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Nightmare Castle: DVD Savant Review

The Barbara Steele horror thriller has been reviewed twice before – first in 2003 as a rough DVD presentation titled The Faceless Monster and then in 2009 as a quality DVD with extras from Severin Films under the title Nightmare Castle, which bears the original Italian title L’Amante d’oltretomba.

Nightmare Castle

Blu-ray

Severin Films

1965 / B&W / 1:78 widescreen / 104 min. / L’Amanti d’oltretomba, The Faceless Monster, Lovers from Beyond the Tomb, Night of the Doomed, Orgasmo / Street Date August 18, 2015 / 29.98
Starring Barbara Steele, Paul Müller, Helga Liné, Rik Battaglia, Laurence Clift, Giuseppe Addobbati.
Cinematography
 Enzo Barboni
Production Designer Massimo Tavazzi
Film Editor Renato Cinquini
Original Music Ennio Morricone
Written by Mario Caiano and Fabio De Agostini
Produced by Carlo Caiano
Directed by Allan Grünewald (Mario Caiano)

Nightmare Castle: DVD Savant Review
Nightmare Castle

Also, see The ‘Star Wars’ Movie You Won’t Be Seeing Next Year

The Barbara Steele horror thriller has been reviewed twice, with the first review in 2003 as a rough DVD presentation titled The Faceless Monster and the second in 2009 as a quality DVD with extras from Severin Films.

Although promoted as Nightmare Castle, its original Italian title is L’Amante d’oltretomba.

Severin Films utilized the original negative of Nightmare Castle for the Blu-ray release, which also goes by the variant title Night of the Doomed.

It’s noted that Italian horror films often have several variant titles, leading to a discussion about the prolific nature of directors like Jésus Franco and the multiple titles associated with their films.

Accessing quality copies of Euro genre films can be challenging, as smaller disc companies recycle available copies instead of obtaining original film materials due to high licensing fees.

As demonstrated by previous releases such as The Long Hair of Death and An Angel for Satan, classic Euro-horror faces a unique distribution challenge.

The new Blu-ray release is considered a collector-worthy disc of one of Barbara Steele’s intense horror mini-epics.

It includes two more Barbara Steele pictures in HD – Antonio Margheriti’s Castle of Blood and Massimo Pupillo’s Terror Creatures from Beyond the Grave.

Nightmare Castle: DVD Savant Review
Nightmare Castle

The original title of Nightmare Castle, L’Amanti d’oltretomba, translates to Lovers from Beyond the Grave.

The film’s plot revolves around Dr. Stephen Arrowsmith, who, driven by greed to inherit Muriel’s property, commits murderous acts.

However, his plan encounters unexpected challenges when Muriel’s estate is left to her identical half-sister Jenny, leading to a twisted sequence of events.

Classic corridor-wandering Italo horrors were not as popular as sword ‘n’ sandal epics or the emerging Italo westerns, and by 1965, they were approaching the end of their popularity.

Despite Barbara Steele’s solid reputation as a genre icon, mainly through her horror films for esteemed directors, her career did not significantly advance.

The script of “Amanti d’oltretomba” borrows ideas from previous films, such as “Black Sunday,” “Castle of Blood,” and “The Horrible Dr. Hichcock,” while utilizing the same Roman villa seen in “Dr. Hichcock,” albeit with less effective filming.

“Nightmare Castle” has been recognized as a film primarily showcasing Barbara Steele’s star appeal.

Director Caiano ensures Steele is prominently featured in almost every scene, with the story burdened by dialogue and visuals that do not reach the atmospheric heights of previous films.

However, the film holds significance for Steele enthusiasts, as it emphasizes her presence and allows for various emotional and distressing facial expressions.

It is noted that the film seems to prioritize Steele’s visual allure over her acting, depicting her more as a fetish object than an actress.

Nightmare Castle: DVD Savant Review
Nightmare Castle

The film’s co-star, Helga Liné, transforms within the storyline, and Paul Müller’s portrayal of an ambivalent evil husband character is acknowledged.

The film exists primarily to cater to devoted Barbara Steele fans, focusing on satisfying the audience through Steele’s captivating presence.

Severin Films’ Blu-ray release of “Nightmare Castle” presents a picture-perfect encoding of what appears to be the version prepared for English-language export, Night of the Doomed.

The clarity of every scene indicates that most of the film was evenly lit, with the standout imagery found in the dream sequences and horror finale featuring Barbara Steele’s ghoulish face makeup.

The dubbed English track is fitting as the actors were speaking English on the set, while the moody music score, an early effort by Ennio Morricone, accompanies the film.

Nightmare Castle: DVD Savant Review
Nightmare Castle

Severin’s Blu-ray includes thorough and exciting extras, including a repeat of the 2009 DVD’s producer David Gregory’s interview with the film’s star, Barbara Steele, in Conversation.

The actress recounts the complete narrative of her career from her school days onward, detailing her brief and unhappy stint as a Rank / Fox starlet and her sudden departure from Hollywood, which occurred during the production of the Elvis Presley movie Flaming Star.

In this interview, Steele provides a comprehensive account of her career, from her school days to her abrupt departure from Hollywood, illustrated with numerous unfamiliar photographs.

Steele reflects on her career and transition from Hollywood to Italy, drawing parallels with the legendary Louise Brooks, and expresses her fondness for Italy despite jokingly mentioning the potential weight gain from indulging in rich food.

The Italian director, Mario Caiano, is featured in an Italian interview discussing his films, with household pets making intermittent appearances in the frame.

He highlights the rapid filming of “Amanti d’oltretomba” and expresses that he didn’t have a substantial acquaintance with the film’s star.

Additional extras comprise a feature commentary with Barbara Steele interviewed by David Del Valle, delving into various movies and aspects of the actress’s career.

The Blu-ray includes an English trailer in pristine condition, bearing the title “Night of the Doomed,” presumably chosen for international distribution.

Additionally, a video remnant of the American “Nightmare Castle” trailer utilizes the duplicate footage, incorporating altered text and a different voiceover.

“Castle of Blood” from 1964 is renowned as one of Antonio Margheriti’s standout ventures into horror. I recommend referring to an earlier DVD release from Synapse in 2002 for more detailed information.

The Severin Films’ Blu-ray of “Nightmare Castle” offers a remarkable package for Euro-horror film enthusiasts, including the remastered and restored version of Mario Caiano’s “Nightmare Castle,” Antonio Margheriti and Sergio Corbucci’s “Castle of Blood,” and Domenico Massimo Pupillo’s “Terror-Creatures from the Grave.”

The films, sourced from sharp 35mm elements, present a visual treat in high-definition, showcasing the moody black-and-white cinematography, offering a viewing experience far superior to the previously available versions.

The included features provide a comprehensive exploration of the films, with bountiful supplements such as an audio commentary with Barbara Steele, moderated by David Del Valle, and various featurettes.

The Blu-ray also features an English trailer in pristine condition, bearing the title “Night of the Doomed,” and includes an additional video remnant of the American “Nightmare Castle” trailer utilizing the duplicate footage with altered text and a different voiceover.

The clincher for purchasers of this disc is bound to be the two extra features encoded in HD. “Castle of Blood” and “Terror Creatures from the Grave” offer viewers diverse experiences.

“Castle of Blood” is acclaimed as the best of Antonio Margheriti’s few forays into horror.

At the same time, “Terror Creatures from the Grave” presents a talky and somewhat trying murder mystery, with notable performances by Walter Brandi and Luciano Pigozzi.

These extra features further enrich the viewing experience, making the Blu-ray a valuable addition to any collection.

Nightmare Castle: DVD Savant Review
Nightmare Castle

The comprehensive and high-quality presentation of “Nightmare Castle” and its additional features make this Blu-ray a highly recommended pick for fans of Euro-horror cinema.

The presence of English language versions for all three films diminishes their exoticism, with the dubbing, although reasonably good, being somewhat clumsy compared to the original Italian performances.

It’s noted that Barbara Steele seldom dubbed her Italian pictures into English, adding to the disconnect between her voice and the movies for some viewers.

Severin has introduced new featurettes for each of the extra features, such as “Vengeance from Beyond” and “A Dance of Ghosts,” with an audio interview with Barbara utilized for one of them.

Additionally, trailers are included for each of the extra features, contributing to the appeal for fans of the English language version of these films.

The high-quality extra transfers, particularly for “Nightmare Castle,” make this collection a worthwhile investment for enthusiasts of the English language versions of these films.

Also, see Haskell Wexler and the Making of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’

Nightmare Castle: DVD Savant Review
DVD Savant Review

On a scale of Excellent, Good, Fair, and Poor,

Nightmare Castle Blu-ray
rates:
Movie: Good
Video: Excellent
Sound: Excellent (English language version)
Supplements: New HD transfers of rare U.S. prints: Terror Creatures From The Grave and Castle of Blood; audio commentary with Barbara Steele and David Del Valle; interview featurettes Barbara Steele In Conversation and Black, White And Red (Mario Caiano); extra featurettes Vengeance From Beyond and A A Dance of Ghosts; deleted scenes from Terror Creatures From The Grave, plus trailers for Nightmare Castle (2), Terror Creatures From The Grave and Castle Of Blood.
Deaf and Hearing-impaired Friendly?
No; Subtitles: None
Packaging: Keep case
Reviewed: August 15, 2015

Footnotes:

  1. English critic Raymond Durgnat often referred to fellow film critics who revered stars like Kim Novak as if immersing themselves in a glamorous star’s performances equated to intimate involvement with them. While this perspective may seem overly optimistic, critics seek whatever joy they can derive from their work. Some critics notably lauded the captivating and intense Barbara Steele, portraying her as a provocative sexual icon, with comments such as, “She’s a corpse — but is she any less desirable?”
Ashish Maharjan
Ashish Maharjan
Ashish, a seasoned editor and author for World Cinema Paradise, intricately weaves creativity with precision in his writing, establishing himself as a prolific content creator. Renowned for clarity and captivating storytelling, Ashish has cultivated a devoted readership, driven by his unwavering passion for words and commitment to excellence.

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