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Sometime in the 19th century: Archeologist Franz Schiller (Mark Damon) sets out
to look for the "Ring der Nibelungen", a ring that could make its
bearer all powerful - but in the wrong hands it could have devastating effects.
But unfortunately the Ring is thought to be in Transylvania - vampires'
country, as you might know -, at castle Dracula. So, to ward off evil,
Franz takes with him the amulet of the demon Pazuzu (& in case you wonder:
yes, it was the same Pazuzu that featured prominently in the Exorcist-movies as
well as William Peter Blatty's novel, but in real life popular lore, Pazuzu was
acutally used to ward off evil as well).
When Franz has sex though with Tanya (Enza Sbordone), the daughter of the
house he's staying in, he loses the amulet between sheets, & so, when he
arrives at the castle, he has to realize he came unprotected. However, his
welcome at the castle couldn't be a more pleasent one since the lady of the
house, Countess Dolingen (Rosalba Neri), proves to be a charming host, so
delighted about his company that she seduces him.
When having sex,
Franz suddenly notices the "Ring der Nibelungen" on her finger,
but it's too late ...
But while the Countess & her servant girl Lara (Esmeralda Barros) are
still in the process of hiding Franz, someone's knocking at the door - it's
Karl (Mark Damon again), Franz' identical twin brother, for some reason looking
for Franz.
The Countess is all charming hostess again & offers her guest some
drugged wine, which sends him on a trip while she - for some reason - has sex
with Lara before his very eyes. Then she locks Karl into a room, which
he escapes with little effort though, investigating the castle, complete with
catacombs & crypts, until he encounters his share of vampires, who he
fights off though before freeing his bother from his coffin.
Then Tanya stops by, having found Franz' amulet between the sheets,
&, knowing about its power, feeling compuldsed to bring it to him. She is
attacked by vampires though, & instead of using the amulet, she loses it,
on a place where Karl can easily find it.
Franz meanwhile meets up with the countess again, & it turns out he has
already become a vampire & is furthermore possessed by Dracula, &
promises to marry the Countess in a Black Mass. However, while the Countess
starts the party without Franz & sacrifices some naked virgins as part of
the ritual, Karl, having eavesdropped on the 2 of them, overcomes Franz
& takes his place.
When the ceremony comes to its climax, though, with Karl (as Franz) joining
the Countess & having to co the ultimate sacrifice - he has to kill Tanya -
the Countess realizes it's actually Karl & sends her hordes of vampires
towards him while she herself goes after Tanya. Karl though fights off the
vampires with an axe & is soon on the Countess's trail. However, when she
proves to be unimpressed by the axe he is wielding, he seems to be remembering
the amulet of Pazuzu he is carrying in his breast pocket, pulls it out, &
voilà, the Countess dissolves to dust.
Now all that's left to do is to stake his poor brother, & head off to a
better life with Tanya, who claims to be ready & willing - but of course,
she has already been turned into a vampire ...
One of these somewhat charming Euro-Gothic-shockers from the 70's, this
movie plays it strictly by the book, though. It does contain all the familiar
trappings you would expect from a vampire-tale set in an old castle, complete
with some mild sex that was compulsory in 70's Euro horror. The film has little
though that would elevate or differentiate it from others of the same ilk,
instead even offers some serious plotholes - e.g. if first Tanya, then Karl do
hold the amulet of Pazuzu, why do they hardly ever use it to fight the vampires
... ?
... so no, it's not a good movie. Some mindless fun, though.
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