Nightmare Castle (1966)

Touches You

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

I'm sure I have seen this before but it would have been the shorter public domain version and not this splendid full length and splendid condition Severin print. Now it is possible to enjoy this super creepy, Gothic horror in all its splendour. Morricone music is a bonus, apparently his first horror score, the cinematography is also good and the very best is made of the splendid mansion that forms the set for most of the movie. Needless to say, Barbara Steele is great throughout in both her roles although she looks better with her natural dark hair than the blond. Full tilt beginning and although some feel this gets a bit wordy in the middle, it was fine by me and didn't seem to let up at all. I was a bit dismayed when it seemed the was going to turn into one of those, 'drive the wife mad movies' but it is much more than that and indeed is surprisingly graphic with electrolysis and blood transfusions. Helga Line also does well but has tough opposition with Steele taking most scenes.

Seems there is a short version and a longer version floating around. Not wanting to miss any important information I went for the longest version and that might have been a mistake as it really dragged after a great first 20 minutes. Once Muriel and her lover are killed of and half sister Jenny comes into play it becomes basically a movie with a long slow burning build-up to a good albeit unsurprising climax. However it's all pretty unspectacular, the grim and dark atmosphere of the start scenes cannot be repeated any more. Furthermore are the characters of both doctors rather dull as is Solange. I don't know what Stephen actually saw in her. And of course there is the obligatory attraction between doctor and patient. Even though the ending was way better than Castle of Blood I kept behind with too many questions, with such duration that is not very good. Black Sunday remains the best movie with Barbara Steele so far.

"Nightmare Castle" aka "The Faceless Monster" aka "Night of the Doomed" aka "Lovers Beyond the Grave" - whatever name you call the film it is a good Gothic horror Italian film.The copy of the film I have is dubbed in the English language quite good. It was hard to tell the film's language is in Italian so that is a credit to film's dubbers.The movie itself is quite fun and interesting to watch. We have a large creepy house, ghosts, a mad doctor, Jenny who is a woman seemingly going mad, greed, lust, revenge & murder - all are the makings for a good horror film.I have to say this IS a ghost film but the ghosts seem similar to zombies because they can be touched and pushed so I guess they can materialize and solidify their bodies into flesh again. Quite wicked these ghosts are towards those that have wronged them.BTW, Barbra Steele is good in this as usual. She play two roles with two very different personalities quite well: Muriel Arrowsmith / Jenny Arrowsmith.This film is one of those popcorn-flicks to watch on a "dark and stormy night". It's a very good b-rated Gothic horror.7/10

I'm working my way through the Horror Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection and NIGHTMARE CASTLE is one of the movies in the set. I am watching them with my soon-to-be seven-year old daughter, which makes most of these movies a laugh riot.However, NIGHTMARE CASTLE is not one of them! In fact, it is just my kind of old-fashioned, B-grade horror movie. It is an especially creepy thriller! Barbara Steele plays a duel role as an unfaithful wife; and, her mentally fragile sister. Despite being obviously the same person, it's easy to suspend one's disbelief because the characters are so completely different – the wig doesn't hurt either.The plot gives way to Dr. Stephen Arrowsmith marrying the sister, to keep his hands on his late-wife's fortune (of course after torturing her and her lover in the first part of the movie). He does this to continue his bizarre experiments, including extracting the hearts of his two victims, for the benefit of his ally Solange, the maid – who really wants to be more than that in the doctor's life.NIGHTMARE CASTLE features beautiful cinematography, lush locations; and, an aptly Gothic castle. It is rather thin on plot; and, has absolutely abysmal dialogue, due to poor dubbing.Barbara Steele is exceptionally well cast; and, offers up apt performances. The score is quite eerie (I wish the sound was better on this print); and, sufficiently intensifies the atmosphere and action.Yes, the plot reads like a sordid melodrama. But, I like NIGHTMARE CASTLE.