The Devil's Nightmare (1971)

Jean Brismee's The Devil's Nightmare (1971) (aka La Plus Longue Nuit de Diable) isn't a film well known outside of the Eurohorror cultists. Directed by a virtual unknown, it is mostly remembered as a star vehicle for sex-icon Erica Blanc (Kill, Baby...Kill!, The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave). Her darkly sensual looks and frighten performance lend a solid center, around which a spooky, thoughtful film was built.

A tour bus full of colorful characters breaks down on the backroads of the German countryside. The passengers manage to find lodgings for the night at an aging castle, only to discover the place is, of course, cursed and haunted. With the arrival of a last, mysterious guest, the night takes a turn for the deadly.

What it lacks in plot, Devil's Nightmare makes up for in mood and style. It is by turns sensual, comic, creepy, and grisly. While it takes a while to get going, it eventually takes a Bergmanesque metaphysical left turn, opening up a whole new set of themes.

A proverbial 'type of film they don't make any more', The Devil's Nightmare is well worth the time. And, available in several inexpensive, good-looking versions, well worth the money. Gothic, erotic, and smart, this film is a lost Eurohorror treasure.