La Vergine de Norimberga [Horror Castle] [The Castle of Terror] ** (1963, Rossana Podestà, Georges Rivière, Christopher Lee) – Classic Movie Review 8010

Director Antonio Margheriti’s 1963 La Vergine de Norimberga [Horror Castle] [The Castle of Terror] is another clunky but atmospheric horror outing from Christopher Lee’s days in Italy, in which Lee stars as Erich, a badly scarred caretaker of The Nuremberg Castle of Terror.

There a young couple (Rossana Podestà, Georges Rivière) on their honeymoon makes the mistake of hoving up. Soon the castle is strewn with corpses, and Mary Hunter (Podestà) thinks that Max Hunter (Rivière) and Erich (Lee) are responsible, but…

The three star performances are fine, and Riccardo Pallottini’s cinematography and Riz Ortolani’s score are big assets. The director, who is credited as Anthony Dawson, brings on a little style too. The screenplay by Antonio Margheriti, Gastad Green [Ernesto Gastaldi] and Edmond T Greville is based on the novel The Virgin of Nuremberg by Frank Bogart.

It is also known as The Virgin of Nuremberg and Terror Castle.

Also in the cast are Jim Dolen, Anny Delli, Luigi Severini, Luciana Milone, Lucille Saint-Simon, and Patrick Walton.

La Vergine de Norimberga [Horror Castle] [The Castle of Terror] [The Virgin of Nuremberg] [Terror Castle] is directed by Antonio Margheriti, runs 84 minutes, is made by Atlantica Cinematografica Produzione Films, is released (dubbed) by Zodiac Films (US), is written Antonio Margheriti, Gastad Green and Edmond T Greville, shot in Eastmancolor by Riccardo Pallottini, produced by Mario Vicario, scored by Riz Ortolani and is designed by Riccardo Domenici.

It was shot at Incir De Paolis Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy, and at the Villa Sciarra in Rome.

See also Christopher Lee’s The Castle of the Living Dead (1964) and Crypt of the Vampire (1964).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 8010

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