The Black Castle (1952)
Richard Greene of Robin Hood fame plays a man searching for his brother who seemingly went missing at the castle home of an Austrian count.
The Black Castle is basically a typical Gothic horror with Poe motifs crossed with The Most Dangerous Game. The film has some quite horrific moments towards the end for those with a fear of being buried alive, the rest of the film is more swash and buckle with sword play, a moat full of alligators, prowling leopards, human game and the usual torture chambers.
The film is headlined by Universal stalwart Boris Karloff as well as Greene, unfortunately for the bulk of proceedings dear Boris isn't actually in it that much and when he does appear he tends to skulk around in the shadows looking menacing rather than actually moving the story along. It isn't until the horror really kicks in that he finally shines in his role. A second Universal stalwart Lon Chaney Jnr is also in the film but like Karloff he has very little to do in what is a glorified cameo except yes, look menacing in one or two scenes before Greene sends him hurtling to his death in the alligator infested moat. Fortunately Richard Greene makes a convincing heroic leading man and Stephen McNally a lovely sneering one eyed lunatic of a villain.
Director Nathan Juran here in his debut feature shows his talent with action scenes and he would later go on to greater things with films such as The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) and Jack the Giant Killer (1962) among others.
One of the best horror films from the first half of the fifties. That perhaps isn't saying much as it was one of the only horror films from the first half of the fifties.
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