Terror-Creatures from the Grave (1966)

If it wasn't for the presence of Barbara Steele (perhaps the most famous female horror film star), this film would have absolutely no interest. It is extremely poorly filmed and moves at an absolute snail's pace until the last ten minutes. There's the typical amount of gruesome deaths but few frights, and it even lacks unintentional laughs to make it a cult film. There could have been a slightly interesting story of a curse which came out of the revenge of murder victims from the black plague who, vindictive over having the disease in the first place, presumably made sure other people caught the disease as well. Two sisters survive the doctor who couldn't treat them and utilized his basement as a mass grave for them. An arriving attorney reveals that he was just hired by their father (who died a year ago) to write his will which gives the hints that a ghost story is about to unfold. But there's also a plot twist surrounding his death from a year ago, and when all is revealed in the last reel, that's when the only interesting situations occur and a few chills may creep into your bones. Otherwise, the story of the black death might simply lead you into a deep sleep.

*Spoiler/plot- 1965, (5 tombe per un medium), The occupants of a modern day castle begin to die in gruesome violent ways after an attorney arrives to settle the estate of its recently deceased castle owner.*Special Stars- Barbara Steele as lead.*Theme- History can influence today's people and their destiny.*Based on- Medieval Black Plague legends and superstitious folk tales.*Trivia/location/goofs- Italian horror film starring with the most famous leading lady of Gothic horror.*Emotion- A somewhat confusing film trying to follow the massive flashback scenes for the exposition of the castle owners family histories A plot.

With a title like "Terror Creatures From the Grave", you would think the picture would be an exercise in campy horror and cheesy special effects. But you know, this was actually a pretty neat little creep fest, and for it's relatively compact run time of just under an hour and a half, the picture offers some of the best lines you'll ever come up with in a 'B' grade horror flick. For example:"Are you putting me in the torture room?" - Albert Kovac to Cleo Hauff"I've summoned them from their graves and now I'm among them." - the voice of Jeronimus Hauff"The corpse collectors always come when somebody's doomed." - the library clerk"The living I may fear, but certainly not the dead." - Kovac againTop all of that off with one of the most innovative suicide/hari kari scenes ever, and you've got a unique little excursion into dementia cinema that would be hard to top.I read with some interest the other reviews on this film by other posters, and I have to wonder why I'm in the minority on the following point. Most take it as a given that Jeronimus Hauff was actually dead, and came back from the beyond to take out his revenge on the five witnesses to his purported death a year earlier. But what about that scene when the servant Kurt laid the body of Hauff on the stone tablet, bewailing the loss of his master? Hmmm.

Mostly known as "Terror-Creatures From the Grave", this is a recommendable b/w horror flick from the 1960s. Director Pupillo isn't one of the genre masters such as Bava or Margheriti, but with a suspenseful story, the spooky atmosphere and a good cast ranging from the stunning Barbara Steele to the ubiquitous Luciano Pigozzi (aka Alan Collins), this does very well.Originally entitled "5 tombe per un medium", the movie tells the story of a doctor and occultist who owns a house built on a graveyard for former plague victims. The plague, as legend has it, was spread on purpose by some villains whose evil hands were severed, mummified, and now are kept in the house for display. The house owner died a year ago but has unfinished revenge business with a few people including his wife. This leads to the usual routine with dark, foggy nights, strange noises on the soundtrack, mysterious deaths, opened graves... but it is all done with style and enjoyable throughout.