still has a maximum of a dozen lines in the picture. Rather, "THW" centers around the character of Serge Chekhov (an unappealing performance by Stelvio Rosi), who comes to what I inferred to be an early 20th century Alpine village (although the IMDb says the film takes place in Scotland, for some reason, and the picture was actually shot in Lleida, in the west Catalonia region of Spain) to hear the reading of his deceased uncle's will. Once in the creepy village of Skopje, however, horrible things begin to happen to Chekhov. He discovers his cousin Mary's body hanging from a tree, while his stepaunt Nadia (the beautiful redheaded Maria Pia Conte) turns out to be a sorceress of sorts. His uncle's live-in business partner, Prof. Droila (Gerard Tichy, giving the film's best performance), is experimenting on the "nebulous electricity" of cadavers in the hopes of bringing the dead to life, while no one seems to know what that creepy Igor is up to. Good thing for Chekhov that both Nadia and Droila's beautiful blonde daughter, Doris (Dyanik Zurakowska), are for some reason attracted to the unlikable galoot....
A Spanish/Italian coproduction, "THW" was originally released under the title "La Orgia de los Muertos" ("Orgy of the Dead"); I'd like to imagine that its name was changed here in the U.S. to avoid confusion with the Ed Wood stinker of 1965, also called "Orgy of the Dead." Merino's film is a satisfying affair, boasting many staples of the horror genre, such as rats, cemeteries, a secret passage, zombies and subterranean crypts. It also dishes out, for the avid gorehound, that truly nasty shot of the titular hanging woman, a hard-to-look-at autopsy dissection and disemboweling, maggots on a disinterred corpse, and those impressively decomposed walking dead...not to mention a decapitation that Naschy was apparently also very proud of. The ladies are lovely to look at, and Merino manages to give his film some interesting directorial touches (such as that camera revolving around lovers Nadia and Chekhov). Naschy tells us that "THW" is Merino's best film, and not having seen any of Merino's others, who am I to argue? In this same interview, Naschy speaks at some length regarding the similarity of the Igor character here to that of Gotho, the part that he played in that same year's "Hunchback of the Morgue" (a superior film, I feel). I could not quite understand Naschy's comments here, so poorly were the subtitles rendered in this section, but must say that I personally see a great difference between the two characters. Gotho does not strike me as a true necrophiliac, as the deluded, simpleminded hunchback only believes his dead love, Ilse, to be "asleep." Igor, on the other hand, is truly perverted, refusing the libidinous attentions of living, breathing women in favor of the decayed corpses in his underground lair, and collecting women's underwear and photographs of cadavers; a TRULY creepy character, brought to indelible life by Naschy, despite a dearth of screen time.
As for this Troma DVD itself, it sports a so-so-looking print, poorly dubbed, that is nevertheless supposedly the most complete print in existence, and comes loaded with a remarkable roster of extras: interviews with Naschy and Merino, as well as Spanish-dubbing director Ben Tatar; commentary by Merino; a 10-minute overview called "Paul Naschy 101"; plus a trailer, copious galleries of stills and posters, AND a whole, separate, full-length, B&W Spanish film from 1965, also featuring Zurakowska, called "The Sweet Sound of Death." An extremely generous package, reasonably priced, of a film that all fans of Paul Naschy--and Eurohorror, in general--should pounce upon like a zombie on a victim....
A Spanish/Italian coproduction, "THW" was originally released under the title "La Orgia de los Muertos" ("Orgy of the Dead"); I'd like to imagine that its name was changed here in the U.S. to avoid confusion with the Ed Wood stinker of 1965, also called "Orgy of the Dead." Merino's film is a satisfying affair, boasting many staples of the horror genre, such as rats, cemeteries, a secret passage, zombies and subterranean crypts. It also dishes out, for the avid gorehound, that truly nasty shot of the titular hanging woman, a hard-to-look-at autopsy dissection and disemboweling, maggots on a disinterred corpse, and those impressively decomposed walking dead...not to mention a decapitation that Naschy was apparently also very proud of. The ladies are lovely to look at, and Merino manages to give his film some interesting directorial touches (such as that camera revolving around lovers Nadia and Chekhov). Naschy tells us that "THW" is Merino's best film, and not having seen any of Merino's others, who am I to argue? In this same interview, Naschy speaks at some length regarding the similarity of the Igor character here to that of Gotho, the part that he played in that same year's "Hunchback of the Morgue" (a superior film, I feel). I could not quite understand Naschy's comments here, so poorly were the subtitles rendered in this section, but must say that I personally see a great difference between the two characters. Gotho does not strike me as a true necrophiliac, as the deluded, simpleminded hunchback only believes his dead love, Ilse, to be "asleep." Igor, on the other hand, is truly perverted, refusing the libidinous attentions of living, breathing women in favor of the decayed corpses in his underground lair, and collecting women's underwear and photographs of cadavers; a TRULY creepy character, brought to indelible life by Naschy, despite a dearth of screen time.
As for this Troma DVD itself, it sports a so-so-looking print, poorly dubbed, that is nevertheless supposedly the most complete print in existence, and comes loaded with a remarkable roster of extras: interviews with Naschy and Merino, as well as Spanish-dubbing director Ben Tatar; commentary by Merino; a 10-minute overview called "Paul Naschy 101"; plus a trailer, copious galleries of stills and posters, AND a whole, separate, full-length, B&W Spanish film from 1965, also featuring Zurakowska, called "The Sweet Sound of Death." An extremely generous package, reasonably priced, of a film that all fans of Paul Naschy--and Eurohorror, in general--should pounce upon like a zombie on a victim....
THE HANGING WOMAN (Jose' Luis Merino, 1973) ***
Bunuel197628 January 2011
This is way above-average for a Paul Naschy film – the best I have watched so far, in fact – though his own part is secondary, even brief (albeit undeniably interesting). For the record, the English title has little bearing on the main narrative; the original actually translates to ORGY OF THE DEAD (nothing to do with the 1965 Ed Wood-scripted film). Incidentally, the Spanish dialogue makes all the difference in this case and though the print, culled from a TV broadcast, was far from optimal – especially glaring were the day-for-night scenes – the striking color scheme was effectively rendered nonetheless. As often happens with Euro-Cult fare, there are several alternate versions of this one out there, often sporting ludicrous monikers
none more so than the howlingly {sic} inane BRACULA: THE TERROR OF THE LIVING DEATH!!
The premise (for once, not supplied by Naschy himself) is hardly novel, what with the zombie outbreak at its center; however, given the period setting, the fact that the monsters are (refreshingly) of the slave rather than flesh-eating variety, and numerous subplots that include a family inheritance, a mad doctor, the practice of black magic and necrophilia, the result is most enjoyable and reasonably accomplished of its type. The (modern-looking) hero is something of a stud who becomes romantically involved with the nymphomaniac/occultist head of the household (to which he has been invited as a beneficiary of her late husband's will) and her virtuous maid (whose father, played by THE BLANCHEVILLE MONSTER [1963]'s Gerard Tichy, is a live-in scientist and the deceased's ex-partner); of course, the two women (both lovely) cannot stand one another.
The film actually starts with the old man's funeral which, however, is immediately followed by the murder of his daughter and heir (the titular victim)! After some typical scared villagers antics, the leading man (one Stan Cooper!) falls foul first of the majordomo and, then, gravedigger Naschy (who is himself seduced by the medium). Soon to appear on the scene are the flustered Mayor and a no-nonsense Police Inspector (investigating the mysterious death, his prime suspects are weirdo Naschy and newcomer Cooper). Both Naschy and the lusty wife end up dead along the way, she during a séance while he is eventually revived as one of the living dead!; though the identity of the real villain is ingeniously revealed, I arrived at that conclusion long before – and there is even a nice twist ending.
The premise (for once, not supplied by Naschy himself) is hardly novel, what with the zombie outbreak at its center; however, given the period setting, the fact that the monsters are (refreshingly) of the slave rather than flesh-eating variety, and numerous subplots that include a family inheritance, a mad doctor, the practice of black magic and necrophilia, the result is most enjoyable and reasonably accomplished of its type. The (modern-looking) hero is something of a stud who becomes romantically involved with the nymphomaniac/occultist head of the household (to which he has been invited as a beneficiary of her late husband's will) and her virtuous maid (whose father, played by THE BLANCHEVILLE MONSTER [1963]'s Gerard Tichy, is a live-in scientist and the deceased's ex-partner); of course, the two women (both lovely) cannot stand one another.
The film actually starts with the old man's funeral which, however, is immediately followed by the murder of his daughter and heir (the titular victim)! After some typical scared villagers antics, the leading man (one Stan Cooper!) falls foul first of the majordomo and, then, gravedigger Naschy (who is himself seduced by the medium). Soon to appear on the scene are the flustered Mayor and a no-nonsense Police Inspector (investigating the mysterious death, his prime suspects are weirdo Naschy and newcomer Cooper). Both Naschy and the lusty wife end up dead along the way, she during a séance while he is eventually revived as one of the living dead!; though the identity of the real villain is ingeniously revealed, I arrived at that conclusion long before – and there is even a nice twist ending.
Less Giallo, More Spanish Imitation of Hammer or Amicus
thalassafischer23 October 2023
Paul Naschy is your typical disgusting pervert per usual - in this feature, he's downright intellectually disabled and in one scene he actually has drool in his beard it's super gross - and this time he's a necrophiliac who can be called to the bedside of a living witch if she wraps herself in a funeral sheet and burns incense. Of course the point isn't her own thrill (good lord let's hope not) but manipulating the slow, deranged Igor to do her evil bidding.
Enter a leering blond man. He leers more than any leading man should in a 19th century period horror-drama. I think it was the 1970s mustache that bothered me most of all. Every time a woman entered the room I expected disco porn music to play. Speaking of women, there are three main women who are supposed to be significantly diverse in age (a young virgin, a wicked step-mother, and a murdered/suicidal step-daughter) but they all look exactly the same age which makes me wonder if I got a badly dubbed copy.
The Hanging Woman (or literally, The Orgy of the Dead) looks a lot like a Hammer or Amicus film from the same period, except I'd argue that it's even better looking - the film quality is on par with an Italian giallo, however the story is definitely not.
Passable atmospheric late night entertainment but nothing special.
Enter a leering blond man. He leers more than any leading man should in a 19th century period horror-drama. I think it was the 1970s mustache that bothered me most of all. Every time a woman entered the room I expected disco porn music to play. Speaking of women, there are three main women who are supposed to be significantly diverse in age (a young virgin, a wicked step-mother, and a murdered/suicidal step-daughter) but they all look exactly the same age which makes me wonder if I got a badly dubbed copy.
The Hanging Woman (or literally, The Orgy of the Dead) looks a lot like a Hammer or Amicus film from the same period, except I'd argue that it's even better looking - the film quality is on par with an Italian giallo, however the story is definitely not.
Passable atmospheric late night entertainment but nothing special.
A good time for fans of Naschy and Gothic Horror
lovecraft2319 April 2012
Paul Naschy (born Jacinto Molina Alvarez) was a fixture in Spanish Horror-as far as actor's go, he was that countries Karloff. So when he died in late 2009, he left behind a vast array of work that has maintained a cult following-"Night of the Werewolf", "Blue Eyes of a Broken Doll", "Count Dracula's Great Love"-to name a few. While I mentioned his passing in my review of "Premutos", looking back, I should have written a review of one of his movies instead of that movie. So without further ado, here's a look at the Italian-Spanish production "The Hanging Woman", in which he played a hunchback.
Serge Chekov (Stelvio Riso) is a swinging 70's kinda guy whose come to Scotland to gain an inheritance. In between sexing up the ladies, he runs into the hanging corpse of a lady. Soon, events revolving around a satanic coven, mad science, murder, zombies roaming the graveyard, and Igor (Naschy), who also happens to be a necrophiliac.
Though Naschy only has a supporting role, "The Hanging Woman" is still quite a treat of 70's style Gothic Horror. In fact, much of the film is quite reminiscent of the 70's era Hammer output, with its emphasis on fog drenched atmosphere, Gothic locales and low key exploitation elements such as nudity and some minor gore. The movie itself is quite capably directed by capably directed by José Luis Merino, who offers a nice mix of eerie moments with ones that range from tasteless (Chekov's treatment of women, Igor's um...kinks) with ones that just outright daffy (the reason the dead are walking could have come from one of those old 1940's quickies.) That's part of what makes the whole thing so much fun-sure, it feels a bit familiar at times, but the familiarity helps the movie instead of hindering it. Also worthy of mention is the undertone of black humor that permeates the proceedings. While the movie would never be mistaken for a comedy, scenes involving characters such as a horny witch are clearly done with tongue planted firmly in cheek.
Which brings me back to Naschy. While I mentioned he doesn't have a huge role, fans of his should still love this. Here, he manages to bring all kids of baggage with Igor-insecurity at one moment, to moments that bring forth revulsion the next-with ease. It's easy to see why folks such as myself hold him to such esteem, as he was able to take such characters and make them his own. Such a role and performance is a testament to his talents as an actor.
If there are any problems, it would be that apart from the more eccentric characters (particularly Igor), nobody here is all that interesting. Chekov is just your typical chauvinistic jerk who doesn't have many redeeming qualities, whilst Doris (Dianik Zurakowska) is yet another damsel in distress character. A bit more thought into some of the characters would have helped.
That out of the way, fans of Paul Naschy and European Horror fare will certainly find a lot to enjoy here. If that's your cup of tea, then check it out.
Serge Chekov (Stelvio Riso) is a swinging 70's kinda guy whose come to Scotland to gain an inheritance. In between sexing up the ladies, he runs into the hanging corpse of a lady. Soon, events revolving around a satanic coven, mad science, murder, zombies roaming the graveyard, and Igor (Naschy), who also happens to be a necrophiliac.
Though Naschy only has a supporting role, "The Hanging Woman" is still quite a treat of 70's style Gothic Horror. In fact, much of the film is quite reminiscent of the 70's era Hammer output, with its emphasis on fog drenched atmosphere, Gothic locales and low key exploitation elements such as nudity and some minor gore. The movie itself is quite capably directed by capably directed by José Luis Merino, who offers a nice mix of eerie moments with ones that range from tasteless (Chekov's treatment of women, Igor's um...kinks) with ones that just outright daffy (the reason the dead are walking could have come from one of those old 1940's quickies.) That's part of what makes the whole thing so much fun-sure, it feels a bit familiar at times, but the familiarity helps the movie instead of hindering it. Also worthy of mention is the undertone of black humor that permeates the proceedings. While the movie would never be mistaken for a comedy, scenes involving characters such as a horny witch are clearly done with tongue planted firmly in cheek.
Which brings me back to Naschy. While I mentioned he doesn't have a huge role, fans of his should still love this. Here, he manages to bring all kids of baggage with Igor-insecurity at one moment, to moments that bring forth revulsion the next-with ease. It's easy to see why folks such as myself hold him to such esteem, as he was able to take such characters and make them his own. Such a role and performance is a testament to his talents as an actor.
If there are any problems, it would be that apart from the more eccentric characters (particularly Igor), nobody here is all that interesting. Chekov is just your typical chauvinistic jerk who doesn't have many redeeming qualities, whilst Doris (Dianik Zurakowska) is yet another damsel in distress character. A bit more thought into some of the characters would have helped.
That out of the way, fans of Paul Naschy and European Horror fare will certainly find a lot to enjoy here. If that's your cup of tea, then check it out.
The Hanging Woman
Scarecrow-8824 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Slow moving Spanish chiller, has Paul Naschy in one of his more devious roles as an insane perverted necrophiliac gravedigger..it's a lesser role for Naschy but he makes the most of it. He's pretty hideous in it. Stelvio Rosi is Serge Chekov, an outsider entering a village corresponding to a letter naming him heir to his uncle's(..who was a wealthy Count)estate, put in charge of the man's daughter, but he arrives too late and finds her hanging in a cemetery after removing a letter from her dead father's coat pocket. Nadia Mihaly(Maria Pia Conte)was the Count's young wife, furious at not being left anything in his will. A practitioner of black magic, Nadia prides herself quite knowledgeable in the dark arts. Anyway, Nadia makes a move on Serge who is all too willing to embellish her advances, fully understanding her motives. Dyanik Zurakowska is Doris, the maid for the Count, and the daughter of scientist, Leon Droila(Gérard Tichy), begging Serge to allow her father to continue his research in the laboratory(Count Mihaly funded Leon's experiments in reanimating the dead)located inside the villa. Carlos Quiney is the Count's butler who doesn't like Serge's new position nor appreciates Nadia's interest in the new owner of Count Mihaly's villa. Pasquale Basile is the detective investigating the murder of Count Mihaly's daughter(she seems to have died of fright, not of strangulation as we so assume)and keeps an eye on Serge as developments regarding murder and intrigue soon surface after a séance goes awry and the walking dead appear. Also, Igor(Naschy)is suspected of robbing graves and becomes a suspect in a victim's murder at what appeared to be at the hands of the dead Count himself. Mad science; experiments with the reanimated dead. A beheading. Zombies. Organ removal. Secret passageways. Tombs raided and corpses abused. Possible witchcraft. A séance. Family secrets. Lots of salacious/grotesque goings-on in this little horror flick. Not a lot of gore, besides the decapitation, with some boobs and a smidgen of sex. Like many of these kinds of Spanish movies in the 70's, the atmospheric village setting features sinister behavior, motivations behind violent acts resulting from greed, not to mention Serge's plans to sell the Count's villa aren't popular. Naschy has some amusing scenes, peeping on Nadia, allowed to grope her, but scolding himself for "betraying" his other girls(..dead women whose tombs he carried to a secret passageway hidden within the villa!). He's quite an unpleasant site, the romanticism his characters often relate to in his El Hombre Lobo series removed..it's too bad there isn't more of him in this particular film.
They are dead, Inspector.
lastliberal26 December 2009
I would imagine that many, as I, watched this film because of Paul Naschy. He has a supporting part as a gravedigger. For Naschy completists, it is essential. For others, it probably would deserve a pass as it it unremarkable.
It opens with a Gothic sound and tone, and the washed out color contributes to the feel. Just what is happening is not very clear.
There is plenty of nudity, but there is also some gory nudity, especially where Igor (Naschy) is concerned.
The ending features zombies, and a walking Naschy with a knife in his chest, and a mad doctor.
Naschy was great, as was Stelvio Rosi and Dyanik Zurakowska.
It opens with a Gothic sound and tone, and the washed out color contributes to the feel. Just what is happening is not very clear.
There is plenty of nudity, but there is also some gory nudity, especially where Igor (Naschy) is concerned.
The ending features zombies, and a walking Naschy with a knife in his chest, and a mad doctor.
Naschy was great, as was Stelvio Rosi and Dyanik Zurakowska.
the zombies are surprisingly effective
christopher-underwood20 January 2010
This is likable enough without being particularly striking in any way. There are silly slips, that render the film more laughable than it should be but overall it is perfectly watchable because it keeps going at a decent pace. Because something is always happening and our interest is retained the odd slip up is forgiven. Also the zombies are surprisingly effective, there is a little gore and a decent spread of nudity throughout. Paul Naschy does his usual thing as well as ever, just short of going right over the top and the denouement is just about acceptable if a little far fetched. Some very good moments and never a dull one, would be a fair assessment, I reckon.
The Hanging Woman is a somewhat uneven addition to the zombie genre, but its worthwhile elements make it a must-see
kevin_robbins26 December 2023
I recently watched the Spanish film 🇪🇸 The Hanging Woman, aka Beyond the Living Dead (1973) on Tubi. The storyline follows a man who arrives at an estate to claim his inheritance after his long-lost relative was found dead hanging in a tree. He encounters cults, curses, and zombies while attempting to gain his riches. The question arises: Can the inheritance be worth the mayhem he'll have to overcome?
Directed by José Luis Merino (Crime Story), the film stars Stelvio Rosi (Anaconda), Maria Pia Conte (The Arena), Dyanik Zurakowska (The Destructors), Gérard Tichy (Doctor Zhivago), and Carla Mancini (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage).
This is a somewhat uneven addition to the zombie genre that takes a while to build momentum, but the payoff at the end makes it worthwhile. The main character's resemblance to Chuck Norris adds a layer of unintentional humor to the action scenes. An infamous skeleton shooting scene had me laughing off my chair. The film's settings, backdrops, and props create a perfect atmosphere. While kills are scarce initially, the well-crafted corpses and eerie atmosphere compensate. The zombies feature solid makeup and an authentic feel. The storyline, though somewhat cliche, remains enjoyable, and the action-packed, worthwhile ending makes the journey fulfilling.
In conclusion, The Hanging Woman is a somewhat uneven addition to the zombie genre, but its worthwhile elements make it a must-see. I'd score it a 6/10 and strongly recommend it.
Directed by José Luis Merino (Crime Story), the film stars Stelvio Rosi (Anaconda), Maria Pia Conte (The Arena), Dyanik Zurakowska (The Destructors), Gérard Tichy (Doctor Zhivago), and Carla Mancini (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage).
This is a somewhat uneven addition to the zombie genre that takes a while to build momentum, but the payoff at the end makes it worthwhile. The main character's resemblance to Chuck Norris adds a layer of unintentional humor to the action scenes. An infamous skeleton shooting scene had me laughing off my chair. The film's settings, backdrops, and props create a perfect atmosphere. While kills are scarce initially, the well-crafted corpses and eerie atmosphere compensate. The zombies feature solid makeup and an authentic feel. The storyline, though somewhat cliche, remains enjoyable, and the action-packed, worthwhile ending makes the journey fulfilling.
In conclusion, The Hanging Woman is a somewhat uneven addition to the zombie genre, but its worthwhile elements make it a must-see. I'd score it a 6/10 and strongly recommend it.
Excellent atmospheric Spanish horror
The_Void25 May 2009
The Hanging Woman takes obvious influence from both the classic Hammer Horror films and Mario Bava's Gothic masterpiece Kill, Baby...Kill. The result is a slightly plodding, though undoubtedly interesting and very atmospheric little horror film. Like many European films from the seventies; this one has a whole slew of titles, which range from those that don't make sense - 'Dracula the Terror of the Living Dead', to cash-ins; 'Zombie 3: Return of the Living Dead', and innuendo; 'The Orgy of the Dead'...but The Hanging Woman is the best on the merit that it actually fits the story. The plot focuses on a man that travels to an old Scottish village in order to claim his inheritance; an old house, currently inhabited by his uncle's science partner. Upon his arrival; a woman is found hanged in a graveyard; though the circumstances are suspicious as she was already dead before the hanging. Things turn a little more awry when the nature of the experiments going on at the house are revealed, and the village may be harbouring a dark secret.
The plot features a number of different elements, which includes black magic, zombies and grave digging. It has to be said that it can be a little messy at times; though nowhere near as much as many films of this ilk and the plot really flows rather well and the various different elements are well used. Undoubtedly the best thing about the film is the atmosphere and director José Luis Merino succeeds admirably in this respect as the atmosphere is thick and foreboding and this helps to further the plot. The film is essentially a mystery with horror elements, and the director keeps our interest with lots of good ideas and some interesting characters. Paul Naschy is the only cast member likely to be recognised by anyone watching the film; but the unknown cast all do well with their roles; particularly Stelvio Rosi and Dyanik Zurakowska. There's not a great deal of blood in the film; but patience is rewarded towards the end with an excellent decapitation sequence. The film is not very well known and I can't say I'm surprised about that; but it's certainly well worth a look and fans of this stuff shouldn't be too disappointed with it.
The plot features a number of different elements, which includes black magic, zombies and grave digging. It has to be said that it can be a little messy at times; though nowhere near as much as many films of this ilk and the plot really flows rather well and the various different elements are well used. Undoubtedly the best thing about the film is the atmosphere and director José Luis Merino succeeds admirably in this respect as the atmosphere is thick and foreboding and this helps to further the plot. The film is essentially a mystery with horror elements, and the director keeps our interest with lots of good ideas and some interesting characters. Paul Naschy is the only cast member likely to be recognised by anyone watching the film; but the unknown cast all do well with their roles; particularly Stelvio Rosi and Dyanik Zurakowska. There's not a great deal of blood in the film; but patience is rewarded towards the end with an excellent decapitation sequence. The film is not very well known and I can't say I'm surprised about that; but it's certainly well worth a look and fans of this stuff shouldn't be too disappointed with it.
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