Nightmare Castle (1965) Amanti d'oltretomba (original title)

Director:

Mario Caiano

Writers:

Mario Caiano (story) &
Fabio De Agostini (story)

Release Date:

5 July 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

A mad, sadistic scientist on the loose!

Plot:

A woman and her lover are tortured and killed by her sadistic husband. The pair return from the grave to seek vengeance.

Plot Keywords:

Heart | Murder | Torture | Revenge | Nightmare

Cast

Barbara Steele	...	Muriel Arrowsmith / Jenny Arrowsmith
Paul Muller	...	Dr. Stephen Arrowsmith (as Paul Miller)
Helga Liné	...	Solange
Marino Masé	...	Dr. Dereck Joyce (as Lawrence Clift)
Giuseppe Addobbati	...	Jonathan (as John McDouglas)
Rik Battaglia	...	David

Directed by
Mario Caiano		(as Allen Grünewald)

Writing credits
Mario Caiano		(story, screenplay and dialogue) &
Fabio De Agostini		(story, screenplay and dialogue)

Produced by
Carlo Caiano	....	producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Enzo Barboni

Film Editing by
Renato Cinquini

Production Design by
Massimo Tavazzi

Set Decoration by
Massimo Tavazzi

Costume Design by
Mario Giorsi

Makeup Department
Duilio Giustini	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Pietro Nofri	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Angelo Sangermano	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Bernardino Fronzetti	....	sound engineer

Camera and Electrical Department
Mario Mancini	....	camera operator
Ermanno Serto	....	still photographer

Other crew
Priscilla Contardi	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• Cinematografica Emmeci

Distributors

• Allied Artists Pictures (1966) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• International Film Distributors (1968) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• BijouFlix Releasing (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Cinefear (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Hollywood Home Theatre (1980) (USA) (VHS)
• MRA Entertainment Group (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Madacy Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Navarre Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• PC Treasures (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Retromedia Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Severin Films (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• C.I.D.  sound recorded in collaboration with
• Casa d'Arte di Virgilio Ciarlo  costumes
• Fono Roma  sound recorded at
• In.Ci. R. di Angelo de Paolis  filmed at
• Rino Carboni  wigs
• Screen Time Images  film restoration

Also Known As:

"Amanti d'oltretomba" - Italy (original title)

Runtime:

UK:101 min | USA:90 min | Italy:104 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:15 (re-rating) (2005) | UK:18 (re-rating) (1998-2005) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:Unrated

Company:

Cinematografica Emmeci

Trivia:

Director Mario Caiano initially wanted to highlight the gory scenes with red color. The idea was dropped due to budget limitations.

Quotes:

Dr. Stephen Arrowsmith:[to Muriel Arrowsmith] I've asked you before not to come down to my laboratory while I'm busy with my experiments.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Eurotika!: Blood and Black Lace: A Short History of the Italian Horror Film (#1.3)" (1999)

Good to see again

Of course Nightmare Castle used to scare the hell out of me as a kid when I saw it on late-night TV, it's not exactly scary anymore but it's still a lot of fun to watch as I discovered buying it on DVD. Brings back a lot of memories of staying up late in a dark room watching old horror movies on the late late show, TV certainly has lost a lot of charm since the late 70's as you rarely find gems like this on anymore. Heck you'd be lucky to even find a late late show anymore, let alone old horror movies. But anyhow, good to see this one again.