Amanti d'oltretomba
Tags: paranormal, insanity, revenge, gothic, murder

Plot synopsis:
NIGHTMARE CASTLE AKA NIGHT OF THE DOOMED synopsis AKA LOVERS BEYOND THE TOMB, THE FACELESS MONSTER, ORGASMO**NOTE: In the Italian version all actors are listed by their real Italian names. In the US version they are listed by more American-sounding names. Below they are listed by their real Italian names.**Muriel Hampton Arrowsmith (Barbara Steele) has entered the lab of her husband Dr. Stephen Arrowsmith (Paul Muller) with a drink. He chastises her for entering without permission, commenting on her drinking. She acknowledges that he is leaving for a scientific conference where he will be with other  fanatical good-for-nothings like yourself  she taunts. He tells her not to speak to him like that. She reminds him that she is his wife and would like to spend the night with him. They kiss. Muriel notices that this has been observed by Solange (Helga Liné), who is waiting to see him off on his long journey. They say their goodbyes and he tells her he will only be a couple of days gone. The carriage is brought up by David (Rik Battaglia) who asks about the new plants. He is told to water them in the greenhouse. Dr. Arrowsmith leaves.Muriel goes to the piano and plays music. Hearing this, David drops what he is doing and heads into the house to meet her. Muriel disrobes, puts on her nightgown and perfume and begins passionate kissing with David, which progresses to the bed. She stops, suggesting they are too near Solanges room and they should go to the greenhouse. Once there, they lie down and begin passionate kissing.Outside we see Dr. Arrowsmith waiting and watching for a signal from Solange. From an upstairs window we see a light flashing back and forth. Holding his cane, he enters the greenhouse and confronts the lovers. He strikes David in the face with his cane, then his wife. Next we see both of them strung up on a wall with Stephen whipping them. He uses a heated poker on David. Next we see Stephen pouring a glass of water from a pitcher. Both look thirsty and Muriel begs for a sip. He brings it close, then pours it out. She curses him with her hatred, but then confesses that she recently remade her will, leaving all her wealth to her step-sister Jenny.Stephen is pouring through a book, presumably a law book, as he plans what he will do. Solange tells him he will have to keep her alive, but that Solange wants her share of the money that he has promised her. He reassures her that he will win and Solange will get what is coming to her. Then he says Jenny will inherit the money, but everyone knows Jenny is mad. She will be confined to a mental hospital and he will discover the cure.Next we see Muriel and David in the bedroom with Muriel chained to the bed and David chained to a chair. Stephen drips acid onto Muriel from a contraption and she cries out. David cries out as well, seeing her suffer. Stephen releases him from the chair and he rises, to be pushed onto the bed with her. Still shackled on his feet with wires connected, Stephen turns on a switch which electrocutes them both in bed. They cry out.Stephen is seen removing her heart from her corpse, which he places in a water tank along with the heart of David. Next we see her ashes placed in an urn with a strange plant.Stephen arrives at the castle with Jenny, who he has just married, having gotten her from the asylum. Solange is annoyed that he married her against their plan. He consoles Solange (who appears years younger) that once Jenny is insane enough to commit that he will be named over her estate and then Solange will get her money. In the meantime, he will see to it that Jenny goes mad.He prepares a hallucinogen to be added to Jennys drink which Solange adds. That night Jenny hears two hearts beating and gets up. She opens a door to find wind and a laughing womans voice. Seeing the plant, which has almost bloomed, she notices drops of blood beside it. She gets back in bed with Stephen, who pretends to be asleep. Later she tells him about her dream and the blood. He tells her it is only a nightmare.Jenny and Stephen are seen at a fountain with white doves. Jenny asks questions about Muriel and Stephen fills her in. She apologizes to Stephen for her outburst last night. He tells her if could be nothing other than delirium, which he hopes will not happen again. Solange comes to tell him that the lab is ready. He goes with her, leaving Jenny at the fountain.In the lab, he finds that one vial is still present in the cabinet: the vial of hallucinogen that Jenny was supposed to have received last night. Solange apologizes and says it couldnt be. He insists otherwise, but tells her that regardless, Jenny seems to not need the drug to go over the edge. He kisses Solange.Jenny finds the sheet music on the piano and asks if Muriel wrote it. She is told that Muriel occasionally did write music. Jenny attempts to play the theme. As the music plays, she seems to become more like Muriel and asks for a drink. The servant brings it, and she remarks that she likes it. Stephen throws down a medical journal that he doesnt care for and complains about the doctor who wrote it. After the music has stopped, he notices that Jenny is gone. He and Solange go to her room, but she is not there. Then a scream is heard. Solange says that it comes from below. They head toward the passage leading down to the crypt. Another scream is heard before they reach it. At the bottom of the stairs, they push open a door to find Jenny white as a ghost, collapsing. Stephen carries her up to her bed. They discuss what happened and she cannot remember parts of it, only that her hands were bloody and she tried to remove the covering to the crypt. He tells her it was all in her imagination. She insists that the door to the crypt was locked, but he says no, it was easily opened when he pushed on it. He tells her that her condition frequently causes things to seem impossible. She begs him not send her back to the asylum and he agrees, but tells her he wants her to get better. Dr. Joyce (Marino Masé) will come and take care of her, since he did for so many years at the hospital.When Dr. Joyce arrives, he is greeted by Stephen and Jenny, who tries to sweep him away to the woods. Stephen intervenes, suggesting that the doctor has just arrived. Dr. Joyce says it is all right, but Jenny agrees that her husband is right, leaving and going inside.Dr. Joyce talks to Jenny about remembering all that has happened to her. He says Stephen has told him everything that has happened recently. She remembers something about David but gets confused. He asks what happened. She tells him that someone else takes over her mind and that then she gets confused. She remembers the crypt and the greenhouse, so they go there in an effort to remember. She says someone was kissing her, but she cant remember who. Someone else came in and struck him. She tells Dr. Joyce that she lost an earring which should be in the leaves below. When he finds it, she seems to recognize it but then when questioned further becomes confused. He suggests maybe she lost it another time. Then she admits that it is not her earring and she has never seen it before.In Dr. Arrowsmiths study, Solange breaks a bottle and he chides her, telling her he was able to restore her youth but not her mind. She reminds him that it is not her mind that he needs. Dr. Joyce comes in to discuss Jennys condition, showing him the earring that she found in the greenhouse. Stephen tells Solange to go find the other earring in Jennys room. Going to a secret location, Solange gets the other earring and goes to Jennys room (which Stephen says has changed per Dr. Joyce). She slips it into the jewel box and tells Jenny the Doctor wants to see it. When Jenny shows her jewelry to Dr. Joyce, she finds the other earring and becomes confused. Stephen brings over the other one, explaining that they are Muriels earrings and that Jenny has never worn them. Confused, she leaves the room.At dinner, Dr. Joyce is discussing wizards and witches of Africa who made contact with the dead, when suddenly Jenny rises, announcing she is tired and will turn it. Stephen tells her he will follow immediately. Jenny leaves and the doctors discuss her condition. All at once Solange cries out, having apparently cut herself. Stephen attends to her, telling Dr. Joyce he will have to take her to the lab to prevent a hemorrhage. He explains that she has a rare blood disorder but that it is nothing. As they leave the room, Dr. Joyce notices her place at the table, looking closely at it. The butler comes in and asks if he wants anything, to which he replies no. Announcing that he will go to his room, he leaves. The butler also looks at the place he was looking.Upstairs, Dr. Joyce finds his room locked and knocks, asking who is there. Behind him there is a noise and he looks around to find a passageway opening in a panel in the wall. He goes through.In the lab, Stephen tells Solange that they will need new blood. He draws some from a container and gives her an injection. He says this worked for now but soon they will need some new solution.Jenny awakens to the sound of the hearts beating. She hears Muriels voice telling her that her blood is being used down in the laboratory and to hurry. Jenny gets up and begins to go.Dr. Joyce finds himself in the crypt looking at graves. He finds Muriels crypt and the lid slides over, revealing it to be empty.Jenny enters the lab and picking up a scalpel, he goes to attack Stephen, who is attending to Solange. Solange cries out as she sees her coming. Striking his face with the scalpel, Jenny renders a cut on Stephen just as Dr. Joyce enters. He takes Jenny back to her room. Solange tells Stephen that it was not the face of Jenny but Muriel.In her room, Jenny draws Dr. Joyce to sit in bed with her. He speaks to her and she looks strangely at him, asking who he is. She tells him she is not Jenny, but Muriel and kisses him. Again he calls Jenny and she kisses him again. Suddenly the doors fly open and a breeze blows through. Seeing no one, Dr. Joyce returns to Jenny, who asks if he saw what she saw. He tells her that he will find out what it was. In the greenhouse, Jenny asks the doctor what Muriel wants with her. He tells her that she must leave these surroundings in order to get better.Solange tells Stephen that the doctor is now a threat and cannot be allowed to leave the castle. He agrees with her. At that moment Dr. Joyce enters and asks to speak to him. Solange leaves. He tells Stephen that he will take Jenny back to the clinic in the morning so she can get better. Stephen agrees and Dr. Joyce retires to his room, beginning to write. Next he calls the butler to prepare his bath. Meanwhile Stephen drills a hole in the wall in the bathroom and connects wires to electrocute Dr. Joyce when he steps into the tub. Before Joyce can do that, the butler returns with towels and fixes them on a rack by the tub. As he brushes by the tub, he accidently knocks the soap bar into the water. Hearing activity, Stephen prepares to throw the switch and does. When he reaches for the soap he cries out as he is electrocuted. Dr. Joyce removes him and next they are seen discussing his death. Joyce pronounces a heart attack and Stephen tells Solange to take Jenny away.Stephen asks Joyce to prepare a death certificate and help move his body back to his room. When that is done, Joyce wants to light a candle for the dead while Stephen leaves. After they both leave the room, the butlers hand falls to the side, revealing a burn on his wrist from the electric shock.Solange meets Stephen in the hall, confessing she is frightened and uncertain of what to do now. He reassures her everything will go as planned. He goes to speak to Jenny, telling her she has been through a shock. She says she is anxious to leave in the morning with Dr. Joyce. At this point he turns on her, accusing Dr. Joyce of manipulating her because she is weak, beautiful and rich. She swears he has done nothing wrong and that they have been friends for many years. He tells her he saw them holding hands in the greenhouse and that he doesnt want to lose her. He persuades her to come with him to Spain or Italy and she agrees.Next we see Dr. Joyce reluctantly telling Jenny that it will be good for her to go elsewhere. She acts as if he might be talking down to her. He tells her he will be leaving in the morning, but that he is very fond of her and if she ever needs anything for her to call upon him. She cries.That night she is dreaming as Muriel again and Dr. Joyce comes in and observes her as she writhes. He asks if it is Muriel and asks where her body is and who killed her. When Stephen comes into the room, he hides behind draperies. Jenny screams when she sees Stephen.Solange begs Stephen for the blood of Jenny to replenish her, saying that Muriels blood is heavy within her, like mercury. He promises that Jennys blood will be available soon.Next morning Dr. Joyce is saying goodbye when Jenny approaches and asks why he is leaving. She asks him if he likes the Hampton Crest which is at the base of a statue of two lovers. She seems more like Muriel. He bids them goodbye and leaves. Solange seems in pain waiting for the new blood.Jenny is seen in her room, packing. Thunder is heard outside. Jenny approaches Stephen and calls him. He comes toward her with a murderous look and slaps her down. Grabbing her, he tells Solange to come to the lab. Meanwhile in the rain we see Dr. Joyce who has returned and enters the castle. Inside, he looks at the Hampton Crest, finally turning it clockwise, which opens a cabinet door. Inside is the container with the two hearts of Muriel and David. He carries it to the desk and removes the dagger. The cries of Muriel and David are heard by Dr. Joyce and seen looking down from a high position.In the lab Stephen tells Jenny that her sister is calling her and that we will no longer have to deal with hearing her cries anymore. Solange cries out that she cant stand it. Stephen brings cotton dipped in ether and puts Jenny to sleep. Solange is told to lie on the other berth. After they are connected with tubes, Stephen tells Solange it will take about two hours and for her to remain still while he prepares for the trip the three of them will make.Stephen comes out and sees Muriel and David with their wounds, facing Dr. Joyce. Stephen hits Joyce from behind with a candlestick, knocking him out. Muriel takes Stephen aside, telling him she will help him see the ecstasy of pain and death that she has. As he pulls her hair aside, he sees her hideously deformed face. She laughs and secures him in the chair, throwing a candle and setting him on fire. Meanwhile David enters the lab and Solange, seeing him, screams. He cuts the blood line, laughing, and it drips on the floor. Next we see Stephens chair with his body completely burnt up. Muriel stops laughing. Solange is shown back in her old body again as David laughs, destroying the lab equipment. Next we see Solange as only a skeleton.Dr. Joyce recovers and stands up. David approaches Jenny on the table and shakes her. She awakens and screams. At this point Dr. Joyce comes in and pulls David away into the lab which is filling with smoke. He picks Jenny up and carries her out. Upstairs they lock the doors to keep David out and turn to run. Jenny is horrified to see Muriel coming toward them. David breaks the doors open and comes in. At this point Dr. Joyce takes the two hearts and throws them into the fire. As they burn, Muriel and David disappear. Dr. Joyce and Jenny run outside into the rain. As they pause and look back, he tells her she is safe now and will have no more problems from Muriel. The two hearts are shown again burning in the fireplace.

Review: This movie uses Steele to full advantage, and even casts the sultry, sinister star in a dual role, much like Mario Bava's classic BLACK SUNDAY.
However, her hubby finds that this may not have been the great revenge he thought it would be because his wife left her inheritance to her mentally unbalanced sister(Steele again, this time in a blonde wig).
The stunning Barbara Steele, arguably the most beautiful Scream Queen of all, plays a duel role as an unfaithful wife, who is tortured and murdered by her scientist husband (Jess Franco regular Paul Muller), and the wife's mentally fragile sister.
Steele and Muller are both excellent and well cast, and their performances added to the stylish black and white photography, and an above average Morricone score, make this is a real treat for fans of Italian horror and giallo..
Lushly Gothic visuals, a great score and Barbara Steele....what more could you want from an Italian horror film?.
Our protagonist isn't taking this lying down, however, and it isn't long before he's returning to the castle with a new bride Just like she did in Mario Bava's masterpiece "Black Sunday", Barbara Steele takes on a dual role.
The plot gives way to a beautiful set of locations; the lushly Gothic castle photographed in the same cinematic style as the best black and white films that Italian cinema has to offer.
Great Italian Gothic horror with the queen of blackness Barbara Steele..
Italian queen of Gothic horror Barbara Steele portrays the wife of a deranged scientist played by Paul Muller whose latest experiments involve electro-stimulation of human blood.When the mad doctor discovers that his wife is unfaithful,he tortures,disfigures and kills her alongside her gardener lover,then removes and preserves the hearts of the victims,using their blood to restore youth and beauty to his own lover Solange.When the madman discovers that his late wife left all her wealth to her mentally unstable sister he quickly sets about courting and marrying the poor girl,then proceeds to drive her completely mad in order to inherit her fortune."Nightmare Castle" is an essence of Italian Gothic horror.It takes place almost entirely in castle interiors,frequently in utter darkness.There are some scenes of depressing violence and the visuals are rich and beautiful.The hypnotic eyes of Barbara Steele are not easy to forget.9 out of 10..
The black and white really sets a mood and the fact the blood is black (because it can't be red) makes it seem even more sinister than it had to be.Luca Palmerini calls this one an "elegantly executed story of love after death." Director Mario Caiano (under the name Allan Grunewald) is upstaged the same year by Mario Bava's "Planet of the Vampires", though I daresay the former is better.
It's a tribute to the strength of Barbara Steele's acting (not to mention her surreal beauty) that this, perhaps on the lower-rung of her Sixties Italian horror films, is still such a superlative experience.
Now that Retromedia has issued a widescreen, pretty clean, uncut 100 minute version of the film on region 1 DVD under one of the alternate titles - THE FACELESS MONSTER - Steele fans and Italian horror fans in general can put away the cut versions (NIGHTMARE CASTLE) and enjoy the movie properly, previously only available in the PAL format from Salvation on videotape (NIGHT OF THE DOOMED.)  From that period of time which made her an absolute icon of the genre, and with two masterful films yet to come, especially AN ANGEL FOR SATAN.
But then, the film becomes a talky soap opera, centering around the bad woman's mousy twin sister (played by a blonde Steele)  Somebody should have told the director audiences don't want to see their character a colorless, cheerless, unemotional, unimaginative nothing.
Decent Italian Gothic horror with Barbara Steele in a double role (!).
NIGHTMARE CASTLE (Mario Caiano - Italy 1965).Barbara Steele is the wife of a brutal count.
Usually I like Barbara Steele's movies, but Mario Caiano's "Amanti d'oltretomba" ("Nightmare Castle" in English) is a little too slow-moving.
The last scene of the movie looks amazing with Barbara in a ghostly white negligee and long wild black hair covering half her face as she comes back from the dead to seek revenge.
Good thing Doctor Dereck (mase) arrives at the nightmarish castle to help.The movie's richly photographed with glaring close-ups and deep shadow that highlight the Gothic horror.
Barbara Steele has two roles in this somewhat ridiculous thriller that takes the plot of, of all things, The Corpse Vanishes and mixes it up with, of all things, Gaslight, to form a mishmash of different styles, some of it works, some of it doesn't.After killing his newlywed wife after finding her with the Gardner, Dr. Arrowsmith (played quite chillingly by Paul Miller), almost the next day, weds her lookalike sister, just to have a hold on the huge estate his ex-newlywed had.
But soon, the doctor and the sister realize some strange things about the doctor, and if the house is truly haunted or not.Although the plot is somewhat ridiculous, and the dubbing atrocious, Barbara Steele IS easy on the eyes, and Paul Miller is quite fun to watch.
Things turn bad for the scientist as the wife informs him that she had made her step sister (Barabara Steele) the nominee of the property.....The isolated castle with its huge rooms appeared eerie, the atmosphere towards the end with the rainfall n the acting were the only good aspects.
When scientist Dr. Stephen Arrowsmith (Paul Muller) catches his unfaithful wife Muriel (Barbara Steele) with her lover David (Rik Battaglia), he takes revenge by torturing and killing them (using acid and electrocution!).
With a little help from his housemaid and mistress, Solange (Helga Liné), who he has made youthful with a serum made from Muriel's blood, Stephen puts his plan into motion, calling on Jenny's doctor Dereck Joyce (Marino Masé) to observe his new wife's behaviour; however, Stephen doesn't count on the vengeful spirits of Muriel and David to get in his way.With star Steele playing dual roles, brunette and blonde, the actress fetishistically bound and tortured, Nightmare Castle is definitely going to appeal to her legion of fans.
His old woman sidekick Solange is also there to help out, as every murderous cuckold can't get all the heart removing done by himself.Some time later, Steven is now married to Jenny, Muriel's twin sister (Steele, only with blonde hair this time).
Compared to the other 600 or so Italian Gothic horror films I've watched recently, this one drags a bit, but then again the talents of Steele and Muller and the music of Morricone save this from being a total bore-fest.
"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.
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.
their is a lot of blood guts , and gore in this one,, not for the squeamish that's for sure,, Barbara Steele while not her greatest role,, she does very well with her part , and is sexy , and beautiful as ever, this is one woman I would definitely not want one my bad side, very fun flick..
"Nightmare Castle" (1965) is a mildly enjoyable horror film starring the ever-creepy Barbara Steele.
In a nutshell, scream queen Barbara Steele (Black Sunday, "The Winds of War", "War and Remembrance") get caught dallying with her lover and is tortured by her husband (Paul Muller).
She plays her step-sister in a dual role, and her ex has to figure out how to get their money.The film features a great score by Ennio Morricone.The atmosphere is terrific and the movie is suspenseful.
Dr. Arrowsmith (Paul Muller) kills his unfaithful wife (Barbara Steel) and her lover.
Years later, the doctor's new wife (Barbara Steel again) starts having nightmares that seem to be related, but she may just be mentally unstable.
This is a pretty average melodramatic thriller and while Barbara Steel is (or was rather) a great genre actress this film isn't among her best.
He tortures and kills his wife Muriel (Barbara Steele) and her lover only to remarry his wife's sister (Jenny - also played by Steele) who inherited her fortune.Now living in the castle of her dead sister, Jenny is haunted by visions of madness, caused by the two souls seeking redemption for their brutal torture and subsequent murders.Some good spooky scenes combined with some eerie atmospheres.
Hoping to continue his lifestyle and his experiments, the count manipulates the sister and marries her, hoping to eliminate her as he did his first wife, not knowing that the spirits of his wife and her lover are out for revenge," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.Barbara Steele (as brunette Muriel Arrowsmith and blonde Jenny Arrowsmith) is the main attraction.
Nightmare Castle (1965) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Dr. Arrowsmith (Paul Muller) leaves his home only to sneak back and see his wife Muriel (Barbara Steele) in the arms of another man.
Before the wife died she informed him that she left her estate to her half-sister Jenny (Steele) so the doctor marries her but it doesn't take long for the dead wife and her lover to return from the dead.NIGHTMARE CASTLE is yet another Italian horror film that Scream Queen Steele appeared it.
The film also benefits from some strong cinematography and a nice score by Ennio Morricone.NIGHTMARE CASTLE doesn't quite reach the level of some of Steele's other movies like CASTLE OF BLOOD and THE HORRIBLE DR.
The cuckolded husband (Paul Muller) is determined to torture and kill his wife (Barbara Steele) and her lover (Rik Battaglia).
He cuts out their hearts and goes on enjoying her money.Dr. Arrowsmith (Muller), much to the surprise of his housekeeper Solange (Helga Liné), marries his wife's twin Jenny (also played by Barbara Steele).Writer/director Mario Caiano, who also gave us the gem Nazi Love Camp 27, manages to tell a compelling story.
Barbara Steele plays the wife and stepsister and this movie is pretty much owned by her good performance.
Directed by Mario Caiano, it stars Barbara Steele who was championed by horror film directors in Italy and who once upon a time even starred in Fellini's 8 1/2.
Fans of the ravishing goddess Barbara Steele will immediately rank "Nightmare Castle" among their favorites, simply because she plays a lovely double-role.
After such brilliant films as "Black Sunday" (1960), "The Pit And The Pendulum" (1961) and "Castle Of Blood" (1964), "Gli Amanti D'Oltretomba" aka "Nightmare Castle" of 1965 is yet another mesmerizing and highly atmospheric Gothic Horror tale starring Horror-goddess Barbara Steele (my favorite actress of all-time) that must not be missed by any true Horror fan.
- Aided by his maid Solange (Helga Liné), the ruthless Dr. Stephen Arrowsmith (Paul Mueller), who conducts bizarre experiments in his eerie castle, catches his beautiful wife, Countess Muriel Arrowsmith (Barbara Steele) red handed with her lover (Giuseppe Addobbati).
Since it was his wife, who brought the wealth into the marriage, he then marries his wife's kind-hearted, but emotionally disturbed sister Jenny (also Barbara Steele), whom Muriel has made beneficiary in her will.
While the Doctor has his own plans with Jenny, his late wife's sister seems strangely possessed when she comes to live at the castle..."Nightmare Castle" is a vastly underrated little genre-gem that delivers pure Gothic Horror greatness in every aspect.
The great acting comes particularly from the wonderful Barbara Steele, who once again delivers a brilliant performance in her double role as Muriel/Jenny Arrowsmith.
Paul Mueller is furthermore great and wonderfully evil in his role as the unscrupulous Doctor Stephen Arrowsmith, and Helga Liné is very good as his accomplice, the maid Solange.
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).
Barbara Steele stars in another great Gothic horror!.
There are also several good looking guys in the cast, especially Laurence Clift as a compassionate doctor who takes a liking to Jenny.So make sure to check this one out if you enjoy Gothic horror as much as I do.
All the characters are great, and I loved the creepy setting as well, plus Barbara Steele and Paul Muller are simply amazing in this!.
The score is especially awesome, as it's quite chilling, and Barbara Steele gives a tour De force performances as both Muriel and Jenny, plus Paul Muller, is absolutely brilliant as the sadistic scientist.
A crazy scientist catches his wife cheating and tortures both her and her lover to death, after he marries her sister because she inherits the castle and the ghosts come back for revenge.The movie is full of horror clichés.
Crazy scientists, castles, ghosts, screaming, but in the atmosphere of a 60's Gothic horror movie those clichés seem to be kind of charming.
The castle and the fact that it is black/white make it look very chilling and one really feels the haunted atmosphere that is the positive part of this movie.Another great thing that saves this movie from a 2/10 rating is the fact that the "Queen of Scream" Barbara Steele is actually playing a dual role.
It is of course not very scary for our time, but seeing Muriel play the organ in the castle at the beginning of the movie made me think that I will love it.
Paul Muller is great in the role of a crazy scientist and I was surprised to see that this is the only part Laurence Clift has played.This movie is not something that I would consider a classic, but it is beautiful and something one could enjoy on a thunder night in in a dark room while eating candy.
This atmospheric Italian period Gothic features one of Barbara Steele's greatest performances.
Clearly made to cash-in on the success of Mario Bava's "Black Sunday", Steele plays dual-roles as woman and monster in both films.
Steele has played this type of role many times before, most notably in the cult classic "Black Sunday", and while her part is fun to watch (as always), the technical flaws of this badly dubbed film are sometimes difficult to stand.
It's quite creepy and effective for the film and fits right in to the story being shown.Story involves a jealous doctor (Paul Muller) who catches his wife Muriel (Barbara Steele) in the arms of her lover, their stableman, David (Rik Battaliga) inside the greenhouse.
There, he finds out that he has been left out of his wife's will and that all her wealth will go to her step sister Jenny (again played by Steele) that will not only make him poor but will put an end to his mad experiments in his quest for the fountain of youth.
Only when Muriel's preserved heart is thrown into the fire will her spirit find peace.This film has excellent atmospherics and a creepy 17th century castle to boot, much like Steel's earlier CASTLE OF BLOOD (1964) had.
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.
Caught having an affair, "Muriel Arrowsmith" (Barbara Steele) and her lover "David" (Rik Battaglia) are tortured and killed by her angry and sadistic husband "Dr. Stephen Arrowsmith" (Paul Muller).
After killing Muriel, Dr. Arrowsmith then marries her half-sister, "Jenny" (also Barbara Steele) and because of her frail mental condition tries to push her over the edge so that he can claim the family inheritance from both her and Muriel.
The doctor torturing his unfaithful wife and her lover fits the persona of a mad doctor which gets this film off to a good start.
What is the only reason for seeing this film - if you like Barbara Steele then you get to see her twice playing twins..
A cheating wife and her lover are murdered by a jealous husband, the wife's stepsister (dual role, played by Barbara Steele); is targeted by his interests, to claim a fortune.The stepsister is prone to fits of psychological complication, and throughout the film; she is frightened to the near point of insanity.The attempts, to drive his stepsister insane; they do not go quite as planned.Nightmare castle, is a good movie.
Barbara Steele once again gets to play a dual role, and also gets to dish out/be at the receiving end of some terrible torture.
A Gothic tale of murder and revenge from the grave.*Special Stars- Barbara Steel plays the wife.*Theme- Justice is for everyone.*Based on- 19th century ghost stories.*Trivia/location/goofs- Is online.
"Nightmare Castle" has one of the best opening lines of any film I've seen - "At this rate you'll destroy all the frogs in the entire county, my dear." So says Muriel Arrowsmith (brunette Barbara Steele) to her pseudo scientist husband Steven (Paul Muller).
To maintain the huge estate left behind by Muriel, Steven schemes to marry Muriel's sister Jenny (blonde Barbara Steele).
Borrowing a plot element from 1958's "The Screaming Skull", Steven intends to drive his new wife slowly insane with the help of lover Solange (Helga Line), an ageless beauty thanks to the scientist's youth inducing blood transfusions.Hampton Castle is the perfect setting for the grim proceedings in a film that has some trouble finding it's real purpose.