CASTLE OF BLOOD (1964)

 A MONUMENT OF HORROR! 

Yes, this is a big fave of mine since back in the 1980's when I got my VHS tape from Sinister Cinema.  Last year, Vinegar Syndrome included it in it's box set DANZA MACABRA VOLUME 2 and it's never looked better.  The absolutely exquisite camerawork by Riccardo Pallottini is breathtakingly atmospheric.  But even in a scratchy VHS, CASTLE OF BLOOD is possibly my favourite Barbara Steele film.  The above-mentioned atmospheric cinematography is a huge reason; there is more spooky atmosphere in this film than in any ten movies.  Directed by Antonio Margheriti (Ok Ok get all your INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS play outta the way and we'll continue) with a sure hand that keeps just the correct measured pace (unless, of course, you have no attention span and then well . . . the angels will weep for you) that works perfectly for a gothic horror movie. 

We start things off with reporter Alan Foster (George Riviere) entering the Four Devils pub in London where a visiting Edgar Allan Poe (Silvano Tranquilli who is physically a pretty good approximation of the poet) is holding court at a table telling his tale of 'BERENICE'.  Foster approaches the table saying he's read that story and Poe insists that every single one of his stories truly happened.  They are not fantasies or fiction.  Poe's companion at table is Lord Blackwood (formerly 'Blackblood' before his family cleaned it up) makes Foster a wager that he can't stay the night in Blackwood manor house; no one who has taken the bet has ever emerged alive.  The bet is 100 pounds but Foster can only afford 10; so the bet is on.  Now, while Blackwood, Poe and Foster take their carriage ride to the Blackwood house, I have to tell you that this isn't technically a Halloween movie.  This all takes place on the night of All Souls' (November 2nd) but close enough.  The Halloweeny vibe is so fantastic you can watch this movie in July and it's Halloween. 

But back to the carriage ride.  And the nice thing about the DANZA MACABRE box set is that it not only includes the English-dubbed American version but also includes (for the first time, to my knowledge) the original Italian print which restores previously cut scenes such as what happens in the carriage ride; Foster conducts an interview with Poe which is fascinating.  All prints of the film feature Foster saying he's going to interview the author and then it cuts to their arrival at Blackwood house; however, here we get the scene of their discussion inside the carriage and it's a good one.  Another previously cut but restored scene features some bazoombas, so that's good as well.

Blackwood & Poe drop Foster off at the place and there commences an absolutely beautiful scene of the reporter entering the gate and walking through the cemetery, entering the stables then the house proper and exploring the downstairs rooms.  Anyone who thinks this goes on too long is insane and you need your movie-watching license revoked.  Again, why are you watching horror films at all since you apparently have no idea what they are about.  THIS is what they are about.  If you think this is 'slow' or boring', go watch FOG CITY.  You deserve each other!  But now that my rant against know-nothing tots is concluded, back to CASTLE OF BLOOD. 

Foster encounters the lovely Elizabeth Blackwood (played by the lovely Barbara Steele hallowed be her name) who reveals she is the sister of Lord Blackwood and, every year, he has a bet with somebody who shows up on All Souls' Eve.  Elizabeth wears a long, white nightgown throughout the film in the best 'Had-I-But-Known' gothic tradition. 

She takes Foster upstairs (which she has kept much better maintained than the crumbling first floor) to a bedroom and gets the hots for Foster in record time.  The fun is spoiled by Julia (Margrete Robsahm) whose portrait Foster saw downstairs and seems to turn up in order to spoil Elizabeth's fun.  The two women depart, leaving Foster to read a book on metaphysical science written by a Dr. Carmus.  Soon, Elizabeth shows back up at Foster's door and they quick have a 'roll in ze hay'.  While resting his head on Elizabeth's bosom, he panics when he doesn't hear her heartbeat.  Elizabeth appears dead but then speaks. 

Well, yeah, she IS dead, actually.  All the 'people' in the house are and they are condemned to repeat the least night of their lives every year on All Souls' Eve.  More ghostly characters make their appearances throughout the film as they are condemned to endlessly relive their murders.  This includes Dr. Carmus played by the wonderful Arturo Dominici; who was so memorable in Barbara Steele's first Italian horror film:  Mario Bava's BLACK SUNDAY as the demonic Javutich. 

Here, Dominici is much calmer as Dr. Carmus but he's no less dead and damned.  At certain points, Dr. Carmus acts as a sort of 'Ghost of Christmas Past' to Foster as he accompanies the reporter in watching various scenes from the past re-enacted by the ghosts. Turns out, these ghostly spirits are kinda vampires as well; each year they drink the blood of the poor schlep who makes a bet to stay in the house all night so their ghostly spirits can live again -- if only for one night.  In a great special feature discussion by Stephen Thrower, he posits that this concept of endlessly repeating your last night of life comes from an August Strindberg play called DANCE OF DEATH since there is absolutely NO Edgar Allan Poe story that approximates CASTLE OF BLOOD's plot.  This device coupled with the 'spend the night in a haunted house for a bet' trope has been done probably dozens of times but rarely as well as it's done in CASTLE OF BLOOD. 

As with most of these stories when a skeptic is confronted with the supernatural, there isn't exactly a happy ending as the spook-denier MUST be taught a lesson.  "After all," as Bela Lugosi told us at the curtain of the stage play DRACULA, "there ARE such things!!!".  CASTLE OF BLOOD (or DANZA MACABRA as the Italian version was released) is really the pinnacle of Italian gothic horror of this era with B&W cinematography that is unmatched and a spooky castle set that was (unbelievably) re-used from a Toto comedy film made previously!!!  Margheriti would reuse this set once again in HORROR CASTLE aka LA VERGINE DI NORIMBERGA which, owing to the vagaries of Italian cinema, was made after CASTLE OF BLOOD but released BEFORE it.  Oh and besides ALL this gothic goodness, we also get a cute lil black kitten!

CASTLE OF BLOOD, I reiterate, is one of my absolute faves and it was a joy to rewatch it once again in it's pristine, restored cut of the film.  Boy, what a good'n!