CASTLE OF BLOOD 1964
Castle of Blood (1964), also known as Danza Macabra or Dance Macabre, is a gothic horror film directed by Antonio Margheriti. The film is considered one of his masterpieces. I would agree. Margheriti, an Italian filmmaker known for his versatility across genres, made significant contributions to Italian Gothic horror cinema in the 1960s, with such films as The Long Hair of Death 1964, Horror Castle (1963), Also known as The Virgin of Nuremberg, and And God Said to Cain (1970), which blended Gothic horror elements with the Western genre,
Antonio Margheriti and Mario Bava had a complex relationship marked by both rivalry and shared influence within the Italian genre film industry. While both directors were pioneers in Italian horror and science fiction cinema, their paths crossed notably during the production of Naked You Die (1968). Originally intended to be directed by Bava, the producers brought in Margheriti as a partner, which led to Bava abandoning the project altogether. Margheriti ultimately took over as director, using Bava’s script with minimal changes.
I still remember those late-night New York TV classical horror offerings as a kid, where I’d sneak in some forbidden viewing. Castle of Blood was one of the first to really cast its atmospheric spell on me.
It stars Barbara Steele, whose ability to combine ravishing beauty with the uncanny sensuality with the inclusion of subtle eroticism and hints of lesbianism added to the film’s charged atmosphere, which was bold for its time. The cast also includes Georges Rivière, Margarete Robsahm, and Arturo Dominici.
Italian actor Silvano Tranquilli portrays Edgar Allan Poe. His character plays a minor but pivotal role as Poe engages in a conversation with journalist Alan Foster (played by Georges Rivière) in a shadowy London pub, setting the stage for the wager that drives the story forward. The story follows Alan Foster, a journalist who accepts a bet to spend the night in a supposedly haunted castle on All Souls’ Eve. As the night progresses, Foster encounters a series of ghostly inhabitants, including the enigmatic Elisabeth Blackwood (Barbara Steele) and the possessive Julia Alert (Margarete Robsahm). The ghosts are doomed to relive their tragic deaths annually, and Foster finds himself enmeshed in a web of supernatural intrigue:
Through his use of light and shadow, Margheriti crafts a haunting atmosphere through his use of black-and-white cinematography, which emphasizes the shadowy, cobweb-filled gloomy architecture, and the castle’s interiors provide an inherently spooky backdrop for the story. The ghostly apparitions tap into deep-seated psychological fears. The ghosts enable creative storytelling techniques like non-linear narratives, unreliable narrators, and twist endings, for example, the one that washes over you at the end of Castle of Blood. The last image stuck with me for quite a long time.
Riz Ortolani’s (Mondo Cane 1962: His main title song, “More,” won a Grammy and was nominated for an Oscar, and the international hit The Yellow Rolls-Royce 1964) musical score contributes significantly to the film’s unsettling world. Ortolani was an Italian composer, conductor, and orchestrator with a prolific career spanning over fifty years, during which he scored more than 200 films and television programs. He was particularly known for his work in genre films, including horror and Giallo, making him a fitting choice for the gothic atmosphere of Castle of Blood. The atmospheric organ score further enhances the film’s eerie mood, contributing significantly to the overall sense of unease and otherworldly dread and a genuinely creepy miasma.
Castle of Blood is also notable for its exploration of themes of life, death, and the blurred lines between the two. The film’s narrative unfolds through a series of flashbacks and reenactments, revealing the tragic love triangle that led to the ghosts’ demise. As Foster delves deeper into the castle’s mysteries, he finds himself drawn to Elisabeth (Steele), unaware of her true nature until it’s too late.
The film’s use of black-and-white cinematography and the intense saturation of monochromatic black is particularly striking. The pure blackness surrounding the characters creates a sense of isolation and dread, forcing us to focus on facial expressions and creating an effect similar to Gothic portrait photography.
The pacing is deliberately slow, allowing the fuse to burn gradually. Margheriti has never been afraid to let scenes linger, creating a dreamlike quality that continues to obscure the line between reality and the supernatural. The film’s Gothic visuals and erotic undertones have ensured that Castle of Blood remains a cult classic in Italian horror cinema.