O Galeão Fantasma

Although one wouldn't know by the title,this is the third entry in the Spanish Amanda De Ossorio directed Blind Dead series,and as usual doesn't really have anything to do with the others except the Blind Dead themselves,those scary skeletal Templar knight zombies. This film is often considered the worst of the series,and it's certainly the tamest in terms of gore,but it's actually a very underrated film.

Skillfully exploiting it's main setting-a ghostly ship,Ossorio really manages to turn somewhat unpromising material into something quite effective. Yes,the plot hardly exists-some people are stranded on a ship inhabited by the Blind Dead,and that's really it,but the build up is ominous,the interior of the ship is made into quite a frightening place even without the Dead,and the Dead themselves,even shorn of their horses,are extremely creepy. Ossorio doesn't really get round the problem of the Dead being extremely slow moving yet able to catch their victims,but the climax of the film features the most effective shots of the Dead in the series,rising out of the water,looking truly spooky.

Hardly a classic,and there's no getting away from the unconvincing models of the ship,but this film really works very well within it's limitations.

The Knights Templar, the hooded blind dead brought to life so vividly in Tombs of the Blind Dead and The Return of the Blind Dead by Amando d'Ossorio, are back to reek their vengeance upon the living. This time the setting is a galleon from the 16th century that only appears to small watercraft. The plot is pretty typical as a pair of models on a boat hook up with the galleon as it comes out of a consuming fog and mist. They disappear and others go after them. We eventually learn that the ship is centuries old traveling in its own time field. The prey, as with most Ossorio films, is filled with beautiful, bikini-clad women warbling out their death-screams, thus alerting their predators of their whereabouts. Atmosphere over plot to be sure here, and the film does pretty good as a suspense vehicle. The special effects...well they are not too special. The ship is quite effective in close-ups and mid-shots, but long shots reveal that it is nothing more than a model. The acting is pretty typical of such films, but certainly not detracting in any way. All in all this is a fine edition to the Blind Dead series....not the best...but entertaining nonetheless.

C´mon people, this film is not that bad as often said! In any case it´s much better than the awful fourth part of the series! Okay, gorehounds surely will be disappointed, because there is only one splatter scene brought on, but director Armando de Ossorio did a good job with creating a wonderful creepy atmosphere with lots of fog, half-dark pictures and middle aged monk chorales. Somehow this film even could be watched as a predecessor to John Carpenter´s classic "The Fog", because both movie are quite similar to each other in view of the mood and the style. If you like the Blind Dead-series you should not miss this one!

The Templars Zombies return in this average sequel , now in a medieval ship . Two models with advertising aims embark aboard a yacht when find the damned ship . Later on , a diverse group (Jack Taylor, Maria Perschy , Manuel De Blas , Carlos Lemos and Barbara Rey) on board and sail to look for the models and again encounter the ghastly vessel drifting like the Errant Dutch boat .

In this second 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 a beautiful bikinied Euro-babes . This scary horror movie contains eerie and creepy scenes when appear the living dead Templars . The fable is sometimes silly and laughable , though the action and terror moments are middlingly made . It is the following to the first great success and immensely popular ¨Tombs of the Blind dead¨ which to be continued by a trilogy : ¨Return of evil dead¨ , ¨Horror of Zombies¨ and ¨Night of the seagulls¨ . The zombie-like pack of ancient priest warriors awake and rising from the graves to kill and torture the unfortunate victims . They were condemned and eternally dammed by cult practising human sacrifices and blinded by crows . They meet their victims by means of screams and sounds . This is a cheap Spaniard production with lack luster and low budget , and it has been released multiple times on DVD over the years. . Special effects are ridiculous and embarrassing , just like the ship , an absurd toy-miniature into a bathtub that is frankly lousy . In the film appears known Eurotrash actors as Maria Perschy (¨Fumanchu castle¨ , ¨Hunchback of Morgue¨ , ¨Exorcism¨ ; however , she played for Howard Hawks in ¨Man's favorite sport?¨ with Rock Hudson) and Jack Taylor (usual player for Jess Frank : ¨Eugenie¨ , ¨Count Drácula¨ , ¨Necronomicon¨, ¨Commando Mengele¨), he posteriorly worked for Amando De Ossorio in ¨Hydra,sea serpent¨.

Eerie and frightening musical score especially when the Templars clergymen appear , being composed by ordinary Anton Garcia Abril . Colorful and atmospheric photography by Raul Artigot . The motion picture was regularly directed by Amando De Ossorio . Amando began in films as a writer and assistant director and continued his career by making short films and industrial documentaries . He was one of the main directors of the Spanish horror boom in the 70s, specially for his quartet of films about the living dead Templars which started with his first great success and immensely popular ¨Tombs of the Blind dead¨ which to be continued by a famous trilogy . Amando owns his own studio and created and/or designed many of the simple special effects sequences you see in any of his many imaginative undertakings . He displayed a varied career and specialized on all kind of genres as Western in "Rebels in Canada" and "Grave of the Gunfighter" , Historical as ¨Los Cantabros¨ , Monster movie as ¨Serpent of sea¨ and , of course, Terror as ¨Malenka¨ , The possessed¨ and ¨night of witches¨ . Ossorio also studied painting and photography , moreover, he also made his living as a painter of creepy images of the Knights Templar in his later years. ¨El Buque Maldito¨ is a mediocre attempt to cash of following exhausted medieval warriors saga . Followed by another inferior sequel ¨Night of the seagulls¨ also titled ¨Night of the death cult¨.

This is one of the entries in Ossorios' Templar zombie series. The Templars were witches burned alive at the stake thousands of years ago. They are back as skeletal zombies. This one is the best of the series. Atmospheric and spooky it's worth a look. Don't expect digital effects like your modern so called horror film, but expect an actual HORROR FILM!! If you like this one check out the other Templar films, Tombs Of the Blind Dead, Return Of the Evil Dead or Fangs Of the Living Dead(not easy to find). Digital effects are destroying horror films, if your not a fan of the older stuff, go to your local video store, look in the old horror section, and rent some REAL STUFF!!