BLOOD WORK: HALLOWEEN HORROR DAYS ~ DAY 19: RETURN OF THE EVIL DEAD (1973)

TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD, a Spanish horror film from director Amando De Ossorio, introduced the world to a horde of unforgettable ghoulish monsters, the BLIND DEAD. Medieval Templar knights, devil worshipers and practitioners of witchcraft, returned from the grave to feast upon the flesh of the living. Frightening and gory, director Ossorio took the best aspects of mummies, vampires, and flesh-eating zombies, infused them with occult black magic and satanism for something truly horrific. Obscure to many, and until awhile ago completely unknown to myself, the Blind Dead are some of the best horror discoveries I've made in recent years.

In 1973 the Blind Dead stepped forth from the grave once more. RETURN OF THE EVIL DEAD (no relation to Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell's Evil Dead films... or is there?) borrowed certain elements from George Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD with its basic plot structure. This sequel gives the undead Templars more screen time, ups the gore and body count, and increases the tension and suspense beyond that of the first film. Many regard the second film in the Blind Dead series as the superior entry in the franchise. As good as the first film is, and it is indeed one of my favorites, Return of the Evil Dead is equal if not better than its progenitor.

THE PLOT

The Portuguese village of Bouzano celebrates every year the night that the satanic Templars were executed in their village. As the Templars were burning alive they cursed the villagers and their descendants that one day they would return and enact their revenge. Five hundreds years later during the annual celebration the village pariah, a disfigured man named Murdo, performs a satanic ritual resurrecting the Templars. During the fireworks display the undead Templars lay siege to the village killing nearly everyone. A small group of survivors barricade themselves in a house as the hordes of the Blind Dead surround them.

THE GOOD

Excess. Everything that made the first film a frightening and memorable spectacle is recaptured here and enhanced. The Blind Dead make their appearance earlier and their massacre is far grander. Like any quality sequel the stakes are raised. Many consider these films and other Euro horror to be nothing but pure exploitation and this certainly is the case. But many aspects set this film apart from the countless unremarkable blood and skin films from the same era. The music, the violence, the gore, and of course the horrific monster designs, all things present in the first film which set these above mere exploitation.

Quick Starter. One aspect that sets this film above its predecessor is its plot. I mentioned before that this film borrows a bit from Romero's Night of the Living Dead, particularly the plot point where a small group of survivors are holed up in a house while legions of flesh-eating living dead surround the building. But before then we are privileged to the massacre of the town which begins a mere thirty minutes into the film. In this respect the film surpasses even that of NIGHT providing more action and destruction by the film's villains. There is very little dead space in this film (pun intended). It opens with a gruesome spectacle and not ten minutes later we're treated to a human sacrifice. And it just keeps going. Menacing, suspenseful, atmospheric, and exciting.

Where the first film had a fair amount of bland plot that the viewer had to slog through and a strange subplot, this film is far more exciting and direct. This film moves along at a brisk pace.

THE BAD

Weathered. You need to suspend your disbelief at moments with the special effects. This shouldn't be a surprise given it's an effects heavy movie from Spain in 1973. Much of these effects are absolutely wonderful and still hold up today. But there are a few that don't. Also there isn't really any continuity between the first film and the second. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. One can view this film first and be perfectly all right. This film functions independently of the others. But all the iconography remains. If you can appreciate these kinds of the films for what they are and be mindful of the context and time period from which they were made you should have no problem enjoying these films as I do.

THE VERDICT

The Blind Dead templars return for a night of bloody carnage and mayhem in this faster paced and wonderfully gory sequel. The action starts quicker. The body count is higher. It's bloodier. And the Blind Dead are on screen a lot longer. Everything that was great about the first film is recreated here and the faults of the first film are non-existent. This film is a fine example of one of the great horror sequels and another reason why the Blind Dead deserve a place next to the legendary horror film monsters.

Overall Ranking: 7 out of 10

Really Good! One worth owning.

Nude-O-Meter: 3 out of 10