The Werewolf Versus the Vampire Woman 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The Werewolf Versus the Vampire Woman 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 19, 2022

Paul Naschy had a dream, questing to share his love of genre entertainment with the world, making it his duty to help create pictures highlighting the struggles of monsters and madmen. For 1971’s “The Werewolf vs. The Vampire Woman,” Naschy (who stars and co-scripts with Hans Munkel) returns to play Waldemar Daninsky, offering his fifth take on the character and his struggles with lycanthropy, newly positioned in an old monastery that also houses the remains of an ancient vampiric witch who’s ready to conquer the world. Naschy loves to put on a creepy show, and “The Werewolf vs. The Vampire Woman” is suitably atmospheric and happy to showcase some graphic encounters. Like most Naschy productions, there’s not a rip-roaring level of suspense, but his dedication to reviving the Universal Horror and Hammer Films experience is interesting to watch, showing impressive commitment to slow-burn terror and exploitation.

Genevieve (Barbara Capell) and Elvira (Gaby Fuchs) are two students interested in the occult and history, making plans to visit a remote area of France once home to the witch Wandesa (Patty Shepard). Running out of gas near their destination, the women are greeted by Waldemar (Paul Naschy), a writer who lives in a castle near an old monastery. Offering the students a place to stay for a few days before they return to Paris, Waldemar confirms that Wandesa’s tomb is near, willing to search for the site with his guests, making a special connection with Elvira. While examining the tomb and a special silver cross inside the coffin, Genevieve cuts herself, dripping blood on Wandesa’s bones, which brings her back to life. Waldemar soon recognizes the rise of vampires in the area, and he has his own secret life as a werewolf looking to end his misery.

Waldemar is actually dead, or at least dormant, when “The Werewolf vs. The Vampire Woman” begins, left on a morgue table for two overly confident characters to study, making a key mistake when silver bullets are pulled out of his chest. Waldemar returns to his werewolf form once again, hiding out in a remote dwelling with his sister, Elizabeth (Yelena Samarina), who struggles with mental health issues. Genevieve and Elvira soon join the tale, with their curiosity about evil sending them to Waldemar’s neck of the woods, creating some interesting tension as the man of solitude tries to deal with two students engaged in dangerous research. They’re invited to dinner and sent to bed, but as horror films do, this isn’t the end of their story, with Elvira and Genevieve pushing to learn more about Wandesa, paying a visit to her tomb.

“The Werewolf vs. The Vampire Woman” has a compelling opening act, with director Leon Klimovsky aiming to generate atmosphere with the setting, and build a case of the creeps with the arrival of the vampire, who’s quickly joined by a slave, putting pressure on Waldemar to control the situation. There’s a silver cross that’s the key to everything and a special monster event on the horizon to settle the score, but there’s also time for romance. Waldemar isn’t a villain in “The Werewolf vs. The Vampire Woman,” he’s more of a tragic romantic figure, requiring the hand of love to end his suffering, with Elvira suddenly drawn to the mysterious man because the script indicates immediate attraction. Of course, Waldemar is a killer, but that’s not the point of this movie, which offers a softer version of the wolfman, who’s needed to squash a more malevolent threat.

Three versions of “The Werewolf vs. The Vampire Woman” are included on this set: the International Export “Nude” version (87:03, on UHD as well), the Spanish “Clothed” version (93:49, Blu-ray only), and the Spanish “Nude” Integral version (94:46, Blu-ray only).

The Werewolf Versus the Vampire Woman 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Screenshots are taken from the Blu-ray.

"The Werewolf vs. The Vampire Woman" comes UHD in an "International Export 'Nude' Version," which is sourced from a 35mm camera negative. Colors are vivid throughout, ranging from the bright primaries on period costumes to the more gothic touches of castle living and monster appearances, offering rich browns on the werewolf. Hues are sharp throughout the viewing experience, handling the varied palette comfortably, extending to deep blues skies and red blood. Skin tones are natural, on the living and the undead. Detail is excellent, surveying crisp facial surfaces and fine hairs on the creature. Costuming is fibrous. Castle tours are textured, examining the aged living space. Exteriors are dimensional, and interiors showcase period decoration and room depth. Highlights are tasteful, with warmer sun and bright lights. Delineation is satisfactory, preserving evening encounters. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in good condition, with some debris present and a few jumpy frames.

The Werewolf Versus the Vampire Woman 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix comes with English Dub and Spanish Language options. Both have their quirks (the English Dub has slightly different music at times), but dialogue exchanges are always intelligible, emerging with decent clarity and limited evidence of age. Scoring supports with satisfactory volume, delivering decent instrumentation on orchestral selections and slightly funkier tunes. Sound effects are blunt but effective, and atmospherics are acceptable, adding to the horror event.

The Werewolf Versus the Vampire Woman 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "The Man Who Saw Frankenstein Cry: Paul Naschy, The Life and Legend of a Horror Icon" (80:28, HD) is a feature-length discussion of the filmmaker's extended career from 2010, hosted by Mick Garris and featuring interviews with fans/collaborators such as John Landis, Joe Dante, Caroline Munro, Laura De Pedro, Del Howison, Jordi Grau, Antonio Mayans, Javier Aguirre, Victor Matellano, J.A. Perez Giner, Jack Taylor, Angel Sala, Nacho Cerda, Jose Luis Aleman, Miguel Iglesias, Angel Luis De Diego, Maria Jose Cantudo, Emilio A. Pina, Don F. Glut, Javier Botet, wife Elvira Primevera, and sons Sergio Molina and Bruno Molina.

• Interview (29:04, HD) is a discussion of Paul Naschy with his son, Sergio Molina. The interviewee recalls a loving parent who carried a deep fondness for movies, helping his children to appreciate cinema, including the Universal Monsters. Developing his taste for gruesome entertainment, Naschy found his way to the 1970s, when genre features were becoming the must-see offerings in Spain, helping to create many of the most popular titles. The creation of Waldemar Daninsky is explored, with Naschy playing the character in a string of releases. Molina recalls Naschy's career and his ways during filming, also sharing his own personal favorites from a filmography that included over 120 titles. Molina offers his joy over a rediscovery of Naschy's catalog, delighted that his dad's legacy continues on through various home video formats and television airings.

• Alternate Title and End Credit Sequences (7:17, HD & SD) are offered.

• Still Gallery (1:46) collects poster art, film stills, and publicity materials.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (3:14, HD) for alternate title "Werewolf Shadow" is included, along with a "The Werewolf vs. The Vampire Woman" Trailer (1:03, SD).

The Werewolf Versus the Vampire Woman 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Werewolf vs. The Vampire Woman" doesn't exactly build steadily to an explosive conclusion. It meanders at times, losing steam as it deals with romantic entanglements and additional characters, including Elvira's law enforcement boyfriend. It doesn't thunder down on viewers, but "The Werewolf vs. The Vampire Woman" has some sense of unease and a firm interest in delivering B-movie highlights to eager fans, adding another chapter to Naschy's book of genre reverence.