Plot: What’s it about?
Gustavo is madly in love with the beautiful Ofelia, but their promising romance is dampened to a point of frustration. Ofelia wishes to introduce her beau to her parents, but Gustavo is unwilling to proceed with that plan. He won’t explain his reasons for refusal either, which makes Ofelia even more upset. Soon enough, she leaves him behind and finds love in the arms of another, though her life isn’t free of Gustavo just yet. On her wedding night, he crashes into the picture and takes her for himself, but in a most unusual fashion. His reason for not being more social is now obvious, for he is a vampire and now so is Ofelia. This was not something she desired, but Gustavo forced her into the realm of vampiric immortality. As time passes, the two forge a bond and in the present day, both remain as blood thirsty as ever. So when a group of hippies run out of gas and need some shelter, the two vampires await with open mouths. The teens are even warned that the house is haunted, but no bother, as it is a much needed place to crash. Ofelia sees a chance to regain her mortal presence, while Gustavo senses some fresh blood. As the night rolls on, sex and violence surface in copious amounts, as well as doom for some of those involved. But can anyone survive a chaotic night in this eerie abode?
You haven’t truly experienced vampiric cinema until you’ve seen this film, Emilio Vieyra’s Blood of the Virgins. This movie could only have come from the mind of Vieyra, who also helmed such schlock epics as The Curious Dr. Humpp and Feast of Flesh. Blood of the Virgins has the usual Vieyra elements, such as a wooden cast, thin writing, and low productions, but most of all, it is a blast to watch. I had a dozen or so people over to screen Blood of the Virgins, some of whom were horror buffs and some weren’t. But everyone had a hoot as we watched, some laughed at the flaws, others winced at all the blood, but we all had a great experience. You can’t take this movie seriously, even for a second, or else you miss the point. Blood of the Virgins is all about campish horror, the kind of movies critics crush and mainstream audiences dismiss. If you’re like me however, always on the hunt for unusual horror cinema, this a rare jewel. A lot of traditional horror elements are in play, such as the youngsters running out of gas, venturing to an eerie mansion, and then of course, drugs and sex in liberal doses, but this is not your usual horror picture. In case you’re a gorehound, you’ll find some bloodshed here and even naked women. So if you’re at all a fan of horror or offbeat cinema, then Blood of the Virgins can’t be missed.
Video: How does it look?
Blood of the Virgins is presented in full frame. I have no clue as to the intended aspect ratio, but given Mondo Macabro’s devotion to previous releases, I have to assume that the film is shown as intended. This transfer was created with original negative elements and without question, this is a winner in all respects. The print has some light specks here and there, but looks very clean and much better than I anticipated. There is minimal softness to mention, which is impressive, since the movie was shot with little resources. I found colors to be full, without much fading and contrast seemed up to snuff as well. Some scenes look better than others, but on average, this is a more than solid visual treatment.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original Spanish soundtrack is preserved, via a passable, but worn mono soundtrack. This type of material doesn’t call for much in terms of dynamic sound, so the mono format is more than adequate in all respects. The dialogue is crisp, with no harshness or separation issues in the least. The sound effects have no problems either, as they come across in distinct and clear fashion. I found very little distortion present and the usual mono hiss is thankfully absent. You can tell this was a low budget production of course, but this soundtrack is still more than acceptable. This disc also includes optional English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The best supplement here is a half hour featurette on Argentinean horror cinema, which was a pleasure to watch. The piece is well edited and contains numerous interviews and of course, clips from assorted pictures. So you can find out some cool tidbits about the nation’s cinema and at the same time, check out some naked beauties. This disc also includes some still photos, a text essay on Vieyra’s films, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
