The Hanging Woman AKA Orgy of the Living Dead (1973)

I love movies about people that go to strange places and enter a terrifying supernatural world. Hell, even Rocky Horror falls under that category. They used to make a lot of films like that and one of my favorites is The Hanging Woman.

The film opens with the death of the local Count. Soon after, a mysterious woman is sneaking around the cemetery and entering the crypt of the dead Count. After retrieving a document from the corpse, she is found and screams in terror as the screen fades to black. Enter Chuck Norris knock off Stelvio Rosi as Mr. Chekhov (No not THAT one) who arrives to claim his inheritance. Since no one will take him to the Manor after dark, he must fend for himself. Wandering in the darkness, he soon comes across the cemetery and the hanging corpse of the grave robbing woman!

Soon Chekhov cashes in on his inheritance and is met with a fair amount of spite from slutastic spiritualist Nadia (Maria Pia Conte) and prudish good girl Doris (Dianik Zurakowska of The Vampires Night Orgy) who has some wicked secrets of her own.  Paul Naschy plays second fiddle this time as necrophiliac gravedigger Igor who has his own issues as well as dealing with the Count’s deranged family. 

Basically the Countess Nadia and the Houseman who is also a scientist are fighting for control of the grounds and the secrets that lie within. The Houseman’s daughter Doris lends her sexuality reluctantly but hey, she’s willing to take a hit for the team. And what is it that lies beneath the grounds? Well for starters, there’s a devil-worshiping coven and an army of sexually compliant living dead!

This film treads onto some seriously demented territory. Not often do we get films that deal with necrophilia in such a graphic way (and still manage to be classy). Voodoo, striptease, zombies, mad science, and hot women, this flick has it all. What’s great though, is that it wrenches up the mystery consistently until the climax answers all questions in a barrage of horrific images. The film drips with atmosphere and creepy set pieces, a must for any rainy afternoon!