I thought I would switch things up a bit and tackle a double bill of Vicente Aranda's The Blood Spattered Bride (1972) and Luigi Batzella's The Beast In Heat (1977). The Blood Spattered Bride Starting off a little like a kitsch Hammer flick, I quickly began to feel the warmth and familiarity I feel when watching European films of this era. Starring Simon Andreu and Maribel Martin as a newlywed couple. It is clear that Susan (Martin) is having trouble adjusting to married life and is becoming scared of her husband and his increasing sexual dominance and violent ways. She soon begins to believe that she is being visited by a spectral Mircalla Karstein (Alexandra Bastedo) who 200 years ago murdered her husband. She also happens to be a descendant of Susan's husband. Now Mircalla wants Susan to take a page out of her book and kill her husband. Apologies if that is extremely convoluted, Simon Andreu's character is simply referred to as 'The Husband'. The Blood Spattered Bride deals with misogyny, virginity and lesbianism through metaphor, without it really becoming tasteless and sleazy. A scene worth of a note; when Susan is first 'visited' by Mircalla Karstein and given the dagger, the entire sequence has a strobe effect adding a real dreamlike quality to it. It also ends with Mircalla kissing Susan in what would appear to be a vampiric manner introducing a supernatural element to the story. The film's plot has some minor gaps in logic which are easily overlooked and aided by sublime climax. Coupled with exquisitely dreary mise en scene and a picturesque autumnal backdrop, atmosphere is something this film doesn't fall short on. A stylish, tasteful, slightly janky paced entry into the Euro horror genre. A film that will continue to gain fans year in, year out. DVD: Blue Underground Running Time: 101 Mins Extras: U.S. Combo Theatrical Trailer The Beast In Heat A film from the morally bankrupt niche sub-genre, Nazisploitation. And a film which harbours a number of the most ridiculous scenes ever committed to celluloid. Within the first 5 minutes we see The Beast (Salvatore Baccaro) doing his thing to an unlucky female prisoner. The plot is absurd to the max, a female doctor within the Nazi war machine has created a neanderthal man-beast sex fiend who bonks victims to death. I still can't fathom how creating an aphrodisiac laced throwback fits in with the larger picture of world domination, but what do I know. Working against the scientific abomination and his cruel mistress, Officer/Doctor Ellen Kratsch (Macha Magall), are a group of resistance soldiers who intend on overthrowing their town's occupation. The film is unfortunately runs at a snails pace and the promise of something gruesome are very much few and far between. Featuring poor set pieces and drab cinematography, it ranks low. If you're into cinematic oddities and Nazi war crimes, you've likely already endured The Beast In Heat. DVD: Exploitation Digital (Shriek Show) Running Time: 86 Mins Extras: Photo Gallery, Trailer and Shriek Show Trailers.