Review: The Virgin of Nuremberg

Newlyweds Rossana Podesta and George Riviere move into the latter’s family castle, where poor Podesta learns the dark secrets of Riviere’s family history. She also uncovers a bunch of Medieval torture devices in the castle, including an Iron Maiden (excellent!), and a hooded executioner skulking about the castle’s underbelly. Or is she merely hallucinating? Laura Nucci plays the humourless maid, whilst Christopher Lee turns up as a creepy, scarred manservant.

 

There’s a reason this 1963 horror film from eclectic Italian filmmaker Antonio Marghereti (the rather good Gothic tale “Castle of Blood”) isn’t one of the more well-known films among Christopher Lee’s long filmography. The reason isn’t anything to do with the fact that his voice has been dubbed, either. Titled “Horror Castle” in some quarters, the film just isn’t much of anything. It’s good-looking and well-mounted, the array of Medieval-looking torture devices leads to some good, nasty fun. So it’s not worthless. However, with practically no plot, not much idea who any of the characters are (leading to confusion), and an over-abundance of people skulking about interminably, there’s just not much reason to care here. It’s good-looking but tired and one-note, and quite reminiscent of “Bloody Pit of Horror” (which wasn’t that much better, either) crossed with Mario Bava’s Gothic horror films of the 60s.

 

Although clearly well-shot, the director is also a touch too fond of the patented Jess Franco zoom and seemingly isn’t all that interested in sustaining tension/atmosphere. Although he did make a good fist of it in “Castle of Blood”, the director is no Mario Bavo (or even Roger Corman), and it’s not particularly scary or tense. Although not really a period horror film, it’s still your typical Gothic horror with medieval torture devices, Nazis, dark and stormy night castle-set stuff. To an extremely clichéd degree, especially if you’ve seen a lot of these things like I have. Meanwhile, Lee’s facially scarred Bond villain-esque visage is probably the most interesting thing about him here. Think “Dr. No” crossed with Blofeld. It’s not the best use of the man’s talents (he’s pretty wasted and the role isn’t actually very important), though one has to admit it’s not the worst either. As for the dubbing issue, of all the films I’ve seen where his voice has been dubbed, this one probably comes closest to his real voice to the point where it’s not much of a distraction at least. Lee gives the only good performance in the film, lead actress Rossana Podesta is merely OK, with the first 40 minutes of the film pretty much just being her in a blue negligee roaming about looking scared. It’s not much to go on, is it?

 

There are elements here that could’ve provided a fun film if emphasised or fleshed out more. I needed more. Sex. Violence. Plot. Character depth. Anything. Just more. As is, it’s not fun. Good-looking, but a lot of skulking about a castle looking frightened, and occasionally there’s a jump scare (false or otherwise). The screenplay is by Ernesto Gastaldi (“Torso”, “Terror in the Crypt”, “The Whip and the Body”, “The Horrible Dr. Hichcock”), Edmond T. Greville (writer-director of “The Hands of Orlac” and “Beat Girl”, both featuring Lee), and the director.

 

Rating: C-

 

 

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