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<reviews itemIdentifier="nightmare_castle">
  <review>
    <reviewbody>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 doesnÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ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. You see, her sister has just come out of the loony bin, and the doctor feels he can make her mad and have her committed, that way sheÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs out of the picture, and he can frolic with his true love,  Solange, a woman who needs solution so that she can remain eternally young, otherwise sheÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂll revert back to being an old lady (why on earth did the doctor fall in love with her in the first place?). So the doctor and Solange put on the haunted house show to freak out the twin sister, and soon a doctor from the hospital is called. But soon, the doctor and the sister realize some strange things about Arrowsmith, 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. So a passing mark on those two alone! The rest, and yes, that includes the plot, youÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂre on your own.</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>Rawr! Barbara Steele!</reviewtitle>
    <stars>3</stars>
    <reviewer>Spuzz</reviewer>
    <createdate>2005-09-21 05:13:31</createdate>
    <reviewdate>2005-09-21 07:38:26</reviewdate>
  </review>
  <review>
    <reviewbody>I have had a PSP since July of this year.Of course the first site I went to was Internet Archives as I always love watching these classics in the feature film section. I must have downloaded over 40 feature films (lost count) since July and converted them for PSP use.
Usually download mpeg-1 versions to do this as they are less download time.
Have not had a problem converting these files for PSP use. To convert them i use PSP video 9 freeware but also use PQDVD software occasionally
Have not watched nightmare castle as i am downloading it as I type this feedback.
Will write another review after enjoying this movie. Thank You so much for making these films accessible to the public . I have had many hours of enjoyment watching these.</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>Feedback on PSP download file</reviewtitle>
    <stars>5</stars>
    <reviewer>hankolator</reviewer>
    <createdate>2005-11-03 08:59:27</createdate>
    <reviewdate>2005-11-03 08:59:27</reviewdate>
  </review>
  <review>
    <reviewbody>A baleful Victorian scientist leaves for a medical conference (with a lot of ÃÂÃÂfanatical good-for-nothings like himselfÃÂÃÂ) then suddenly returns and, with the help of his housekeeper/spy/lover surprises his wife with the gardener on the greenhouse floor.  The scientist immediately strings up his wife and his gardener in the basement, and proceeds to torture them with electric shocks and acid.  

The scientistÃÂÃÂs wife, Muriel, informs him that if he kills her the estate, including the castle, will go to her sister, Jenny, an inmate of the local insane asylum, leaving him penniless and unable to continue his age-reversal experiments.  The scientist thanks her for that information, kills her, and with her blood rejuvenates the helpful housekeeper.  Then he marries his dead wifeÃÂÃÂs sisterÃÂÃÂ.

Unfortunately, Jenny is possessed by MurielÃÂÃÂs ghost, and the fun (revenge) beginsÃÂÃÂ.

Despite its 19th-century trappings, the shadowy castle, gothic/Victorian costumes, and the church organ that starts to play at every climax, this stylish movie is atmospheric ÃÂÃÂ of the 1960ÃÂÃÂs.  

Perhaps itÃÂÃÂs because, despite the prominent role revenge plays in the plot, the protagonists are so hedonistic, amoral and sadistic.  They all appear to be tripping, enjoying themselves too much.  The ghost of the murdered Barbara Steele charges her husband with having introduced her to the pleasures of the torment of the flesh ÃÂÃÂ and (this writer feels) she isnÃÂÃÂt being ironic.

That is part of it, but it doesnÃÂÃÂt account for why the ethos of the movie is so totally 60ÃÂÃÂs.  The way the scientist smokes, the way his wife drinks, the way she bitches ÃÂÃÂ all 60ÃÂÃÂs, at least to me, I donÃÂÃÂt know why.

The movie is especially interesting for featuring the iconic Barbara Steele as both heroine and villain, the murdered Muriel and her incarcerated, ÃÂÃÂinsaneÃÂÃÂ sister, Jenny.  This amplifies the meanings of the movie, since the underlying resemblance of the two ÃÂÃÂsistersÃÂÃÂ makes them appear as two sides or halves of one character, that the mad scientist unconsciously attempts to unite by marrying Jenny.  Of course, black-and-white conveys this duality more effectively than colour could.  It effectively emphasizes some other elements too: seeing and being seen (if you get caught, you have to watch), voyeurism, electricity and fire (the ultimate punishment), etc.

Speaking of colour, from the opening titles the movie visually evokes much older movies, say Bela Lugosi movies like White Zombie (also in the Archive), without losing its 60ÃÂÃÂs feelÃÂÃÂ.

An intelligent movieÃÂÃÂ.</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>1960's Gothic: 2 Sides of Barbara Steele</reviewtitle>
    <stars>4</stars>
    <reviewer>max_von_mayerling</reviewer>
    <createdate>2005-11-08 14:09:53</createdate>
    <reviewdate>2005-11-08 14:09:53</reviewdate>
  </review>
  <review>
    <reviewbody>I Downloaded the Movie and transfered it on my PSP. 
It worked fine and the Movie was in a good quality just the Sound could be a bit better.

(U must know im just a beginner in watching Classic Movies so i dont know how good the quality of the other movies is)

The Movie is good, just fun to watch it</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>Watched it on PSP</reviewtitle>
    <stars>4</stars>
    <reviewer>littled</reviewer>
    <createdate>2005-11-29 10:59:40</createdate>
    <reviewdate>2005-11-29 10:59:40</reviewdate>
  </review>
  <review>
    <reviewbody>Very happy with the PSP version. Really enjoyed watching it on the train.</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>great for the PSP</reviewtitle>
    <stars>3</stars>
    <reviewer>ps258</reviewer>
    <createdate>2006-01-13 11:21:28</createdate>
    <reviewdate>2006-01-13 11:21:28</reviewdate>
  </review>
  <review>
    <reviewbody>A hor(ROR)rible film. It is slow at times and the plot is rather like a bowl of soup that is constantly stirred but never thickens. The actors, as far as I could tell, were good or bad but it was extremely difficult to tell who was playing whom. 
I am here to review the film and I have done tthat, but I must add that the quality and sound of Nightmare Castle is first class, compliments to Internet Archive.</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>horrible film</reviewtitle>
    <stars>2</stars>
    <reviewer>victorgeorge</reviewer>
    <createdate>2006-06-06 20:32:24</createdate>
    <reviewdate>2006-06-06 20:32:24</reviewdate>
  </review>
  <review>
    <reviewbody>is repeating the same problem over and over,expecting different results. This is a poorly dubbed period horror piece with Sixties hair and makeup. It's in black and white, but I just know that Barbara Steele is wearing about two inches of blue eye shadow over her mammoth false eyelashes. Overlooking those kinds of details, I rather enjoyed this film becuse of its relaxed creepiness. Its plot, though has been ripped off by at least four movies made for the Lifetime channel.</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>The definition of insane</reviewtitle>
    <stars>3</stars>
    <reviewer>Sixbluemonkeys</reviewer>
    <createdate>2007-01-30 08:44:43</createdate>
    <reviewdate>2007-01-30 08:44:43</reviewdate>
  </review>
  <review>
    <reviewbody>I enjoyed watching this one. The poor dubbing actually made it more interesting. Seems like there was a split second delay between action and voice. The acting was also over the top, just enough to make things more interesting. I would probably watch it one more time, but that might be my limit. No academy awards for acting, but the make up man deserves a pat on the back.</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>What a Dubbing</reviewtitle>
    <stars>3</stars>
    <reviewer>b11761500s</reviewer>
    <createdate>2007-02-07 02:32:10</createdate>
    <reviewdate>2007-02-07 02:32:10</reviewdate>
  </review>
  <review>
    <reviewbody>this movie is not very good at all but the person who uploaded this should upload &#13;
terror creatures from the grave and the&#13;
long hair of death. I would download it.</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>upload these titles</reviewtitle>
    <reviewer>ZacharyJacob</reviewer>
    <reviewdate>2007-07-23 05:58:33</reviewdate>
    <createdate>2007-07-23 05:58:33</createdate>
    <stars>1</stars>
  </review>
  <review>
    <reviewbody>I'm sure Michael Jackson makes a cameo at 01:17:53 or thereabouts...</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>Michael Jackson???</reviewtitle>
    <reviewer>SirJekyllAppliance</reviewer>
    <reviewdate>2007-11-14 13:24:50</reviewdate>
    <createdate>2007-11-14 13:24:50</createdate>
    <stars>3</stars>
  </review>
  <review>
    <reviewbody>Since Michael Jackson was 7 or 8 years old when this movie was made, he was too busy singing on stage with his brothers to have been in anything like this.</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>NOT Michael Jackson...</reviewtitle>
    <reviewer>bestpbx</reviewer>
    <reviewdate>2008-05-26 23:32:21</reviewdate>
    <createdate>2008-05-26 23:32:21</createdate>
    <stars>1</stars>
  </review>
  <review>
    <reviewbody>How did Steven, one guy, move two fully grown people out of the greenhouse and into a room and chain them, especially when there was no indication that they were unconscious at the time?  One would think those two would have put up some kind of fight.</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>Rather unlikely.</reviewtitle>
    <reviewer>katpooh9</reviewer>
    <reviewdate>2009-02-11 11:20:26</reviewdate>
    <createdate>2009-02-11 11:20:26</createdate>
    <stars>3</stars>
  </review>
  <review>
    <reviewbody>Play close attention to Solange.  She grew into one of the most beautiful horror movie actresses of her time.  Watch Loreley's Grasp and her other movies.</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>Solange (played by Helga Line)</reviewtitle>
    <reviewer>drbutcherm</reviewer>
    <reviewdate>2009-06-11 03:01:05</reviewdate>
    <createdate>2009-06-11 03:01:05</createdate>
    <stars>0</stars>
  </review>
  <review>
    <reviewbody>If you want to download some of her films,check out this site  http://horrorclassics.lefora.com/2009/04/03/barbara-steele/page1/</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>Barbara Steele films.</reviewtitle>
    <reviewer>schmungo</reviewer>
    <reviewdate>2009-08-03 22:36:31</reviewdate>
    <createdate>2009-08-03 22:36:31</createdate>
    <stars>5</stars>
  </review>
  <review>
    <reviewbody>i overlooked the dubbing n that piano music playing over n over &amp; really enjoyed this movie! it has an eerie gothic quality! i love old movies! barbara steele's too!! fun stuff!</reviewbody>
    <reviewtitle>eerie fun!!</reviewtitle>
    <reviewer>babe917</reviewer>
    <reviewdate>2009-12-21 04:41:49</reviewdate>
    <createdate>2009-12-21 04:41:49</createdate>
    <stars>4</stars>
  </review>
  <info>
    <num_reviews>15</num_reviews>
    <avg_rating>3.14</avg_rating>
  </info>
</reviews>
