Antonio Margheriti directed this tale that take place in the 15th century. A woman is accused of witchcraft and burned alive by the townsfolk.
However the real reason she is killed is because she refused the sexual advances of Count Humboldt (Giuliano Raffaelli). Her daughter knows this to be the truth and is also killed.
The woman, before she died layed out a curse on the Humboldt family and it starts to come true slowly but surely. Barbara Steele plays two roles as Mary and Helen Karnstein. As usual she looks extremely sexy and plays both parts hauntingly well.
This film portrays the decay inside the cursed family better than other Italian horror films of it's ilk. One of the most disturbing scenes involves several villagers outside the Humboldt castle walls that are affected with a hideous plague.
I hadn't seen this film in years and the only copy I had for a long time was a muddy print that was in French with no subtitles. Thanks to Raro, we now have a beautiful, re-mastered print with dubbed English dialogue.
If you haven't had the chance to check out this little gem of a horror film, I think you should. Simply Remarkable.
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