Please help with Hammer Film ???

[lecafenoir]

Dear CL/Hammer friends:

Can someone help me identify two Hammer films (I believe)
that I vividly remember from my youth?

One had a fabulous scene of a horse drawn carriage traveling through a misty forest with human limbs dangling from the trees. The passengers were en route to a place where a doctor/scientist/madman had a woman strapped to a slab.

The second had a scene where a newlywed(?) couple need to survive a night of horrors at a castle(?) but only the young man survives to be impaled by an iron fence in the end.

One or both of these films may be Amicus productions, but they
were entirely Hammeresque.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Your newest forum member,
Lecafenoir

(ksequoia@aol.com)

[Alfonso Casal]

Hello and welcome aboard!

I don't think either of the films you mention are Hammer productions. The first definitely is not. It's from a German production starring Mr. Lee entitled Die Schlangengrube und das Pendel. Released in 1967, the film has several English language titles, including Blood Demon and The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism (nice. LOL).

The plot of the second movie you mention sounds very familiar, but I can't place it. I'm sure one of our friends here will know. Joe? Charles? Brother Dave?

[David Vasser]

I think the second one might be "HORROR CASTLE" which is also known as "THE VIRGIN OR NUREMBURG". This one is Italian. It featured Rossana Podesta, George Riviere, and Christopher Lee, C.B.E.!

A newlywed couple inherit a European castle, not realizing it conceals the secret chambers of "The Executioner", a monstrous madman who kills with ancient torture devices. This is the film where the rat dines on the young lady's face! Charming...in color and released in 1963 I think. Directed by Antonio Margheriti. I always thought THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW might have borrowed from this plot just a little. It is actually a bit similar

[lecafenoir]

Dear Alfonso and Brother Dave:

I think we're on the right track here - "The Torture Chamber
Of Doctor Sadism" sounds eerily familiar, and that is stretching my demented mind nearly thirty five years! And "Horror Castle/Virgin of Nuremburg" also rings (tolls) a bell for me.

Now, the next move is acquiring them. My guess is that they're not on DVD, but should be had on VHS. I'll comb around unless I get further suggestions.

Thanks a million,

Lecafenoir

[Alfonso Casal]

The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism was available on video under the title The Snake Pit -- ya gotta love these multi-titled releases. But, I think is now out of print.

I'm not sure if The Virgin of Nuremburg was ever released on video. It may have been. Your best bet would be checking on Ebay and the various cult-film dealers online.

[lecafenoir]

Dear Alfonso:

I found them both on Ebay. My heart is racing now.

I've read some of your entries on other CL topics,
i.e.: "Horror Of Dracula" DVD release. I find your comments
very insightful and professional, very well thought through
and well written. Your devotion and intelligence are clear.

I agree with you re: CL's lack of interest in a commentary track for this upcoming DVD. There is nothing really more to say that he has not already said. I only HOPE that the release will be a quality production.

I recently viewed "The Devil Rides Out" with CL's commentary and found him quite enthusiastic about this great production. He clearly enjoyed making this film. I enjoyed hearing his beautiful deep voice recollect facts and information on the production as though it were yesterday. What a crisp mind he has for a senior gentleman. I don't have a vivid memory like that (at 44) unless he was reading from production notes, but he
sounded quite candid and unrehearsed.

As future CL DVD's are released, and they ARE coming in dribs and drabs, I hope the releasing companies don't piss Mr. Lee
off with lame reasons or offers. We don't want him to write off all future commentary projects. He deserves to be respected.

Keep up the good work.

Lecafenoir

[Frederick Bergstrom]

alfonso is dead on about Blood Demon/Torture chamber of Dr. Sadism/Castle of the Walking dead . thats a great movie no matter what the title. The 2nd ya got me but if it is Horror Castle see dvd section i believe that is availible on dvd as a recorded dvd by Sinister Cinema. The first time i saw Blood demon it was on Elvira and i kept thinking ' wish she would shut up and stop interupting this movie so i can enjoy it'

[David Vasser]

Based on the brief plot outline of the second film in question, I'm reasonably certain it is Horror Castle...which also went by "The Virgin of Nuremburg" and "Terror Castle" and several other names I can't remember depending on the language dubbed and how it was edited. The director also had several different names he used on many different films but he was really Antonio Margheriti and he did make several good and scary movies and still works these days. He also still uses psyeudonyms though. It is a strange quirk of his. If I had made a movie this scary I would want my real name all over it. I believe however they wanted English sounding names in the titles so he changed it. For the day, this was a particularily gory film. Beware because there are a few different edits of this thing. Ya gotta love eBay.

[Frederick Bergstrom]

One way to tell if its Horror Castle..doesnt Christopher Lee have a scar running down his face in that movie??

[lecafenoir]

Friends:

It's been 35 or 36 years since I've seen these 2 films
at the Oceanside Theater on Oceanside Avenue in, where
else, Oceanside, New York.

Your collective expertise suggested the films are:
"Torture Chamber Of Dr. Sadism" and
"Horror Castle" and
both titles were found on Ebay (yes, I do love it!).

It's strange how scenes are cemented on one's young
inpressionable memory, ie: dangling limbs from the trees
in a misty forest and a bridegroom escaping a night of horrors
only to be impaled by a fence he is scaling at daybreak.

Over the years, I have admired the art direction of many of the 1960's Hammer/Amicus productions. They may have been shoe-tring budgets, but the sets were spectacular. It made me
appreciate at a young age many aspects of the Victorian era.
The costumes, furnishings, and unspoken secrets of a gentile and properous era (for both sides of the Atlantic), were very
appealing. All shrouded in a nice bath of mystery, and yes, death (or un-death), these are the some of the elements that created Hammers' and Amicus' signature. The fine acting talents of the likes of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing didn't hurt either. Altogether, the productions, each and almost every one of them, were of quality, in spite of the budgets.

Thanks for your input.

Lecafenoir

[lecafenoir]

Hello Friends:

Received "Horror Castle / Virgin of Nuremburg" today after winning (buying) such on eBay. Sadly, this is not the film I
was looking for. It did have some similar elements: A
newleywed couple, a creepy castle, and an iron fence.

The hero of our story does not get impaled on the fence
escaping the night of terror at daybreak. In Horror/Virgin,
the man and his bride walk away from the castle with the
police as the castle burns down with Eric (CL) inside.

I might add that the film wasn't so great on it's own merit.
Lee was wasted, but looked good in him scar makeup.
He had painfully few lines, and may have been overdubbed
since this was an Italian production. He had very few scenes.

So lets try again:

The hero of our film in question DIES while IMPALED on a
high iron fence escaping from a night of horrors in a castle/mansion. They might be vampires in the house. Also
there might be a scene with a party or masquerade in a ballroom where all the "guests" are dancing?

It may not be Hammer, nor CL, but definately genre.

I think "Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism" will be on the money,
though, for the other film I've been searching for.

Any more suggestions?

Thanks,

Lecafenoir.

[Frederick Bergstrom]

are we sure Christopher Lee is in the movie. How about Barbara Steele. She made a bunch of castle films. Nightmare castle, horrible dr. Hitchcock, Web of the spider, Long hair of death. how about Kill baby kill there is a scene where somone plunges on a fence. My mind is going id love to figure this out. Dancing in the castle sounds like Fearless Vampire Killers but there is no newlyweds. Are ther e female vampires it could be daughter of darakness maybe. Is there anything else you remeber about this movie. Ive probally seeen it but cant remember it

[lecafenoir]

Hi Fred:

Thanks for your reply and interest.
I am not sure if CL is in it or not.
Not even certain there were newleyweds. (I think so)

But definately a man dies trying to scale an iron fence as he runs from this place at dawn. Just when you think he's gotten off with his life, WHAM!

This is all I am certain about. Not sure about the masquerade ball, Definately not Fearless Vampire Hunters.

Take your time. It's been 35 years give or take. I can wait a little longer.

Not sure about Barbara Steele, either.

What is the plotline of Nightmare Castle? How does the last man die?

Thanks again,

L.

[Jonathan Craig]

Could it be "Lisa and the Devil" aka "House of Exorcism" directed by Mario Bava and starring Elke Sommer, Telly Savalas and Alida Valli? Your movie sounds a little like this one, but I could very well be wrong... it's been a long time since I've seen it. Whatever it is, I'm intrigued and would like to check it out.

[Frederick Bergstrom]

Lisa and the devil doesnt sound right unless its the House of excorcism part thats filled with different scenes. i think when you say hes trying to escape the dawn he could be a vampire? in that case Curse of the Vampires or Slaughter of the vampires a spanish film i believe ends with a vampire staked on a iron fence. I havent seen but have read plotline stories in books. try to find info about these movies and see if that could be it. Nightmare castle isnt a vampire movie and i dont think the stars are staked at the end . the ghosts come back to life but i havent seen it for a while. Will figure this out!!