Im Schloß der blutigen Begierde

I'm giving this flick five stars instead of the mere two or three the writing and acting deserve due to the gorgeously Northern European gothic setting and fairy tale like elements.

I felt The Castle of the Creeping Flesh had a lot of potential in the first 15-20 minutes then it turned into some weird role playing game of rich people who hadn't got the memo two or three centuries had passed, with the sort of creepy mannequin displays used much more effectively in films like The House of Wax (1953) or Tourist Trap (1979).

The execution of this skeezey sleaze fest is lacking to say the very very least. The brunette who keeps pursing her lips into an "oooh" face over and over would be considered a bad actress in a porno, let alone a movie that's actually supposed to be watched in its entirety.

The sleaze-loving Austrian director Adrian Hoven is probably best remembered for writing, producing and co-directing the notorious Exploitation gem "Hexen Bis Aufs Blut Gequält" aka. "Mark of the Devil" (1970) and its vastly inferior sequel "Hexen Geschändet Und Zu Tode Gequält" ("Mark of the Devil 2", 1973). This earlier Gothic Horror/Exploitation effort, "Im Schloss Der Blutigen Begierde" (aka. "Castle of Bloody Lust"/"Castle of the Creeping Flesh") does not share the notoriety of Hoven's Hexploitation films, but is enjoyable in a very different way. "Im Schloss Der Blutigen Begierde" must be one of the cheesiest, inept and unintentionally funny Trash-Horror films I have ever seen, and I am a very regular consumer of low-budget cult flicks.

This very bizarre little flick starts at an orgiastic party hosted by the arrogant and malicious Baron Brack (Michel Lemoine). After taking a ride, fate then leads the Baron, as well as five of his guests including the sexy sisters Vera (Janine Reynaud) and Elena Lagarange (Elvira Berndorff) to the castle of the very sinister Count Saxon (cult-star Howard Vernon)...

The film, which has an utterly confused and incomplete storyline, features some of the most inept and hilarious lines of dialogue. Howard Vernon's character, for example, shows guests around his castle and tells stories about his ancestry, only to proclaim thereafter that his beloved daughter "died half an hour ago". Other than Howard Vernon all acting performances are hilariously inept. Howard Vernon was a great cult-actor, who blessed many of the films (great and awful alike) of Spanish Exploitation deity Jess Franco; he had a great, incredibly sinister screen-presence. However, in this film he is hardly given anything to do but grimace and talk nonsense. Michel Lemoine has very weird eyes, but his performance is abysmal, as are all the others. Janine Reynaud (known for Jess Franco's earlier works) and Elvira Berndorff are very nice to look at, however, and they regularly have their breasts exposed. The cast also includes Vladimir Medar, who is best known in German-speaking countries for participating in many of the cheesy Karl May-adaptations.

The film has somewhat of a pioneer-quality, as it is very sleazy and very gory for a pre-1970 film. We see breasts in every other scene, there are orgies and rapes, and some very graphic gore during surgery. On the side, the film features one of the most popular 60s Eurohorror themes, the 'mad scientist kills women in order to restore the life of one woman' story, which had formerly been the topic of such masterpieces as Georges Franju's "Les Yeux Sans Visage" ("Eyes Without a Face", 1960), Giorgio Ferroni's "Il Mulino Dalle Donne Di Pietro" ("Mill of the Stone Women", 1960) or Jess Franco's "Gritos En La Noche" ("The Awful Dr. Orloff", 1962). Vernon's role here has some similarities to that of the eponymous Dr. Orloff in Franco's film, only that Franco's film was great, and this one is a hilariously inept mess. The setting and photography are actually quite nice, but the inept dialogue and ridiculous story destroy any chance of a creepy atmosphere or genuine scares. It gets somewhat eerie towards the end, but by then the foregoing ridiculousness is dominating the film's mood. The only comparable film I can think of is Massimo Pupillo's "Il Boia Scarlatto" ("The Crimson Executioner", 1965), which offered an equal amount of unintentional hilarity.

Overall, "Im Schloss Der Blutigen Begierde" may be the most inept European Gothic Horror film I have ever seen, but it also is highly entertaining. Along with the Italian Giallo, European Gothic Horror films are probably the most stylish, elegant and fascinating sub-genre Horror has ever brought forth, and there are plenty of masterpieces to see in the field, especially films from Italy (e. g. everything by Mario Bava, Antonio Margheriti, Riccardo Freda, etc.). If you want to see a good (but disturbing) film by Adrian Hoven, check out "Mark of the Devil". "Im Schloss Der Blutigen Begierde" is undeniably total crap. However, it's inept charm is irresistible for Cult-Horror fans with a sense of humor. This film is unintentionally hilarious from start to finish; it may be an awful excuse for a film, but I cannot remember when I was more entertained.

This is almost a typical castle Gothic, distinguished by an extraordinarily beautiful handful of locations and actresses, weak filmmaking from a terrible script, and a distressing, lascivious fascination with rape imagery, which, I guess, was a couple of years ahead of its time. It also features extensive real open-heart surgery (intercut with a sex scene, no less!), which is probably the most interesting thing about an otherwise dull and unrewarding picture. Unless you're heavy into this subgenre, don't bother.

I recently watched the German film 🇩🇪 Castle of the Creeping Flesh (1968) on Tubi. The narrative centers on a scientist's quest to resurrect his deceased daughter within an ancient castle. When a group of revelers stumbles upon this castle, the scientist seizes the opportunity to further his experiments, viewing them as potential donors for the body parts he requires.

Directed by Adrian Hoven (Mark of the Devil), the film features performances by Janine Reynaud (The Case of the Scorpion's Tail), Howard Vernon (Delicatessen), Claudia Butenuth (What Have You Done to Solange?), and Vladimir Medar (Fiddler on the Roof).

The film presents a mixed viewing experience. The opening sequences, showcasing a Ferrari navigating through wooded areas, are visually engaging. The castle's authentic settings and backdrops enhance the gothic atmosphere. The female cast members deliver commendable performances, and the film includes elements typical of the horror genre of its time, such as nudity. However, the protagonist's acting is inconsistent; his dialogue delivery, mannerisms, and facial expressions occasionally come across as forced, eliciting unintended humor. Notably, the surgical scenes, depicting the extraction of organs for experimental purposes, are executed with a level of detail that stands out.

In conclusion, Castle of the Creeping Flesh offers certain aspects that may appeal to horror aficionados, particularly those interested in European gothic cinema. While it may not fully realize its potential, it contains enough intriguing elements to warrant a viewing. I would rate it 5/10.

Watched this film recently, it may have been controversial stuff in the 1960's but seems a bit tame by todays standards. The infamous rape scenes were well shot and although not the most pleasant subject, suited the storyline well and did not prove cringe-worthy or upsetting. There may well have been one or two continuity errors but these did not detract from the story for me. This has been described as a shocking film, all I can say is I must have been watching a cut version then. The gore content is pretty much a lot less than most horror films, the nudity displayed seems tame by todays standards and although I would not let children watch it, as adult late night fare it was an enjoyable horror film and not as bad as I was led to believe. Dated by todays standards but watchable if you enjoy traditional horror films of this era.