In 1960 a unique beauty with devilish black hair and doe eye’s named Barbara Steele starred in a little Italian movie called “La Maschera del Demonio – The Mask of Satan” aka “Black Sunday” stateside that became an international hit. From 60 to 66 she followed it with a string of Italian Gothic Chillers. My favorite next to “The Mask of Satan” Ricardo Freda’s “The Horrible Dr. Hichcock” ‘62, “Lo Spectre – The Ghost” ‘63 also Freda, Antonio Margheriti’s “Danza macabra – Castle of Blood” ’64 and “I lunghi capelli della morte - The Long Hair of Death” ’65, followed by Massimo Pupillo’s 5 tombe per un medium – Terror Creatures from The Grave” ’65, Un angelo per Satana – An Angel for Satan”’66, La sorella di Satana – The She-Beast” 66. She also made a quick dash to the states in 61 to star along side Vincent Price in Roger Corman’s Poe film “Pit and The Pendulum. [Sorry I’m Italian horror nerd. ]

Which brings us to the film in question, made in 65, here with the original Italian credits and title “Amanti D’oltretomba – Lovers from Beyond the Tomb”. Barbara Steele plays in duel roles as the wife Muriel of a devious doctor [Paul Müller] and her unstable blond haired look a like sister Jenny. Rigid and methodical Paul Müller is a doctor/scientist that wants nothing more than his wife Muriel’s money. So when he finds her in the arms of her lover, he captures, tortures and kills them. But there is one little snag. She has left all money to her look a like sister Jenny whose sanity is hanging by a thread. So the unscrupulous doctor and his mistress the radiant Helga Liné, who has had her youthful looks restored with Muriels blood, concoct a devious plan to push Jenny over the edge. But there are repercussions. After all this is called “Lovers from Beyond the Tomb”.

What follows is a moody, melodramatic at times story of betrayal, murder, and revenge from beyond the grave that’s great Mario Bava meets Poe era Roger Corman late night viewing. Steele gets plenty of screen to display her witchy-bitchy charm as Mario Caiano directs under one of his pseudonyms Allan Grünewald.
Notable Dialogue: “Only ten minutes ago that man was a picture of health, and now he is ready for the worms”.

“Nightmare Castle” has a sorted history with numerous public domain releases that are cut by around 18 minutes. RetroMedia released a Special Edition Uncut Letterboxed Euro Edition’ as “The Faceless Monster” that was by far the best but suffered from a so-so PAL transfer. But that is all behind us now as Severin DVD offers a vastly superior completely UNCUT 104 minute version taken from the original Italian negative and presented in the correct 1.66:1 ratio. Like it says on the package back. “Throw away all those inferior transfers from censored TV prints. This is “Nightmare Castle” as you have never seen it before”. Amen.
Xtras. Barbara Steele – In Conversation: Is a very interesting 30 minute where Barbara recounts her life in the film industry. There is also an Interview with Director Allan Grünewald, and finally the US and UK Trailers. I would have like a poster gallery but all in all an excellent job by Sevrin’ DVD.

I had the opportunity to meet and chat with Barbara Steele during my 3 day stay at Texas Frightmare Weekend 4 and she is a bit standoffish and mildly eccentric but a very nice woman that is now beginning to embrace her fans. I was showing her this artwork I made and she grabbed it from me and held it up for a picture.

Here’s one of things I had her sign for me.