THE BLOOD SPATTERED BRIDE (1972)
Director: Vicente Aranda
Anchor Bay Entertainment

J. Sheridan Le Fanu's novel about lesbian vampires, Carmilla, had been adapted for the cinema many times before 1972, including the late Roger Vadim's BLOOD AND ROSES (1960), TERROR IN THE CRYPT (1963) with Christopher Lee, and Hammer's infamous "Karnstein Trilogy," commencing with 1970's THE VAMPIRE LOVERS. Thanks to Anchor Bay, this interesting Spanish-lensed version can now be viewed uncut for the first time in this country.

A young man (Simón Andreu) goes on a honeymoon with his even younger wife (Maribel Martin). After the girl fantasizes about being raped, she begs her husband to leave the hotel that they're staying it. They wind up at her husband's family castle, The Karnsteins that is. Martin then has further hallucinations about a mysterious bride, Carmilla (Alexandro Bastedo) who later ends up at the castle. Carmilla completely absorbs the naive bride's well being, showing a deep hatred for men, and hence inaugurating a spree of bloodshed.

Like Jean Rollin's erotic vampire thrillers of the same period, BLOOD SPATTERED BRIDE contains nudity and gore amidst the gothic European surroundings. However, this film thankfully does not wallow in endless lesbian lovemaking scenes, but rather exploits the kinship between the two female antagonists with stylized class. The nudity is limited; Maribel Martin--star of other vital Spanish horror romps like THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED (1969) and A BELL FROM HELL (1973)--was still a teenager when this was made and her skin scenes are obviously performed by a double. British actress Bastedo, who actually does disrobe, is stunning as the bloodsucker, strolling about in low cut gowns.

Although sluggish in pacing, I like this film and enjoyed viewing it in this new light, complete and uncut. Most of the meat is in the third act, but the discovery of the vampire Carmilla--buried in the sand, breathing through a snorkel and having her bare breasts dug out--is unforgettable. A dream sequence where a man has his heart torn out (trimmed for the U.S. version) is also particularly nasty. The climax is also very chaotic, but an infamous, longer, extended heart-cutting scene has been rumored about for years, and apparently doesn't exist. Like in the U.S. prints, this business is accented by a newspaper headline describing the ghastly incident.

THE BLOOD SPATTERED BRIDE disc runs 101 minutes, roughly 20 minutes longer than the U.S. version that most of us have scene when MPI/Gorgon released it on video in the 80s. The extra time is allotted for the aforementioned gore and nudity, as well as some significant character development. Compared with the cropped Gorgon VHS tape, this disc (letterboxed at 1.85:1 and 16x9 enhanced) is a treasure, with beautiful, stable colors and a transfer from very clean source material. There is some minor grain and artifacting in darker scenes, but it is hardly noticeable. I am yet to see a Spanish horror film look totally glossy, but Anchor Bay's transfers of titles like this and CANNIBAL MAN, are still very praiseworthy. The sound is mono, and that's fine as well.

The disc also includes liner notes that spotlight director Aranda, although he did not work extensively in the genre. There is also an amusing U.S. trailer promoting BRIDE's double-bill pairing with I DISMEMBER MAMA. In 1974 (when this was released here), showmanship in the cinema was still alive, and the trailer depicts moviegoers outside the theater, being interviewed by a nosy TV news reporter. One nut is escorted out by the police while making obscene noises to the camera. Quite amusing! (George R. Reis)

 

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