By Lee Pfeiffer
Nightmare Castle, released on DVD by Severin Films, is an Italian horror film from 1965 that has achieved a following largely on the basis of its star, original scream queen Barbara Steele. The story is a period piece set in the late 1800s with Steele playing a dual role. As the film opens, we find her as the unfaithful wife of an aristocratic doctor (Paul Muller) who has a penchant for dabbling in bizarre medical experiments. (A note of caution to readers: if you are contemplating having an illicit affair, it's best to reconsider if your spouse is quasi-mad scientist.) When the husband catches on to having been made a cuckold, he tortures his wife and her lover to death - only to find the mansion they inhabited has been inherited by his sister-in-law (also played by Steele). In short order, he woos and marries his wife's sister, who conveniently happens to have been recently released by a mental asylum after suffering from delusions. This sets up an antique version of
Gaslight with Muller and Helga Line, who plays
his mistress, trying to drive Steele insane so they can inherit the mansion.
The black-and-white film, directed by Mario Caiano (who used the nom-de-plume Allen Grunewald) was produced by his father Carlo. The storyline is strictly routine and the laughable aspect of the atrocious dubbing distracts from the intensity of the performances. However, what sets this apart from most of the low-budget European horror films of the period is the presence of Steele, whose striking and harsh beauty is used to full effect. The film, which is a claustrophobic affair for budgetary reasons, also benefits from having been shot in an actual 7th century Italian mansion, which provides a sinister sense of atmosphere no set could equal. Enzo Barboni's cinematography is also rather inventive and gives the movie a polished look that could have been even more impressive if adequate funding had been available. The movie also boasts a lush, romantic organ score by Ennio Morricone, ranking as one of the maestro's early forays into the cinema.
The story is at its strongest point in the early and mid-sections and the emphasis on torture and blood-letting makes it apparent why the film had been censored for various markets over the decades. Steele has a field day in the starring role and her legion of fans will take special delight in seeing her not only in peril, but with a torn blouse chained to a wall - a scenario that has helped her maintain her cult following over the years. The movie tends to disintegrate toward the end when actual ghosts enter the fray, though not very convincingly. Still, Nightmare Castle is worthy of note, if only because of the talent involved.
Severin Films' release is impressive in its own right and this is yet another case where the extras have at least as much value as the main feature. The DVD has a recent interview with Barbara Steele, who is still a stunner. Steele's wicked sense of humor is given full display, as she not only relates making Italian horror films but also discusses how her early distaste for Hollywood found her going A.W..O.L. from the Elvis Presley film Flaming Star. She also discusses how she immigrated to Italy and fell madly in love with the nation, its film industry and its people. She relates fascinating stories about working with Fellini on 8 1/2 and candidly admits that she still regrets moving to Hollywood again after she married.The DVD also presents an interview with director Mario Caiano (with English sub-titles) who is suitably low-key about the effort and never tries to make it seem more than a B horror film. He had greater visions for the story, including filming certain shock scenes in color, but was compromised at every turn by the budget. The DVD also presents the US and British trailers, which are predictably sensationalistic. The feature film is the uncut, restored version and the transfer is quite impressive. The movie will have appeal not only for Barbara Steele fans, but for any retro movie lover as well.
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