RETURN OF THE BLIND DEAD (aka RETURN OF THE EVIL DEAD) (1972)
Starring Frank Blake and Frank Brana
Decent sequel to the classic "Tombs of the Blind Dead" has a village celebrating the anniversary of the vigilante massacre of the Knights Templars 500 years ago, only to have the spirits of the blind warlocks back to exact revenge. Once again, the Blind Dead ride in slow motion on horses before attacking their victims.
The first film was really a masterpiece, a classic of Spanish horror, and this film doesn't quite match up, although it is a pretty entertaining zombie-fest. The second half of the film has a few lone townsfolk holding up in a church with the Blind Dead rampaging outside. This part of the film is pretty much a solid imitation of Romero's "Night of the Living Dead," with the survivors using fire to ward off the walking, slow-moving Templar Knight zombies.
None of the latter Blind Dead films would replicate the power of the first movie. This might be second best in the series, but it's a far cry from the perfection of "Tombos of the Blind Dead. Most entertaining perhaps is the character of the abbey caretaker who plays a role in reviving the living dead Templars. He looks a lot like Stephen King, and tends to deliver one hilarious evil grin at every female he encounters. Lone Fleming, who had a huge role in the first film, returns in a smaller role here and as a new character.
The version of this film released by Anchor Bay on DVD (since out of print) is actually cut slightly. The Spanish version of the movie had more gore scenes, although no one has actually released a full digitally remastered version with all those scenes intact. Followed by the even cheesier "Horror of the Zombies."