El Buque maldito suffers from several alternate titles, perhaps distributors fear a stigma if it is out in the open about being the third of the Blind Dead movies? Amando de Ossorio delights those that follow the Blind Dead series with a third installment. I have to admit those pesky Templars seem to end up just about everywhere by the time you've made it through the fourth installment. This review deals with the cut version, as I have been unable to locate an uncut version as much as I would like to find it. Special effects are adequate although the ghost ship that is the Templars' residence this time is severely lacking. The sets themselves are decidedly creepy and evocative. Given, most hardened viewers will not find themselves terrified by the lumbering skeletons and may well ridicule the slow moving protagonists in this film. By today's horror standards the Templars are not the most threatening but make up for their snail pace by just being patiently tenacious. Dubbing is a disaster in this film, all foreign horror films for the 70's and 80's get the royal raspberry treatment when it comes to dubbing. The lines are delivered dead pan and generally seem more concerned with matching lip movement than conveying plot points. Anyone familiar with the Blind Dead mythos will most likely figure out there's more going on within the ship than just the Templars randomly killing. I assume the sacrifice scenes ended up chopped out of the release I watched. The film has its weak points as well as strong. None of the characters are particularly likeable, although all the females are decidedly attractive. Apparently Ossorio decided to spice the weaknesses of the film up by distracting the male audience with eye-candy. The plastic ghost ship in the bathtub may cause humorous howls from the more FX sensitive.
The film is atmospheric and conveys dread with an even hand. The camera work is excellent throughout. More than anything else the film is purely hamstrung by budgetary constraints. The confined space of the galleon apparently reduced the budget but not near enough to cover all the bases.
If you enjoyed Amando de Ossorio's previous Blind Dead films this one should not disappoint. Others may find the film too slow moving and come away disappointed.
The film is atmospheric and conveys dread with an even hand. The camera work is excellent throughout. More than anything else the film is purely hamstrung by budgetary constraints. The confined space of the galleon apparently reduced the budget but not near enough to cover all the bases.
If you enjoyed Amando de Ossorio's previous Blind Dead films this one should not disappoint. Others may find the film too slow moving and come away disappointed.