Have A Merry Naschy Christmas!!

NaschyCast #23.5 - The Return of Tim Lucas!

Once again we have the pleasure of bringing you a conversation with Tim Lucas. This time both Troy and I are able to sit down and delve deeply into three specific Paul Naschy movies. Tim is always gracious with his time, energy and thoughts often seeing elements your humble podcasters miss or simply barrel past. Of course, good critical insight is what you might anticipate when you realize that he has been writing about film and the horror genre for nearly four decades. While we aimed to stay focused on certain films, as you might expect, the talk turned to various subjects and none of us are above the occasional salacious joke or silly statement. Luckily Tim doesn’t mind when we Tennessee fellows go off on bizarre tangents or disagree with his assessment. We’ll have to name Mr. Lucas a sadly displaced Southern Gentleman as well as a fine Naschy scholar.

We hope you enjoy this romp through the Naschy-verse with Tim. Besides the three films under direct discussion the inevitable talk about Jess Franco is present as well as THE LEGEND OF BLOOD CASTLE; QUATERMASS AND THE PIT; the directorial style of David Cronenberg and its relation to Naschy; the talent of various Spanish actresses; as well as cannibal films and animal cruelty in art. Its always fun to talk with Tim about anything but these periodic Naschy dialogs are a great way to shake up the way we see these films and offer a fantastic challenge to our preconceived notions. I have to say that he's got me thinking hard about my impressions of BEAST AND THE MAGIC SWORD.

Remember you can drop us a message at naschycast@gmail.com or join us over on the Facebook page to put in your two cents worth. We're thrilled by the great feedback from listeners and it makes for a much more lively show. Let us know what your favorite Naschy film is and give us suggestions on other Spanish Horror films you'd like us to cover. Have a great Holiday week and we'll see you again in 2012!

NaschyCast #23 LINK

NaschyCast #23 - THE MARSHALL OF HELL (1974)

Not even computer melt downs, cold weather or the time pressures of the holiday season can keep your Naschy podcasters from their appointed rounds! This month we bring you bright shiny joy in the form of a swashbuckling tale bent about the legend of the infamous Gille de Rais. Full of derring do, evil machinations, swordplay, romance and cruel torture MARSHALL OF HELL is a bit of a surprise for both of us. It turns out to be a reworking of the classic Errol Flynn film THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD with Naschy taking the villain role. By combining aspects of the King John and Sheriff of Nottingham characters he creates in his ersatz Gille a sneering bad guy but still endows him with a guilt complex big enough to overwhelm the biggest ego. Naschy also throws in a hunt for the Philosopher's Stone and enough Satanic worship to justify the alternate title of DEVIL'S POSSESSED. Back in the director's chair is Leon Klimovsky who's films have received almost as much coverage in our show as Paul himself. We make note of the standard Klimovsky touches and are impressed that this time out he somehow got a score that is far above average.

So join us as we dissect this very entertaining film with our usual digressions and asides. Where else are you going to hear two detail oriented movie fans talk about THE HOUSE BY THE EDGE OF THE LAKE; point out the Lady MacBeth character in a Robin Hood rip-off; debate the tinting problems in shooting day -for-night; discuss the politics of the torture dungeon and the complex connections between power and corruption. Well- we also lament that the film has no nudity so don't think that we get too intellectual! For those that want to skip the serious spoilers, we dive into the mailbag at about the 2:33 mark for some back & forth about snarkiness in the podcasting world and the merits of making fun of movies we love. Please drop us a line at naschycast@gmail.com or join us on the NaschyCast Facebook page. We love hearing from our fellow fans and getting ideas for future episodes. As always the show is available on iTunes or at the Link below. Thanks!

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NaschyCast #22 - THE FRENCHMAN'S GARDEN (1978)

The Naschy Musk is strong in this one! THE FRENCHMAN’S GARDEN is a very rare film with no English language dub and almost no release outside of Spain making it very hard to obtain. Luckily for us it turns out to be one the best we have yet encountered from Naschy’s list of credits. Much like EL CAMINANTE this film is a different kind of tale than we’ve come to expect from the great Spanish horror filmmaker. Best described as a drama or crime film it relates the true story of Juan Andres Aldije (nicknamed The Frenchman) who ran an Inn that doubled as a gambling den and tripled as a whorehouse! Don’t ever say he was a less than ambitious businessman. All of those things might have been no big deal even in rural Spain but his side business of murdering rich travelers caused him some serious trouble eventually.

This is an excellent movie that, while far from being a horror film, has enough horror elements to make it clear what drew Naschy to the material. He said in an interview “I’ve watched it a number of times, and with what I now know about filmmaking, I’ve come to the conclusion that there is little more I could have done. Nothing is perfect, but this film, for me, is almost perfect. If not my best film, it is among the top two or three.” Neither of us can disagree with that assessment and we can only encourage others to seek out this hidden gem.

Our discussion ranges all over the place, as usual, with talk of Stephen Fry, THE WILD BUNCH, horror movie hosts of Nashville and Chattanooga, the allure of the charming bad guy and the plot elements that might have made this story a natural for Paul Naschy, scriptwriter. Remember that we spoil the film in detail so if you want to have a blind viewing of it but want to hear us answer emails you can skip to about the 2 hour mark. Yes- that means there is about 40 minutes of us going through the mailbag and talking about whatever you people asked about. If you’d like to get in on this segment please write us at naschycast@gmail.com and we’ll dig into your questions next time. And if you subscribe to the show through iTunes please consider leaving us a review or drop us a comment on the Naschycast Facebook page. Thanks to everyone for the love and encouragement. And once again we have to thank our amazing artist director Jeff Nelson. His stunning image above gives an idea of the sinister goings on and the dangers of a well tended but hidden garden. Maybe one day we'll let him see the films before he crafts us an image to represent it! Jeeze! Thanks!

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NaschyCast #21 - THE BEAST & THE MAGIC SWORD (1983)

In the past I have heard some fans of Naschy claim that THE BEAST AND THE MAGIC SWORD is one of his best movies. Having spent several hours going through the film with great attention to detail I’m ready to debate that idea and so is Troy. I personally believe that the reason for the reverence this one engenders is that for decades the only way to see it was in washed out, third generation video tapes that barely hinted at the perversity and violence onscreen. Now that it’s possible to see a clear, sharp version of the film its time to reevaluate and decide where this one falls on the mighty Daninsky scale. Is it one of the best Wolf Man movies of all time or…… something else?

No matter what side you come down on it cannot seriously be argued that this film lacks boldness. Starting in the year 938 we are finally shown the genesis of the Daninsky Curse that forces every seventh son born under a full moon to become a werewolf….. or was that every son born on the seventh full moon during…….. or one son every other generation or something. I say the Hell with it! THE BEAST AND THE MAGIC SWORD starts out in Europe but quickly moves the action to 16th century Japan for the world’s first werewolf vs. samurai battles. Ya gotta love that! This is a film that seeks to combine as many disparate ideas as possible into one big lycanthrope adventure and the different elements seem to only occasionally fit together smoothly. I’m still trying to forget the inclusion of freakin’ Ninjas in the story!

Join us as we chat this one to death with tangents into The Jungle Book, Riki-Tiki-Tavi, the Spanish Inquisition, masculine facial hair, long distance travel and well staged tiger fights. The discussion is our usual in depth, scene by scene dissection that goes on for longer than either of us thought probable or possible. The body of the show is two and a half hours long with the mailbag section stretching for the last forty minutes! I hope everyone likes long podcasts.

Remember to drop us a line at naschycast@gmail.com or talk to us over at the Facebook page. If you listen through iTunes please think about giving us a review there - five stars would be nice – and, as Troy says at the end of the episode, have a Happy Halloween!

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NaschyCast #20.5 - Beyond Naschy - COUNT DRACULA (1970)

Oh my goodness! Fall weather has arrived in Tennessee and for two Euro-Horror fanboys that can only mean one thing- its time to break out the Dracula adaptations and discuss! In our second Beyond Naschy show focused on Jess Franco we talk about his moderately successful version of Bram Stoker’s classic tale of terror, blood and Victorian manners. “No sex- we’re British!”

While the consensus on this film in fan circles seems to be mostly negative we find a number of laudable things onscreen even if we are unhappy with several odd elements. The fact that the three main stars are never even in the same room is a big problem but there are a number of fine qualities on view – and we don’t just mean the lovely faces of Maria Rohm and Soledad Miranda. As an attempt to mount a faithful adaptation of the novel, COUNT DRACULA deserves to be studied. It is certainly a fine chance to see Christopher Lee speechify haughtily as the Count digs his fangs into Dracula family history to justify his arrogance and natural right to do with lesser humans as he sees fit. Ah, the joys of a self-righteous aristocracy!

As you might expect, the conversation takes many digressions including various versions of the Dracula tale in film; our continuing obsession with actor’s facial hair; Troy’s lustful thoughts about Maria Rohm; my own lustful thoughts about Soledad Miranda; Jack Taylor’s emoting; Jess Franco’s Cockney accent; quality fangs and a number of other strange and wonderful subjects. Neither of us can remember the name of the author of The Memoirs of Elizabeth Frankenstein during the podcast- which is a shame as Theodore Roszak is a great writer and his brilliant novel Flicker should be read by any fan of genre fiction. I also can’t recall the name of director Gordon Hessler for some reason. For me to forget the name of the fellow responsible for THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD, THE OBLONG BOX, and SCREAM & SCREAM AGAIN is unforgivable! All this and we end the show with a lengthy discussion of our favorite Hammer films. See what you can get when you write in with a question!

Send any notes, queries, comments, complaints or praise to naschycast@gmail.com or post same on the NaschyCast Facebook page. Thanks for listening!

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NaschyCast #20 - VENGEANCE OF THE ZOMBIES (1973)

In this episode we follow Master Naschy into the world of Voodoo and check out the mad mystery born of crimes too hideous to explain in detail. Those used to the Romero style movie zombies will be surprised by these grave risen killers as they seek neither flesh nor brains to chew on and tend to only do what they are told. Rather well behaved for monsters, I guess. But that means that the thing to fear is the person creating the monsters and issuing the orders and that just might be our main man Paul Naschy- or it might be some other stocky guy running around London with wax effigies and jars of blood.

As we made clear in our comments at the end of the last episode we were not expecting VEGEANCE OF THE ZOMBIES to be a ‘good’ Naschy experience. Some listeners took us to task for that negativity but my memories of the film from my one previous viewing were less than stellar. Both Troy and I were surprised to discover that this is actually a pretty good, if flawed, horror tale with lots to recommend it. This is another Leon Klimovsky directed film and it has all the pluses and minuses associated with his work. It’s a spooky movie filled with amazing things and creepy ideas sandwiched in between some terrible scenes and lathered in a score that only occasionally seems to be appropriate to what you’re watching. Listen in as we remark on the oddest things, such as one character’s resemblance to Dr. Phibes; the possible deal Klimovsky got on rubber masks; the completely ignored live leopard sitting on a table in one scene; the romantic life of Hindu gurus; and the fact that London police have very strange crime scene practices. Also, we introduce our new sister podcast and we both manage to give the show’s name incorrectly! It’s called the Hello Doomed Show and we highly recommend checking it out. Visit the hosts over at Doomed Moviethone and tell’em we sent you!

Remember you can give us your thoughts anytime at naschycast@gmail.com and, like good southern gentlemen, we’re always glad to hear from you. Thanks for listening.

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NaschyCast #19.5 - Beyond Naschy - A VIRGIN AMONG THE LIVING DEAD (1973)

We bring back the Beyond Naschy episodes and take a cooling dip into the Jess Franco pool/pond/sewer with his haunting, beautiful A VIRGIN AMONG THE LIVING DEAD. Much has been written over the years about Franco’s oeuvre both pro and con. Aware of the possible pitfalls Troy and I try to give newcomers an idea of what to expect and how to approach this movie while exploring some of the things that make this particular film so interesting. Of course, we get off track a few times and discuss other subjects as well but overall we stay on topic this time out. Luckily this film allows for a lot of on point digression- how else could we talk about Fritz Lang, crappy VHS releases, lily pads, black phalluses, St. Cecil and the proper use of the zoom lens. One of the funnier things we note is that no matter how much the title may invoke images of shambling zombies there are none in sight- if you watch the correct version! This unfortunate expectation of undead flesh eaters is pointed out and played with in our image for the podcast. Artist Jeff Nelson took the title and created what it conjured in his imagination which perfectly illustrates why A VIRGIN AMONG THE LIVING DEAD may have been the wrong choice for a name. But was CHRISTINE, PRINCESS OF EROTICISM any better?

While some fans might point burgeoning Franco-philes to VENUS IN FURS, VAMPIRES LESBOS or FEMALE VAMPIRE as a better start point for his more difficult movies we both feel this film is the one more likely to garner a positive reaction. It sports some of the things that make his work challenging but it is also better paced and more visually inventive than those other movies. The scenes with Paul Muller as Christine’s father are cinematically brilliant and well worth seeing for any film fan. So settle in and let us try to lead you down the dangerous path of actually enjoying a Jess Franco film. You may never be the same again!

Write us at nachycast@gmail.com and grab the show from iTunes or at the link below.

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NaschyCast #19 - EXORCISM (1975)

I almost feel that we should apologize for the length of this episode- it comes very close to the three hour mark even though I made a real effort to keep our discussion tight. Clearly it’s just not meant to be. Still- no one has yet complained about the longer shows so maybe the fact that we don’t put out an episode a week allows us to get away with it. If you think we’re getting a bit too long winded please let us know. I can promise that the Beyond Naschy shows will stay much shorter. Really!

We start our dissection of EXORCISM by addressing the elephant in the room- THE EXORCIST. We both greatly admire the Friedkin film and share a brief list of our favorite 1970s horror movies. From there we talk about this rare heroic role for Naschy, the significance of his beard and I tearfully lament the unwanted knowledge of his receding hairline. There are a lot of interesting elements in this movie and I think we manage to hit on most of them although we both stumble when we try to remember the correct word when discussing diegetic music. You’d think two movie geeks such as we would have been able to pull that one up out of our memories with ease! Not even great musical skill can make the old brain function some days. One major area that Troy and I feel a little uncertain about is the details of the Anglican denomination and its rituals and ceremonies. It appears to be very similar to Catholicism but that could just reflect Naschy’s own religious background rather than anything else. Anyone with direct knowledge is welcome to educate us poor, backwoods boys.


Once again our favorite Spanish Horror star is surrounded by beautiful females including Maria Perschy, Grace Mills, Maria Kosty and that bitch Bork the dog. All of them do a fine job but only a couple of them model two piece swimwear. I guess you can’t have everything. Please write to us at naschycast@gmail.com to let us know how we’re doing or if you have any suggestions for keeping the show shorter. We read all our mail and check in on the Facebook page regularly. Thanks!




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NaschyCast #18.5 - Tim Lucas Interview!

One of the best things about doing a podcast of this type is the chance to discuss in detail the more obscure movies we love. From the start Troy and I felt that it would be great to get others to join us in digging into Paul Naschy’s films to add to the overwhelming wall of our babble. We’ve been trying to get more folks in the mix in various ways including reading and responding to emails as part of the show but the opportunity to sit down and talk directly with other fans of Naschy is always preferred. With episode 18.5 we present what we hope will be just the first in a series of interviews with notable fans speaking about their encounters with Naschy’s movies, Spanish Horror in general and whatever other films that get brought to mind.

Tim Lucas is the man we generally refer to as the Video Watchdog if, for no other reason, he is the prime mover (along with his charming wife Donna) of the 20 year old magazine of that name. He is the man I can most blame for my repeated dips into the Jess Franco pool of sinema because without his strong defense of the man’s work I’d have written him off long before I encountered many of the films I’ve grown to love. Although Tim’s contributions to genre film criticism can’t be underestimated the work he’ll no doubt be remembered for is his massive book about the life and films of Mario Bava. Entitled ‘Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark’ it was truly a labor of love. This gorgeous tome was the result of decades of research and interviews but it is brilliantly boiled down to a thousand (!) pages of fascinating reading. It really is a must for any fan of the maestro’s films. The book has so much information about so many movies that at times it seems to be almost too much. I like that!

Luckily Tim also loves Naschy and his work although, as you’ll hear, he often has a very different take on certain movies than your humble podcasters. So join us for about ninety minutes of geeky horror talk about Waldemar Daninksy, Spanish Horror and whatever else seems remotely connected. Let us know your thoughts at naschycast@gmail.com or in the comments below. Enjoy!

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NaschyCast #18 - THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE DARK (1976)

NaschyCast 18 is coming right at ya! We dip into director Leon Klimovsky’s work again for this very good film that just seems to get better with the passage of time. A strong story is ably assisted by a strong cast including Alberto de Mendoza, Antonio Mayans, Maria Perschy and the luminous Julia Saly. Also in the film as our ‘Final Girl’ is Nadiuska who exudes sexuality and went on to play Conan’s doomed mother in John Milius’ CONAN THE BARBARIAN. I meant to bring that up in the podcast and completely forgot! Our man Naschy plays criminal businessman, gun runner, drug trafficker and all around jerk Borne/Bruno/Warner or whatever his character is called in whichever version of the film you see. Even as a member of a talented ensemble he stands out and, one could argue, comes off as a better actor than in some movies he scripted himself.

Troy and I ruminate on possible Drive-In co-features, the wisdom of overdressing for the apocalypse, living through the Cold War, rooting for unlikable characters, the history of the phone as a communication device, black & white giant ants and the satisfaction of a non-happy ending. If we ever had doubts about covering this film they were quickly dismissed when we were able to compare the shorter English language version with the longer Spanish cut. We both feel the extra scenes strengthen an already good movie and are curious to hear what others think on the subject. To weigh in drop us a note at naschycast@gmail.com or pin a message to the NaschyCast Facebook page.


Hey! We've been doing this for a year and a half now! Wow.

NaschyCast #18

NaschyCast #17.5 - Caroline Munro Interview!

This is a very special episode. Since most of Paul Naschy’s collaborators are European natives our chances of getting the opportunity to sit down and talk to one of his co-stars about their experiences are slim. We’ve got a lot of questions about what it was like working with our favorite werewolf but our trips to Spain, France, England and Italy are few and far between. Luckily the lovely Caroline Munro makes a few convention appearances on this side of the Atlantic each year. After realizing that she would be in Louisville, KY in May we quickly made the decision to try to get her on the record about her time filming HOWL OF THE DEVIL. We expected a long, difficult experience ending in bitter disappointment and harsh recriminations that might well destroy the harmonious thing that is the NaschyCast. Surely it would be supremely hard to get an interview with one of my favorite cult actresses. Surely scores of PR people would line up to prevent easy access to the lady I’ve been in love with since my first viewing of THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD. How wrong we were! Miss Munro was more than willing to talk about her time working with Naschy and I was even able to ask a few questions about her little seen second collaboration with STARCRASH director Luigi Cozzi THE BLACK CAT (1989).


We can’t thank Caroline enough for letting us bug her about these often overlooked gems. She could not have been nicer, more accommodating or more giving with her time. It’s always amazing to meet one of your idols and its even better when they turn out to be genuinely wonderful people. Remember to drop us a line at naschycast@gmail.com and let us know what you think.

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NaschyCast #17 - ASSIGNMENT TERROR (1970)

ASSIGNMENT TERROR turns out to be a direct sequel to THE MARK OF THE WOLFMAN which surprises both of your humble hosts. We should have looked that tidbit up before we pushed record, huh? It just doesn’t seem that it should be a direct follow up since its more than 45 minutes before Daninsky even has a line of dialog! Well anyway- hang with Troy and I as we stagger our way through this funhouse of mirrors and monsters with a few side shifts into discussions of Star Trek, Pink Floyd album titles, mispronounced creature names, pesky emotions and the joys of mini-skirts. It’s a bumpy ride because we get a much compromised Monster Mash that did not turn out quite the way Naschy hoped it might. Cheesy, slap-dash, messy and goofy as it can be the film is far from the best in his filmography but it has its points of interest. It sports two great monster battles and several beautiful ladies while moving at a brisk pace. Of course, at times this speedy pace seems to come from having whole chunks of the narrative ripped out! Although Daninsky is a featured player he is certainly not the main character in this pulp science fiction story which points to the strange elements any fan has to notice. What kind of Waldemar Daninksy film doesn’t give our tortured Wolf Man any dialog for the first half of the running time? Still, the movie is at its best when the monsters are onscreen creeping around the Gothic styled dungeons of the castle/monastery so those are the moments when the entire thing pays off. Monster fights!

Remember to drop us a note at naschycast@gmail.com or write on the NaschyCast Facebook wall to let us know your thoughts on ASSIGNMENT TERROR or which Jess Franco film we should cover. The show can be downloaded below or grabbed on iTunes. Thanks!

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NaschyCast #16 - HUMAN BEASTS (1980)

As Naschy entered the 1980s his creative vision took on a darker tinge. Feeling that he had been betrayed by business partners and friends alike he began to see the world in a much more negative light and the movies he produced in this period reflect that. HUMAN BEASTS is a good example of him both stretching into types of storytelling he was less known for and strongly presenting his increasingly pessimistic viewpoint. So intent on making his case he may have overshot the mark for some viewers by underlining some aspects of human nature too heavily but luckily the film remains entertaining even when it becomes a bit too unsubtle. Naschy described this film as a tale of ‘devourers, where in one manner or another, everyone is devoured among themselves.’ In his autobiography he states that he was very pleased with the film ‘which, like EL CAMINANTE, sums up my position as regards human behavior.’ Having now watched those two film within just a few weeks of each other I think I would do well to watch a marathon of Looney Tunes just to reorient my outlook on life! Whoa!

Troy and I have a good time dissecting this one. We each find problems and strengths in both the broad strokes of the story and the peculiar details that sometimes seem absolutely pointless. Fascinating and dark, HUMAN BEASTS is a good film but neither of us feel its one of his best works. It shows an ability to stretch both behind the camera and in front of it that should have made the 1980's another series of cinematic triumphs for Naschy. That his luck and the vagaries of fate were to hamstring his career by the middle of the decade might be seen as the natural outgrowth of the cynical view of life on display here. Still, for any fan it is essential viewing and quite rewarding as a study in its variations on themes he had worked with a few times before.


Please let us know your thoughts on the show, Paul Naschy and which Jess Franco film we should cover in our next Beyond Naschy episode. Write us at naschycast@gmail.com or drop us a comment on the Naschycast Facebook page. Thanks to everyone for the encouragement. This is a labor of love but it is still work.

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iTunes LINK 

NaschyCast #15.5 - Beyond Naschy- TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD (1971)

If I was forced to choose my favorite horror film produced in Spain during the 1970s I think I would point to this one. As great as I think many of Paul Naschy’s movies are TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD is so good in so many ways that it stands out as a truly brilliant example of how to take an idea that could be silly and turn it into something grand. With this movie Amando de Ossorio created the greatest monsters of the decade in the undead Templar Knights and he manages to bring a great concept, sinister atmosphere, a haunting score and a creepy setting together in a mesmerizing 97 minutes of sheer Euro-Trash joy. Easily one of the most important horror movies of the past 50 years it is a must see and I can also recommend the three sequels. Strangely, while the Blind Dead films can be seen as zombie movies I have to admit that I never thought of them that way until someone else pointed to the fact that the undead Knights Templar are obviously of that genre. I always just thought of them as their very own ‘type’ of monster with their own rules and drives. I guess that points to the unique nature of TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD. It’s such a singular piece of cinema it took me years to think of what might have influenced it rather than what others drew from it. Troy and I spend a long time discussing this classic – maybe too long- and try to touch on most of the obvious points of interest. Trying to keep the lustful drooling over the lovely ladies in the cast to minimum is hard but mad morgue attendants and Bava-esque lighting keep us distracted from the feminine beauty long enough to remind us of our obligations to our listeners. We both love the movie and have a personal connection to it as it shaped our fascination with Euro-Horror in much the same way as Paul Naschy’s work. Please be aware that we try not to spoil the movie but I’m sure we give away some of the more shocking elements as we talk. Enjoy the show and please let us know what you think about the Blind Dead, Paul Naschy and anything else you want at naschycast@gmail.com and check us out on Facebook as well. Yes! The long awaited Naschycast Facebook page is up and running! Drop on by and ‘like’ the show to let us know you’re out there. NaschyCast 15.5 LINK

NaschyCast #15 - EL CAMINANTE (1979)

Maybe the last thing we expected when we watched EL CAMINANTE (a.k.a. THE TRAVELLER) was that we would discover one of Naschy’s best movies. That it is also an incredibly funny, bawdy, cynical and darkly incisive view of how the world works was a revelation. The last time we strayed away from his horror output we were cursed by CRIMSON but this time we struck blessed gold! Naschy described EL CAMINANTE as the most personal and sensitive of all his films and it was also one of his most critically lauded works. Looked at as a morality play it is brilliant and as a sharp critique of the ethical deficiencies of mankind it is excellent. As writer, director and star Naschy uses the classic tale of the Devil travelling the world to explore his own philosophy of life while never losing sight of the need to make an entertaining story. Even as the fable becomes more disturbing, reflecting his unfortunate disillusionment with people, the film retains its engaging spirit. The story’s episodic nature keeps it unpredictable and fun with one adventure leading to the next as each of the seven deadly sins gets its moment on stage. It may just be that my own view of life lines up pretty closely with Naschy’s but I found a lot with which to identify in this film and I feel that it is easily one of his finest works. Graced with fantastic dialog, fine performances, a good score and a creator in full flower EL CAMINANTE is a true classic that should be seen by anyone with an interest in quality cinema. This is our most surprising discovery from Naschy’s filmography yet and I recommend that everyone seek it out.

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For more information about one of the many stories Naschy adapted into this film check out this page about El Buscon. And you can write us at naschycast@gmail.com.

NaschyCast #14.5 - Beyond Naschy- THE STRANGE LOVES OF THE VAMPIRE (1975)

We’re back with our second Beyond Naschy mini-episode in which we talk about…well… a lot of things actually, but we try to stay on topic. The IMDb lists THE STRANGE LOVES OF THE VAMPIRE as a 1977 release but it turns out that Phil Hardy’s guide to horror films claims it as a 1975 film so your guess is as good as ours. I think it is likely that the film debuted in the US in 1977 and Europe two years earlier making both dates accurate depending on your location. Further complicating things is that in the US the film was given the misleading title of NIGHT OF THE WALKING DEAD! I suspect that drive-in patrons in ’77 expecting a zombie movie, maybe even a sequel to NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, had to feel disappointment but I can’t imagine the sight of the frequently nude Emma Cohen made the men in the audience unhappy. Wowsa!

Only available as a bootleg sourced from a Dutch VHS tape (I mistakenly say Turkish in the show!) with subtitles hardcoded onto the screen this turns out to still be a film well worth hunting down. Although we complain a lot about the crappy print quality the film’s strengths win us over and it joins my long list of movies that need a good DVD release. Settle in and listen as we try not to spoil the movie while praising its finer points, and we don’t mean just the several sets of impressive nipples on display. Write us at naschycast@gmail.com and let us know what you think of our efforts.

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iTunes Link 

NaschyCast #14 - THE HUNCHBACK OF THE MORGUE (1973)

The good, the bad and the primordial! Naschy called HUNCHBACK ‘one of the best Spanish Fantastic Films of all time’ and who are we to argue? Among the many awards heaped on this standout film was Naschy’s first acting prize- the George Melies Award for best actor and his beautiful, sensitive performance is only one of many reasons to see this classic. Of course, this being a horror film, Naschy’s sad character Gotho is more than able to dish out the violence when pushed. This leads to some of the strongest gore of any of his movies with heads flying from shoulders, intestines spilling across floors and medieval torture implements doing what they were designed to do. And did I mention the unrequited love and unexpected romance angle? Ah, yes! This one has something for everyone so gather the family around the screen and lets enjoy this tale of sad outcasts, mad scientists, ineffectual cops and Lovecraftian monsters. It’s one of the best tasting stews that Spain will ever cook up!

The show can be grabbed at the link below or subscribed to over at the iTunes store. Drop us a note at naschycast@gmail.com and give us your rankings of the the films we've covered so far. The mailbag segment is really turning out to be one of the most fun sections of the show! And thanks to Dan for the cool image below. If only we looked that good while recording the show.

 


NaschyCast #14 LINK

NaschyCast #13.5 - Beyond Naschy - I HATE MY BODY (1974)

In our first ‘Beyond Naschy’ episode we take a look at Leon Klimovosky’s bizarre gender switch film I HATE MY BODY (1974). To call this a strange film is to undervalue the concept of weird cinema. I have no idea how folks who might have seen this movie at a drive-in theater in the 1970s actually reacted but I can guess that stunned shock would be at least a fairly common response. Until I can dig up a detailed interview with director Klimovsky we will just have to speculate on the reasons for choosing such an outlandish story but that doesn’t stop us from enjoying ourselves and it shouldn’t stop you either. We make sure to not spoil too much of this hard-to-find bit of sleazy Euro-trash even as our discussion rambles all over the place. We talk about the use and misuse of voiceovers, the definition of lesbian sex and the choice of pet names in a relationship. Please forgive my occasional cough as I work my way through a headcold and be glad that, unlike Troy, you weren’t in the room when I had to blow my nose. We can be reached at naschycast@gmail.com and the podcast can be found on iTunes. We look forward to your thoughts.

NaschyCast # 13.5

NaschyCast #13 - FURY OF THE WOLFMAN (1970)

Rarely have we been as confused, flabbergasted and frustrated as we were by FURY OF THE WOLFMAN even though we went into this one with our eyes wide open, knowing full well that Naschy himself hated the film and decried what was done to his script. We weren’t completely surprised but it is still a kick in the head to watch the film ramble itself apart. Trying to figure out what might have been intended is kind of fascinating which probably explains why we babbled for over two hours about what has to be labeled the weakest of the Waldemar Daninksy films.

We attempt to understand what the hell is happening as ideas are brought up and dropped, characters slip in and out of the film randomly and crypt orgies are popped indiscriminately throughout the second half. Plant monsters, werewolf sex, Nazi scientists and the question of crazy love possibly being ‘true love’ are all topics that we discuss as we navigate this muddled misadventure.

You'll hear the film start to take its toll on us near the end as our stated goal of mentioning the good things in the movie begins to wear us down. But there is a female werewolf! Strap in and join us if you dare! The email address is naschycast@gmail.com and we'd love to hear from you.

NaschyCast #13- LINK

NaschyCast #12.5 - Looking Back & Forward

For the first time in a while we give you a bonus episode! Now that we've completed a full year of podcasts Troy and I take a breath, relax and look back at the dozen Naschy films we've covered so far. We rank them from worst to best and debate the relative merits of each film once again in relation to Naschy's career and our own reactions to them. Troy's hatred for mummies still shines as his largest film-lover's failure but I have assurances that if I keep forcing him to rewatch VENGEANCE OF THE MUMMY he will eventually relent. The hardest part is propping open his eyes with the little toothpicks.

We also take a look into our mailbag and read out a few recent missives. It's a lot of fun to hear from our fellow Naschy fans and we learn some amazing things from this batch of emails. Keep'em coming to naschycast@gmail.com and let us know if you'd rather not have your words read out on the show. Thanks!


NaschyCast 12.5 LINK

NaschyCast #12 - PANIC BEATS (1983)

For episode #12 we lurch back into the 1980s for Naschy’s horrific variation on a couple of classic old stories. Of course, since it’s filtered through Spanish Horror the nastiness is severe, the relationships complicated and the violence bloody. With PANIC BEATS we see that Naschy’s love for classic stories ranges wider than just monster films or stereotypical horror fiction. His openness to different styles of imaginative tales is one of the things that made him so versatile a filmmaker able to make several different kinds of films. This movie shows him moving from the creature features of his 1970s period into a more a intricate form of thriller he may have hoped his career would gravitate toward as he aged. This, of course, was not to be, but this film shows that he had the capacity to craft such tales and it is disheartening that he rarely got the chance to make more with this kind of creative control.

In a nice change and for the first time Naschy plays a man called Paul, which allows Troy and I to talk about him as director, actor, writer and icon without flipping between different names and confusing each other. This episode is looser than our usual show. We range a little wider than normal and don’t stop ourselves from traveling down some tangential paths when they pop up. I had no idea I would include a mini-review of CANNIBAL TERROR in an episode of NaschyCast but Troy brought it up and I just had to unload. I suspect this might make things more fun but if not I’m sure listeners will let us know.

Employing his usual modus operandi the mighty Naschy beds multiple women and plays more than one role which gives his fans even more to love. As with so many of his scripts it’s the female characters that get the most to do. We see nearly every type of emotion from four actresses as they cope with medical problems, plot evil acts, grieve, bemoan their dire fates, demand what’s coming to them and suffer the consequences of their actions. From Naschy we see the evil that men do and the harsh retribution they that deserve and dish out. Strap on your armor- its gonna be a bloody knight! Drop us a line at naschycast@gmail.com to set us straight or defend your love of CANNIBAL TERROR.

NaschyCast #12 LINK

iTunes LINK 

NaschyCast #11 - BLUE EYES OF THE BROKEN DOLL (1973)

Oh my goodness! Naschy tries his hand at the giallo genre and hits one out of the park. In this episode we celebrate and analyze this thriller with more twists and turns than a mountain road. BLUE EYES OF THE BROKEN DOLL is a stylish but sleazy murder mystery sure to keep you guessing up until the final scene. Naschy places his character Gilles in a bad spot as a man with personal demons of the mind and a nasty past and in a good place surrounded by a group of beautiful sisters. But is it a good place or a dangerous spot? When the cast features four of the most beautiful ladies working in Euro-Trash film in the early 1970s it’s a good place for us at least! Naschy squeezes udders, chops wood, rakes yards and does other things that might be considered sexual metaphors while the color red dances through his life. How many of the siblings will Gilles seduce? How many times will he be threatened with violence? How often will he have to take off his shirt to get his hard work done? Oh my!

Troy & I sing the praises of the high quality work involved and lament (repeatedly) the execrable score that attempts to undermine nearly every one of the story's emotional highlights. If a film can be said to be deeply flawed but still brilliant then BLUE EYES OF THE BROKEN DOLL fits that description. As we dissect the film the attentive listener might ask many questions, such as - How many times will I mispronounce Gilles’ name? How often will the Blind Dead movies be mentioned? When will we break down and do a podcast on I HATE MY BODY? What is the connection this film has to both Hitchcock and the Coen Brothers? The answers to some of these are waiting within. I won't tell you which ones but you can download the show from HERE . You can also contact us at naschycast@gmail.com and subscribe through iTunes. Thanks!



NaschyCast #11 LINK

iTunes LINK 

NaschyCast #10 - WEREWOLF SHADOW (1971)

After putting it off for months we finally take aim at one of Naschy’s best known and most beloved Waldemar Daninsky tales. Mostly seen in the US on television under its alternate title of THE WEREWOLF VS THE VAMPIRE WOMEN it’s a film near and dear to fans for its sexy bloodsuckers as well as its monster battle. It sports the usual mix of romantic angst, tragic fate, and gory throat ripping violence all whipped together into a heady, unique creature feature that could only have been produced in the swinging 70s. While far from perfect it has more than enough horror entertainment value to keep most anyone staring at the screen – often in amazement and sometimes in complete confusion. But as with most Naschy scripts the story does eventually make a sort of mad sense and this scary suspense tale finds multiple ways to satisfy its audience.

This was the first time Naschy worked with director Leon Klimovsky and his skill makes WEREWOLF SHADOW a truly mesmerizing visual effort. He’s able to craft a fantastic dreamlike/nightmarish feel to many sequences that give the entire film a haunting quality. The cast is strong and the lovely ladies are very good but I’m really surprised old Waldemar only manages to sleep with one of them. It’s like he wasn’t even trying! The same can’t be said of his acting performance, though. Naschy is very good throughout with his ability to emote getting better and better as he learned his craft on the job. His earnest work here points toward the great work he would do over the course of the next few years.

Among the astonishing things we learn in this episode is that there is more than one way to kill a vampire; that neck meat is the tastiest kind of meat; that mini-skirted women roam the French woodlands at all hours of the night; that full moons don’t necessarily come in threes and for some reason Satan fears werewolves.

Please drop us a line at nashcycast@gmail.com and tell us how we're doing.


NaschyCast #10 LINK

iTunes LINK

NaschyCast #9.5 - Werewolf Giveaway!

It’s an October surprise you can be happy about! Troy and I return briefly to let you in on some Naschy news and to expand on our ideas about COUNT DRACULA’S GREAT LOVE. That’s right! You only thought we’d talked enough about that film but after we recorded episode 8 new information came to light that clarifies some of the problems of its production. Its fascinating stuff and we’ve added a couple of other good things to make this .5 show a fun listen. We can be reached for comment at naschycast@gmail.com and the first five minutes of the forthcoming documentary called THE MAN WHO SAW FRANKENSTEIN CRY can be seen at this LINK!

As usual the show can be downloaded from HERE or from Podcast Alley or iTunes. Check it out! You’ll be glad you did.

NaschyCast 9.5 LINK