Starring: Anita Ekberg, Julian Ugarte, Diana Lorys, Gianni Medici, and Adriana Ambesi
Directed by: Amando de Ossorio
Written by: Amando de Ossorio
Production Companies: Cobra Films, Felix Cinematografica, Tritón P.C., and Victory Films
Release Date: July 23, 1969
Old European horror is a risky viewing experience. Some of it can't be great experimental stuff, it can be dull but full or gore and nudity, or it can just be bad...bad bad bad. Somewhere in that spectrum falls Fangs of the Living Dead.
It's got the stereotypical Gothic Euro-trash set up. Something draws a young, attractive woman into a country castle where something evil is taking place. In this case, Sylvia goes off because her aunt has dyed and she has inherited the title of Countess of the castle. The evil, as the title of the flick alludes, is vampires. Sylvia's uncle tries to get her to join in the family tradition of vampirism while Sylvia's fiancee Piero tries to get her to return to him.
Fangs of the Living Dead was looking like a snorefest following the plot-by-numbers script of many Euro-trash vampire flicks. And without gore or nudity to boot. The Nerve!
The women were indeed attractive, but fully clothed throughout. There was some potential with some bondage, but no follow through. A hint of lesbianism. But despite it all, it was just standard vampire stuff with mysterious deaths that the locals attribute to vampires but the big time city folk don't believe to be anything of concern. But then the ending brought in some redemption.There was a little twist at the end to add confusion to what was going on. And the final scene, while it didn't make much sence, admittedly, still amused me a great deal.
It's not something if you want a good vampire flick, but it's good if you want a Mystery Science Theater kind of experience.
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