Death Smiles on a Murderer
La morte ha sorriso all'assassino
Greta is a beautiful young woman abused by her brother Franz and left to die in childbirth by her illicit lover, the aristocrat Dr. von Ravensbrück. Bereft with grief, Franz reanimates his dead sister using a formula engraved on an ancient Incan medallion. Greta then returns as an undead avenging angel, reaping revenge on the Ravensbrück family and her manically possessive brother.
Why it matters
A lush, baroque descent into gothic doom where revenge rises from the grave with eerie, psychedelic flair.
- Jess Franco’s signature blend of Euro-horror erotica and surreal dreamscapes drenches the film in decadent dread.
- Practical effects and makeup transform Greta’s undead state into hauntingly beautiful nightmare fuel.
- Perfect for fans of folk-inflected gothic horror who crave atmosphere over straightforward scares.
- A twisted meditation on family, possession, and the corrosive power of grief wrapped in late ’60s–early ’70s cult cinema style.
Director
18 horror films in catalog
Death Smiles on a Murderer 1973
The Devil's Wedding Night 1973
Emanuelle and Françoise 1975
Black Cobra 1976
Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals 1977
Emanuelle in America 1977
Emanuelle Around the World 1977
Emanuelle and the White Slave Trade 1978
Papaya: Love Goddess of the Cannibals 1978
Beyond the Darkness 1979
Anthropophagous 1980
Absurd 1981
Caligula: The Untold Story 1982
Convent of Sinners 1986
Killing Birds 1988
Deep Blood 1990
The Crawlers 1991
Return from Death: Frankenstein 2000 1991
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
71
Slow Burn
33
Psychological
0
Supernatural
40
Creature
36
Disturbing
100
Fun Factor
0
Cerebral
85
Survival
66
SlasherZombie
