******UNDEAD SPOILERS!******

The Spanish-Portuguese horror coproduction “Tombs of the Blind Dead,” originally titled “La noche del terror ciego” (“Night of the Blind Terror”) is one of those cult horror franchises that I came to late. I missed its laserdisc renaissance in the 1990s, but would later discover the Blue Underground DVD in the mid-2000s. I bought the movie blind (some pun intended) after reading about it in horror movie books and magazines for decades. That DVD contains both the original, uncut Spanish and English dubbed versions.

Inspired by the late George Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” (1968), writer/director Amando de Ossorio parlayed his success from this first film into three sequels; “Return of the Blind Dead” (1973), “The Ghost Galleon” (1974) and “Night of the Seagulls” (1975). For full disclosure, I’ve not yet seen the sequels, so this retrospective will examine only the first film, for which I’ve seen both the original Spanish and English-dubbed versions, and I’ll mention some key differences between them when relevant. For the curious, a detailed listing of all differences between the two versions can be found on moviecensorship.com.

With all of that out of the way, let’s follow the undead, skeletal Templars into their…

“Tombs of the Blind Dead” (“La noche del terror ciego”/”Night of the Blind Terror”)

Note: The opening scene of the young virgin’s blood sacrifice in the 14th century was a flashback in the original cut of the movie, as told by Professor Candal to Roger and Betty midway through the film. By contrast, the American cut uses it as a prologue sequence to set the table for the undead Templars modus operandi. The ruins of the real-life Monasterio de Santa Maria la Real de Valdeiglesias in Pelayos de la Press, Madrid in Spain (near the Portuguese border) are effectively used as the ‘Berzano’ monastery for both the flashbacks and present-day sequences.

Note: The lead characters of this movie are generally unlikable; not too unlike many of their vintage American horror movie counterparts. Right after Virginia introduces her old ‘friend’ (nee: ex-lover) Betty to her clueless beau Roger, he immediately hits on her. Betty herself pours petrol on the fire by inviting herself on their camping trip, too. Their introductory scene at the Madrid poolside reminds me of the ‘distracted boyfriend’ meme, where we see a guy plainly checking out an attractive woman while walking with his visibly irked girlfriend.

Note: The flashback of Betty and Virginia’s college lesbian relationship is somewhat softened for the slightly more puritanical American cut (which snips a few key moments). However, even in the American cut it’s clear enough that Virginia and Betty had been lovers, which makes Betty’s insistence on joining Virginia and Roger’s romantic camping trip all the more uneasy (though I’m guessing Roger was counting on a ménage à trois…).

Note: When I first saw the film, I was little surprised to see Virginia simply jump off the train with her camping gear rather than watch as Betty shamelessly horned in on her relationship with Roger. I can’t say I blamed her, either. Virginia’s ‘friends’ are truly awful people. This is a sharp (and interesting) departure from American horror, where goodness and virtue somehow are usually seen as critical for survival.

Note: In an American movie, the virtuous and resourceful Virginia (who even brings food and a portable radio for entertainment) would most likely be the ‘final girl.’ Here, she’s the first victim.

Note: Greatly aided by the ancient Portuguese ruins and shadowy cinematography by Pablo Ripoll, the rotted, sightless Templars are some of the most pants-wettingly scary-looking practically-realized zombies of the genre; past or present. The movie’s makeup is credited to José Luis Campos, though writer/director Amando de Ossorio was heavily involved in the decayed, rotting appearance of the revenant Templars.

Note: The sight of the bloody, mauled corpse of Virginia lying in daylight in an open field must’ve been shocking for American cinema of the early 1970s, but European filmmakers at that time embraced greater (and more grisly) verisimilitude. As a result, Virginia’s bites and bruises are far more realistic than the phony, pinkish/orange blood seen in most American (and some British) horror movies of this same period.

Note: Once again, the movie takes great advantage of its real-life monastic ruins, which put it on a higher production tier. If not for writer/director Amando de Ossorio’s eye and the gorgeous Spanish/Portuguese locales, this movie would be more or less indistinguishable from most other low-budget horror movies of its vintage.

Note: Given that the insensitive Roger and Betty treated their ‘friend’ Virginia so badly, I was surprised they weren’t immediately brought in as persons of interest; especially after they were found combing the ruins where she was last seen. Maybe that’s just my own paranoid North American perspective…

Note: The younger, bearded morgue keeper in the scene (Juan Cortés) feels like a subtle homage to “Dracula”’s ‘Renfield,’ with his eccentric quirks, such as tormenting a pet frog kept in the morgue lab and his sadistic smirk when he initially uncovers the wrong corpse to Betty and Roger.

Note: The scenes in Betty’s conveniently creepy mannequin factory (with lifeless plastic limbs and heads strewn about) are lit like something out of a Mario Bava movie, as the red of a nearby neon sign flashes down from an overhead skylight. The red seems to signify blood and or danger (either fit), and it adds appropriate atmosphere as Virginia’s undead corpse stalks Nina and Betty. Virginia’s eventual immolation (and final death) is nicely cheated by a burning stunt mannequin and optically inserted practical flames.

Note: Quite the coincidence that the scholarly Professor Candal happened to have a smuggler son who was also in a position to help Betty and Roger. Granted, the police clearly didn’t believe the Satan-worshipping zombie legends, but you’d think perhaps finding Virginia’s two bitten victims, as well as Virginia’s ‘re-murdered’ charred corpse might’ve changed a mind or two.

Note: The movie’s almost laughably consistent preoccupation with sex in the face of danger brings to mind the “Halloween” or “Friday the 13th” franchises of the 1970s and 1980s.

Note: Even in the midst of solving a murder mystery involving his dead, zombified girlfriend, Roger still finds time for a makeout session with ‘bad girl’ Maria, for whom he previously expressed zero point zero interest. Roger is a genuine piece of shit.

Note: None of these characters are worth anyone’s spit, so North American audiences preconditioned to root for a hero or heroine might find this movie severely lacking in that regard. The movie pushes it a bit too far for me personally with sleazy Pedro’s brutal rape of Betty, which is quite explicit in the original Spanish cut of the movie, though more implicit in the American version; as we only see Betty button up her torn blouse after cutting back to she and Pedro.

Note: At the very least, the movie has the vestigial moral sense to let the rapist Pedro die a suitably grisly death at the skeletal hands (and teeth) of the zombies. Good riddance. On the plus side, actor José Thelman plays a very believable son of a bitch.

Note: Before the Templars breach the entrance to the monastery, Maria and Betty (literally) fight each over whether or not to open the door for Roger, who is begging to be let in, as the ravenous zombies approach. The movie’s pathetic excuse for a catfight goes on for such a long time, it becomes downright laughable–as if it were a scene cut from a parodic “Scary Movie” sequel.

Note: As night transitions to dawn, there are some eerie day-for-night effects done with underexposure and filters that give the horseback zombies giving chase through the fields a bizarre, nightmarish quality. On my first viewing, I somehow believed the zombies would simply fade away or return to their graves once the sun came out–but they don’t. It’s a scene that defied my subconscious horror fan expectations.

Note: The original cut features a moment after the zombies hijack the train where we see a bloodied child draped over the body of his dead mother. That moment was deemed too much for American audiences, and was (wisely or not) snipped for the English-dubbed version. Also cut from the American version were earlier, character-establishing moments between the train’s father-and-son engineer duo (Antonio Orengo, Andrés Isbert), who were seen earlier in the film as well.

Note: The movie’s near-final image of the now white-haired Betty is only marred by a not-too-convincing ‘white’ wig worn by actress Lone Fleming. The wig was piled considerably higher than the actress’s natural hair, and it also looks more blond than white.

The End.

Summing It Up

With an emphasis on sleaze as well as the undead, “Tombs of the Blind Dead” makes an interesting precursor to those “final girl” flicks later popularized in American horror in movies such as “Halloween” (1978), “Friday the 13th” (1980) and many more, including later entries like “Scream” (1996) and “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (1997). Unlike in those American movies, there is no redemption or salvation for imperfect ‘final girl’ Betty (Lone Fleming), who makes moves on her ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend, and is later raped by a dirtbag smuggler. None of the characters in this movie are what American audiences would typically call ‘good’ or ‘heroic’ people, but that’s part of what gives this movie its unique aura; an unflinching, almost clinical amorality regarding sex and relationships that we rarely see in more puritanical American movies.

Another aspect that gives “Tombs of the Blind Dead” its unique feel is the location shooting in the eerie ruins of the famed Monasterio de Santa Maria la Real de Valdeiglesias in Pelayos de la Press, Madrid in Spain (that’s quite a mouthful). For an exploitation horror flick, this location is beautifully photographed. No locations in the United States could possess the cinematic power lurking within the stones of this ancient monastery. While the shallow characters and so-so story of “Tombs…” could be easily refit for an American slasher or zombie flick, the locations and cinematography (Pablo Ripoll) put the film on a slightly higher tier. The sight of the undead, skeletal knights rising from their graves is pure nightmare fuel–clad in muddied, weathered costumes from which you can almost smell their stale rot (even if their horses seem a bit too alive). There are images from this film that feel as if they’re pulled directly from humanity’s collective nightmares of the Grim Reaper, or other cultural specters of death.

In many ways, “Tombs of the Blind Dead” (“La noche del terror ciego”/”Night of the Blind Terror”) is little more than a traditional horror flick with sleazy, predatory characters, though its unique locations, nightmarish cinematography and unsettling mood make for an overall experience greater than the sum of its less-than-inspiring parts.

Where to Watch

“Tombs of the Blind Dead” is currently available to stream on for free on Tubi and PLEX, and is also available to own on DVD and Blu-Ray from Blue Underground and Synapse Films via Amazon.com and DeepDiscount (prices vary). Good hunting and Happy Halloween!