Paul Naschy has played many a role and with 1973’s El jorobado de la Morgue or Hunchback of the Morgue, he would take the role of the titular hunchback and add to his already impressive resume with one of his best parts yet.

Gotho as portrayed by Naschy, is an unfortunate man with a very pronounced hunch and is made fun of by most in the village. He also happens to be in love with a dying girl named Ilse played by the very lovely María Elena Arpón. While picking flowers for her one day, Gotho is accosted by a group of locals and pummeled quite soundly until he can fend them off. That sadly, would make him late for his visit with Ilse and she would die shortly before he would arrive. Gotho steals her body away and takes it deep below ground and enlists Dr. Orla to bring her back to life. Orla sees an opportunity to advance his experiments as he has recently lost his permission to do so legally and so takes advantage of Gotho and all of those around him to do so. What follows are scenes filled with violence and gore, a bit of lovemaking featuring the beautiful Rosana Yanni, burning rats, murder, graverobbing and a slimy goo monster brought to life by Dr. Orla.

Naschy’s Gotho is a complicated character, though one most likely shaped by the society in which he resides. Gotho is a pitiable creature, one whom the audience cannot help but be sorry for. He can be brutal and unforgiving at times as well, forged that way through experience and because of that, one also cannot help but understand why he is as such. Those he surrounds himself with are a varied lot, such as Orla, a scientist with no remorse as played by Alberto Dalbés and whose only care is for himself. There is the dying Ilse who only wishes to live and counts Gotho as the one she cares for most and the only one that cares for her and there is Elke who finds herself in love with Gotho. It is no wonder that Gotho is as troubled as he seems as he wears his emotions on his sleeve and those who associate with him take advantage of that very fact. All of this comes with a myriad of plotlines, weaving in and out like some crazy spiderweb and there are a couple of moments where it all gets to be a bit too muddled but if one sticks it out, it manages to end on a strong note.

Directed by Javier Aguirre with some effective cinematography by Raúl Pérez Cubero, the film is very atmospheric and creepy. The underground passages and cells are slightly claustrophobic as they offer no escape, the old-time feel of the town and its denizens create the perfect climate for creating a broken man such as Gotho and all of it equals a melting pot that fits just right for a movie such as this. Factor in the blood and butchery throughout, the disposing of bodies in the pit of sulphuric acid and the incredible gore monster during the final act and one can honestly say that this movie has a bit of everything for the avid horror fan. At the end of the day, Hunchback of the Morgue may not be the Frankenstein classic that everyone remembers but it is a telling of the tale that is wild and entertaining, an off-beat alternate universe vision of the story that does not disappoint.

3.5 out of 5