Plot
Young Virginia is spending her vacation in Lisbon, accompanied by her fiancé Roger, when she happens to run into Betty, a long-time friend with whom she once even had a brief romantic involvement.
Roger, enraptured by the newly arrived Betty’s beauty, invites her to join them on the train, which doesn’t go over well with the jealous Virginia. Betty accepts the man’s offer, and he quickly begins shamelessly flirting with her. Annoyed and angry, poor Virginia decides to jump off the train as it’s changing tracks near the abandoned village of Berzano.
Hiding out in a dilapidated building and spending the rest of the day in solitude, the young woman is attacked and killed by a group of mummies who rise from their tombs at night. They turn out to be the aggressive, undead remains of a group of Templar Knights who were excommunicated and blinded (but can still hear perfectly!) by the Church as punishment for their devotion to the practice of black magic.
Unaware of the danger, Roger and Betty decide to follow the runaway girl’s tracks. Renting two horses, they head for Berzano. Not a good idea.
These are the tombs of the temples, an ancient order that worship the devil...
Critique
5“Tombs of the Blind Dead” begins de Ossorio’s four-part saga centering on the abominable deeds perpetrated (post-mortem) by eyeless Templars. Basically, the film is at its best in its depiction of the dusty revenants (José Luis Campos’ makeup is extremely effective) whose slow but relentless approach doles out genuine chills. Additionally, the nighttime scenes amidst the unhallowed ruins of Berzano are charged with a murkiness and an aura of gloomy desolation that packs a punch.
Unfortunately, however, the overall product suffers notably due to logical and structural weaknesses. The screenplay has more holes than Swiss cheese and is crammed full of scenes that are: inexplicable (why does Virginia come back to life?), implausible (the smuggler who gets talked into spending the night in the cursed town), and even avoidable (the pointless scene where Betty is raped). The actors are generally mediocre, and at times the pacing is listless to the point of being exasperating.
Followed by “Return of the Evil Dead” (1973).
More Info
Quotes
- These are the tombs of the temples, an ancient order that worship the devil in the year 1250 A.D.
- Let us offer our sacrifice to the darkness. We shall perform this rite... that the blood of the virgin may grant us a life beyond the bounds of the grave.
Trivia
- The “strange crosses” strewn about Berzano’s cemetery are actually ankhs, an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol with numerous esoteric meanings. Also known as the “crux ansata” (“handled cross”), the ankh is most often associated with the concept of “life”.
Products
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| Product name | Price | |
|---|---|---|
 | Tombs Of The Blind Dead |
| Nome del prodotto | Prezzo | |
|---|---|---|
 | Tombe Dei Resuscitati Ciechi (Le) (Restaurato In HD) | |
 | Saga Dei Resuscitati Ciechi (La) (2 Blu-Ray) |
| Product name | Price | |
|---|---|---|
 | Tombs of the Blind Dead - 3-Disc Steelbook Edition |
| Nombre del producto | Precio | |
|---|---|---|
| Tombs of the Blind Dead [USA] [Blu-ray] |
| Produktname | Preis | |
|---|---|---|
 | Die Legende der reitenden Leichen - uncut - Teil 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 - Nacht / Rückkehr / Geisterschiff / Blutgericht ( La Noche del terror ciego / Blind Dead ) 4 DVD Schuber Limted Edition | |
![Die Nacht der reitenden Leichen - Mediabook - Cover C - Limited Edition (+ DVD) [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/617ht0kwrxL._SL75_.jpg) | Die Nacht der reitenden Leichen - Mediabook - Cover C - Limited Edition (+ DVD) [Blu-ray] |
| Nom du produit | Prix |
|---|
| Product name | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Tombs of the Blind Dead - 3-Disc Steelbook Edition |