Il plenilunio delle vergini
Karl Schiller [Mark Damon] thinks he may have located Wagner's Ring of Nibelungen
at Castle Dracula in the Carpathian mountains and plans to go looking for
it. Karl's seedy twin brother Franz [also Mark Damon] reminds him that Transylvania is the
land of vampires, but Karl laughs off such superstitious ideas. Besides,
he's got an amulet that will protect him, so he sets off for Transylvania.
However, Franz whips up a swift horse, swipes Karl's amulet, and beats him
to the castle. Franz stops first in the village nearest the castle and
learns from the innkeeper's daughter Tanya [Francesca Romana Davila] that tomorrow night is the
Night of the Virgin Moon, and legend says that every 50 years on the full
moon following Midsummer, five virgins will be chosen from the village and
called to the castle. What happens to them is not known, but they
disappear during the night and are never seen again. After deflowering
Tanya for her own protection, Franz rides on to Castle Dracula where he
meets the occupants--the Contessa Dominga de Vries [Sara Bay] and her zombielike
lesbian housekeeper Lara [Esmerelda Barros]. Unfortunately for Franz, he left the amulet of
protection back at the inn. The Contessa, being a vampire, easily seduces
Franz and turns him into one, too.Along comes Karl, riding his not-so-swift horse. When he shows up at
the castle and identifies himself, the Countess informs him that Franz was
there but left abruptly without a word of thanks, and she doesn't know
where he went. Karl is invited to stay the night, but when he finds
himself locked in his bedroom, he climbs out of the window and goes poking
around the castle. He winds up in the crypt where he is attacked by a
bald-headed vampire [Ciro Papas] and finds his brother sealed in a coffin. Karl
releases Franz and carries him back upstairs, but Franz has no memory of
how he got into the crypt.Meanwhile, Tanya has found the amulet under the pillow in the room
where Franz spent the night, and she decides to bring it to the castle
herself. She sees Karl in the window and, thinking him to be Franz, she
tells him that she has brought his amulet. By the time Karl can get from
his room down to the courtyard, Tanya has disappeared but he does find the
amulet laying on the cobblestones.This being the Night of the Virgin Moon, the Countess is busy
preparing for the ceremony. First, she puts on the Ring of Nibelungen and
uses it to summon the five virgins to the castle. Once there, they are
stripped naked by Lara and prepared to be sacrificed at a Black Mass.
Meanwhile, Franz has come to realize that he is possessed by Dracula, and
the Countess informs him that they are to be married at the Black Mass.
Karl tries to talk Franz out of it, but to no avail. While Lara stabs each
of the virgins in their necks, Franz and Karl fight with each other.
Suddenly, Franz is summoned to take his place at the wedding. The Countess
gives him a knife and orders him to use it on Tanya. Instead, he turns on
Lara and stabs her in the stomach. The Countess sees Franz's reflection in
a mirror and realizes that it is Karl, not Franz, so she points the Ring
of Nibelungen at him and sics her five hooded disciples on him. Karl grabs
an axe and chops off their heads one by one. He is then set upon by the
bald-headed vampire, but Karl grabs a bayonet and stabs the vampire.Tanya has freed herself and gotten away, but she is headed off by the
Countess who uses the Ring to entrance Tanya. The Countess then changes
into a giant bat. Shortly thereafter, Karl comes running, and the Countess
turns the Ring on him, but Karl pulls out his amulet, causing the Countess
to scream in fear. He then wields his axe and cuts off her hand, the one
with the Ring on her finger. Only one more thing to do -- stake Franz and
bury his body along with the amulet -- and Karl is free to ride off with
Tanya. Unfortunately, Tanya has been turned into a vampire, and she bites
Karl. In the final scene, Franz's hand rises from his grave and clutches
the amulet. [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl.]
gothic