La chevauchée des morts-vivants

The Spanish zombie film series known as the "Blind Dead" films finishes with this typically well done horror show. The Knights Templar are once again doing what they do best. This time, they haunt the residents of a coastal village for seven nights, every seven years. Beautiful young virgins must be sacrificed for the village to receive some semblance of peace. Into this setting come the intrepid young doctor Henry Stein (Victor Petit) and his lovely wife Joan (Maria Kosty). The locals make it clear that he is not welcome, but he insists on meddling in their business, and naturally comes to regret it.

"The Night of the Seagulls" is good and solid in the best tradition of Euro horror. It's as beautifully atmospheric as the best in the genre. Director Amando de Ossorio, who'd done all the previous entries, is in his element, and he crafts an effectively macabre outing. It's not going to be nearly gory enough for some viewers, but dwelling on the graphic violence is clearly not de Ossorios' priority this time around. It's all about the mood and the style.

One can hardly fail to notice that there is an absence of strong primary colours, therefore the picture doesn't exactly "pop". It's done in a true "black & white film in colour" manner. The music score by Anton Garcia Abril is sometimes repetitive, but overall it's eerie. The admittedly simple story plays like a nightmare come to life.

The acting is generally engaging; Henry and Joan are obviously not the brightest bulbs in the drawer, but they're not unlikable. Both Petit and Kosty are fine. Standing out are Sandra Mozarowsky as the brave Lucy, who's willing to befriend the couple, defy her peers, and divulge as much exposition as she knows, and Jose Antonio Calvo as the much abused town simpleton Teddy, for whom it's not hard to feel sympathy. The Knights Templar are as spooky and hideous as they've ever been.

Well worth watching for genre buffs.

Seven out of 10.

"Blind Dead" tetralogy(1971-1975)is among the best and most famous Spanish horror films of their time.These movies are surprisingly well-made and creepy.The best feature of the films is their title menace:the Blind Dead,mummified zombies which rise from their graves to drink the blood of their victims."Night of the Seagulls"/"La Noche de las Gaviotas" is regarded as the weakest film of "Blind Dead" series(the other three movies are "Tombs of the Blind Dead","Return of the Blind Dead" and "Ghost Galleon").I think that this film is unfairly criticized-there is actually plenty of atmosphere here.Particularly effective is the sense of stoic dread that hangs over the village.Every seven years,these people must give up seven of their children,so that the others might live.Unfortunately the Templars are treated with far less mystery and awe than they are in other films.Still the climax is quite suspenseful and the Templars look terrifying.Overall I enjoyed this film,so if you liked this highly original and imaginative series give this one a look.

Fourth and enjoyable sequel of the Templars dead series . The blind dead Templars return again from the 13th century with this eerie story . The film starts when a couple formed by a doctor ( Victor Petit ) and his wife ( Maria Kosti ) go to a coastal small community where are unfriendly received . Only the village's dumb ( Jose Calvo ) and a young orphan ( Sandra Mozarowsky ) make acquaintance with them . They aware that for seven nights every seven years, the villagers have to sacrifice their virgin daughters to these eyeless dead during a nocturnal ceremony on the beach . Then the priests warriors wake up from the tomb worshipping a strange idol and begin their criminal rampage . Ancient Zombies return of graves causing wreak havoc on the village , horrifying and torturing the rural population . They make a brutal massacre in the little village and the protagonists are surrounded in a house . Meanwhile the starring attempts to save the damsel in disgrace . This third following ,the first sequel was ¨Return of evil dead¨ , from the original ¨Tombs the blind dead¨ also we find the famous blind dead zombies which rise from the tombs 500 years after to wreak havoc upon some beautiful Euro-babes . The zombie-like pack of ancient warriors priest awake and rising from the graves to kill and torture the unfortunate victims . They were condemned and eternally dammed by cult practicing human sacrifices and blinded by crows. They encounter their victims by means of screams and sounds. This is a cheap Spaniard production with lack luster and low budge t. Special effects are ridiculous and embarrassing, absurd and frankly lousy . In the film appears known Spanishtrash actresses as Sandra Mozarowski, Susana Estrada , Julia Saly and Maria Kosti .

This atmospheric horror movie contains scary scenes when appear the living dead Templars . It's the third following of the first great success and immensely popular ¨Tombs of the Blind dead¨ which to be continued by a trilogy : Return of evil dead, Ship of Zombies or Blind dead 2 and this one also titled Blid dead 3 or The night of the sea gulls . The Zombi-like are blinded by crows but they made human sacrifices and were executed and the clergymen return eventually to the life . Good exteriors filmed on seaside outdoors as Tossa De Mar and Ampurias, Girona and interior set in Talamana del Jarama (Madrid) , location in which during the 60s and 70s were filmed several Spanish terror movies . Creepy and frightening music especially when the dead attack is well composed by Anton Garcia Abril, author of the four eerie soundtracks . This lack budget film is regularly directed by Amando De Ossorio but is amusing and entertaining . This is a mediocre attempt to cash of following exhausted medieval warriors saga.

You certainly can't reproach Amando De Ossorio of being lazy or repetitive, as this fourth & final installment in his terrific "Blind Dead" series is again very different in tone and content than any of the previous three. "Night of the Seagulls" is more mysterious and atmospheric than the other films and De Ossorio also throws in an compelling, albeit unoriginal, outsiders-in-a-closed-community sub plot. Young doctor Henry and his wife Joan arrive in a remote seaside village where they're given a VERY unfriendly reception by the oddly behaving locals. Only the town's nut Teddy and maiden beauty Lucy make acquaintance with the new arrivals and also inform them about the village's inescapable "pact" with the undead Templar Knights. For seven nights every seven years, the villagers have to sacrifice their virgin daughters to these eyeless zombies during a nocturnal ceremony on the beach. Okay granted, the sacrifice element in the story is definitely not new and the Templars are given less screen time than usual, but still this is a genuinely creepy exploitation highlight! You can either begin to sum up all the shortcomings and stupidities in the script (and yes, there are quite a lot of them), or enjoy the tense atmosphere and unique filming locations instead! The very weakest moments of the film – like that horribly lame ending – are somewhat more difficult to forgive, but there's graphic gore and sleaze to make up for that. By the way, did you know that skeletons that are dead for more than six centuries still bleed when you destroy them? Oh yeah, massively even! Throughout filming four similar movies, Amando De Ossorio's directing always remained solid, the choreography was always stylish, the music was always petrifying and the acting performances were always above average! That's definitely praiseworthy, too. Every single entry in the "Blind Dead" saga is highly recommended to every true horror fan.

Deny all logic you living ones but enjoy the many shades of horror! Night of the Seagulls is the last one of the "quadrohorrorphonia" of the Blind Dead series. If you liked the first entries of this horror franchise you will like this one too. Of course, as the 4th movie in the franchise, it lacks a little of originality but it is still pleasure to watch. Nostalgic horror trip.