Blood Baron (Gli orrori del castello di Norimberga (NR, 1972))
Netflix Synopsis: When New England co-ed Kris Miller (Ashley Laurence) learns that she’s inherited a 16th century mansion, she brings a group of friends along to help clear its contents before the house is demolished. Soon, however, Kris experiences disturbing visions, and the evil Warlock (Bruce Payne) appears, intent on seducing Kris into becoming the bride of Satan while he torments her classmates in ironic ways that befit their obsessions.
Review: I first saw Baron Blood when I was about 7 or 8 years old. I really
enjoyed it because it was one of the first horror movies my Dad ever let me watch. While all the other kids at school were talking about Freddy Kruger, Michael Myers, and Jason, I couldn’t shut up about Baron Blood. I seemed particularly fascinated by the Iron Maiden and the bodies hanging on the outside of the castle. As a child I did not know the name of the film. Recently I became interested in seeing it again, and after some searching found the name and checked it out.
Of course it is not as bloody or scary as I remembered it. Though as most of Bava’s films do, it has atmosphere and a great look to it. It stars veteran American actor Joseph Cotton (looking rather bored and weary, but not quite as bored and weary as he did in Lady Frankenstein). Elke Sommer (most famous for “A Shot in the Dark”) also stars; Sommer would later go on to star in another Bava film “Lisa and the Devil aka House of Exorcism” where she received a meatier role.
The plot is fairly simple, a young man goes to Austria to find his ancestral home, it just so happens to be a castle with many strange going ons. Gruesome murders start to happen when the young man reads an incantation by mistake and resurrects a Baron (Cotton) who was accustomed to torturing people and burning witches at the stake. Don’t you hate it when that happens? There is a rather good scene where a little girl drops an apple into the woods and chases while Baron Blood is lurking near by. Also look out in the film for Italian Peter Lorre look alike Luciano Pigozzi.
Though it is not one of Bava’s better films in my opinion (I’m partial to Kill Baby Kill and Black Sabbath), it is certainly pretty entertaining and a sentimental favorite.
3.5 out of 5 stars
HaroldlovesMaud
