kebukai I'm not a Naschy fan nor a horror film fan, but I enjoyed the thrill of the film. However, the predictable setup at the beginning, the too-much-unnecessary-information slash-slash diary-reading scene and the abrupt ending made it difficult to really "like" it.Specially the ending, it made me mad. The "they'll all die - guess how" part is just lame. It's obviously in the lines of "we didn't know what to put in the well so that everything makes sense, so we'll try to make it creepier killing them all in the remaining 3 minutes of film". Even a "open well - blackout" ending would have been better (and that's lame). It could have been a "videogame" kind of scene where you take a risky situation to get to the true ending or you chicken out and get a bad - game over ending, but not even that.However, the killer sure was creepy (for no interesting reason whatsoever... who cares, though), it just lacked a bit of development, but it's thrilling anyway.

Witchfinder General 666 The World of Horror has lost one of its last remaining icons. I was deeply saddened to learn that Paul Naschy (born Jacinto Molina), a true deity of European Exploitation cinema and one of the last living legends of the Horror genre, died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 75 in his native Madrid last week. Maybe best known for playing the Werewolf Waldemar Daninsky in thirteen films between 1968 and 2004, Naschy was a multi-talent who scripted and directed many of the films he starred in himself, and doubtlessly the most charismatic and influential leading man in Spanish Horror cinema. Not all of the films in Naschy's career may qualify as 'good' in a traditional sense (though some, such as the near-brilliant "El Jorobado De La Morgue" of 1973, doubtlessly qualify as great), but they are almost entirely highly entertaining and impossible-not-to-love gems of European Horror cinema, and they all have a certain inimitable charm to them that can not be found anywhere but in a Naschy-film. The world of cult-cinema is a lot poorer for the loss of this great man, but it is oh so much richer for the wonderful films he has given us. So what would be a better way of mourning this icon than to celebrate his work by watching as many of his films as possible? I had delayed the viewing of this film several times, for the reason that I generally prefer my Horror to be old, and therefore rather watched the films Naschy did in the 70s and 80s. These preconceptions were unfounded, as one of the most wonderful films Naschy ever was in was the 2004 film "Rojo Sangre", which was directed by his son and which basically was a giant tribute to leading man Naschy. Carlos Gil's "School Killer" of 2001 is indeed not one of Naschy's best films, but it s still a highly entertaining Naschy one-man-show that none of my fellow fans of the man should miss. The main attraction of the film is, of course, Paul Naschy, who stars as the eponymous School Killer. The film starts out pretty unimaginative when a bunch of kids decide to spend the night at an abandoned old boarding school set in the middle of nowhere in the mountains. Strange and supernatural things soon begin to happen, and when it turns out that the school was the site of a massacre in 1973, things begin to get out of hand... The film begins unspectacular, and gets a little ridiculous when the first supernatural events occur. However, it really catches up in the second half, and once one has acquired a taste for the rather far-fetched premise of the film, it actually becomes really creepy. Naschy is once again awesome and wonderfully creepy in his role, which basically carries the whole film. The rest of the cast aren't memorable, and their characters are pretty forgettable; however, even though the young characters are a little annoying at times, Naschy's creepiness makes it possible to actually feel for them.Overall, "School Killer" is no must see, but it is a decent little film and, especially now, it is mandatory for us Naschy fans to see the master in as many of his later roles as possible. There are dozens of Naschy films to recommend over this one, such as "El Jorobado De La Morgue" ("The Hunchback of the Morgue", 1973), "La Orgia De Los Muertos" (The Hanging Woman, 1973), "El Espanto Surge De La Tumba" ("Horror Rises from The Tomb", 1973), "Latidos De Panico" ("Panic Beats", 1983), any of the Waldemar Daninsky films like "La Noche De Walpurgis" ("The Werewolf Vs the Vampire Woman", 1971) or, more recently, "Rojo Sangre" (2004). However, once one has seen many of the films Naschy has been in, this is yet another worthy addition to his oeuvre. Once again: The World of Horror has lost one of its last icons. My deep condolences go to Paul Naschy's family. Rest in peace, Hombre Lobo. You were a legend, and you always will be. And legends never die!

Woodyanders Six teenagers go to an old remote abandoned school where 27 years ago a horrible massacre took place for a night of fun and pranks. Instead the kids run afoul of the vicious crazed security guard (excellently played with supremely creepy menace by Spanish horror icon Paul Naschy) who committed the nasty killings. Director Carlos Gil relates the intriguing story at a brisk pace and does an adept job of creating a compellingly spooky and mysterious atmosphere. The witty script by Tino Blanco and Mercedes Holgueras offers a clever and inspired blend of slasher and supernatural elements that keep the viewer guessing to the very end. The slick cinematography by Fernando Arribas makes expert use of light and shadow. David San Jose's moody score likewise does the trick. The attractive and appealing young cast all contribute lively and engaging performances, with especially praiseworthy turns by Carlos Fuentes as ringleader Ramon, Olivia Molina as the panicky Maria, Zoe Berriatua as obnoxious joker Jordi, and Carmen Morales as spunky goth chick Sandra. The murder set pieces are every bit as bloody and brutal as they ought to be. Terrific whammy of a surprise dark ending, too. A solid and satisfying shocker.

raymondshih This movie is not a typical slasher. The tension is very high, and the story is appealing. The acting is below average, and there are a lot of holes in the plot. Nevertheless, it successfully kept my attention till the end. Talking about the end, while I understand that the director wants to leave us some space for imagination, but that is TOO MUCH imagination he's asking for. I thought there will be at least another 20-30 minutes to go, and the credit rolls already! We do not know who the killer was, what his father wanted to tell them, how each member died, who moved the bodies, etc. I really wish the DVD featurettes will have the director provide us with some explanation.