The Haunted Castle

The Haunted Castle  is an 1896 three-minute-long French movie written, directed, and produced by Georges Méliès. The movie contains many traditional pantomime elements. It was meant to amuse people, not frighten them. It is considered to be the first horror and vampire movie. The Haunted Castle is now in the public domain. In English, this movie has been known as The Haunted Castle, The Devil's Castle, The Devil's Manor, The Manor of the Devil, and The House of the Devil. It was released on Christmas Eve, 1896, at the Theatre Robert Houdin, 8 boulevard des Italiens, Paris.

 Story 
A large bat flies into a castle. The bat circles slowly while flapping its monstrous wings. Suddenly, it changes into Mephistopheles (Georges Méliès). After preparing a cauldron, the demon produces skeletons, ghosts, and witches from the bubbling contents of a cauldron.  One of those summoned from the underworld holds up a crucifix. Satan vanishes in a blast of smoke.

References

Other websites

 Free download at https://archive.org/details/LeManoirDuDiable-GeorgesMelies1986

Category:French horror movies
Category:Horror movies
Category:Movies directed by Georges Méliès
Category:Movies set in castles

Category:1896 movies