Im Schloß der blutigen Begierde

Several upscale partyers in modern Saxony are forced to stay overnight at a creepy castle. Good thing for the reclusive Earl (Howard Vernon) because he desperately desires to resurrect his recently dead daughter.

A West German production, "Castle of the Creeping Flesh" (1968), originally named "In the Castle of Bloody Lust" (translated), is castle horror by the director of the infamous "Mark of the Devil," which debuted two years later. It came in the tradition of earlier flicks like "The Terror" and "Bloody Pit of Horror"; these would influence future ones like "Devil's Nightmare," "Baron Blood," "Howling V: The Rebirth" and "Subspecies." The best thing about all of them is the spooky castle ambiance, but this is easily the worst of the lot and could be classified as Eurotrash, literally.

The entire first act is compelling enough while the second act borrows bits from the Gothic horror of Dracula and Frankenstein. However, once the protagonists of questionable character are staying overnight at the castle, the story bogs down with witless close-up footage of open-heart surgery and tedious ambiguity, not to mention a lousy fake bear sequence. Even "The Devil's Wedding Night" seems coherent by comparison.

Janine Reynaud (Vera) and Elvira Berndorff (Elena) are attractive enough and, for those interested, shown semi-nude, but they lack the essentials to cull much interest; for me anyway. Meanwhile Michel Lemoine (Baron Brack) has interesting crazy eyes and the horseback riding in the heart of Europe is nice, but that's about the extent of the highlights. As low-budget and quickly-made as Roger Corman's "The Terror" was, it's a masterpiece of cinematic art by comparison. Even "And Now the Screaming Starts" is superior (which, admittedly, has a good second half, the opposite of this one).

The movie runs 1 hour, 24 minutes, was shot in northeast Austria at Burg Kreuzenstein (the castle), Leobendorf, Lower Austria, Austria, and nearby Oberrohrbach, Korneuburg.

GRADE: C-

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.

The "cuts" of footage of actual surgery were excessive and unnecessary. The soundtrack was also puzzling, with some of the music giving a comic effect. Whoever dubbed Howard Vernon was two octaves too low and the actress who kept showing her boobs was underdeveloped. The Baron with his popeyed look was ridiculous and why was there a wrestling scene with a guy in a bear suit? I'm a fan of Franco but this was below par, possibly because there were three writers. I did enjoy the castle, though, and the medieval statuary that was inexplicably in Ms Smallbosoms' bedroom. The wax museum tableau showing the legend of the violated babe was also creepy.

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.