Castle Freak - Barbara Crampton

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Stuart Gordon's Castle Freak" )

directed by Stuart Gordon
USA/Italy 1995

When the reclusive Duchess D'Orsino (Helen Stirling, AND THE SHIP SAILS ON) dies, distant nephew John Reilly (Jeffrey Combs, RE-ANIMATOR) inherits Castle D'Orsino and jets off to Italy with his estranged wife Susan (Barbara Crampton, FROM BEYOND) and daughter Rebecca (Jessica Dollarhide) who was blinded in a car crash whiel John was driving (the accident also took the life of five year old son JJ).The fractured family is eager to sell the castle, but must first make an inventory of it since no one other than housekeeper Agnese (Elisabeth Kaza, THE BEAST) has been inside the castle since WWII. Still mourning the death of his son, John becomes intrigued by the story of the duchess' son Giorgio, who also died young and was rumored to have been murdered by his mother after she was abandoned by the American soldier who fathered the child. Strange noises and nighttime visits from a shadowy, chain-rattling figure lead Rebecca to realize that someone else is inside the castle. When prostitute Sylvana (Raffaella Offidani, THE VOYEUR) is discovered horribly mutilated in the castle dungeons, the police arrest John, leaving Susan and Rebecca alone in the castle with the CASTLE FREAK.

H.P. Lovecraft's short story "The Outsider" has been cited as an influence on the script by Gordon's regular writing collaborator Dennis Paoli (DAGON); but that story was told from the perspective of the titular character, and any slight resemblance between the story and the film dissipates after the broken mirror scene early on in the film. If the castle location seems familiar, it is because it is the Castello di Giove which figures into a number of Italian-lensed Full Moon productions including THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM and MERIDIAN. The dramatic aspects of the story never fully register despite sensitive performances by Combs and Crampton, and the downbeat tone may be off-putting to fans of RE-ANIMATOR, FROM BEYOND, and DOLLS. Attempts are made to garner sympathy for the castle freak, and Jonathan Fuller (THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM) does manage to emote through the full body make-up job. John Vulich's (the 1990 NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD remake) effects are more grisly than gory, but the film's major gore set-piece is more ugly than transgressive. Richard Band's chamber score suits the more intimate scope of the film (although the budget was also a likely reason that this one did not receive the full orchestral treatment of Band's earlier scores for Gordon). Gordon's family (including wife Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, who usually has larger supporting roles in his films) are on hand as extras among the town locals. Although not one of Gordon's better works, CASTLE FREAK is one of the stronger Full Moon releases of the company's later period in terms of both quality and graphic content.

Eric Cotenas

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Theatrical Release: 14 November 1995 (USA)

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DVD Comparison:

Full Moon - Region 0 - NTSC vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for all the Screen Caps!

(Full Moon - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Full Moon Region 0 - NTSC	88 Films Region 0 - PAL
Runtime	1:35:09	1:30:45 (4% PAL speedup)
Video	1.31:1 Open Matte format Average Bitrate: 4.63 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.6 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Full Moon
Bitrate: 88 Films
Audio	English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo	English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
Subtitles	none	none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Full Moon Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.31:1 Edition Details: • VIDEOZONE (4:3; 9:29) • Theatrical Trailer (4:3; 2:12) • Full Moon Merchandise • Full Moon Toys • Trailers for VAMPIRE JOURNALS, HEAD OF THE FAMILY, HIDEOUS!, and CREEPS DVD Release Date: 16 December 1997 Amaray Chapters 14	Release Information: Studio: 88 Films Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • VIDEOZONE (4:3; 9:26) • Theatrical Trailer (16:9; 2:08) • Trailers for SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL BOWL-O-RAMA, PUPPET MASTER, THE DEAD WANT WOMEN, GINGERDEAD MAN 2: THE PASSION OF THE CRUST, TOURIST TRAP, KILLER EYE: HALLOWEEN HAUNT, PIT AND THE • PENDULUM, SKULL HEADS, MERIDIAN, and CANNIBAL WOMEN IN THE AVOCADO JUNGLE OF DEATH DVD Release Date: 14 May 2012 Amaray Chapters 24

Comments

88 Films' progressive, dual-layer, anamorphic DVD of CASTLE FREAK debuts the film's new HD master (the current US DVD's transfer is at least fifteen years old). Shot with home video in mind (with theatrical screenings as a secondary market), the widescreen cropping mattes away dead space at the top and bottom (although 1.66:1 might have been a better choice) while adding a little to the sides only occasionally. Despite some edge enhancement (probably part of Full Moon's master), detail is heightened, natural grain is more apparent, and the image looks overall less hazy. The image is not going to look dazzling because director Stuart Gordon and cinematographer Mario Vulpiani favor a grittier look than the bulk of Full Moon product from this time (most shot by Adolfo Bartoli). The Dolby Digital stereo tracks are comparable, highlighting Richard Band's score and lots of offscreen sounds and shattering glass.

Both discs feature the VIDEOZONE behind the scenes segment and the theatrical trailer (88 Films' disc also features the trailer in a 16:9 upgrade). The 88 Films disc has ten Full Moon trailers (including the new release THE DEAD WANT WOMEN) while the Full Moon disc features only four trailers and merchandising/website links. So far, this is 88 Films most impressive Full Moon upgrade.

Full Moon has not announced a new Blu-ray or DVD of the new master, but their current edition is still in print and can be purchased cheaply individually or in Full Moon's Stuart Gordon boxed set (HERE) which features the old transfers but also a bonus disc in which William Shatner interviews Gordon and some of his collaborators about Gordon's work.

- Eric Cotenas

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(Full Moon - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. 88 Films - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)