Lycanthropus (aka Werewolf In A Girls' Dormitory) is a
fusion of an Edgar Wallace whodunit and the more
classic werewolf-on-the-rampage on an old estate
formula and was created during the Golden
Age of Italian horror. There are many close-ups of staring eyed corpses and snarling
werewolves that recall Mario Bava's unequalled visual palette and camerawork.
The music of Armando Trovajoli is atmospheric,
creepy and autumnal. The composer would score in
his ethereal prose films such as Hercules In the Haunted
World (1961) and the thundering
dark majesty of Giant Of Metropolis (1962).
Exclusively for Retromedia Entertainment, actor
Curt Lowens recorded an audio commentary with film historian David Del Valle
(host of Vincent Price-The Sinister Image from All Day Entertainment).
Obviously Lowens was reminiscing about the role of a
lifetime as he turned down a
small part for acclaimed director Luchino Visconti in
The Leopard to join the ranks
of screen werewolves. Like fellow actors Reggie Nalder (Barlow in
Salem's Lot) or Ferdy Mayne (Count Von Krolack in
Polanski's Dance Of the Vampires), Curt
Lowens will always be remembered by horror fans for
his one and only turn as a
monster. The film also starred Barbara Lass (the first Mrs. Roman Polanski) and Carl
Schell (brother of celebrated Maximillian Schell and Maria
Schell). Luciano Pigozzi, the Peter Lorre of
Italian fantascienza, portrays the institution's
caretaker who is aware of far more than meets the eye.
-Christopher Dietrich
- NTSC Region 1
- Widescreen
- Curt Lowens Commentary Track
- Still Gallery
- Reproduction Of the Original Movie Gimmick Card
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