in the day before gore and sex take over and real horror film be make . castle of blood be and in my estimation and one of the fine and although other reviewer have give it mixed rating . in an odd sort of way it remind of the more recent the others and which be in the theater a couple of year ago . director antonio margheriti remake his own picture in 1970 title it this time web of the spider ( aka nella stretta morsa del ragno ) . why he do this i do not understand and although the remake star anthony franciosa and klaus kinski and be very good in it own right . perhaps he saw a good story and wish to tailor it more to american audience . i do not really know . it be interest that he do the original in black and white and the remake in color . castle of blood be excellent italian gothic . la danza macabra be say to be an unpublished work of edgar allen poe and who appear in this film . poe and lord blackwood and owner of a haunt castle and bet american writer alan foster ( george riviere ) that he can not spend all soul night in say castle and survive . foster eagerly accept the bet but soon regret it and for he be witness to a series of murder commit by ghost . it seem that the ghost come back to life once every few year but be doom to re enact the crime they commit in life . lord blackwood conveniently forget to tell foster that his blood be need for them to resurrect themselves on the next all souls night . it do not take foster and the beautiful elisabeth blackwood ( portray by the incomparable barbara steele ) long to fall in love and even though their romance be doom and because elisabeth be one of the ghost . i will not give the end away and but will just say that castle of blood be every bit a romantic tragedy a it be a horror story . comment . this film be greatly atmospheric and even by the excellent standard of the italian . my personal opinion be they do true horror well than anybody and and the somewhat dim black and white film only enhance this . in fairness and web of the spider be fine in it own right and even with color and great brightness . i love the linger shot and something most modern day director do not have the patience for . indeed and when alan first enter the doomed castle and we be treat to several minute of him do nothing but roam around from room to room and the dread ands unease building in his face and mannerism . by the time the first ghost appear and the audience be thoroughly prim and ready . there be wonderful dialogue between alan and the ghost and something else not often do in standard ghost story . there be also memorable scene and very visual for this type of film . elisabeth murder and the dance scene ( remind somewhat of the similar dance of the ghoul in 1962 carnival of soul ) be particularly good . sadly and few general interest viewer will ever hear of and much less see and this film . that be a shame and for this one be a cut above the rest . i get my copy from sinister cinema and be not certain if it can be purchase anywhere else . for person interested in this genre and it be a must see .