Deimos DVD I greet you with open wounds and plenty of thanks for restoring this Paul Naschy classic, thus allowing me to discard my ragged Vestron Video with the US title “The Craving”. Originally titled “El Retorno del Hombre Lobo-The Return of the Wolf Man” here it is in its most complete and UNCUT version under the obvious title “The Night of the Werewolf”.

After a 6 year hiatus from the Waldemar Daninsky werewolf series Jacinto Molina [Naschy] returns as writer and director with the 9th entry that is also one of my favorites. Opening in the 1600’s with Waldemar Daninsky, tried, condemned, fitted with the mask of dishonor and executed with a silver cross to the heart. Years later he is accidentally resurrected by grave robbers. At the same time 3 lovely young ladies travel to the same area in Transylvania to find the tomb of the Countess Bathory. I’m happy to report they are not only successful, but also find Waldemar ‘Werewolf’ Daninsky who goes head to head with a freshly resurrected Ms. Bathory, with all the gothic elements I love so much firmly in place.

It’s a reworking of another Naschy classic “La Noche de Walpurgis” ’71 directed by León Klimovsky and best known as “The Werewolf vs. The Vampire Women”, a cut version, that can be found uncut on Anchor Bay as “Werewolf Shadow”. The story involving the 3 ladies who end up staying with Naschy is a bit muddled with sappy love drama and Naschy in drooling werewolf form may cause a chuckle or two but over all this is a Euro-horror classic through and through.

Featuring loads of decaying atmosphere, foggy terrain, thunder & lightning, castle ruins, spider web strewn crypts, howling in the night, bloody stakes, seductive vampire women, numerous deaths, plenty of blood letting, great effects and a score by CAM are among the candle and torch lit halls. Totally awesome!

As usual Deimos DVD has done a wonderful job restoring this one. The print re-mastered in High Definition is clean with punctual colors and correctly framed at 1.85:1 in Anamorphic widescreen with the original Castilian and the dubbed English audio. Optional English Subs are of course included. It would have been nice to have an interview with Naschy but there is a least a Paul Naschy Introduction at the beginning of the film. There’s Deleted Scenes, the US Trailer, the Spanish Credit Sequence, a Still Gallery of Photos, and the all important Posters and Advertising Material, rounded out with Liner Notes. All in all a recommended purchase for Naschy and Euro-horror fans.

Just so happens I have an Original Spanish 1 sheet.