Werewolf Shadow 2002 Horror Movie Review

Elvira and Genevieve are two young luscious women who travel to Hungary to investigate the murders of a medieval “Countess Wendessa” for their thesis, said to be a vampire and “Satan’s favorite Mistress”, and I can see why - dressed in a black veil and dress with horned hennen and widow’s peak, somewhat reminiscent of Mellificent. The legend is obviously based upon the factual Countess Elizabeth Bathory, with some diabolical blood rites thrown in for good measure. During a flashback, a peasant girl is lain upon a stone “altar” / sepulchre, as the Countess partakes from a horn goblet she grasps from a robed figure, probably a portrayal of Bathory’s henchman ‘Thorko’ {her ‘Renfield’, as it were}. A rendition of The Sabbatic Baphomet is actually displayed upon the wall grasping a pitchfork, and a pentagram is also prominently seen. Here, the cinematic ‘devil cults’ are linked to vampires who give The Devil His due, as “Damned souls who walk the earth, preying upon the blood of humans”.


The girls arrive at the abandoned Wendessa castle where they are met by Waldemar Daninsky, a writer working on his next book, who holds his own secrets - it just so happens that he is a werewolf, thus ‘accidentally’ awakened from his deathly slumber when a silver bullet is removed from the carcass by two curious disbelieving coroners, who become his first victims. He struggles with his condition by isolating himself, even being chained down in the castle dungeon at one point. Asked to stay for a few nights, He and Elvira eventually fall in lust, where she and Genevieve also meet his mentally-disturbed sister who skulks about in the shadows, at one point partially-disrobing and strangling Elvira.


They eventually hike out to the Countess’ tomb where almost predictably, during the exhumation, one of them cuts herself, whose blood falls upon the corpse, and thus, Wendessa lives again! Hunting with another lovely vampiress cohort, and just in time for Walpurgisnacht, with slow-motion movements accompanied by eerie musick, her veils blown by phantom winds, she returns to her “ritual crypt” to summon her Lord Satan to rule the world together. Another memorable scene includes the two of them partaking of a goblet filled with Elvira’s blood, which was interestingly drawn with a ritual ‘sacrificial’ blade, instead of directly from the neck - once satisfied, they happily dance in the moonlight hand in hand.


Also encountered was the Contessa’s henchman, now a zombie resembling a Templar from Tombs of The Blind Dead, run through with a cross. Elvira is also desired by a local peasant who is eventually torn apart by Daninsky. When Elvira’s paramour arrives from the states, he is chained in the crypt, destined to be food for the immortals. Everyone seems to want Elvira! Finally, Vampire Wendessa meets Werewolf Daninsky…


This film exudes a pleasantly eerie atmosphere throughout, with some delightful nudity alluding to Le Fanu’s Carmilla novel, during one vamperotic scene combined with feeding upon the nubile Elvira. The Werewolf Vs. Vampire Woman was released in Year V in Spain, dubbed in English for American audiences the following year. Similar to Hammer presentations, but with a uniquely haunting ambiance combined with alluring sexuality.