In Bumbasa, Africa, in 1910, a jungle tribe ritualistically murders a sexy young woman. In short order, they are all massacred by a bunch of dudes in pith helmets. Over 60 years later, a team of researchers come to the area to document endangered species. They soon discover that the voodoo legends of the area are not to be ignored.
"The Night of the Sorcerers" finds its writer / director, Amando de Ossorio, in good form, although it's not as thickly atmospheric and utterly gloomy as his "Blind Dead" series. It may strike some viewers as slow to start, but it really delivers the goods in its second half. Certainly it ticks off some of its exploitation requirements in able fashion: sex, nudity, gore. The ladies present - Kali Hansa, Maria Kosty, Loreta Tovar, and Barbara Rey - are all powerfully attractive. Simon Andreu is a hunky leading man, and the great Jack Taylor, a very familiar face to any lover of Spanish horror, is good as always. In general, the acting is acceptable.
There's some good, fun stuff in this, although this reviewer will opt not to go into too much detail. Still, there are a couple of effective decapitations, and a fair amount of the red stuff flows before all is said and done. Although shot in Spain instead of Africa (with the expected use of stock footage), the locations make an okay substitute, and help give the film a pleasing look. It's gorgeously photographed by Francisco Sanchez and nicely scored by Fernando Garcia Morcillo.
There's nothing truly great here, but it's still well worth ones' time.
Seven out of 10.
"The Night of the Sorcerers" finds its writer / director, Amando de Ossorio, in good form, although it's not as thickly atmospheric and utterly gloomy as his "Blind Dead" series. It may strike some viewers as slow to start, but it really delivers the goods in its second half. Certainly it ticks off some of its exploitation requirements in able fashion: sex, nudity, gore. The ladies present - Kali Hansa, Maria Kosty, Loreta Tovar, and Barbara Rey - are all powerfully attractive. Simon Andreu is a hunky leading man, and the great Jack Taylor, a very familiar face to any lover of Spanish horror, is good as always. In general, the acting is acceptable.
There's some good, fun stuff in this, although this reviewer will opt not to go into too much detail. Still, there are a couple of effective decapitations, and a fair amount of the red stuff flows before all is said and done. Although shot in Spain instead of Africa (with the expected use of stock footage), the locations make an okay substitute, and help give the film a pleasing look. It's gorgeously photographed by Francisco Sanchez and nicely scored by Fernando Garcia Morcillo.
There's nothing truly great here, but it's still well worth ones' time.
Seven out of 10.