• Wide Release
• Director: Gerardo de Leon
• Written by: Pierre L. Salas, Ben Feleo
• Running Time: 90 minutes
• Language: Filipino
• MPAA Rating: PG - Parental Guidance Suggested
• Cast: Amalia Fuentes, Romeo Vasquez, Eddie Garcia, Mary Walter, Johnny Monteiro, Rosario del Pilar, Francisco Cruz, Quiel Mendoza, Luz Angeles, Andres Benitez, Tessie Hernandez, Linda Rivera, Paquito Salcedo

It might be easy to dismiss Gerardo de Leon’s “Curse Of The Vampires” (aka “Blood of the Vampires”, “Creatures of Evil” and “Whisper to the Wind”) as just so much Filipino sixties b-movie trash, but upon closer inspection, one might want to reassess. Considered "the Master," Gerardo De Leon garnered seven Filipino Academy of Movie Arts Awards, the most in that country's history. His filmic tapestry is as rich as it is textured, and boasts some of the finest Filipino movies ever made. Steeped in a sense of history of the Philippines (circa 1800’s), “Curse of the Vampires” is content to stew in the post-Spanish colonialism era, inside dank, under lit castles where wealthy aristocratic types, holdovers from another time, exist in an ever-increasing insulation. By filming mostly inside -- on stage-like set pieces, de Leon coveys that sense of claustraphobia and incestuous isolation perfectly.

Vampirism is the curse that feudal lord Don Enrique Escudero (Johnny Monteiro) has had to bare for many years, and hiding it from his children, now fully grown, is something he finds himself incapable of. Upon their return home from their studies abroad, brother Eduardo (Eddie Garcia) and sister Leonore (Amalia Fuentes) are quick to reunite themselves with the locals at a rousing party, however, when Eduardo overhears some moaning coming from the basement, things suddenly take a bizarre turn. Almost immediately, Don Enrique, suffering with a bad heart, places a appendix in his will stating that, upon his death, the Escudero estate must be burned to the ground. Eduardo objects, that is until pop reluctantly fills him in on the little family curse, namely that his mom is a vampire. Don Enrique, it turns out, has kept his wife Dona (Mary Walter) locked away in a coffin in the basement of the castle. Dona, tucked away for so long, has become almost animal-like, and her cries for blood, fill the night air like cricket chirps. Enrique, sadly, has been forced to whip her (a de Leon trademark) until she capitulates by crawling back into her coffin. The curse is the central reason why Don Enrique has denied permission for his daughter to marry long-time boyfriend, Daniel (Romeo Vasquez), a local boy and gentle soul who loves Leonore so much that he actually promises to be there for her, even after he has died.

Beset with grief, Eduardo visits his mother in the basement, and is rightfully shocked by what she has become. In a curious moment, he tosses away his crucifix, allowing his mother’s maternal instincts to override her current state, sadly, it doesn’t happen and she bites him on the neck. Afterwards, his mother, now completely feral, attempts to escape and is quickly dispatched by the father and the servants. Upon being confronted by Eduardo, Don Enrique dies in a tragic accident, thus setting into motion Eduardo’s hasty rise to power. His first course of action is to disobey his father’s last will and testament, by allowing the castle to stand. Eduardo’s mental state begins to diminish as the more primal vampire impulses take hold. Sexually, he finds himself desiring both his sibling as well as Daniel's little sister Christina (Rosario del Pilar), someone of which he quickly ‘turns’, and then commands nothing but total servitude from.

Leonore, the symbolic virgin Mary, finds herself acquiescing to the family curse until Daniel steps in and attempts to free her. Eduardo overhears their plan for escape, and sabotages their horse drawn carriage, sending it careening off a mountainside. Upon being rescued, Leonore is horrified to learn that Daniel has died, but, as it turns out, he makes good on his pre-marriage oath, by appearing from beyond the grave as a ghost to protect Leonore, including fencing with a dazed and frightened Eduardo. In the end, a mob of angry villagers holding flaming torches and the usual Catholic paraphernalia surround the castle, quarantine the remaining Escudero’s inside, and then set fire to it. In an interesting twist, it is the patriarch’s right hand man, a humble servant seen throughout the film, that sparks the initial fire – his penance for a lifetime of helping the Escuderos, I'm thinking.

Eddie Garcia (1973's "Beyond Atlantis") made a career of playing bad guys and in the role of Eduardo, he proves that he's gotten it down to a fine art. What a devious character he plays -- lathering it up with some real depth. The scene with his mother in the basement, is nearly heartbreaking. It's interesting to note how, within minutes of feeling sympathy for him, we're then emotionally knocked on our asses when he violently and without provocation, attacks Christina in the forest. Amalia Fuentes (1964's "The Blood Drinkers"), a well known Philippine actress and producer, does a very good job of conveying a character forced to choose between her family and the man she loves. With all of his soft-breathed proclamation's of love, Romeo Vasquez (1995's "Urban Rangers") has a tough time selling his character, however, a fleeting dream-like sequence where he, in death, assures Leonore that he'll be there for her, is actually kind of cool. Mary Walter (1986's "Monster in a Jar"), playing the vampiric mother, is the first actress to kiss onscreen in Philippine cinema, and here she shows dedication to her art by allowing to herself to be caked in make-up and fake blood, looking as unglamorous as possible.

"Curse of the Vampires" comes in two DVD quality-types, one of which, the version titled "Blood of the Vampires", is taken from an original film negative and features Gerardo de Leon’s beautiful red and blue color gels in all of their glory. The second version, released through Fred Olen Rey's Retro Media's Drive-In Theater DVD line, features a picture quality that is washed out and bathed in a bright red color that sometimes obscures the action and the character reactions. Fred seems to be quite proud of this less-than stellar print, suggesting in the intro that it's not the best, and detailing the box with a tag "Murky Letterboxed Edition". If you want to see the film as it was intended then I suggest you grab the "Blood of the Vampires" disk, released through Image Entertainment as part of their 'Blood Collection'. It also features a chat with Sam Sherman, who discusses Hemisphere Pictures. To see the trailer, go here.