| Rather tepid and often obvious, this 1962 horror from genre director Franco (The Awful Dr. Orloff) lacks much punch.
The small German village of Holfen has a killer in its midst, a psycho who roams the swamps and murders local women.
The superstitious natives lay the blame on the ghost of old Baron Von Klaus, a 17th century madman who used a curved dagger to brutally off young ladies and then who disappeared one day without a trace.
Could Max Von Klaus (Vernon), the Baron's present-day descendant, be carrying on the family's gruesome history of slaughter?
Or how about his nephew Ludwig (Blanco)?
Although adequately plotted and nicely shot, this mild-mannered continental terror can't seem to muster much enthusiasm for itself; moments of suspense are too few and far between, and the cast never really gels (with the lone exception of Vernon, a menacing presence).
Not the pits by any means, but primarily for eurohorror diehards or Franco buffs.
Spanish: La mano de un hombre muerto.
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