Elvira and her friend Genevieve travel through the French countryside in search of the lost grave of a medieval vampire, Countess Wandesa.
Elvira is travelling through the French countryside with her friend Genevieve, searching for the lost tomb of a medieval murderess and possible vampire, Countess Wandessa. They find a likely site in the castle of Waldemar Daninsky, who invites the women to stay as long as they like. As Waldemar shows Elvira the tomb that supposedly houses the countess, she accidentally causes the vampire to come back to life, hungrier than ever. Daninsky has a hidden secret of his own, but will it be enough to save the two girls from becoming Wandessa's next victims?—Jean-Marc Rocher <[email protected]>
The corpse of Waldemar Daninsky [Paul Naschy] bears the mark of the werewolf (apentagram on his chest), so two disbelieving coroners remove the silverbullets to prove to themselves that there are no such things aswerewolves. Of course, the werewolf is immediately revived and killsthe two coroners on his way out the door.
Back in Paris, college students Elvira [Gaby Fuchs] and Genevieve [Barbara Capell] are completingtheir "final thesis." They've tracked down the tomb of the a 15th centuryCountess Wandessa d'Arville de Nadasdy, a supposed witch and vampire. TheCountess's tomb is said to lie near a small village somewhere in northernFrance, so the girls load up their car and go in search of the place.Short on gas, daylight, and directions, however, they accept an invitationto stay at the rustic (meaning 'no lights, no phone, no motorcar')countryhouse of writer Waldemar Daninsky. Over a dinner of cold cuts andwine, Waldemar reveals that he's writing a book about the history ofgothic churches and monuments, but he falls silent when Elvira mentionsher search for Wandessa.
The girls retire for the night, but Elvira is awakened from her sleepwhen Waldemar's sister Elizabeth [Yelena Samarina] steals into the room, feels her up,attempts to strangle her, and warns her to leave before the night of thefull moon. The next morning, Waldemar explains to Elvira that Elizabethlost her mental stability after the death of their father but that she isharmless. Meanwhile, Genevieve explores the manor and comes across a shackwith blood on the walls and shackles hanging from the ceiling. ThenGenevieve is attacked by Elizabeth, but Waldemar explains that theshackles are used to hang game, so the girls decide to remain. In private,Waldemar warns Elizabeth to leave the girls alone because they are his"last hope."
Armed with papers, documents, and maps, Elvira, Genevieve, andWaldemar go in search of Wandessa's tomb. They find and open ituneventfully but Genevieve cuts her arm when she pulls the silver Mayenzacross from the chest of Wandessa's cadaver, and some of Genevieve's blooddrips on Wandessa's lips. Later that evening, of course, Wandessa [Patty Shepard] risesfrom her coffin and calls Genevieve to join her in the garden where shewets her whistle on Genevieve's blood and returns later for a nightcap onElizabeth. Genevieve, now a vampire, pops in for a bite on Elvira, butWaldemar chases her away with the Mayenza cross. With Genevieve andElizabeth out of the way, Elvira confesses her love for Waldemar(forgetting Marcel, her policeman boyfriend back in Paris), and the twovow to fight Wandessa together, although Waldemar must first take "certainprecautions" to ensure Elvira's safety because tonight is a full moon.Waldemar wants Elvira to take the cross and spend the night in thevillage, safely locked in a lodge there.
Elvira goes to the village. The full moon rises. Waldemar turns intoa werewolf and kills a camper. The next morning, Elvira finds Waldemarwandering about in tattered clothes, so he tells her how he became awerewolf while exploring Tibet and how Elizabeth would chain him to a wallduring full moons. Only being stabbed in the heart with the Mayenza crossby someone who loves him will release him from the curse. But first thingsfirst. First, they have to destroy Wandessa. While Waldemar is out huntingfor her hiding place, Genevieve sates her thirst on Elvira. Waldemardoesn't find Wandessa, but he does run into Genevieve and destroys her,which releases Elvira and heals the bite marks on her neck. Because it'sanother full moon tonight, Elvira places Waldemar in shackles, but heescapes just in time to save Elvira from being assaulted by Pierre [José Marco], thehandyman.
The next morning, while Elvira is in bed with Waldemar, her Parisienlover Marcel [Andres Resino] drives into town. He starts asking around about Elvira'swhereabouts and hears strange stories about Waldemar Daninsky, blackmagic, vampires, and young girls dying. Marcel finally gets a lead fromPierre's old girlfriend and decides to pay Waldemar a visit. When Marcelshows up at Waldemar's house, Elvira greets him with a less than exuberantkiss, and Marcel realizes that something is going on between Elvira andWaldemar. Marcel threatens to launch a fullscale investigation into therumors surrounding Waldemar, so Waldemar talks Elvira into leaving withMarcel.
Tonight is Walpurgisnacht, the night when Satan rules the earth andWandessa will have all her powers. Thinking Elvira safe, Waldemar steps uphis search for Wandessa. However, Wandessa is holding Marcel and Elvira inher lair while she prepares to make Elvira a blood sacrifice to her Lordand Master, Satan. Just as Wandessa is about to plunge the knife intoElvira, however, Waldemar wanders in and rescues Elvira. But the full moonis on the rise, and Waldemar transforms into a werewolf. As Elvira andMarcel watch, vampire and werewolf battle it out. The werewolf ultimatelyreduces the vampire to a bony shroud crawling with waxworms. Elvirasuddenly grabs the Mayenza cross and, with all the love in her heart,plunges it into the werewolf's heart. The werewolf turns backinto Waldemar, and Elvira and Marcel leave the tomb with their arms aroundeach other. [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl]
