Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972)

Shudder is such a great discovery. As a horror fan, I have no idea why I have not made it there before the past week. Next up for review is another great find from days gone by, the 1972 entryway to the Blind Dead franchise, Tombs of the Blind Dead (La niche del terror diego).

Plot/ In the 13th century there existed a legion of evil knights known as the Templars, who quested for eternal life by drinking human blood and committing sacrifices. Executed for their unholy deeds, the Templars bodies were left out for the crows to peck out their eyes. Now, in modern day Portugal, a group stumbles on the Templars abandoned monastery, reviving their rotting corpses to terrorize the land.

As with everything classic entries into Eurohorror can fall into the love/hate category, and this entry is no different. The first movie in the Blind Dead series, this one lays the groundwork for one of the great franchises in horror history. Honestly, who does not love the idea of the zombie Templars? Personally, the legend of the Knights Templar is one of the greatest mysteries of all time, and a story that definitely has something deeper going on. While this film is not a gorefest, there are some interesting kills, and it has a tremendous amount of atmosphere that works with the entirety of the storyline. Yes, the pacing is a touch slow (with focus on mood and atmosphere vice action), the performances are uneven, and the effects are not mind blowing, but those are somewhat expected from that era of cinema. In the end, this movie is definitely more cerebral than action and relies on storyline and atmosphere to achieve its potential. Not for everyone, this one will definitely appeal to fans of early European horror and early zombie flicks. Those fans should give it a shot if they have not seen it.