Rosalba Neri Friday # 8 - The Devil's Wedding Night AKA IL Plenilunio Delle Vergini 1973

    Directed by Luigi Batzella (Nude for Satan 1974) this was Rosalba's last gothic horror role and features some very nice cinematography by future cannibal/ horror/sleaze & Emanuelle expert Joe D'Amato. Co-starring Mark Damon who plays twin brothers, one of whom travels to the Transylvania village of Ladracu (dig that mixed up spelling !) to locate the Ring of Nibelung. After arriving he finds a countess (Rosalba) living in Castle Dracula who has the ring and uses it to summon the local virgins (all of whom wear see-thru nighties) to her black magic rites. Damon is soon seduced and possessed by the evil countess, which in turns leads the other twin to investigate the weirdness.

  Somewhat ludicrous plot is helped by good performances by the leads, some fairly impressive production design and the above mentioned work of D'Amato and director Batzella. Rosalba has three (!) major nude scenes and even gets to turn into a giant bat. Her rising blood covered out of the tomb is one of the highlights of Italian horror cinema (probably any type of cinema for that matter). 

  

  

 

  

70's Drive-In Explolitation Babe Candice Rialson

   Candice Rialson racked up a pretty impressive resume in the 1970's appearing in Roger Corman's Candy Stripe Nurses & Summer School Teachers (both from 1974), played one of Gloria Grahame's evil daughters in Mama's Dirty Girls (also from '74) and a runaway who hooks up with some really whacked out people in Pets (again - '74 !). She also appeared in Moonshine County Express  & Chatterbox (both from 1977). Like most actresses in low budget films she hoped to break into bigger pictures and had bit parts in Logan's Run (1976) & Winter Kills (1979). In The Eiger Sanction from 1975 she a had a small but memorable role as a flirtatious student of teacher Clint Eastwood. 

  Probably her best role was in Allan Arkush & Joe Dante's 1976 classic send-up of Roger Corman's New World Pictures - Hollywood Boulevard, playing hapless starlet Candy Wednesday ("Miracle Pictures - If It's a Good Picture, It's a Miracle"). 

  She was born in Santa Monica Ca. in 1951, won Miss Hermosa Beach at age 18 and later worked as a go-go dancer. In 1979 she retired to raise a family and sadly passed away from liver cancer in 2006. A talented (often much better then the roles called for) & natural actress who always seemed to have a bit of innocence about her.   

Eddie Romero July 7 1924 - May 28 2013

   Word came today that Filipino director/producer/writer (and all around movie guy) Eddie Romero has passed away at the age of 88. He started making movies after WWII and in 1959 produced the Island of Dr. Moreau inspired Terror Is a Man. Soon after, working independently and along with Sam Sherman & Hemisphere Pictures, plus Roger Corman's New World Company among others he became THE Filipino exploitation/drive-in movie industry.

   He was the man behind (and in front of) many classics including Brides of Blood (1968),  Mad Doctor of Blood Island (1968), Beast of Blood (1971), Black Mama White Mama (1972), Beast of the Yellow Night (1971), Savage Sisters (1974), Sudden Death (1977) and bunches of others. I know what I'll be watching tonight.