Rating: **
Review Date: 12/26/01
Cast: Olinka Berova (Olga Schoberová), Edward Judd, John Richardson,
cameo by Andre Morell
Definitely a guilty pleasure from Hammer Studios, this is the sequel to "She" (1965) which starred Ursula Andress. In this film, a ravishing young woman named Carol (delicious Olinka Berova) is plagued by visions of a past life, and is being called to the lost city of Kuma in Northern Africa. She steals upon a yacht and befriends a psychologist named Philip (Edward Judd) who falls for her charms and helps her reach her destination. In Kuma, the immortal Killicrates (John Richardson) awaits Carol as the reincarnation of his beloved queen Ayesha, but trouble and unrest are stirring in the shadows. Philip's love for Carol breaks the spell that she's under, and Kuma is destroyed by the sacred flame.
But the story really isn't all that important, or even that interesting. It's drop-dead gorgeous Olinka Berova that dominates the screen with every heaving breast, uh, er, I mean breath she takes. Firmly in the mold of Ursula Andress, Ms. Berova perfectly encapsulates all the hallmarks of 1960's glamour and beauty with her big blonde hair, strong European features, soft makeup, exaggerated eyelashes, perky breasts, and plunging cleavage. She is simply amazing to watch, and the camera takes full advantage of her mesmerizing presence. If she had gotten more screen time, or if the pacing weren't so slow, I would have definitely given the film a higher rating. As it is, it's rather plodding and it really sags towards the end. Regardless, Ms. Berova alone gets four stars for just being in the film. (and bonus stars for swimming around in her underwear - no wonder the owner of the yacht had a heart attack...)