The People Who Own the Dark (1976)

October 27, 1976 (US) • Horror, Science Fiction • 94m

Overview

A group of rich businessmen and military officers who are partying in an old castle are spared when a nuclear war ravages the earth. When they venture out into the nearest town to search for food and supplies, they find most of the residents blinded, and soon they discover the existence of a sinister group called The People Who Own The Dark.

Director

León Klimovsky

Writers

Gabriel Moreno Burgos, Vicente Aranda, Joaquín Jordá, Gabriel Moreno Burgos

Top Billed

Nadiuska

Keywords

blindness and impaired vision insanity brothel post-apocalyptic future castle mass lunacy nuclear catastrophe

Where to watch

Check streaming options on TMDB

Top Billed Cast

Nadiuska

Clara

Alberto de Mendoza

Prof. Fulton

Teresa Gimpera

Berta

Emiliano Redondo

Dr. Messier

Julia Saly

Marion (as Julia Sali 'La Pocha')

Tomás Picó

Victor

Diana Polakov

Tania

Antonio Mayans

Vasily

Leona Devine

Luna

Ricardo Palacios

Dr. Robertson

Carmen Platero

Greta

Estela Delgado

Barta Barri

Russian Ambassador (as Barta Barry)

Gumersindo Andrés

- (as Gumersindo A. López)

Gonzalo Tejada

Adolfo Thous

Maria Perschy

Lily

Paul Naschy

Boune

Crew

León Klimovsky

Director

Gabriel Moreno Burgos

Screenplay

Vicente Aranda

Screenplay

Joaquín Jordá

Screenplay

José Luis Renedo

Producer

Salvadore Romero

Producer

Miguel Fernández Mila

Director of Photography

Soledad López

Editor

Miguel Asins Arbó

Original Music Composer

Gabriel Moreno Burgos

Story

Tony Pueo

Art Direction

José Algueró

Set Decoration

Mercedes de Segovia

Costume Design

Toñy Nieto

Makeup Department Head

Cristóbal Criado

Makeup Artist

Manuel Torres

Production Director

Andrés Vich

First Assistant Director

Erika Szel

Script Supervisor

May Marqués

Third Assistant Director

Ángel Quintana

Key Production Assistant

Inocencio Barbán

Props

César Picó

Production Assistant

Mari Carmen Taberner

Assistant Editor

Pablo Blanco

Additional Editor

Mercedes Guillot

Hairdresser

Mercedes Gómez

Makeup Artist

Norma Mures

Assistant Makeup Artist

Mercedes de Segovia

Seamstress

Julio Burgos

Assistant Camera

José Salvador

Still Photographer

Carlos G. Melero

Second Assistant Camera

Juan Alonso

Construction Coordinator

Jesús Peña

Special Effects

Enrique Molinero

Sound Technical Supervisor

Reviews

Monroville

September 27, 2022

Alright, a bit of full disclosure to start - I don't think I've seen a Paul Naschy movie until now. I know, I know, that's pretty shocking for any serious fan of horror movies. I'm well versed in the Italian branch of the Euro horror family tree, particularly the giallos of Argento, Fulci, Bava etc. But I've been quite lax in my efforts to investigate the Spanish branch, despite regularly hearing Naschy's name bandied around with that of fellow countryman Jesse Franco (another hole in my viewing experience).

Anyway, that admission aside, I do realise that **The People Who Own The Dark** is not a typical Naschy film. Here he has something of a supporting role, and a convetional one at that, but he does team up with regular collaborator Klimovsky, the Argentinian director who directed eight of his films.

**The People Who Own The Dark** is an effective post-nuclear survival tale that throws together a group of rich, influential men (including Naschy; Alberto de Mendoza, **THE CASE OF THE SCORPION'S TAIL**; and Antonio Mayans, **ZOMBIE LAKE**) with a number of beautiful models for a weekend of pleasure in the basement of a castle somewhere in Europe - kind of an upmarket swingers' retreat.

But before they can get down to business, nuclear war breaks out. The guests are safe in their underground bunker, but everyone else in the surrounding countryside, including a nearby village, is left blind by the blast.

Venturing out to get supplies, the group of protagonists soon realises these blinded, half-insane villagers are not interested in becoming facebook friends. They want to kill the sighted (how they know the difference is beyond me, but what the heck).

Barricading themselves in the castle, the non-blind soon have to cope with the growing tension and paranoia in their group, as well as the villagers when they come looking for blood. Well, not exactly looking. More like stumbling.

Naschy is great as the snake of the group, who is only interested in saving his own skin. The women are all beautiful, none moreso than German softcore queen Nadiuska (who also played Arnie's mother in **CONAN THE BARBARIAN**), who is the only one to get fully un-kitted. The female cast also includes Julia Saly (**NIGHT OF THE WEREWOLF**), Diana Polakov (in a supporting role four years before her feature role in the rip-roaring **SUPERSONIC MAN**) and Teresa Gimpera (**CRYPT OF THE LIVING DEAD**). Maria Perschy (**MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE**) is simply stunning as the host of the party.

Klimovsky does a very good job of building suspense and dread with material that could have come off as corny. Scenes of dozens of blinded people surrounding a main character while waving walking sticks above their heads could have been campy, but instead is quite chilling.

Comparisons with **Night of the Living Dead** are unavoidable. Trade zombies for staggering blind people, Pennsylvania for the European countryside and a farmhouse for a castle and you've got basically the same plot. Even the ending is similarly-bleak.

But while it may be a ripoff of sorts, **The People Who Own The Dark** is effectively filmed with a great cast, so is definitely worth checking out.

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The People Who Own the Dark (1976)

Gabriel Moreno Burgos, Vicente Aranda, Joaquín Jordá, Gabriel Moreno Burgos

Where to watch

Top Billed Cast

Crew

Reviews

Monroville

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Eyes

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