Horror Rises from the Tomb (1973)

A warlock is beheaded in Medieval France. Centuries later, things turn nightmarish for a group of people who unearth his head on their property.

A stark landscape in the 15th century.

Alaric de Marnac (Paul Naschy) is being condemned as a warlock and his wife Mabille De Lancré (Helga Liné) is also sentenced to death.

She's hung upside down nude and killed; Alaric de Marnac is beheaded. Both hurl curses at their accusers, promising revenge upon their ancestors.

Present day 1973, we meet two couples.

Hugo de Marnac (Paul Naschy) and Silvie (Betsabé Ruiz)

Maurice Roland (Víctor Barrera) and Paula (Cristina Suriani)

Paula has the lousy idea to hold a seance to speak with Alaric de Marnac. Unfortunately for them, it works.

After, Paula and Silvie wonder if they really did have a supernatural encounter. However, Hugo remains sceptical.

The couples pursue their interest and visit the Alaric de Marnac estate.

They want to explore the tunnels at the estate, but are warned by the house servants that many have gone down in search of treasure, but none have returned.

Elvire (Emma Cohen) is a servant at the estate.

Silvie suggests they go back home and forget all about it. But Hugo isn't scared and insists they follow this through.

That evening Silvie is awaken by screaming.

Elvire and Chantal (María José Cantudo) are banging upon her door. They are traumatized by the sight of the murder of Elvire's father.

Maurice delivers the bad news that they're trapped here, and they only have enough provisions for the next four days. "Damn, how did we ever get mixed up in this stuff?"

Chantal (María José Cantudo) is working in the kitchen.

A man possessed by Alaric creeps up behind her wielding a scythe.

He throws her onto the counter and cuts her throat.

The man then cuts her heart out.

Paula, oblivious to the murder nearby, gets ready for bed.

As she descends the staircase, she's grabbed by the possessed man.

Elvire hears the commotion and jumps out of bed and puts on her nightgown.

Chantal's body is found.

Elvire is traumatized. Hugo consoles her, then starts making out with her.

Out on the grounds, Maurice is enticed by Paula who seems to be possessed.

Silvie is busily cooking.

Maurice approaches. He's now possessed.

Maurice punches Silvie, knocking her out cold.

Maurice carries Silvie to the catacombs led by Paula.

The decapitated head of Alaric speaks to them

Silvie awakens and is tied up.

Maurice is commanded to kill her with the scythe.

She faints, and Maurice tears open her dress.

She is laid on top of the skeleton of Mabille De Lancré. Silvie's panties are torn off by Alaric using the scythe.

As Silvie's blood drains onto the skeleton, Mabille De Lancré is reborn.

Alaric de Marnac and Mabille De Lancré have returned!

Later, Mabille De Lancré appears nude in the room of a local villager who she subsequently kills.

Alaric appears in the bedroom of a local girl (Esther Santana)

Under Alaric's spell, the girl removes her clothing.

Her body is found with the heart ripped out.

While Hugo sleeps, Alaric appears in Elvire's bedroom.

Alaric's sex magic begins to overwhelm Elvire.

Alaric removes her sheets.

This reveals the talisman she wears around her neck which repells his evil forces.

Alaric recoils in fright.

Hugo and Elvire wait anxiously together in the living room. There's a noise at the door.

They are shocked to see her father and Chantal returned as zombies.

Hugo wards them off with a torch.

Maurice kills Hugo and then tries to get Elvire. However, her talisman returns him back to normal.

Mabille is about to murder Paula but Alaric stops her.

Alaric says they can use Paula to bait Maurice and Elvire. Then fondle her before sending her on the mission.

Paula entices Maurice, but when he inadvertantly touches her with the talisman, she collapses unconscious.

Alaric and Mabille are both defeated with the talisman.

Elvire is the lone survivor. It ends with her finding Paula's body laying on the railing. THE END

VZ6 SCORECARD

Naschy has done so many great horror flicks, and here he hits perfection.  Naschy flicks had a tendency to get campy, but with Horror from the Tomb, it's all played straight.  It provides endless surprises and fun horror elements which could have been taken straight out of a mid-century horror comic book. Indeed, it had that "look" of an EC comic, or even a Basil Gogos FMOF cover, really evoking that lurid look of vintage horror.  Add to all this, plentiful nudity, with Emma Cohen and Helga Liné, and you have yourself a banger.  I suspect this film doesn't get as much love as other Naschy flicks as it doesn't have a werewolf, Jekyll and Hyde, a vampire, or other traditional monsters. 

Anything with Emma Cohen is going to get high marks from me - one of the tip top Spanish actresses of the day.  She sadly passed away in 2016.  Cohen has over eighty films and TV show credits, many absolute Spanish bangers. Interestingly, Cohen was a costume designer for the Spanish version of Sesame Street, Barrio Sésamo. In this film, she shows her boobs and we get a side shot of her fully nude as Naschy enters her room and puts her under his spell.

Helga Liné gets naked at the start of the film as she's hung upside down, but it's no comparison to a scene later in the film.  She seduces a local villager, appearing in his room and dropping her robe. Absolutely dynamite - a spectacular in your face FFN scene if there ever was one.

Quite possibly the best carry scene ever. Betsabé Ruiz is working in the kitchen when she's punched out and carried away. The scene also provides quite an upskirt thanks to her wonferfully short minidress.  Betsabé Ruiz is again knocked out as she's tied up in the dungeon.  Her dress is ripped open and she's laid on the sarcophagus.  As she's lying unconscious on the bones, we get a glimpse of Ruiz' bush almost out of frame. 

But it's not just the sex and violence that makes this so great (although it definitely plays a part), it's the whole enchilada. As mentioned, the lurid Basil Gogos style just makes this entire endeavor pop. A wickedly creative story, Naschy in full Shatner mode, incredible sets...I could gush all day.  

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ 10/10