‘Hideous. Hungry. And loose.’
Castle Freak is a 1995 American horror film directed by Stuart Gordon from a screenplay co-written with Dennis Paoli, loosely based upon the short story The Outsider by H.P. Lovecraft. The Full Moon production stars Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton.
John Vulich provided the special effects makeup for the freak.
Plot:
After inheriting a 12th-century castle that belonged to a famed Duchess, John Reilly and his family travel to Italy to live.
Unbeknownst to them, the duchess’ son still lives in the dungeons of the castle. He breaks free, and tries to harm John and his family, killing others in the process. John must now save himself and his family from this castle’s unknown inhabitant before the “castle freak” has his way with them…
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Book reviews:
“Although not as out-and-out gory as Gordon’s Re-Animator, Castle Freak is all the more sickening for setting its horrors in a far more realistic milieu. There are no talking heads or protruding pineal glands found here, just a sober, brutish, unflinchingly ferocious illustration of mankind’s inherent brutality.” Dave Jay, It Came from the Video Aisle!, Schiffer Books, 2017
“Castle Freakis a solid, even near-classic horror movie. Unlike the gory roller-coaster rides ofRe-AnimatorandFrom Beyond, it is very serious and very adult. The only major flaw is one unnecessary and detestable scene of brutal violence.”Andrew Miglioreand John Strysik, Lurker in the Lobby: A Guide to the Cinema of H. P. Lovecraft book
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Trailer:
Release:
Castle Freak was released direct-to-video on 14 November 1995.
Cast and characters:
Jeffrey Combs … John Reilly
Barbara Crampton … Susan Reilly
Jonathan Fuller … Giorgio
Jessica Dollarhide … Rebecca Reilly
Massimo Sarchielli … Giannetti
Elisabeth Kaza … Agnese
Luca Zingaretti … Forte
Helen Stirling … Duchess D’Orsino
Alessandro Sebastian Satta … JJ
Raffaella Offidani … Sylvana
Marco Stefanelli … Benedetti
Tunny Piras … Grimaldi
Rolando Cortegiani … Tonio
Carolyn Purdy-Gordon … The Gelato People (as Carolyn Gordon)
Suzanna Gordon … The Gelato People
Jillian Gordon … The Gelato People
Margaret Gordon … The Gelato People
Michael Todd … Guy in Bar
Filming locations:
Giove, Terni, Umbria, Italy
Technical specs:
1 hour 30 minutes | 1 hour 35 minutes (unrated)
Audio: Stereo
Aspect ratio: 1.33: 1
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