Le monstre du château

Of course I was not familiar with the 1970 Italian horror movie titled "Il Castello Dalle Porte Di Fuoco" (aka "Scream of the Demon Lover") prior to stumbling upon it here in 2025 by random chance. And given my love of all things horror, of course I had to check out what director José Luis Merino had to offer. The English title of the movie was a bit odd, as the Italian title translates into "The Castle With the Door of Fire".

Was I harboring any grand expectations? No, not at all, as the movie was made five years before I was born, and the movie's synopsis wasn't exactly promising something extraordinary.

Writers Enrico Colombo, José Luis Merino and María del Carmen Martínez Román put together a fair enough script and storyline. It made for a watchable movie, for sure, but hardly a gem in the horror cinema.

Given my limited exposure to Italian cinema, much more so Italian cinema from before I was born, then I wasn't familiar with a single actress or actor on the cast list. The acting performances in the movie were definitely fair.

The version I had the chance to watch was dubbed in English, and yeah, I am not fond of movies dubbed in general, as I prefer to watch a movie in its original language. But at least the dubbing work in this 1970 movie wasn't as dubious as in many other dubbed movies, so that counted for something at least.

The movie doesn't really utilize special effects much, so there wasn't much to write home about there.

Watchable a single time, but the movie doesn't have the contents for more than that single viewing.

My rating of director José Luis Merino's 1970 movie "Il Castello Dalle Porte Di Fuoco" lands on a four out of ten stars.

A female scientist goes to work for a reclusive baron in an old castle. The previous baron of the castle has apparently been blown up in an experiment and the new baron, his younger brother, is continuing his work on "matter regeneration". Despite the dire warnings from the townspeople that the new baron has a voracious appetite for women and that several of his previous conquests have been found naked and apparently ripped apart by dogs, the protagonist finds the one man in town who will take her to the castle (and who, of course, tries to rape her in route). When she arrives the baron at first refuses to employ her because she's a woman, but he eventually relents. And if she doesn't have enough reason to leave yet, the first night there she is drugged and wakes up tied to a bed naked and being pawed by some kind of hideous monster! Of course, the baron convinces her that it was all a dream and that she should stay, so she does and naturally she falls in love.

Obviously, this is a pretty dumb movie and not too suspenseful as there really are only two possible solutions: the new baron is a Dr. Jeckyl.Mr. Hyde type, or his supposedly dead and grossly disfigured brother is still alive. Still this is an enjoyable if completely demented adult fairy tale (with a lot of gratuitous nudity from the lead Erna Schrurer and from Augustina Belli as a very sexual precocious and unbelievably naive maid). You definitely need to leave logic (and good taste) at the door--and if you're a scientist your head will probably explode when you hear some of ridiculous pseudo-scientific mumbo jumbo the characters speak with a straight face. Still as ridiculous as this movie is. it's a lot of fun. And if you like this, check out the director's other well-known movie, "The Hanging Woman" with Paul Naschy as a necrophilic gravedigger.

The handsome Baron Janos Dalmar is believed to be a homicidal maniac who rapes the girls he lures to his castle before feeding the bodies to his monstrous dogs. Still, these are just rumors nobody can prove. Dalmar then recruits the beautiful and intelligent female chemist Ivanna and, through her dreams, she discovers that there are much deeper secrets hidden behind the castle's walls. "Blood Castle" is mediocre Gothic horror with a lot of routine plotting and only one or two really ingenious moments. The castle setting is terrific, though, and the make up effects on the actual murderer are quite eerie and convincing. The lead actress drivels way too much and she doesn't only seem to bore her male counterpart but also us; viewers. All the clichés are there, with the beast in the cellar, the ominous servants and the superstitious villagers who only just survived a plague-epidemic. This film is watchable enough, but there are many other Gothic horror classics available, so you don't really need to waste your time on this average installment. The better choices include "The Virgin of Nuremberg", "The Whip and the Body", "Nightmare Castle", "Baron Blood" and "Danse Macabre".

A scary and creepy coproduction concerning a young woman , Ivanna : Erna Schurer , a scientist who has a busy day at a remote real state . As she comes to an eerie mansion located at an isolated place, there she works for a reclusive Baron : Charles Quiney as a mad doctor . She fantasizes about him, and both of whom fall in love, later on , to be aware the aristocrat is not what he seems . Along the way a rash of rather cruel killings happens in the area . Meanwhile , a police inspector: Mariano Vidal Molina attempts to track down a killer who is committing the grisly murders . And eventually Ivanna discovers a strange individual roaming in the cellar , corridor and rooms .

A horrifying Spanish Gothic with suspense, thrillls , tense , ghastly scenes and brief nudism in charge of two beauty Euro-starlettes : ans Agostina Belli and Erna Schurer . It was a limited success at the boxoffice , and being nowadays better considered than in the past . Stars Erna Schurer under pseudonym Jennifer Halley and Charles Quiney as Jeffrey Chase . Charles Quiney , was a mediocre Spanish actor , who played a few films , as he took a chance and jumped from warfare films : When heroes die , Hell Commandos to play adventure movies as Tiger of Kyber , Robin Hood and three Zorros : Zorro's Last adventure , Zorro rider of vengeance and Zorro of Monterrey . As he showed up almost exclusively in pictures directed by Jose Luis Merino , in fact Quiney was his fetish actor , and he was even known as the Spanish Errol Flynn. His career failed and eventually became a beggar and busker in the Madrid streets . In the film there various familiar faces of the Eurotrash of the 60s and 70s as Spanish people : Charles Quiney , Mariano Vidal Molina , Antonio Giménez Escribano and Italian actresses as Erna Schurer , Cristiano Galloni and Agustín Belli , the latter to be continued a successful career playing even with Kirk Douglas in Holocaust 2000.

It contains a granulated and washed-out cinematography by Emanuele Di Cola , being really necessary a perfect remastering . Shot on location in Spain and Italy : Grazzano Visconti , Emilia Romagna , Castello Di Montechiarugolo .This horrific motion picture was middlingly directed by Jose Luis Merino who recently passed away . This was a nice Spanish artisan who had a long career , shooting and writing all kind of genres , such as : Spaghetti Western : More Dollars for the MacGregor , Requiem for a Gringo , Gatlin Gun , Seven ride to Death , Frontier South . Thrillers : Colpo Sensazionale Al Servicio Del Sifar , USA violation or revenge, Superagents in Majorca , Shouts of Anxiety . Musical : Europa Sings , Aquellos Tiempos Cuple . Adventures : Robin Hood , three Zorros , Tiger of Kyber , Rebellion of the Bucaneers , Tarzan and King Salomon's mines . And horror : The Hanging woman and this Scream of the demon lover.

One can't help but immediately note the terrific filming locations, luscious sets, gorgeous costume design, fetching hair and makeup, a beautiful leading lady (with more in the supporting cast), the tall, dark, and handsome baron, and suggestions of budding amorous feelings. With all these aspects firmly in mind it would have taken very little for this picture to have been realized purely as a gothic romantic drama, like 'La belle et la bête' except with more terse and complicated dynamics between all the characters involved. It nearly is, really, since the totality of the horror element doesn't fully come into play until late in the last act, and before that we get only passing scenes and imagery of more insidious goings-on. All the while 'Scream of the demon lover' is splendidly well made, with all the aesthetics we'd assume of contemporary period genre fare out of Italy, capable performances, and strong work from all those operating behind the scenes. And the story that this has to offer is earnestly engaging and compelling.

It's just that if one is looking for a robust thrill ride, or a horror flick that inspires visceral reactions, this isn't the title to provide it. When all is said and done this is enjoyable and satisfying - only, I think one can readily imagine other angles it might have adopted that would have been more wicked, more fun, and more satisfying in turn. For that matter, even if José Luis Merino had only realized the concept with more energy, and a greater sense of dynamics, the end result would have surely benefited. I'm glad I took the time to watch, but I admit I'm a little let down that the movie retains such a measured, restrained tone; it would have required little alteration to have shone more brightly. I think 'Scream of the demon lover' is well worth checking out if one has the opportunity, and above all if one is a fan of contemporary horror generally, and specifically like features coming out of Italy. One should perhaps just be aware that despite even the names this was given in its various releases, ultimately the viewing experience is more slow, steady, and thematic for the vast majority of its length than it is vibrant, violent, and hearty, as it is at the very end.