Human Beasts (DVD)
Steve Barton
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Reviewed by Uncle Creepy
Starring Luis Ciges, Rafael Hernandez, Eiko Nagashima, Ricardo Palacios, Jacinto (Paul Naschy) Molina
Directed by Jacinto Molina
Distributed by BCI/Deimos Entertainment
Paul Naschy is without question an amazing talent. One of the greats. He’s made films in which he’s played multiple parts, turned out some of euro-cinema’s greatest and most memorable werewolf flicks, and with Human Beasts he not only stars but he writes and directs as well. The results unfortunately are the by-product of a man, no matter how great, spread too thin.
Naschy plays a hitman named Bruno in the movie. A suave killer with an eye for a beautiful Japanese woman. That would be OK if her brother wasn’t a company criminal looking to score a set of diamonds. Things can never be normal, can they? In any event, in an attempt to keep it in the family, he hires his soon to be brother-in-law to spearhead the caper, but temptation proves to be too much for Bruno. The diamonds are calling his name, so before you know it, bullets are flying, betrayals are made, and Naschy goes in hiding. You know what they say about a woman scorned though. It’s not long before Bruno is mortally wounded and left to die. Good thing for him two hot Latina sisters find him, bring him home, and have their father (who is a doctor) nurse our anti-hero backs to health. Still, things aren’t what they seem, and Bruno ends up being on the banquet menu.
Yep, folks, this is a cannibal flick but not very much of a horror movie. It’s more like a crime drama garnished with a flesh-consuming twist. Though Naschy tries to handle all of his duties ably, things come off just plain dull at times. That is at least when there’s not some form of sex going on. A better title for this film would be See Naschy Get Lots of Ass. Hey, if I were a writer/director/star, I guess I would treat myself pretty good too, but come on, Paul! You dirty dog you!
Again, in terms of horror you’re better off looking elsewhere, but if you dig Naschy, boobs, and flesh-eating pigs, Human Beasts will seem like a feast. It’s too bad the film’s extras are purely of the diet variety.
Just like the film itself, there’s just not a lot to see here. We have a still gallery, a one-minute long movie introduction by Naschy, and an okay short horror film called The Vampyre directed by Alejandro Ballesteros and Antonio Curado and starring, who else?, Paul Naschy. Maybe the powers that be put this short on the DVD to give it a wee bit more of a horrific punch. Hey, at least it’s something.
The bottom line is there are too many other Naschy classics hitting DVD lately from BCI/Deimos to warrant a purchase of this for anyone but the completest. Seek them out instead. You will be happy you did.
Special Features
2 1/2 out of 5
Special Features:
2 out of 5
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