Inclubabu Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

Solidrariol Am I Missing Something?

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

gavin6942 A hit man working for the Yakuza double crosses his employers and flees with a cache of diamonds from the latest heist. Injured and hiding in the mountain regions of Spain, with Japanese assassins in hot pursuit, he takes refuge in the home of a local doctor and his two daughters, who nurse him back to health and hide him from his pursuers.Mirek Lipinski writes that this film is "one of Naschy's most intimate cries that something was wrong with humanity." Naschy himself wrote that at this point in his life he "didn't believe there were many things worthwhile in this filthy rotten world." This perfectly explains the mindset that went into writing and directing this film.An unusual blend of mystery, action, crime and horror, the one unifying theme of the movie is that no one is to be trusted and man is always ready to prey on his fellow man. For those viewers who like to have a character they can be sympathetic with, this film may have you searching in vain. Our "hero" is a double-crossing hit-man and thief. His saviors have their own agenda. The house servant is unfaithful to her lover. The only one who is arguably a good person is Meiko, who is justified in tracking down the man who wronged her. But even here, when we first meet her, she has orchestrated a jewel heist.Though not one of Naschy's better-known films (at least in America), it has some moderate star power. The two daughters are played by a former beauty contest winner and a former model, who were no doubt beloved in Spain. The cinematographer is Alejandro Ulloa (1926-2002), who may be known for "Horror Express" or Orson Welles' "Chimes at Midnight". The score even has a track from Ennio Morricone, albeit a recycled one from a much earlier film.Scream! Factory has included this film as part of their 5-movie Paul Naschy Blu-ray set. Interestingly, of the five films this one has the fewest special features. This is a shame, as a commentary would have been nice or better still an interview with star Eiko Nagashima, who could have added a great deal of knowledge about the production.The video transfer is very good. While not the most crisp and clean picture you will ever see, it is probably the best that could be achieved from the source material and looks exceptional. The only drawback is that Spanish (or Castilian) subtitles are embedded on the screen when characters speak Japanese. The sound, unfortunately, is not spectacular. While this is no doubt the way the original was and no fault of Scream, the vocals tend to fade in and out and the music is not as clear as it could be.So ad not to end on a negative note, this is still well worth seeking out. For those who only know Naschy from his werewolf movies, this will be an eye-opening experience and really showcases his versatility for various genres.

EyeAskance An Asian crime syndicate enlists the aid of Paul Naschy in a diamond heist, a choice they come to regret when he violently betrays them. He subsequently kills the syndicate leader, the daughter of whom he's been feigning a romantic interest. She shoots Naschy in a vengeful rage, but he escapes into the wilderness. Severely wounded with the cold hands of death upon him, he magically awakens in the personal care of an eccentric doctor and his two sexy daughters.At this point, the film switches gears, and what began seemingly as an action/crime film gives way to a disorienting hybrid of revenge thriller, lurid sexploitation drama, and gialliesque slasher mystery. The situational goings-on are quite strange, and while the film is rather carelessly paced and atrociously dubbed, it aptly manages to hold you by the throat straight up to its bizarre summation.This one takes some time to get the ball rolling, but once the stage is set, you may well be glad you stuck with it. All its inconsistencies aside, HUMAN BEASTS is a likable little dish of a very different flavor.5.5/10

Witchfinder General 666 Even though among the lesser-known films of the great late Spanish Horror/Cult icon Paul Naschy, "El Carnaval De Las Bestias" aka. "Human Beasts" (1980) is an outrageously entertaining slice of European Exploitation cinema and a film that none of my fellow Naschy-fans can afford to miss. The multi-talented Paul Naschy scripted many of the film he starred in, and also directed some - in the case of this film, he served as writer, director and leading man. A Spanish/Japanese co-production, the film starts out as a hard-boiled crime flick only to transform into surreal Horror in the second half.Naschy plays Bruno Rivera, a hit-man, who gets hired by a Japanese criminal organization (the sister of the organization's head being in love with Bruno) in order to carry out a spectacular diamond heist. After murdering a few people during the heist, Bruno betrays his associates including his girlfriend Mieko (Eiko Nagashima) and flees with all the diamonds. After getting wounded by his double-crossed partners, Bruno gets rescued by a family (a doctor who lives with his two sexy daughters and a sexy black maid) and is taken care of in their beautiful and eerie mansion. Of course, both of the hot daughters immediately have a crush on Bruno. However, the house of the good doctor and his daughters seems to bear a secret or two, and may not be the safest hideout in the world after all...Admittedly, the film is not the most logical thing ever, and bears a few inconsistencies (a crime organization that is against unnecessary violence?... come on!), and the flashbacks into Bruno's and Meiko's past are cheesy as hell... but these tiny complaints do in no way lessen the film's incredible entertainment factor. The film is gory, very macabre, and politically incorrect as hell (the political incorrectness culminates in a scene in which the African maid moans with pleasure while having her behind whipped by her 'master', the doctor), so it should appeal to all lovers of sleazy Euro-Exploitation. There is a lot of sleaze, but, for Naschy-flick standards, there is actually quite little nudity from the gorgeous female cast. Some of the gore-scenes are pretty intense, including a scene in which a poor fellow is devoured by pigs while still alive, several brutal stabbings, and a female gangster being blown up with a grenade. "Human Beasts" includes exploitative gore, lots of action, creepy Horror, as well as silly but funny humor and corny fart-jokes. Naschy is, of course, great as always; the man truly was an icon and his presence alone made any film worth watching, in my opinion. While most of his films can hardly be considered masterpieces, they all have a specific inimitable charm that can only be found in Naschy flicks; in my humble opinion, cinema does not get more entertaining than it is the case with many of the films starring the Spanish Horror deity who passed away last year. Hombre Lobo, you truly were an icon and will always live on through your films!

Woodyanders Ruthless mercenary Bruno Rivera (Paul Naschy in peak nasty form) betrays his pregnant partner/girlfriend Meiko (well played by Eiko Nagashima) in order to have exclusive dibs on a fortune in stolen diamonds. But Meiko manages to seriously wound Bruno before he gets away. Bruno winds up in the swanky chalet of kindly rich doctor Don Simon (a fine performance by Lautaro Murua). He also attracts the attention of Simon's two hottie daughters: the fiery Monica (luscious Silvia Aguiler) and the sweet Alicia (nicely essayed by the lovely Azucena Hernandez). However, Bruno soon realizes that something is very amiss about the isolated place and plans to escape as soon as he can. Meanwhile, the bitter Meiko tries to find Bruno so she can exact her revenge on him. Naschy, who wrote and directed as well as stars, concocts one of his strangest, most twisted and perverse horror vehicles ever with this little seen oddity. The offbeat plot and mysterious atmosphere become more weird and unnerving as the story unfolds, eventually leading to a genuinely startling surprise downbeat ending. This film further benefits from occasional moments of graphic gore (watch out for the memorable sequence with one poor guy being devoured alive by vicious flesh-eating pigs!), Alejandro Ulloa's slick cinematography, and a decent sprinkling of nudity and soft-core sex. Good supporting turns by Roxana Dupre as sassy maid Raquel, Pepe Ruiz as amorous playboy Don Serafin, and Julia Saly as the deranged Teresa. A pleasingly grim and worthwhile shocker.