She Beast (1966) User Reviews

A Formidable Film, Worth Rediscovering Thanks to Dark Sky

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 26 March 2009]

An English couple are vacationing in Communist Romania... don't ask me why. After a bad run-in with a local innkeeper appropriately named Groper, they run their car into the lake. The man (Ian Ogilvy) is saved, but pulled up with him is not his wife (Barbara Steele), but a 200-year old witch named Vardella.

Now, the first thing you might be asking is this: why would Dark Sky Films, distributor of some of the finest gems in horror and exploitation, release a film that has been in the public domain for years and not very widely praised? There's a very good answer to that: because Dark Sky, among their many other talents, takes one man's trash and turns it into another man's treasure. They somehow uncovered an original print, and have given us the film in beautiful widescreen with a very nice, crisp picture... and if that isn't enough, they tracked down Ogilvy and Steele for an exclusive audio commentary. (Also, if you're like me, you'll appreciate the subtitles.) Can you beat that?

Seriously, though, the film isn't even bad. The characters are interesting and the story has a smooth flow. Really, it's the characters that sell this film. VonHelsing is an interesting modern incarnation of his namesake. The Romanians have a great comedic value with their communist jokes. After one man is found dead, a policeman turns to another and asks, "Is he talking?" The other says, "No, he's dead." So the first one says, "That's obstruction of justice." And then shortly after we get a chase scene that some critics have frowned on for its silliness, but I wonder if they hadn't been paying attention -- the cops were hilarious throughout the film.

Writer/director Michael Reeves has to be given plenty of credit for this. In his early twenties when he made this (before moving on to his masterpiece, "Witchfinder General"), it's a good tale in the same vein as later Hammer Horror stories. The only real complaint I have is the top billing for Barbara Steele, who only appears in the film for maybe fifteen minutes. I understand her popularity at the time, and she's something of a horror icon, but it's a bit misleading to make her so prominent in the advertising.

Thank you, Dark Sky, for taking what was a film dead in the water and reviving it. Modern horror fans may find it a bit slow and bulky, but anyone who loves the classics will find this appealing with plenty of good scenes and grisly visuals -- eye gouging, impalement... witches beware! A truly enjoyable experience.

SHE BEAST (Michael Reeves, 1966) **

[Bunuel1976 · 5/10 · 3 January 2011]

Michael Reeves' official directorial debut – after his stint as an assistant director on CASTLE OF THE LIVING DEAD (1964; his modest contribution here is, erroneously, sometimes exaggerated by his cultists) – is, likewise, an Italian production of the Horror variety. Filmed under the title of REVENGE OF THE BLOOD BEAST and officially released in Italy as SISTER OF Satan (although, LAKE OF Satan, is apparently yet another name attributed to it over there!), the film's best-known moniker is SHE BEAST – which is how it has been released on DVD, first by the budget outfit Alpha and, more recently, by the more respectable label Dark Sky Films.

Even though Reeves' entire cinematic output consists of merely four titles, he managed the enviable feat of working with one genre icon apiece: Christopher Lee in CASTLE OF THE LIVING DEAD, Barbara Steele in SHE BEAST, Boris Karloff in THE SORCERERS (1967) and Vincent Price in WITCHFINDER GENERAL (1968), his last (and, undoubtedly, best) work. Actually, the contribution of Barbara Steele – the then-reigning 'Scream Queen' of Italian horror movies, ever since her breakthrough dual roles in (yet another legendary genre director) Mario Bava's BLACK Sunday (1960) – to the film under review amounted to just one 22-hour day of the 18-day shooting schedule; her agent at the time, David Niven Jr., only alerted her of this clause on the day before she came on the set and, although she was a trouper, Steele had a major falling-out with producer Paul Maslansky…although, judging by the cordial and lively Audio Commentary on the Dark Sky DVD, any animosity between the two has long since faded away! Joined in this discussion is the film's nominal lead and veritable Michael Reeves mascot, Ian Ogilvy; they had been schoolmates in their teenage years and Ogilvy would go on to star in all of Reeves' directorial output.

The film opens with a witch-hunting sequence that anticipates the more notorious ones in WITCHFINDER GENERAL; the victim of the 'trial by water' (or, more exactly, stake through the heart!) has to be one of the ugliest female monsters to appear on celluloid and, in fact, was actually portrayed by a colored dancer sporting heavy – and highly effective – make-up…with hideous tooth-work and shriek-laden voice to match! Incidentally, one of the actor's winding down activities on the set (according to Ogilvy) was trying to hitch rides from passing cars in full "She Beast" get-up…obviously, to the stopping drivers' eternal chagrin! The cast also includes three other moderately familiar names of the period: John Karlsen (as the modern-day eccentric witch-hunter Count Von Helsing {sic}!), Mel Welles (as a boozing lecher of an inn-keeper) and Lucretia Love (appearing – in one of two surprisingly racy scenes in the film – as an innocent villager assaulted by Welles, just before he gets his own comeuppance from the rampaging titular creature); curiously enough, the other brief spot of nudity is provided by La Steele herself, during a night-time lovemaking scene with husband Ogilvy, that is witnessed by 'peeping tom' Welles – who is subsequently beaten up within an inch of his life by the understandably incensed guest!

Apart from Welles, the American side of the production is represented by producer Maslansky and second-unit director/uncredited co-screenwriter Charles B. Griffith; film connoisseurs will immediately associate the first with the POLICE ACADEMY franchise and the second (like Welles himself) with the earlier days of the Roger Corman stable. Despite both Maslansky and Griffith having worked on some intriguing fantasy stuff (CASTLE OF THE LIVING DEAD itself, 1972's DEATH LINE, 1975's RACE WITH THE DEVIL and 1977's DAMNATION ALLEY, as well as two 1957 Corman productions, NOT OF THIS EARTH and THE UNDEAD respectively), unfortunately, it is their comedic vein which comes to the fore here in a truly misjudged and overstretched climactic "Keystone Kops"-type slapstick car chase (seemingly needed to pad out the running time to feature-length)! This not only involves an uncredited Maslansky himself – as one of three bumbling local cops, anticipating the similarly inept pursuing duo in Wes Craven's LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (1972)! – in a couple of mildly amusing pratfalls, but also the faintly surrealistic and completely illogical presence of an unknown motorcyclist that insistently reappears throughout this sequence!

Barbara Steele Away

[wes-connors · 5/10 · 21 February 2009]

"In the 18th Century, a terrible witch is punished by the townspeople she terrorized by being drowned in a lake. Two hundred years later, a newlywed couple is driving near the lake when their car crashes into the water. The husband comes to the surface unharmed but his young bride emerges from the water possessed by the spirit of the witch, looking for revenge upon the descendants of the townspeople who had killed her," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.

Writer/director Michael Reeves's "The Sister of Satan" is an exasperating feature. After showing great promise with "Witchfinder General" (1968), Mr. Reeves died of a drug overdose. Although this film (aka "The She Beast") should not be considered representative, the opening and a few other scenes are nicely done. The idea to bring the story into the "Dracula universe" was a good one - but, the comic aspects do not fit. Worst of all, the sizzling pairing of Ian Ogilvy (as Philip) and Barbara Steele (as Veronica) is given short shrift.

***** The Sister of Satan (1966) Michael Reeves ~ Ian Ogilvy, Barbara Steele, John Karlsen

Ghoulish, campy anti-commie horror classic!

[Jens-28 · 28 August 1999]

The director of "Witchfinder General/Conquering Worm" first effort is a minor classic. Barbara ("Black Sunday") Steele is quite captivating as the young wife who's corpse get possessed by a 200 year-old buttugly witch. But it's Mel ("Little Shop Of Horrors") Wells who steals the show playing a supersleazy, alcoholic commie hotelowner. The lurid performance equals that of Donald Pleasure in the nasty "Mania/Fiends And The Flesh". And look for that infamous death-by-hammer-and-sickle scene...ghoulish fun to the max! Thrillseekin' horroraddicts should be able to get their jaded kicks with this low budget (the monster make up is a bit tacky) cheerful and wicked gem. Why waste your time with pathetic 90's hollywood horror when films like this exist. By the way, Vincent Price once said that Reeves was the best director he ever worked with!

Too Little Screen time For The Great Barbara Steele

[Witchfinder-General-666 · 5/10 · 3 May 2007]

Barbara Steele is my all-time favorite actress, and I also have utmost respect for director Michael Reeves for his directing the brilliant 1968 horror classic "Witchfinder General" with the matchless Vincent Price, my favorite actor of all-time, in the lead. Reeves' "La Sorella Di Satana" aka. "The She-Beast", however, was quite disappointing. Steele's performance partially saved the movie, of course, but she had far too little screen time and therefore she couldn't save the entire film. One aspect, which is both annoying and kind of funny about this film is the fact that it is a typical product of the cold war. In one scene, for example, a hammer is dropped and falls on a sickle, forming the communist symbol.

In 17th century Romania, a murderous witch is captured and brutally lynched by local villagers. 300 years later English newlyweds Veronica (Barbara Steele) and Philip (Ian Ogilvy) are spending their honeymoon in Romania, near the lake where the witch was executed. When having a tea, the couple get to know the elderly Count Van Helsing, a descendant of the famous Van Helsing family, and learn that the haunted lake is still a dangerous place...

I am a huge fan of Barbara Steele and of horror in general, and "The She-Beast" is certainly the weakest film with Steele I have seen so far. However, the movie is in some parts unintentionally funny, and even though it is not very suspenseful, a film featuring Barbara Steele is never a complete waste of time. Ian Ogilvy's performance is not too convincing in this one, fortunately he did a way better job starring in "Witchfinder General" two years later, a film for which I will always respect director Michael Reeves, who was certainly a promising and great talent for the Horror genre, a talent which was sadly wasted by his early death in 1969. "The She-Beast", however is certainly not Reeve's highlight, but a rather dull movie, which can be fun to watch at times, but doesn't deliver the suspense or eeriness a horror flick should. It is certainly no must-see, but if you want to watch it anyway I recommend to watch a few other films with the great Barbara Steele (such as "The Pit And The Pendulum", "Black Sunday", or "Castle of Blood") as well as Michael Reeves' "Witchfinder General" first. All things considered, "The She-Beast" is a bit disappointing, but watchable (if only for Steele), and worth the time if your're a fan. 5/10

Possibly the greatest garbage I have ever dug out of the trash and bathed in...

[TheFinalAlias · 5/10 · 1 October 2009]

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

A chance to break with traditions, The year of good fellowship and high spirits, of cheer and the chance to regain a sense of magic that we feel we have lost since childhood in our jaded adult lives, to engage in activities that would be frowned on at any other time.

Of course I'm talking about Halloween.

It is Ocotber 1st, after all. What you thought I was talking about Jeebus-mas? Nope, October is the magic month for me. It is an especially good time this year because this year, come the 17th, I depart for Romania on a little vacation I've been planning for a year. I'm not going because I believe in the supernatural, but it's a heck of an excuse to make up for missing the office Halloween party by saying you've been taking pictures of Dracula's castle.

And while most normal IMDb reviewers would review a horror movie in honor of this month, me, since I review horror movies all the time, I thought I'd get in the mood for my trip by watching films set in Romania; so of course, I review the first horror movie set in Dracula country I can think of....

'The She-Beast', a truly awful stain on the career of everyone involved about a woman who gets possessed by a leprous hag after falling into a lake in a car accident after the witch was almost fired into a lake by a catapult years ago.

What? You thought I was going to review a vampire movie or something like anyone else would when reviewing horror films set in Transylvania? Hey, I said in the beginning of my second sentence that it 'tis the season of breaking with tradition.

It's poorly shot, the direction is(largely)uninspired, the acting ranges from large servings of ham to unflavored tofu, the story is ridiculous, and it's awfulness gives plenty of assholes's a quasi-justification(in their opinion) for dismissing the talented young director Michael Reeves as a hack who wouldn't have been famous had he not made 'Witchfinder General' and died so young.

So why do I love this piece of sheer awfulness? Simple, it's hilarious. I really hate how young people go around mocking any older film they can get their mitts on by calling it 'So bad it's good', but occasionally they are right; and 'So bad it's good' is an apt description for a film of this caliber if I've ever heard one.

For one thing, the film has the distinction of actually being a comedy, so at least we can rest assured the filmmakers were hip to it's awfulness. It certainly isn't very funny in the spots it was supposed to be, but one thing it isn't is boring, the pace is very brisk, even if some scenes go on a bit too long, there are even a few good moments of suspense here and there, which justifies sitting through it. It even has a few genuinely atmospheric moments and scenes of brutal violence and thrilling chase sequences that typify the other films in Reeve's(admittedly short)career and would likely have been his trademark. John Karlsen also gives a decent performance as Count VON Helsing, a descendant of VAN Helsing from 'Dracula'(So I guess there is a vampire connection after all.)and top-billed Barbara Steele does what she can in her little screen time.

The Hag(the awesomely named 'Vardella')is laughably unconvincing but a fairly cool design even if her face bears more than a passing resemblance to a turd. The presence of a decaying zombie hag, fast pacing, weird cut-to sequences and slapstick humor(Including a sight gag with a Hammer & Sickle that must be seen to be believed) make me wonder if the film was an influence on Sam Raimi's 'Evil Dead' trilogy in some way. It also has an evil rapist communist innkeeper named Groper(I kid you not) played by Gravis Mushnick himself; Mel Welles.

It's not a masterpiece, not a minor classic, not a hidden gem, not even really much of a cult movie either, But where else are you gonna see turd-faced Hags, witch catapults, ridiculously overlong chase sequences and Communist innkeeper perverts named Groper?

They don't make 'em like this anymore....unless they're very, very drunk.~

I laughed

[bre_anna · 7/10 · 9 August 2008]

Hello, this odd film has had some s**t reviews and I feel I have to wade in and defend this monster. It's actually quite funny, the old witch looks extraordinarily ugly and her screaming had me laughing and laughing. I'd recommend this to anyone who can laugh at the very awful and enjoys a good cheesy political comment. Come on old fart reds, (it's all over now anyway), the hammer and sickle scene is meant to be as ridiculous as the rest of the film. I recommend that this wonderful film gets its very own category: Horror/Ridiculous plus a Bit of Nasty. The only horror in the film stems from how awful people can really be, and it works.

Plenty of things to shake your head about.

[ChuckStraub · 3/10 · 7 December 2004]

After watching 'She Beast' for an agonizing 82 torturous minutes I was left sitting in my chair wondering what is it that anyone sees worth viewing about this movie? The DVD version that I saw was of very poor quality. It was grainy, color faded and had poor sound. It's a low budget film with poor acting, poor film quality and a poor plot that is filled with holes. The dialogue is childish and much of the acting is poorly over dramatic. Plenty of things to shake your head about in this movie. Not the least of which is trying to follow the camera, which shakes noticeably. I'm still wondering what exactly did I just witness. It wasn't funny enough to be a comedy or serious enough to be a good horror movie. It's not bad enough to be one of those 'it's so bad it's good' movies. It's just plain bad. Perhaps its best to just let this movie fade into the background. Don't waste your time on this one like I did.

A Funny Way to Exorcise a Hag

[EdgarST · 7/10 · 3 October 2015]

I had read negative reviews about this film all these years and also that director Michael Reeves was "horrified by the outrageously comical final car chase scene shot by the second unit", but, as a matter of fact, all the film has a comedy tone and funny elements, even in its creepiest moments (as when the she-beast throws away the sickle she has used to kill, and it falls on top of a hammer, forming the communist symbol). The story takes place in Transylvania, so there are constant jokes (in the Cold War style) about the backwardness and inefficiency of the Romanian authorities, capitalist characters make fun of communist characters and vice versa, and it goes on like that until the happy ending with lovers reunited (and a final little joke, delivered by Barbara Steele). As a matter of fact, this treatment makes the film seem better than it is, although it is not as bad as some claim. Steele spent only one day with the production (a day in which she was used to very good advantage), so most of the action is left to a very young and thin Ian Ogilvy (he was only 23), New Zealander John Karlsen as a descendant of Dr. Van Helsing, Mel Welles chewing the scenery, and the ugliest witch you will ever see in a movie (called Vardella, by the way, but apparently Martha Reeves never heard about this).

Tongue-in-cheek horror yarn a la "The Fearless Vampire Killers"

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 19 June 2012]

It is the mid 1700's in Eastern Europe near the Carpathian Mountains (the home of a certain Count Dracula) and evil is rampant. A horrendously ugly witch has been snacking on children (minus the ginger bread) and the townspeople have had enough. They don't wait for the Count Von Helsing to return to properly dispose of her, and she puts a curse on them that is sure to come true. 200 years later, some British tourists, newly married, visit, and the witch sees the chance to get her revenge in her watery grave, literally calling them to plunge through the barrier between the road and the lake. The husband manages to get out, but when they rescue his wife, she is the image of the evil witch. The current Von Helsing heir must bring the witch back to life to free the wife, and of course, before you can break into a chorus of "Defying Gravity", this witch's itch for revenge against her killers scratches enough corpses to keep the local coroner busy for weeks.

There have been many views of witches in cinema over the years, and this witch makes Margaret Hamilton's western witch in Oz a beauty queen. She is closer in ugliness to Angelica Huston's child-hating witch in "The Witches" (which witch is which?) but certainly not as comical. The comedy goes to some rather randy locals, one of whom gets beaten up by the husband after he is discovered peaking in on the newlywed's wedding night. In a sense, this comedy is tasteless, because it is trying to make perversion funny. That part of the film reminded me of both "Fearless Vampire Killers" and "The Vampire Happening", a Z-Grade horror film where the perversion runs rampant. Of the cast, only Barbara Steele (in the small but pivotal role of the bride) is worth mentioning because of her popularity after the brilliant "Black Sunday". The movie is actually quite attractive looking, somewhat scary, yet not good enough to be considered for a cult following.

She-Beast!!!

[chris-2512 · 9/10 · 8 September 2008]

This piece of sub-barnyard cinema is a real treasure of z film-making and while I don't think anybody is going to mistake it for a Bergman film it is hopelessly and hilariously entertaining in an Eegah sort of way, but with more blood and gore. Think a really terrible version of 'Blood on Satan's Claw'. I know that's hard to imagine.

The plot involves two lovers who go to a strange town in Transylvania and meet up with a creepy hotel owner (played by Jess Franco?) and a relative of the Helzig clan who is a heavy alcoholic when he's not hunting vampires.

The witch make-up is actually quite disturbing as it just looks like someone with fourth degree burns all over there face. Lots of WTF moments including a cockfighting match and a delirious scene involving the witch being driven around in the back of a car that invokes Evil Dead 2 meets Weekend at Bernie's.

Pretty hilarious and some of the torture is weirdly disturbing.

I have no idea how this film would look restored. The print I saw was trash!

Enjoyable low-budget horror film

[Woodyanders · 7/10 · 27 April 2010]

An evil and hideously unsightly snaggle-toothed old hag witch terrorizes a small Translyvanian town. The villagers drown the horrible crone in a lake, but not before she vows to get revenge. Two hundred years later the witch possesses the body of lovely young Veronica (the always excellent Barbara Steele) in order to keep her promise. It's up to Veronica's husband Philip (likable Ian Ogilvy) and eccentric aristocrat Count van Helsing (an amusing performance by John Karlsen) to stop the nasty old bag. Writer/director Michael Reeves, who later went on to direct the outstanding "The Witchfinder General," does a pretty solid job with his debut feature; Reeves makes nice use of the desolate locations, stages several shocking scenes of violence with real skill and gusto (the opening drowning of the witch set piece is especially harsh and upsetting), effectively captures a generally serious tone of pervasiveness bleakness, and further spices things up with a sharp sense of wickedly witty cynical humor. Mel Welles delivers a marvelously boorish and disgusting turn as vile, drunken, and lecherous innkeeper Ladislav Groper. Both Ralph Ferraro's robust shivery score and Giocchino Gengarelli's crisp widescreen scope cinematography are up to par. Unfortunately, 60's Italian Gothic horror goddess Steele's role is basically an extended cameo; she disappears after the first fifteen minutes and isn't seen again until the very end. Moreover, the bumbling comic antics concerning a bunch of inept local cops is way too broad and silly, with a ridiculous protracted last reel slapstick car chase in particular coming across as painfully out of place with the rest of the movie. Despite these glaring flaws, this flick still boasts its fair share of creepy moments (Groper's death at the hands of the repulsive witch is truly jolting) and overall rates as a fun fright feature.

"What's wrong with this country?"

[Bezenby · 5/10 · 24 January 2018]

Notable actors: Barbara Steele! Ian Ogilvy! Mel Welles!

This is the least serious Barbara Steele sixties horror film you'll sit through, and I'll tell you right now that if you are a Barbara Steele fan be warned as she disappears halfway through the film. I thought I was getting some sort of deal where Babs was possessed by some undead witch, but the witch is played by someone else! I want my money back...I'd be saying if I'd actually paid to watch this.

Babs and her equally snidey, sarcastic husband are on holiday in Romania, clearly there just to make fun of the locals and the communist regime everyone is under (over and over again, throughout the film). They end up at some terrible hotel in the middle of nowhere and meet "Ex" Count Van Helsing, descendant of the famous vampire killer, who tells them the story of a witch who cursed the area before she was drowned in a lake. Not interested, the couple retire to bed for some filthy squeezy, only to find that the hotel owner is watching them. One serious assault later, the couple head off, crashing into the aforementioned witch/lake. A truck driver fishes the two out of the lake and drives back to the hotel, which had me guessing rightly that this must be a very low budget film. Turns out that the guy is okay, but Babs seems to have been replaced by that horrible witch we saw being killed at the start of the film. The rest of the film details the husband and Van Helsing's attempt to get rid of the witch's spirit and bring back Babs...and (sigh), this involves a lot of slapstick comedy.

That's the thing with this film. It whips from out and out horror, like the witch rather bloodily killing a guy with a sickle, to Keystone Cops type car chases and for me doesn't gel too well. It's almost got the same atmosphere as the Fearless Vampire Killers, which isn't a good thing in my book. I know Michael Reeves has got a cult following for The Witchfinder General (and for dying so young I guess), and as a first film a lot of it works, but the comedy seems too forced for me.

Nice Italian cinematography, mind you.

It's witchcraft.

[suspiria10 · 3 March 2004]

When an 18th-Century witch is captured by local townsfolk and dispatched in the middle of a like by way of dunking, her final words are that of her return to seek her revenge. Flash forward 200 years , when a woman driving along the same lake is run off the road by unseen forces and possessed by the witch there will be hell to pay.

A fun film with one of the worse witch makeups in movie history. The film has its' endearing moments such as a car chase at the end that reminded me of a Keystone Cops flick. Some cheesy dubbing and even cheesier acting made it enjoyable for me.

No good Gothic horror

[The_Void · 3/10 · 27 February 2007]

On the face of it, this film would seem to have a lot going for it. First up we've got a role for the great Barbara Steele, and second of all the director is Michael Reeves; the same man behind the horror classic Witchfinder General. However, The She-Beast can only be described as a colossal failure. Naturally, this movie is pure cheese; but it's not enjoyable cheese as the film isn't merely crap - it's painfully crap. The story is sadly boring, the special effects are terrible; the acting is rubbish, the direction is rubbish and there is very little in the way of redeeming elements. Not even Barbara Steele can save this film, as she only appears for a few minutes and Michael Reeves doesn't make the best use of her during this time. Interestingly, Reeves used a big horror star in every one of his four films; Witchfinder General has Vincent Price, The Sorcerers featured Boris Karloff and Castle of the Living Dead has Christopher Lee; but unfortunately, the female horror icon has been sold short as The She-Beast is absolute garbage, and I seriously see no good reason to waste your time with it. Not recommended.

Uneven

[Uriah43 · 4/10 · 22 March 2013]

This film suffers from a case of not knowing what it wants to be. It starts off as a horror film about a murderous witch and continues in that mode by utilizing one of the best horror actresses of the time in Barbara Steele (as "Veronica"). Unfortunately, rather than using her talents to any great extent the director (Michael Reeves) completely omits her character for almost half of the film and decides to focus more on her husband "Phillip" (Ian Ogilvy), the innkeeper "Ladislav Groper" (Mel Welles) and "Count von Helsing" (John Karlsen) instead. And while they all performed adequately there seemed to be a noticeable void without her presence. To make matters even more strange, the movie then detours from being a horror film to a comedy with the local Transylvanian police bumbling around like the Keystone Cops. And then at the very end, Barbara Steele is reintroduced and immediately brings back a bit of horror into the production. Now, it's okay to have a little humor in a horror film. However, too much humor (as in this case) tends to water down whatever tension has been built up and generally creates an uneven feel to a movie. And I think that is what happened to this film.

Hideously sloppy with no entertainment in sight

[I_Ailurophile · 1/10 · 18 October 2021]

The basic premise is clear, and portends a horror narrative. Characters, dialogue, and most scenes are highly exaggerated with clear intent of comedy, and there are even sight gags. The movie wants to embrace both aspects, but goes about the effort so very clumsily that it succeeds at neither. If the attempts at humor didn't already spoil the underlying genre elements, the sheer graceless inelegance with which each scene and story beat are written render any dramatic or horror-tinged facets inert. The comedy most closely resembles an outright parody, or slapstick, yet even as music is overtly playful and editing speeds up movement to that end, the movie maintains a tone so bare and dry that there's not one laugh to be had.

In fact, the writing and execution in 'She Beast' is so hopelessly shoddy and frenetic that from one moment to the next it's almost entirely unclear which bearing the picture has wanted to take all along. A good horror-comedy organically blends two distinct colors of paint into a new one - let's say, yellow and green, mixed to create some form of blue. This, a lousy attempt at a horror-comedy (or is it just one or the other?), dribbles two distinct colors of paint haphazardly across the same canvas - yellow and green, existing side by side yet separately, with no meaning or artfulness - and calls the resulting smattering of dots "blue."

Meanwhile, as the minutes roll past and seem to stretch into twice or thrice their actual measurable value, the very plot is lost amidst the profoundly oafish and blundering construction. Yes, the overall thrust of the story is evident enough, as laid out in any one-line synopsis: "A newlywed English tourist and an eccentric Transylvanian count must work together when the former's beautiful wife is made the bodily host of a horrific witch." What isn't evident is why what's-his-face and Van Helsing have to take precise actions in a precise time, or what Groper's actual involvement is apart from having a name to poke fun at. Why do the police get involved? Why are other people killed, piling up the bodies? I'll grant that I could have been so distracted otherwise by the godawful mess of film-making and storytelling before me that I simply missed the passing minutiae, glossed over with equal indelicacy. Yet it absolutely seems to me as though connective threads between characters, scenes, story beats, and ideas are direly thin and tenuous throughout the whole movie, if they exist at all.

It's difficult to remark on the quality of any part of the feature's technical craft since the whole is so awkwardly bungled. The inclusion in the cast of Barbara Steele is welcome in theory, but she has scarce time on screen, and only at the very beginning and the very end of the movie. It seems to me that the only good thing about 'She Beast' - literally and truly, the only good thing - is a brief, seconds-long, totally unrelated shot of a kitten.

One may learn of this movie and be falsely led to believe it a straightforward horror flick, or become aware of it specifically as a supposed horror-comedy. Yet no matter how fondly one regards that particular melding of genres, or how receptive one is to it, 'She Beast' is neither, to any degree. Like the character of a top-billed star, this picture exists in a liminal space without a brain to form thoughts, without a heart to feel or impart impact, without hands to manipulate fine details, and without feet to steadily move about. It is without question one of the most uncarefully produced features I've ever been subjected to - a mark of shame on the art form, the embodiment of what "entertainment" would be in the Mirror Universe.

Under no circumstances would I recommend this to anyone. 'She Beast' is a foul abomination of cinema that fails in its nigh indeterminate intent, but succeeds in discouraging us from trying to enjoy anything else ever again. There is no more to be said. Whatever you do, this is not worth your time, and you should never watch it.

a zesty vintage creature feature that seethes sinisterly with vengeful witchery!

[Weirdling_Wolf · 7/10 · 23 January 2014]

Youthful filmmaker, Michael Reeves precocious foray into fright-making remains an uneven, sporadically inventive shudder-fest. Manifestly hamstrung by the constraints of a penurious budget, Reeves effectively manages to author some boisterously spine-tingling shocks! 'The She Beast' remains a zesty vintage creature feature that seethes sinisterly with vengeful witchery, occasionally revealing bold flashes of inspiration which made his visceral period shocker 'Witchfinder General' so indelible!

Unlike many equally creaky, monster-a-go-go horrors from the mid-sixties, 'The She Beast' merits a revisit for the exquisitely beautiful, other-worldly presence of, Barbara Steele! To his credit, neophyte director, Michael Reeves ably constructs some lurid shocks in his crudely creepy B-Movie debut. Maintaining its schlocky appeal,'The She Beast' is a fun, eerily timeless, if not entirely slimeless creature feature!!! One could mock the unsophisticated feature's conspicuous cheapnis, or simply revel in the fabulously flesh-flaying retributions of the maniacal, musili-faced witch! I will ALWAYS have a great affection for 'The She Beast', and it's gratifying to note that it now has a sizable following!

soul of a witch

[kairingler · 5/10 · 3 March 2014]

first off I actually liked this movie,, very quaint nice countryside scenery , decent characters, plus Barbara Steele always a joy to look at. a woman get's into an accident and the car goes into a lake,, the husband,, or boyfriend,, survives,, the woman is dead.. or is she really dead.. apparently the woman inherits the soul of a witch who was drowned in some kind of dunking machine, hundreds of years ago by the natives. there is a lot of comedy and laughs in this one, as it is fun to watch some of the characters try to hide the body, and to circumvent the husband from finding out if his wife is dead or alive.. this is a hard one to explain, because it was a little confusing I grant everyone that much,, I guess you will have to sit down and watch it for yourself and see what you think . personally I thought it was decent,, average "b" movie.

A Good Vintage Horror Film

[loveablejohn-46629 · 7/10 · 24 March 2019]

This movie was good overall with outstanding performances from the cast and the special effects were well done especially the witch makeup which would hold up well today. It did have some intense violence but it also had some comedy in it especially the vehicle chase scenes. The cinematography was good except for some washed out and jerky scenes which might be due to the age of the film. The script could have been better written but that might have been due to the dubbing as there were some lines that didn't make sense plus there were references to Dracula and the political situation in Eastern Europe at that time which was interesting.

Early Steele

[ctomvelu1 · 5/10 · 3 September 2012]

Modest Italian horror flick starring Barbara Steele as a new bride honeymooning in Romania and who unfortunately ends up possessed by the spirit of one of the ugliest witches ever committed to film. The homicidal witch is executed by the townsfolk in the 1700s and has been waiting patiently to return. Once she is back in the flesh, she goes on a new murderous rampage in our time. The movie is intermittently creepy but largely boring, with a very small cast and not much going on beyond the witch (all too obviously played by a man) wreaking havoc. The bride's young husband (Ian Ogilvy) and a descendant of Dr. Von Helsing do their best to capture the reincarnated witch and restore the young bride. Will they succeed? The only reason to recommend this low-budget quickie is to see Steele, best known for "Black Sunday" and one of the sexiest and voluptuous screen actresses in history. She has a pretty decent, if abbreviated, nude sex scene early on. I think it may have been trimmed for U.S. viewing. Unfortunately, once her character is transformed into the witch, which happens early on, we see nothing of her until the very end. She could have used a lot more screen time, and made this trifle more watchable.

Major flaws but also many strengths

[danielmartinx · 8/10 · 10 February 2024]

The camera work is really good and all of the shots are composed beautifully. A ton of work went into the technical side of this film. The actors dubbed their lines so that the conversations are perfectly recorded. And I am a huge fan of Italian and hammerhouse horror and this film plays with that aesthetic but also has some naturalistic passages.

The story is dumb af. There is no nice way to put it. It plays like a comedy half of the time. The comedy almost overpowers the horror. In fact, there is no horror in this horror film.

Nonetheless, I highly recommend. There is a high definition version on YouTube now that is completely worth watching.

My Review Of "She Beast"

[ASouthernHorrorFan · 6/10 · 2 October 2012]

A word of warning to any Wiccan or Witch, "The She Beast" is a film that adheres to the very old world Catholic view of witches. That view is the same as in the silent film classic "Haxan". That all witches were hideous she devils hidden away from society and only interested in communing with the devil and eating your children. However as a horror fan who is well aware that this is an out-dated offensive view toward anyone who practices the ancient art I love this representation of the witch as ultimate monster, frankly because it gets old seeing possible "lipstick lesbians" hanging out in coffee shops and celebrating themselves all over Nature's good grace only victimized and forced to use magic in self defense. This "offensive" alternate look at the witch is far more fun and entertaining to watch on screen. Now for my review.

"The She Beast" stars Barbara Steele and Ian Ogilvy as a couple of British subjects on a European honeymoon vacation arriving in Transylvania. The rest at a hotel in the cursed town that his keeper of a legend of nightmare. In the 18th century the villagers laid to rest a nasty witch after she had taken one too many of the town's children. Unfortunately for them they did not wait for the Van Helsing family to properly exorcise the wretched creature so they live in the shadow of the deed that comes back to live again once more.

The film relies on minimal dialog that actually leads you into the story, only highlights of what is happening are actually held up with commentary. Most of the conversation revolves around poking fun at old world superstitions, trivial every day stuff and jabs at communism. The film is super low budget and was only shot in 21 days which shows. There is a continuous flow as the plot twists and dialog bounce from the four main characters that play a part in the witch's resurrection that seems rushed and careless. However the on screen action that unfolds in this classic B movie is fun as hell and the witch is truly a sight to see. Sadly she is not really as gruesome as one would hope, shown more like a wild animal that keeps getting loose instead of a planned revenge with system. Barbara still is classic Barbara in the film which truly is the saving grace of this little film. The sound and film quality are not all that great but for me gave that drive in B movie feel that just added to my experience of watching this one. I definitely see myself enjoying it over and over again just for the fun of it. Oh and because it is Barbara Steele. I just luv her!

United Kingdom /Italy co-production with brief acting by horror legend Barbara Steele

[ma-cortes · 5/10 · 17 August 2022]

Witchcraft and diabolic possession proceeded in astonishing terror images when young woman is driving alongside a lake and the car plunges into the water , then her body is then possessed by the spirit of an 18th-century witch who was executed by local villagers . The film packs gruesome frames , grisly killings , chills , intense horror sequences and an inappropriately comical car chase . The film is set in Transylvania, a part of Romania , Vardella (Joe Flash) , a witch who was improperly murdered in the late 18th century , vows to go back and kill the executioner villagers . In the current day Romania , a newlywed couple (Barbara Steele , Ian Ogilvy) gets lost and ends up in the same Transylvanian village where the earlier events happened . After the hotel owner Ladislav Groper (Mel Welles) spies on them making love, they leave village hurriedly. The steering mechanism of their old automobile goes awry and they plunge into a lake . The groom gets away unharmed, but the bride being possessed by an ugly demon , reappearing as the apparently dead body of the witch seeking for vengeance against those involved with her prosecution . The local and eccentric Transylvanian Count Von Helsing (John Karlsen) , displaced from his castle into a cave, agrees to help the groom exorcise the witch and bring his wife back. Along the way , the vicious witch terrorizes and executes to suspicious villagers .This Is Horror!. Deadlier than Dracula! Wilder than the Werewolf! More frightening than Frankenstein!

This is terror movie with some brief comical elements in which a newlywed English tourist and an elderly Count must work together when the former's attractive wife is made the bodily host of a horrific witch . The 75-minute running time was short but enough , it stars Ian Ogilvy and John Karlsen who steals the show as sympathetic , resourceful and wise Count Van Helsing , in this minor Italian horror movie shows up Barbara Steele performing a dual character , both a beautiful bride and an ugly woman haunted by the demon herself . However , Barbara Steele was only available for one day, she was kept on the set for 18 hours . She's nice but gives a short acting as a woman possessed by the spirit of a witch that carries out an ancient malediction and is bent on avenging herself on the locals . Great and memorable Barbara Steele , became a terror myth . As Barbara Steele is splendid , as always , she was the most beautiful star of the greatest horror masterpiece of Italian film, ¨Mario Bava's Black Sunday¨ or ¨Mask of the demon¨ (1960) , after following its American success, AIP brought Barbara to America, to star in ¨Roger Corman's The Pit and the Pendulum¨ (1961) , she won a role in ¨Federico Fellini's Fellini 8½¨ (1963) ; she only had a small character , but it was really stunning . Reportedly , Fellini wanted to use her more in the film, but she was hired to leave Rome to start work on her next horror movie, ¨The horrible secret of doctor Hitchcock¨ (1962) by master horror Riccardo Freda . More terror movies went on , such as ¨Lo spettro¨ (1963), ¨Nightmare Castle¨ (1964), ¨Un angelo per Satana¨ (1966) and others ; these successes lead to her being typecast in the horror genre, where she more often than not appeared in Italian movies with a dubbed voice . Appearing in the British ¨The Curse of the Crimson Altar¨ (1968) by Vewrnon Sewell accompanied by two terror myths : Boris Karloff , Christopher Lee, which she was mainly eye candy , with scantily-clad women in a cult. Unfortunately , Barbara got sick of being typecast in horror movies .

The production values is passable considering its short budget . The motion picture She Beast(1966) was regularly directed by talented young filmmaker Michael Reeves . Horrified by the outrageously hilarious car pursuit scene shot by second unit director Charles Griffith (who plays a policeman as well) , filmmaker Michael Reeves reluctantly decided to keep it without a cut , because it couldn't be re-shot for budget reasons . The only made three films : The sorcerers , The She beast , and his third and last film : Witchfinder General . Michael Reeves took over the directing duties for the foreign horror film , "Castle of the Living Dead" . Most people agreed that Reeves' work improved the film . He was chosen to direct ¨The oblong box¨ (1969) , was also linked with the movie "Scream and Scream Again" but he died during the pre-production . Both films would end up being directed by Gordon Hessler . As he deceased soon after due to an accidental overdose at age 25 . The She Beast(1966) rating : 5/10 . Mediocre but passable . Only for Barbara Steele completists.