''Malenka, the Vampire's Niece'' is a 1969

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...

that was written and directed by Spanish director

Amando de Ossorio Amando de Ossorio (6 April 1918 – 13 January 2001) was one of the foremost Spanish horror film directors during the European horror film surge in the 1970s, known especially for his "Blind Dead" tetralogy. Biography De Ossorio directed a sho ...

; it was his first horror film. One of the first vampire films from Spain, it was inspired by similarly themed Italian and British vampire films that were being released during the same time period, such as '' Dance of the Vampires''. It has been credited as being "the 1969 picture that hammered the final nail into the cinematic coffin of the bomb-shelter-era bombshell

Anita Ekberg Kerstin Anita Marianne Ekberg (; 29 September 193111 January 2015) was a Swedish actress active in American and European films, known for her beauty and stunning figure. She became prominent in her iconic role as Sylvia in the Federico Fellini ...

", as well as being "one of the most original gothic examples of Spanish horror".

Plot

The beautiful and virginal Sylvia (

) is delighted to discover that she's inherited not only the noble title of

countess Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility.L. G. Pine, Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty'' ...

, but has also inherited a castle located in the country. She excitedly calls her fiance, Dr. Piero Luciani (Gianni Medici), to tell him that she's going to travel to view the castle. Once there, she stops at a local inn for a drink, where she announces her destination and relation to the castle's inhabitants; this horrifies the townspeople. Unswayed by their reactions, Sylvia arrives at the castle and meets her uncle, Count Walbrooke (Julián Ugarte), and beds down for the night. She is later awakened by the maidservant Blinka (

Adriana Ambesi Adriana Ambesi was an Italian film actress of the 1960s.Weisser p.307 She is sometimes credited as Audrey Amber. Selected filmography * ''Samson and the Sea Beast'' (1963) * ''Terror in the Crypt'' (1964) * ''Mission to Hell'' (1964) * '' Guns of ...

), who warns her that Walbrooke is a century-old vampire that means her harm. Blinka's attempts to draw Sylvia out of bed and out of the castle are interrupted by Walbrooke, who takes her into another room and whips her. Sylvia pleads with him to stop, only for Walbrooke to reveal that Blinka herself is also a vampire. The next morning, Sylvia attempts to leave but is persuaded to stay after Walbrooke tells her about her aunt Malenka, who was

burned at the stake Death by burning (also known as immolation) is an execution and murder method involving combustion or exposure to extreme heat. It has a long history as a form of public capital punishment, and many societies have employed it as a punishment f ...

for being a witch. He convinces Sylvia that the family is cursed, and that because of her strong resemblance to Malenka, paired with her ties to the family, Sylvia is also cursed. Furthermore, Sylvia must remain at the castle and stay unmarried, otherwise the curse will worsen and affect those around her. As a result, Sylvia breaks off her engagement with Piero, who decides to travel to the castle out of concern for Sylvia. When he arrives at the same inn that Sylvia visited earlier in the film, Piero is filled in on the events by Brugard (Juanita Ramírez), one of the inn's barmaids. Piero then travels to the castle, intending to stop Walbrooke from turning Sylvia into a vampire. He stabs Walbrooke with a stake through the heart. In the original Spanish version of the film, the uncle's "vampire ploy" turns out to be a hoax he's using to drive his niece crazy. An alternative "supernatural" ending however was later filmed and added to the English-language version, in which the uncle actually disintegrates into a skeleton at the end, indicating that he really ''was'' a vampire and thereby contradicting the rest of the film.

Cast

as Malenka/Sylvia Morel *Gianni Medici as Dr. Piero Luciani (as John Hamilton) *

Diana Lorys Diana Lorys (born ''Ana María Cazorla Vega''; 20 October 1940) is a Spanish actress. She appeared in more than fifty films since 1960. Filmography References External links * 1940 births Living people Spanish film actresses Actr ...

as Bertha Zemis *

Rosanna Yanni Marta Susana Yanni Paxot (born February 27, 1938), best known as Rosanna Yanni or Rossana Yanni, is an Argentine film actress. She debuted in her home town, working in revues as a chorus girl. After working two years as a fashion model in Italy, ...

as Freya Zemis *César Benet as Max (as Guy Roberts) *

Carlos Casaravilla Carlos Casaravilla (12 October 1900 – 17 February 1981) was an Uruguayan actor. He appeared in 85 films between 1934 and 1978. He starred in the film '' El Lazarillo de Tormes'', which won the Golden Bear at the 10th Berlin International F ...

as Dr. Horbinger *Fernando Bilbao as Vladis the Coachman * Paul Muller as Dr. Albert *Adriana Santucci as The Count's Maid *Aurelia Treviño as Village Woman *Juanita Ramírez as Brugard the Barmaid *

as Blinka (as Audrey Ambert) *Julián Ugarte as Uncle/Count Walbrooke *Keith Kendal as Man

Production

Julián Ugarte played the vampire uncle, Count Walbrooke, fresh from his appearance as the vampire in

Paul Naschy Paul Naschy (born Jacinto Molina Álvarez, September 6, 1934 – November 30, 2009) was a Spanish film actor, screenwriter, and director working primarily in horror films. His portrayals of numerous classic horror figures— The Wolfman, ...

's classic '' La marca del hombre lobo'' (1968).

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established h ...

was initially approached to star in the film, but he eventually turned down the role following contractual wrangles, and died before the film was completed. The musical score by

Carlo Savina Carlo Savina (2 August 1919 - 23 June 2002) was an Italian composer and conductor who composed, arranged, and conducted music for films, and is especially remembered for being the music director of films such as ''The Godfather'' (1972), '' Amar ...

(later the music director of films such as ''

The Godfather ''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel of the same title. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, ...

'' and ''

Amarcord ''Amarcord'' () is a 1973 comedy-drama film directed by Federico Fellini, a semi-autobiographical tale about Titta, an adolescent boy growing up among an eccentric cast of characters in the village of Borgo San Giuliano (situated near the ancien ...

'') was reused in the 1971 low-budget horror film ''La notte dei dannati''.

Release

''Malenka'' was released in Spain on 3 August 1969. Upon its release, producers offered "free psychiatric care" for anyone disturbed by ''Malenka'' or either of the two other films they were showing, '' Curse of the Living Dead'' and '' Revenge of the Living Dead''.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0062957 1969 films Italian vampire films Spanish vampire films Films directed by Amando de Ossorio Films scored by Carlo Savina Films set in castles 1969 horror films 1960s Italian films