Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory

The Italian horror film in the early sixties experienced a renaissance of sorts that saw the emergence of such unique talents as Riccardo Freda, Antonio Margheriti and Mario Bava whose 1960 film, Black Sunday (1960) aka La Maschera del Demonio, became an international box office smash. Thanks to that, gothic horror tales featuring vampires, mad doctors and avenging ghosts - and starring Italian actors dubbed into English - enjoyed a brief vogue at the drive-in and second-run theatre circuit in the U.S. Among these imports was the absurdly titled Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory (1962), an obvious attempt to appeal to younger audiences in the same way I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957) did for high school kids in the fifties. While not in the same league with Bava's Black Sunday, Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory (The original Italian title was Lycanthropus) is an entertaining relic from "Italy's Golden Age of Horror" which weaves together several genres - a murder mystery in the Edgar Wallace tradition (a convoluted narrative with lots of red herrings), science fiction (a mad scientist) and popular folk myths (werewolves). There are flaws to be sure - some stilted acting, erratic pacing, continuity problems - but what distinguishes this from other horror imports of its era is the evocative black and white cinematography and a creepy setting, an isolated villa in the woods (it was filmed on an estate outside Rome). Originally released on a double bill with the British melodrama, Corridors of Blood, a period thriller starring Boris Karloff, Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory had an extra sequence shot and added for the U.S. market. It was a party scene in which Marilyn Stewart and Frank Owens perform a rock 'n roll tune called "The Ghoul in School." The song was prominently featured in all of the U.S. ads for the film and is also displayed in the liner insert for Retromedia's new DVD release of the film (distributed by Image Entertainment) and listed in the opening credits. Curiously enough, that added musical sequence is nowhere to be found on Retromedia's disc but no matter; if you're a horror film buff, there's much to enjoy here. The movie opens with a new teacher, Julian Olcott (Carl Schell, brother of the Oscar-winning actor Maximilian Schell), arriving at a secluded school for girls (it looks more like a reformatory for delinquent prostitutes instead of a finishing school, though it's actually more of a halfway house). Shortly after his arrival, a student is found brutally murdered and he becomes a prime suspect due to a past scandal. Formerly a doctor, Julian gave up his practice after being accused of murdering a patient; he was proven innocent but now suspicion falls on him again. Of course, he's just one of many suspects. For instance, there's Walter, the caretaker, played by Luciano Pigozzi, a dead ringer for Peter Lorre. And what about that philandering teacher Sir Alfred (Maurice Marsac) and his embittered wife (Anni Steinert) who is constantly victimized by blackmailers? Oh yes, let's not forget the school director Swift (Curt Lowens) who has a distinct lupine quality. The killer, it turns out, is no ordinary murderer but the victim of a failed laboratory experiment and subject to homicidal rages in the form of a werewolf. The monster makeup here bears little resemblance to Lon Chaney, Jr.'s fur-covered makeover in The Wolf Man (1941), opting instead for a more humanoid - and disturbing - appearance. Retromedia's DVD transfer of Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory is taken from a beat up but serviceable 35mm letterboxed print. While there are obvious signs of print damage - spliced cuts with audio dropout, vertical scratches in the frame - the visual quality is certainly sharper here than in any previous VHS version and looks best on 20-inch or smaller monitors. The best reason to snap up this release is the commentary track by film historian David Del Valle and actor Curt Lowens who discuss the making of the film while providing a steady stream of amusing anecdotes. You'll learn, for example, that the lead damsel-in-distress, Barbara Lass, was Roman Polanski's first wife. Lowens also recalls his grueling makeup for the film, a close call with an overzealous German Shepherd in one scene, his film career in Europe working with Peter Ustinov, Michael Curtiz and others, and opinions about his co-stars in Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory. In addition, Del Valle provides some useful insights about the golden age of the Italian horror film and is a good prompter for Lowens' memories. The other extras include a still gallery but no subtitle options or any inclusion of the infamous "Ghoul in School" musical number. For more information about Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory, visit Image Entertainment. To order Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory, go to TCM Shopping. by Jeff Stafford