Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		3.5

Im Schloß der blutigen Begierde Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 14, 2017

Adrian Hoven's "Castle of the Creeping Flesh" a.k.a. "Im Schloß der blutigen Begierde" (1968) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of German label Subkultur Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include original promotional materials for the film; exclusive video interview with Joyce and Percy Hoven; before-and-after featurette; and more. The release also arrives with a 24-page illustrated booklet with writings on the film. In English or German, with optional English or German subtiltes for the main feature. Region-Free.

Vera Lagrange

The ‘sleazy Euro horror’ label was created to describe films exactly like Adrian Hoven’s Castle of the Creeping Flesh. They are hybrid projects that borrow elements from different genres and then create a special atmosphere that would make them stick together. My experiences with these types of films have taught me that the more outrageous material they incorporate into their narratives, the more effective they usually become.

Castle of the Creeping Flesh begins with a lavish and very noisy party that is about to break into a wild orgy, but before the fun begins Baron Brack (Michel Lemoine) convinces the flirty socialite Vera Lagrange (Janine Reynaud) to accompany him to his country house for a more intimate experience. However, the plan does not work as intended and Vera leaves with a couple of her friends, while Baron Brack ends up raping her equally flirty sister Elena (Elvira Berndorff). After riding aimlessly in the bushes for hours, the partygoers eventually reach a mysterious Victorian castle and ask a very rough-looking guard if they can spend the night there because it is already too dark and they have no clue how to find their way back. Then the owner of the castle, Graf Saxon (Howard Vernon), welcomes the guests and while showing their bedrooms entertains them with some fascinating stories about his ancestors. Not too long after that the guests accidentally discover that there is an underground chamber where Graf Saxon is secretly trying to rebuild a very special woman who died a long time ago.

The narrative is essentially a mish-mash of ideas that simultaneously pull the film in opposite directions. One part of it seems like it could have come out from a sleazy psychedelic Jess Franco project, another looks like it was pulled out of a gothic thriller envisioned by Jean Rollin, and then there is another where it feels like Harry Kumel was pulling tricks to impress. In other words, it is really difficult to tell exactly where Hoven wanted to go with this film.

I think that the film is most effective when it becomes naughty. For example, there is one rather long segment after the action moves to the castle where Lemoine and Reynaud are trying to outdo each other in a game of seduction while enjoying their food with the rest of the partygoers at the same table. The whole thing is very awkward but in a good way and actually adds plenty of flavor to the film. Instead of doubling down of the naughtiness, however, Hoven pushes the narrative in a completely different direction and by the time the underground chamber is revealed it already feels like the film is trying hard to evolve into a traditional gothic horror thriller. So there are some pretty big shifts in terms of tone and ambience and the overall balance just does not feel convincing.

With so many different ideas lumped into it the ideal formula for the film would have been something along the lines of Franco’s Kiss Me Monster, which was released a year later and again featured Reynaud and Lemoine. Basically, it should have switched into full psychedelic mode and gone berserk with the sex and horror while wrapping everything up with a solid dose of adult humor.

*Castle of the Creeping Flesh was recently restored by German label Subkultur Entertainment and is presented on Blu-ray in two versions: an original unedited version which was restored from an interpositive and a German theatrical version. The international unedited version was also initially titled Appointment with Lust.

Im Schloß der blutigen Begierde Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Adrian Hoven'a Castle of the Creeping Flesh arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Subkultur Entertainment.

The release is sourced from a brand new restored master that was recently prepared by the German label and the entire film has a consistent and very convincing organic appearance. Perhaps if funding was available the few remaining scattered tiny flecks and scratches should have been removed, but everything else really looks great. Indeed, close-ups boast very good depth and delineation even when the lighting isn't optimal, while the panoramic outdoor footage has an excellent all-around balanced appearance. Density is also very good. There are a few segments where minor fluctuations can be observed but they are part of the original cinematography. The color scheme is also very convincing. There is a great range of solid primaries and plenty of natural and nicely balanced nuances. Saturation levels are very good as well, though ultimately they are probably a notch below where they should be. There are no traces of problematic degraining or sharpening adjustments. Also, there are no stability issues to report. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content).

Im Schloß der blutigen Begierde Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 and German DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0. Optional English and German subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The film was shot with a small but diverse European cast and rather predictably the two tracks were overdubbed. I viewed the film with the English track as it is pretty easy to tell that a lot of the principal actors utter their lines in English, but the German track seems equally appropriate because the quality of the overdubbing on both tracks is very similar. Obviously, there is some mild unevenness, but the dialog is very easy to follow. Dynamic intensity is far from impressive, but once again it is very easy to see that the production values were modest. In other words, there are inherited production limitations, but there are no transfer-specific anomalies to report in our review.

Im Schloß der blutigen Begierde Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Notes on the Different Versions - presented here is a short text-format summation of the history of Castle of the Creeping Flesh, with detailed information about the different versions of the film and their recent restoration. In English.

• German Theatrical Version - presented here is the German theatrical version of the film, which is titled Im Schloß der blutigen Begierde. Restored from the OCN. In German/DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0, with optional English and German subtitles. (81 min/1080p).

• Location Tour: Now and Then - this new featurette visits some of the key locations that are seen in Castle of the Creeping Flesh. With text descriptions. (14 min).

• Adrian in the Castle of Bloody Lust - in this brand new filmed interview, Joyce Hoven, wife of the late director Adrian Hoven, and Percy, their son, discuss the era in which Castle of the Creeping Flesh was conceived, the personalities of some of its stars, the surgery footage, some original printed promotional materials, etc. There is also a very funny story about a naughty tiger and even a quick but very effective dig at Angela Merkel. The interview was conducted by Uwe Huber for Subkultur Entertainment. In German, with optional English and German subtitles. (20 min).

• Q&A Session from Austrian Pulp Film Festival - this filmed Q&A session features Joyce and Percy Hoven and the bulk of the information that is shared is about the career transformation of actor/director Adrian Hoven and his working methods. The session was held after a screening of Castle of the Creeping Flesh in Vienna on October 15, 2015. In German, with optional English and German subtitles. (31 min).

• Trailers - three original trailers with different promotional titles.
  
  1. Castle of the Creeping Flesh. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).
  2. Appointment with Lust. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).
  3. Im Schloß der blutigen Begierde. In German, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Textless Opening - in English. Restored. (2 min).

• Alternate Opening - with Castle of the Creeping Flesh original titles. In English. Restored. (5 min).

• Alternate Opening Titles - with Appointment with Lust original titles. In English. Restored. (2 min).

• Alternate Ending - this alternate ending was sourced from an old German VHS release of Castle of the Creeping Flesh. (2 min).

• Gallery - a large collection of original promotional materials for the film. (20 min).

• EDV Trailershow - a collection of trailers, all in English, for the following recent and upcoming Subkultur Entertainment releases:
  
  1. Angels of the Street
  2. Bloody Friday
  3. Roots of Evil
  

• Booklet - 24-page illustrated booklet with writings on the film. In German.

Im Schloß der blutigen Begierde Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I have seen a lot of the genre films that Adrian Hoven has appeared in, but I was unfamiliar with the few that he also directed. Castle of the Creeping Flesh is one of those European hybrid projects that borrow elements from all sorts of different genres, from gothic horror to psychedelic erotica, and will probably resonate best with folks that enjoy Jess Franco and Jean Rollin's work. Perhaps it can be a good complementary pick for Jess Franco's Kiss Me Monster, since two of the leads plus the director also appear in it. This recent Blu-ray release is sourced from yet another excellent restoration completed by Subkultur Entertainment and comes with a good selection of bonus features. RECOMMENDED.