Danza Macabra (1964)
Genre: Horror
Duration: 87 minuten
Alternative titles: Castle of Blood / Coffin of Terror / The Long Night of Terror
Country:
Italy / France
Directed by: Antonio Margheriti and Sergio Corbucci
Stars: Barbara Steele, Georges Rivière and Margrete Robsahm
IMDb score:
6,8 (3.517)
Releasedate: 27 February 1964
Danza Macabra plot
"The living and the dead change places in an orgy of terror!"
A writer is challenged on All Soul's Eve to spend the night in an abandoned castle. He accepts the challenge, but his night at the castle is disrupted when the writer is attacked by the undead in the castle. The zombies want to steal his blood so they could live longer.
Actors and actresses
Elisabeth Blackwood
Alan Foster
Julia Allert
Dr. Carmus
Edgar Allan Poe
Lord Thomas Blackwood
Herbert the Gardener
William Blackwood
Elsi
Lester
Reviews & comments
Richard_Voorhees
-
- 2311 messages
- 2135 votes
The opening credits only list Anthony Dawson (alias of Antonio Margheriti) as director, but according to imdb and this site Sergio Corbucci co-directed. According to imdb the latter also helped with the screenplay.
I was not yet very familiar with Margheriti's work. Where I have seen quite a few westerns by Corbucci, I have not seen any by Margheriti. I have only seen his Apocalypse Domani (Cannibal Apocalypse).
Well, in this film Alan Foster (Georges Rivière) takes a bet to spend the 'night of death' (night of October 31st/November 1st) in the old castle of the Blackwoods. It promises to be a night full of bizarre discoveries and events.
Barbara Steele shines in the role of Elisabeth Blackwood and Margrete Robsahm also looks beautiful as Julia Alert. But well, I often find women in such dresses beautiful. I can appreciate the style of clothing and that against the gothic background of the castle. Great!
Furthermore, Arturo Dominici manages to provide something ominous in his role as Dr. Carmus.
Unfortunately, the emphasis is very much on the relationship between Elisabeth and Alan. This also makes the horror less effective. In addition, the soundtrack by Riz Ortolani does not always work that effectively. Especially the tune that can be heard during the scene with the moving painting or the scene with the smoke/mist comes across as such a clichéd 'scary music'.
The black and white image does provide some extra atmosphere and the alternation between scenes in the present and scenes from the past also works well.
Overall, a pretty decent gothic (horror) film, but in my opinion the emphasis could have been a little less on romance.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Flat Eric
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- 6444 messages
- 1026 votes
This didn't appeal to me.
The story didn't appeal to me and some scenes really lasted too long without adding anything to the story.
For example, that scene in the beginning seemed like you were walking through a house with the estate agent. "This is the barn. This is the spacious hall. This is the fully equipped living room with authentic details".
And the scenes with Carmus, the ghost from Christmas past I call it, also caused me a kind of irritation. The black and white and clichéd soundtrack gave the film the atmosphere despite that but the conclusion is that I was bored stiff with this film.
Translated from Dutch · View originalLatest News
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