If titillation was cut from the previous episode of Hammer House of Horror, or at least, from the version I saw, it's back in abundance in "Carpathian Eagle".
Police detective Cliff (Anthony Valentine) is investigating a series of gruesome murders where the victim has had their heart cut from their body. He chances upon author Natalie (Suzanne Danielle) who has written a book about a Countess from several hundred years previous, whose story shares similarities with the present case. Natalie introduces him to the Countesses only living relative, Mrs. Henska (Sian Phillips).
Hard to write this without spoiling the episode, so for once I will. I doubt it'll be a surprise to anyone who's watching the episode for even a few minutes that Natalie is behind the murders - due to a personality disorder that makes her adapt her methodology to the story that she's researched. Though the make up isn't bad, it's clearly her - so you'll understand at least one murder before the episode makes it clear. There is one misdirection, with the Countess having a secret nephew, who operates as a drag singer - which for 1980 I thought was reasonably well handled, with Cliff being far less dismissive of the lifestyle than I figured most 1980's policemen would have been.
The episode though is largely an excuse for Danielle to wear a series of revealing outfits (and leave us in no doubt that Sam Torrance is a lucky man). That is not to say that she isn't good in a chameleonic role, just that the story beyond that is lacking in bite. The gore and violence are pretty minimal and there's no underlying twist or anything that might have elevated a fairly mundane story. Seeing Pierce Brosnan show up for a tiny role was a highlight though and there are some horrific interior design choices that you're exposed too.
Ultimately, it doesn't add up to anything particularly interesting though.
Police detective Cliff (Anthony Valentine) is investigating a series of gruesome murders where the victim has had their heart cut from their body. He chances upon author Natalie (Suzanne Danielle) who has written a book about a Countess from several hundred years previous, whose story shares similarities with the present case. Natalie introduces him to the Countesses only living relative, Mrs. Henska (Sian Phillips).
Hard to write this without spoiling the episode, so for once I will. I doubt it'll be a surprise to anyone who's watching the episode for even a few minutes that Natalie is behind the murders - due to a personality disorder that makes her adapt her methodology to the story that she's researched. Though the make up isn't bad, it's clearly her - so you'll understand at least one murder before the episode makes it clear. There is one misdirection, with the Countess having a secret nephew, who operates as a drag singer - which for 1980 I thought was reasonably well handled, with Cliff being far less dismissive of the lifestyle than I figured most 1980's policemen would have been.
The episode though is largely an excuse for Danielle to wear a series of revealing outfits (and leave us in no doubt that Sam Torrance is a lucky man). That is not to say that she isn't good in a chameleonic role, just that the story beyond that is lacking in bite. The gore and violence are pretty minimal and there's no underlying twist or anything that might have elevated a fairly mundane story. Seeing Pierce Brosnan show up for a tiny role was a highlight though and there are some horrific interior design choices that you're exposed too.
Ultimately, it doesn't add up to anything particularly interesting though.