Le château des morts vivants

Secured this film off E-Bay and enjoyed this film from the beginning to the end. If you are a Christopher Lee fan and enjoy some of his early works, this is the film you will be interested in, as well as, the fact that Donald Sutherland, (Sgt. Paul/The Witch/Old Man) "Ask The Dusk", gives an outstanding role in this picture as many characters. This story is about a Count Drago, (Christopher Lee), "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory", who preserves many animals and keeps them in their natural appearance. You would probably say it was taxidermy, but this is another form of transformation that works and in an entirely different way. The Count invites a carnival group to entertain him at his mysterious castle where the carnival act shows a man being hanged and brought back to life. Gaia Germani, (Laura) gives a great supporting role as the attractive female who is adored by Count Drago and some other weird and sick looking people. This is a rather early film for Christopher Lee and Donald Sutherland and you can see from their performance they were going to be great stars on the Silver Screen. Great Classic Horror Film.

The Castle of the Living Dead is quite a good, little known thriller about a man named Count Drago who has found the secret to preserving life instantly, a sort of life in death concept. His castle is full of all kinds of creatures that are in death just as they were in life. Lee plays the title role with relish as he entertains a group of roving entertainers in his castle. The film is quite atmospheric with some very good chase scenes through dark corridors and a graveyard as well. The cast is pretty decent with a pint-sized dwarf besting all. The film is of some note as it is one of the earliest performances of Donald Sutherland, who has a field day playing an incompetent policeman and a witch/old hag. Quite a good European little horror film!

An intriguing slice of 'Golden Age Italian Gothic Horror,' this tale of a mad scientist called Count Drago (played by Christopher Lee) attempting to experiment on performers in a traveling circus rather than animals makes for a desirable curiosity piece, even though it's not very good. Alongside Lee, the cast includes Eurocult fave Philippe Leroy (The Frightened Woman), and Donald Sutherland in his first three film roles (he plays a Napoleonic soldier, an old man, and a Witch in heavy make up and a dress). As well as featuring an heroic dwarf named Nick, the movie has a complicated production history. Michael Reeves (Witchfinder General) received his first film credit aged just twenty, and a mere five years before his tragic barbiturate overdose, as assistant director, but it was rumoured that he contributed a lot more including directing an exciting sword fight on the castle walls. There were also rumours that Mario Bava provided special effects for the film. The movie was directed by Luciano Rick under the pseudonym of Warren Kiefer, and so grateful was Donald Sutherland for him giving him his first movie credit, that he named his son after him.

Ambiance is what it's all about, and this film has plenty of it. The setting is Europe during the Napoleonic era. A traveling circus troop has been invited to perform at a mysterious castle for a Count and his sleazy looking sidekick. This appears to be Donald Sutherland's first film, and he does a terrific job in a dual role. His presentation of an old hag-like witch is unforgettable. After seeing the movie, I found myself repeating some of the macabre rhymes, such as "Some will live and some will die before the morning sun is high." The acting is solid throughout. Don't expect a lot of action or violence. There's plenty of suspense throughout, however. The female minstrel is most exotic looking, and one watches in anticipation that she might eventually hike her skirt. The tension generated is occasionally broken by comic relief; some of it unintentional no doubt. There is a bit of sword play at the end, which appeared very awkward, but the awkwardness seemed to enhance the realism in a most peculiar way. It had been years since I had seen this film, and I fondly recalled it. I was successful in locating a reasonably crisp copy on DVD. I plan on watching it again soon. I easily rate it a 7 out of 10 based on entertainment value. After all, how many films can offer up their own midget toss?

Low budget Italian horror film is no big shakes but there's a few things worth mentioning about it. First, it's Donald Sutherland's film debut (in two roles, no less). Why they had him dress up as old hag I do not know. Budgetary reasons I suppose. Sutherland does nothing to impress in his debut. We also have the great Christopher Lee slumming here and giving a typically solid Lee performance, though not his best. There's also a dwarf among the circus performers. He's pretty good and gets to be a hero, which will impress certain types.

The story is about a troupe of circus performers summoned to a castle to entertain the mysterious Count Drago (Lee). Little do they know Drago is a weirdo who performs experiments involving embalming animals and people. This certainly sounds intriguing enough but somehow the film manages to be unexceptional and, for the most part, boring. Lee completists and Spaghetti horror fans will want to check it out. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else.