Main Cast: Simon Andreu, Maribel Martin, Alexandra Bastedo, Dean Selmier, Angel Lombarte
Release Year: 1972
Country: ES
Run Time: 82 minutes
Plot
Vicente Aranda directed this erotic horror film, continuing themes which he had explored in the previous year's Exquisite Cadaver. Alexandra Bastedo stars as a lesbian vampire who woos frigid newlywed Maribel Martin away from her husband Simon Andreu on their honeymoon. Aranda fills the film with haunting imagery, gorgeously photographed by veteran cinematographer Fernando Arribas, and the story's sometimes illogical twists are compensated for with heavy, skillfully-crafted atmosphere. The American video print of this stylish vampire film is missing almost 20 minutes, so viewers are advised to seek out an uncut version. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
Review
This Eurocult effort occupies a unique place in the pantheon of lesbian vampire films. Blood Castle (known to most fans as The Blood Spattered Bride) is unusual within this subgenre because it doesn’t focus on feminist themes. Instead, it takes a very masculine view on the material, with the husband character emerging as the protagonist instead of the woman. That said, Eurocult buffs won’t be disappointed by this shift in tone because Blood Castle still offers all the nudity, sex, and bloodshed that usually comes with these films. Director Vicente Aranda uses his secluded country settings to his advantage and seeds the film with plenty of arresting imagery: for instance, Susan’s nightmares are loaded with violent, phallic imagery. The film also benefits from strong performances across the board: Simon Andrieu and Maribel Martin have strong chemistry and Alexandra Bastedo offers a suitably bewitching presence as the title character. Like many European horror films, the pacing is very deliberate and the plot somewhat elliptical, but Aranda’s knack for atmosphere is likely to win over viewers with a yen for Eurocult films. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
