Night of the Werewolf (film)

El Retorno del Hombre Lobo
El Retorno del Hombre Lobo
Directed by	Jacinto Molina
Written by	Paul Naschy
Produced by	Modesto Pérez Redondo; Julia Saly; Enrique Molina
Starring	Paul Naschy; Silvia Aguilar; Azucena Hernández; Julia Saly
Cinematography	Alejandro Ulloa [ca]
Edited by	Pedro del Rey
Music by	CAM Espana Library
Distributed by	Federico de la Cruz Martín (Spain, theatrical),; Film Concept Group (USA, theatrical)
Release dates	8 April 1981 (Spain); 15 November 1985 (U.S.);
Running time	92 min
Country	Spain
Language	Spanish

El Retorno del Hombre Lobo (The Return of the Wolfman) is a 1980^[1]^[2] Spanish horror film that is the ninth in a 12-film series about the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky, played by Paul Naschy. It was theatrically released in the United States under the title The Craving and on home video as Night of the Werewolf.

Plot

In 16th century Hungary, the werewolf Waldemar Daninsky is sentenced to be executed along with his satanic mistress Elizabeth Bathory and her coven of witches. Since it is nearly impossible to truly kill him, he is left in a kind of living death, with a silver dagger through his heart and an iron mask affixed to his face to keep him from biting. Centuries later, the dagger is removed from his chest by two graverobbers and Daninsky returns to life. Residing in his old castle, he allows a group of travelling college girls to stay at his castle.

One of the girls locates the tomb of the Countess Bathory and is hypnotically forced by the Countess to perform a bloody ritual that brings the Countess back to life. Daninsky falls in love with one of the girls, Karen. When he realizes the countess has been revived and is vampirizing the denizens of the area, he turns against his former mistress and her vampire slaves to save Karen.

The end of the film features a battle in the crypt between Daninsky and Bathory, and he winds up biting the vampire's throat out. Now out of control, he goes on to bite Karen, but as she dies, she manages to stab Daninsky through the heart again with the silver dagger, thus ending the curse on the man she loves.

Cast

Paul Naschy as Waldemar Daninsky
Julia Saly as Elizabeth Bathory, an evil countess
Silvia Aguilar as Erika
Azucena Hernández as Karen
Beatriz Elorrieta as Mircaya
Pilar Alcon as Barbara
Ramon Centenero as The Professor
Ricardo Palacios as Veres, a grave robber
Rafael Hernandez as Yoyo, a grave robber
Pepe Ruiz as Bandit
Tito Garcia as Bandit
David Rocha as Bandit
Luis Barboo as Sandy - Bandit
Alexia Loreto as Woman Killed In Stall

Production

The film had a larger budget than previous Naschy werewolf productions.^[3] Angel Luis de Diego handled the werewolf makeup and special effects. Naschy followed this up with a tenth werewolf film, La Bestia y la Espada Magica (The Beast and the Magic Sword).

Releases

Theatrical

The film saw its premiere in Spain on 8 April 1980.^[4] It was later shown at the 1982 Fantasporto Festival.

The motion picture had its North American theatrical premiere under the title The Craving in the Chicago metropolitan area on 15 November 1985.^[5]

Home video

In the United States, the picture was released to home video as The Craving, and more recently on DVD as Night of the Werewolf. Shout Factory also released it on Blu-ray as part of their "Paul Naschy Collection" set.^[6]

References

^ Antonio Lazaro-Reboll (20 November 2012). Spanish Horror Film. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9780748670628. [...] returned to haunt the screens in the 1980s under Naschy's real name as director, Jacinto Molina (El retorno del hombre lobo / Night of the Werewolf (1980) [...]
^ Brad Steiger (1999). The Werewolf Book: The Encyclopedia of Shape-Shifting Beings. Visible Ink Press. p. 199. El Retorno del Hombre Lobo (1980)—Once again the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky is resurrected from his cold grave.
^ Pitts, Michael R. (2002). Horror Film Stars. 3rd ed. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 335. ISBN 9780786410521.
^ "El retorno del Hombre Lobo". lavanguardia.com. La Vanguardia. 2026. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
^ "It used to be only a myth...". Chicago Tribune. 15 November 1985. p. Section 7-D.
^ Howarth, Troy (2018). Human Beasts: The Films of Paul Naschy. WK Books. p. 319. ISBN 9781718835894.

External links

Night of the Werewolf at IMDb

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[Lazaro-Reboll-1] Antonio Lazaro-Reboll (20 November 2012). Spanish Horror Film. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9780748670628. [...] returned to haunt the screens in the 1980s under Naschy's real name as director, Jacinto Molina (El retorno del hombre lobo / Night of the Werewolf (1980) [...]

[Steiger-2] Brad Steiger (1999). The Werewolf Book: The Encyclopedia of Shape-Shifting Beings. Visible Ink Press. p. 199. El Retorno del Hombre Lobo (1980)—Once again the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky is resurrected from his cold grave.

[3] Pitts, Michael R. (2002). Horror Film Stars. 3rd ed. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 335. ISBN 9780786410521.

[4] "El retorno del Hombre Lobo". lavanguardia.com. La Vanguardia. 2026. Retrieved 24 May 2026.

[5] "It used to be only a myth...". Chicago Tribune. 15 November 1985. p. Section 7-D.

[6] Howarth, Troy (2018). Human Beasts: The Films of Paul Naschy. WK Books. p. 319. ISBN 9781718835894.

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