Werewolf Woman (1976)
[aka: La Lupa Mannara, Daughter of a Werewolf, Naked Werewolf Woman, She-Wolf, Terror of the She Wolf, The Legend of the Wolf Woman]

Tagline: "A true story so brutal and horrifying it was kept from the public for over a century!"

This Italian "horror" movie opens with an attractive naked woman (French actress, Annik Borel) dancing within a circle of fire. Not a bad as far beginnings of movies go. Before long the naked gyrations give way to transformations and she becomes a Werewolf. (Which I'm guessing was the most sought after make up job since Shirley Eaton in '64's Goldfinger and until Rebecca Romijn in X-Men!)

The young nude, but now very hairy, woman is chased down and captured by "townsfolk", tied to a stake and burned.

Flash forward a hundred or so years and we meet Daniella Neseri, (again, Annik Borel) a young beautiful woman who, thanks to some exposition between her Father (Tino Carraro) and a Doctor, has had some bad times in the past (attacked and raped) and is now obsessed with an old book and picture she has found. Turns out she bares a remarkable resemblance to an ancestor of hers that was burned at the stake for being a Werewolf! She has been having nightmares of becoming one and killing people.

Well, Dad and daughter go to their Villa in the country to relax and get her mind off this whole wolf thing.

Everything seems to be going well until her sister (Dagmar Lassander) visits. Back from the States she brings with her, her handsome new "American" husband. (Andrea(Andrew) Scotti). Late at night, Daniella hears noises from down the hall. She goes to investigate and catches sister and hubby in the act of love making.

Something then snaps.

Daniella manages to get hubby outside and seduces him. Just when he thinks he has died and gone to heaven, Daniella goes feral and rips his throat out with her teeth and throws him into a gorge. Then he dies and presumably goes to heaven.

Well the attack is blamed on wild dogs, Daniella ends up in a mental hospital just the same. Lots of pseudo techno-babble from Doctors and nurses ensue and along the way we meet a nymphomaniac that after lights out helps our wolfy lady to escape, (Baring her own breasts as well as Daniella's, uh, ...well, lets just say this hospital frowns on under garments) before she is stabbed and killed by Daniella.

Daniella goes on the run, killing a few more people on the way. This of course gets the attention of the local Police.

Here is where the movie really splits into 3 different films. Not only was this a Horror bordering on p*rn, but now it throws in a Dragnet like drama as well!

Well, while the Detectives yammer on Daniella finds a kind stunt man Luca (Howard Ross) that takes her in and Daniella finally thinks she can be happy.

But dark times loom ahead.

Local guys from town see Daniella and attack her and Luca. Raping her and killing Luca. This sends Luca on a feral killing spree which culminates in the same woods that her poor ancestor met her fate. Surrounded by the police and their posse she is captured and taken away.

Out of nowhere a voice over claims that what we have just seen was REAL!!!! I don't know about you, but I was shocked!

Well, the nudity is almost enough to keep you watching, almost.

I would actually like to see this story retold. I actually like the idea behind the story. A woman obsessed with being a werewolf but in reality shes is just plain crazy. You could really make a good argument over the boundaries between myths of legend and psychological disorders.

Worth watching if you just want to see some nice skin, but keep the TV on mute and your finger on the FF button.

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"Too Soon from the Cave, Too Far from the Stars"