Ultimo Deseo/Last Desire
1976
Director: Leon Klimovsky
Screenplay: Vicente Aranda, Gabriel Burgos, Joaquin Jorda
Producer: Miguel F. Mila
Music: Miguel Asins Arbo
Starring: Nadiuska, Antonio de Mendoza, Teresa Gimpera, Paul Naschy, Maria
Perschy, Tomas Pico, Diana Polakov, Emiliano Redondo, Julia Saly, Antonio
Mayans, Mary Leona, Ricardo Palacios, Carmen Platero, Estela Delgado, Barta
Barry, Gumersindo A. Lopez, Gonzalo Tejada.
Running time: 98 min.
Alternate titles: PLANETA CIEGO/BLIND PLANET (working title of film)
Who would have thought that
the late Leon Klimovsky could have come up with a near classic of science
fiction? A film of constant surprises, ULTIMO DESEO is certainly one of the
best films that Klimovsky directed, a chilling, depressing tale of nuclear
holocaust and a complete turnabout from this horror thriller veteran more
at home with vampire goddesses and chilly tombs than radiation effects and
end-of-the-world philosophizing. An odd, compelling atmosphere is set up
immediately by Klimovsky and his screenwriters, and the mood never lets
up. One highlight is a mysterious gathering dedicated to De Sade that is
staged with a hypnotic visual strangeness (grotesque pig masks on the faces
of the male attendees is one splendid effect) that calls to mind the classic
TV show, THE AVENGERS. The erotic currents running through this scene are
so palpable that one regrets the scene ending when it does. At first
Klimovsky elicits sympathy for the townspeople blinded by a nuclear attack,
but as the film evolves, these victims turn into avenging zombie-like terrors,
their hatred of the survivors fuelled by the cruelty directed toward them
and the madness of bare desperation. The leader of this group is especially
chilling--a strange looking man (or even perhaps a woman dressed in
drag) who takes particular glee in eliminating as many of the remaining normal
people as possible. Naschy plays only a supporting role--an unsympathetic
adventurer out to save his own skin, but it's a good role and Naschy, looking
very fit, handles it expertly. The film could have used a bit more work to
elevate it to classic level (some of the "blind" sequences are done with
not enough directorial flare, perhaps the result of a tight budget), but
it's nearly there--and that's saying a lot for an obscure Spanish film. Even
those not interested in Naschy's work should see this one.
[Source print: Sun Classics, as an LP tape released on a sell-through label,
the video lacks crystalline clarity, but is certainly acceptable to watch;
oddly, it switches toward the end to alternating between a minor widescreen
ratio and a full-screen presentation. The cover box hilariously misprints
all members of the cast. Paul Naschy is Paul Mackey, Maria Persy is
Maria Pershing, and Nadiuska is Missy Taudisco!!! The back cover reveals
most of the entire plot--so beware.]
Part of the back cover of the
Sun Classics release, clearly showing the outlandish renaming of Euro-stars.