Maneater of Hydra, Vampire Plant

Go ahead, eat plants.  Don't be surprised, however, if they decide to eat you.  We keep them in pots, or a confined garden, but our plant friends may decide to roam, and eat.  I guess that is only fair.  We eat them, they eat us.  One of my favorite Creature Feature films was 1967's "Maneater of Hydra" (aka "Island of the Doomed").  After all, the thirst for human blood spans all of nature. This film from Spain stars Cameron Mitchell in his finest performance.

After many of it's citizens were found with their blood drained, the citizens of Hydra fled.  Fearing vampires, these scared townspeople left a weird Baron (Mitchell) as the only resident of the island. The Baron is pleased to be left alone.  He is a botanist and scientifically engineers new species of carnivorous plants.  Most of these green things feast on mice, except for the Baron's most treasured creation....a huge vampire plant which feasts on human blood.  Six tourists will find this out the hard way as they pay the Baron a visit.

The maneater goes right to work.  After the tour guide is drained, a Sophia Loren look-a-like, Cora (Kai Fischer) is next.  Cora is a loose women with extra-marital sex on her mind.  Her search for it will not go well.  Like the guide, Cora will have all her blood sucked out through her once stunning face. The Baron, unbeknownst to his guests, assists the plant in it's quest for human blood.  As more guests succumb to the vampire plant, the fair Beth (Elisa Montes) and hunk David (George Martin) fall in love.  Will the ever decreasing number of tourists figure out that their host plans to add them to a macabre buffet?  Will the fair Beth be spared a horrible fate, or will her new hunk beau have to save her?  Will the evil Baron prevail, or end up fed to his own creation?

Not a traditional bloodsucker, but our green antagonist is just as horrific.  Perhaps predictable, this horror film benefits from a great performance by Cameron Mitchell as the demented and evil Baron.  Slimy green things that capture and suck you dry may not be a threat in our home gardens, but for guests of a mad scientist....be very afraid.