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Stars: Barbara Steele, Ian Ogilvy, John Karlsen, Mel Welles, Joe ‘Flash’ Riley, Richard Watson, Lucretia Love, Peter Grippe | Written and Directed by Michael Reeves

Revenge of the Blood Beast, also known as The She-Beast, is a 1966 horror film directed by Michael Reeves. This movie is a unique blend of Gothic horror and campy humour, which offers a curious mix of eerie atmosphere and unintentional comedy.

The story revolves around a newlywed couple, Philip and Veronica, who are honeymooning in Transylvania. They encounter an eccentric innkeeper and a deranged scientist, Count von Helsing. An ancient witch, executed centuries ago, is resurrected and possesses Veronica, leading to a series of supernatural events. Barbara Steele, known for her roles in Gothic horror films, stars as Veronica. Her performance is captivating and adds a layer of authenticity to the supernatural elements of the film. Ian Ogilvy, as Philip, delivers a solid performance, balancing the...

Barbara Steele has one of her better performance showcases in Camillo Mastrocinque’s classy ghost story with a somewhat dispiriting twist. Steele’s fan-collectors won’t need extra encouragement, as she’s in most every scene and gets to play a variety of moods from delicate to seductive to outright poisonous. Quality performances flatter a flawed screenplay, and the fine direction and attentive cinematography clearly inspired Steele to give it everything she had. Severin’s quality HD transfer is everything we’d want, with dual language tracks and good extras including a Kat Ellinger commentary and a second track featuring stellar input from Ms. Steele herself.

An Angel for Satan

Blu-ray

Severin Films

1966 / B&w / 1:85 widescreen / 96 min. / Street Date October 26, 2021 / 34.95

Starring: Barbara Steele, Anthony Steffen, Claudio Gora, Mario Brega, Marina Berti, Ursula Davis, Vassili Karis, Aldo Berti, Betty Delon, Antonio Corevi, Antonio Acqua, Livia Rossetti, Halina Zalewska, Giovanna Lenzi.

In his latest interview/podcast, hos and screenwriter Stuart Wright talks 5 Great Michael Reeves Moments with writer and academic Ben Halligan, including:

Intrusion (1961) Castle of the Living Dead (1964) Revenge of the Blood Beast (1966) The Sorcerers (1967) Witchfinder General (1968)

Ben wrote the book on Michael Reeves as part of the British Film-Makers series (2003). You can buy a copy here. If you’re a fan of Reeves you should also check out The Magnificent Obsession of Michael Reeves, directed by Dima Balllin. Find more information on the documentary here and also read our review here.

Horror and sci-fi home entertainment titles are really picking up this week, as we have almost 20 different Blu-rays and DVDs coming home this Tuesday. Universal is keeping themselves busy with several notable releases including Death Race 2050, Ouija: Origin of Evil, 12 Monkeys: Season Two, and a Ouija double feature.

Scream Factory is dusting off two cult classics, Slumber Party Massacre II and III for a special Blu-ray featuring the slasher sequels, and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is getting you guys pumped for the upcoming release of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter with several new Blu-ray releases for the franchise's first four films.

Other notable releases for January 17th include Revenge of the Blood Beast, 24 Hours to Die, Wolf House, Mountain Devil, and Space Clown.

Ouija: Origin of Evil (Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Blu / DVD / Digital HD & DVD)

It was never just a game. Inviting audiences again into the lore of the spirit board,...

Revenge of the Blood Beast

Blu-ray

Rarovideo

1966 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 79 min. / Il lago di Satana, La sorella di Satana, The She-Beast / Street Date January 17, 2017 / 29.95

Starring: Barbara Steele, John Karlsen, Ian Ogilvy, Mel Welles, Lucretia Love

Cinematography: Gioacchino Gengarelli

Film Editor: Nira Omri

Original Music: Paul Ferris

Produced by: Paul Maslansky, Michael Reeves

Written and Directed by Michael Reeves

It’s back into the genre argument pits with the interesting director Michael Reeves. Reeves has persisted as a cult figure far longer than most directors with only three credited feature films. The movies are uneven but promising, and certainly the artistic equal (or better) than most of the work being turned out at the time by American-International and the majority of the Euro-horror crowd. The second half of the 1960s saw a general depression in the horror field, with Hammer losing touch with its audience and continental fare turning to sex content to generate interest.

Cinema Retro issue #35 has now shipped to our subscribers worldwide.  No other magazine centers specifically on the great Golden Age of film making: the 1960s and 1970s. Every issue is packed with exclusive interviews, rare photos and insightful columns about classic and cult movies that virtually no one else covers in this kind of detail. Please support classic cinema in the print format by subscribing or renewing today!

Highlights of this issue include:

Mike Siegel's 12 page in-depth report on the tragedy and triumph in the making of Bruce Lee's last film, Enter the Dragon Mark Mawston's exclusive interview with Ian Ogilvy, who talks about filming She Beast, Witchfinder General and his close call with playing James Bond Extensive report from Tim Greaves on the underrated Alistair MacLean spy thriller When Eight Bells Toll, which afforded young Anthony Hopkins an early starring role. Peter Cook pays tribute to "The...

Highlights of this issue include:

Mike Siegel's 12 page in-depth report on the tragedy and triumph in the making of Bruce Lee's last film, Enter the Dragon Mark Mawston's exclusive interview with Ian Ogilvy, who talks about filming She Beast, Witchfinder Generaland his close call with playing James Bond Extensive report from Tim Greaves on the underrated Alistair MacLean spy thriller When Eight Bells Toll,which afforded young Anthony Hopkins an early starring role. Peter Cook pays tribute to "The Art of Deception"-  a look at the use of matte paintings in famous films. Michael Commes takes a fun filled visit to The House of Bare Mountain, the infamous nudie monster flick Esteemed photographer Keith Hamshere shares his memories and photos from The Living Daylights, Murphy's War and Death on the Nile.  Raymond Benson's Ten Best Films of 1954  Patrick Cooper pays tribute to Robert Mitchum and The Friends of Eddie Coyle  Lee Pfeiffer's "Take Two" column examines Assignment K starring Stephen Boyd and Camilla Sparv Brian Hannan looks at what was hot at the boxoffice in 1966 Sheldon Hall reviews a video release of Jacques Rivette's films Daniel D'Arpe celebrates the cult sci-fi flick Starcrash starring Caroline Munro and David Hasselhoff. Adrian Smith joyfully uncovers the 007 sexploitation spoof Bonditis  Plus Darren Allison's latest soundtrack news and reviews, Gareth Owen's "Pinewood Past" column and the latest movie book and DVD reviews. 

USA/ Canada : Cinema Retro Issue #35 USA/ Canada : Cinema Retro Issue #35 $15.00 Usd UK : Cinema Retro Issue #35 UK : Cinema Retro Issue #35 £8.50 Gbp Europe : Cinema Retro Issue #35 Europe : Cinema Retro Issue #35 £10.50 Gbp Rest Of The World : Cinema Retro Issue #35 Rest Of The World : Cinema Retro Issue #35 £12.00 Gbp...

Ian Ogilvy in his latest film, "We Still Kill the Old Way", now available on Blu-ray and DVD.

Ian Ogilvy: Saints, Sorcerers and Secret Agents

Cinema Retro's Mark Mawston recently caught up with the legendary Ian Ogilvy to discuss projects past and present.

Mark Mawston: Ian, your film career began in the mid 60’s with The She Beast, directed by Michael Reeves. You had a great relationship with him. How did that come about?

Ian Ogilvy: Well, when we were 15 years old we made a couple of amateur movies together after we were introduced by a mutual friend and we became great friends. I used to stay at his mother’s house with him in Norfolk and over two years we made these two little amateur movies. I then lost contact with him as I went off and did different things like attending drama school and he went...

Reviewed by Kevin Scott, MoreHorror.com

She Beast (1966)

Written and Directed by: Michael Reeves

Cast: Barbara Steele (Veronica), John Karlsen (Count von Helsing), Ian Ogilvy (Philip) Mel Welles (Landislav Groper)Richard Watson (Comrade Police Lieutenant)

This week I’m going really old school with a British Italian horror classic, “The She Beast”. There’s the strong possibility that I have seen this movie in the past maybe on a local channel from back in the day, but I don’t recall it if I did. I should have though, because, it’s definitely an important film in the history of horror. It won’t change your life if you watch it now, but I bet it inspired some horror filmmakers early on, whose work we enjoy today.

“The She Beast” tells the story of the evil witch Vardella, who is terrorizing villagers in 18th century Transylvania. Finally, the townspeople have had enough,...

Craig here with this week's Take Three: Barbara Steele

Barbara Steele in Federico Fellini's immortal 8 ½

Take One: Black Sunday (1960)

In Mario Bava’s Black Sunday (also known as La maschera del demonio or The Mask of Satan) Steele plays Princess Asa Vajda, a woman put to death by her brother in Moldavia, 1630 only to be resurrected 200 years later as a vampire-witch. Steele also has a second, key role, as local woman Katia Vajda. Princess Asa’s eager to wreak the long-promised revenge upon her descendants – thus proving Sunday is far from a day of rest for the undead. Black Sunday, highly influential and memorable to future horror like Bloody Pit of Horror, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Sleepy Hollow, features some of Steele’s best work.

That's particularly true in the film's gory opening prologue where she meets her first death. Many horror fans recall with wicked grins this...

Wednesday night (February 16) smelled like sleep deprivation, bad craft service and embarrassing levels of desperation. It's not Vma week here at MTV (kidding), so it must mean one thing: Hollywood Group Number Night on "American Idol"!

In the past, we've had havoc-wreakers like the Brittenum Brothers, Tatiana del Toro, Julia DeMato and Antonella Barba. Who will step up and be this season's resident diva?

As it turns out, a bunch of people!

Thanks to producers insisting that each group feature singers from both days of the first Hollywood round (thus thwarting savvy hopefuls who secretly created groups and rehearsed on their day off), contestants' true colors shone through immediately.

The first diva showdown came during the initial group number scramble. In one corner, we had "professional choreographer" Tiffany "Star Tatas" Rios, and in the other we had Scotty "I Only Know One Song" McCreery. No shocker that nobody wanted to be in Tiffany's group.

You just can’t keep a good serial killer down, especially when he only exists in our imaginations. Freddy Krueger returns once again this Friday, April 30, but this time without Robert Englund. Jackie Earle Haley slips into the scar makeup and knife-fingered glove this time around, hoping to give new life to an old favorite. Haley has already proven himself is short time to be one of this generation’s great character actors, with a knack for the dark and creepy side of the craft. In light of the new Nightmare On Elm Street film, We Are Movie Geeks has compiled our Top Ten List of the Best Creepy Character Actors.

Honorable Mention: Rondo Hatton

Of all the actors on this list, none has had a more tragic personal story as Rondo Hatton. As a young man Hatton was diagnosed with a rare pituitary disorder known as acromegalia (the studios...