EMILIO VIEYRA (1920-2010)

The ugliest monster in the history of horror is sent out to...


abduct the careless into a mad world of erotic torture!




SANGRE DE VIRGENES aka BLOOD OF THE VIRGINS: Banned in Argentina! The first vampire film made in Argentina, but it ended up banned as too bloody and sexy. Watch it on a double bill with FEMALE VAMPIRE...



Emilio Vieyra, sometimes referred to as the Roger Corman of Argentina, created his own New Wave of South American Cinefantastique starting in the 1960s with such low budget, sexy, imaginative, pulpy and just plain outrageous titles as SANGRE DE VIRGENES (1967) and PLACER SANGRIENTO aka FEAST OF FLESH. His most original and bizarre title was LA VENGANZA DEL SEXO, which would become THE CURIOUS DR HUMPP (1969) in its dubbed US version which was sexed-up with nudie inserts by Jerald Intrator. I have all of these on DVD and watch them frequently. Highly entertaining and stylish they all have a unique atmosphere.

Shot in lurid hues, SANGRE DE VIRGENES is very much in the spirit of Jean Rollin and especially Jess Franco's LA COMTESSE NOIRE considering that vampire bats were suggested by filming seagulls through red filters! It works. THE CURIOUS DR HUMPP has a mad scientist, acting under the orders of another mad scientist's disembodied brain, sending out pug-ugly robots to kidnap men and women for transgressive sexual experiments. Shot in atmospheric b&w at times it seems very similar to Jess Franco's Dr. Orloff films and THE DIABOLICAL DR. Z in mood, imagery and plotline.

Vieyra also made Women in Prison/Women in Peril items (CORRECCIONAL DE MUJERES; Perversion in a Girl's School), a western and a politically themed musical, ADIOS ABUELO (1996) before retiring.

I just happened to revisit Vieyra's noirish PLACER SANGRIENTO aka FEAST OF FLESH last weekend before learning of the director's death on Jan. 25 at the age of 89. PLACER... presents yet another mad scientist (hiding behind an ugly-man Halloween mask) hypnotizing (with haunting organ music), kidnapping and then murdering sexy women with overdoses of heroin! At times PLACER...plays like an unhinged episode of the old DRAGNET TV series with nudie elements added. It was shot in Paraguay during 1965, according to Pete Tombs' essential text MONDO MACABRO, which has a chapter on his work.

If you haven't discovered Vieyra's delightfully twisted universe now is the time to do it. MONDO MACABRO offers SANGRE DE VIRGENES on DVD with English subtitles and there is a SOMETHING WEIRD DVD of THE CURIOUS DR HUMPP with a ton of supplements.

1. Cargo de conciencia (2005)

2. Adiós, abuelo (1996)
3. Maestro de pala (1994)
4. Tómame (1992)

5. Narcotráfico, juego mortal (1989) (V)
6. La clínica loca (1988)
7. Obsesión de venganza (1987)
8. Correccional de mujeres (1986)
... aka Women's Reformatory (USA)
9. Sucedió en el internado (1985)
10. Todo o nada (1984)
11. El poder de la censura (1983)
12. Comandos azules en acción (1980)
13. Comandos azules (1980)

14. Los irrompibles (1975)
15. La gran aventura (1974)
... aka The Great Adventure (International: English title)
16. Yo gané el prode, ¿y usted? (1973)
17. Simplemente una rosa (1971)
18. Así es Buenos Aires (1971)
19. La bestia desnuda (1971)
... aka El monstruo asesino (Argentina: alternative title)
... aka The Naked Beast (International: English title)
20. Los mochileros (1970)
21. Gitano (1970)

22. La vida continúa (1969)
23. Quiero llenarme de ti (1969)
24. La venganza del sexo (1969)
... aka The Curious Case of Dr. Humpp (International: English title)
... aka The Curious Dr. Humpp (USA)
25. Villa Cariño está que arde (1968)
26. Placer sangriento (1967)
... aka Feast of Flesh (USA: reissue title)
... aka The Deadly Organ (USA: dubbed version)
27. Sangre de vírgenes (1967)
... aka Blood of the Virgins (UK)
28. Dos quijotes sobre ruedas (1966)
29. Extraña invasión (1965)
... aka Stay Tuned for Terror (USA)
30. María M. (1964)
... aka Una mujer de la noche (Argentina: alternative title)
31. Testigo para un crimen (1963)
... aka Violated Love (USA)
32. La fin del mundo (1963)
33. Detrás de la mentira (1962)
34. Dr. Cándido Pérez, señoras (1962)

(C) Robert Monell, 2010