CASTLE FREAK
Available on Limited Edition Blu-ray
26th May 2025
Directed by Stuart Gordon, this chilling tale is one of his many films inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Best known for his distinctive contributions to cult horror and sci-fi throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s — with genre classics such as Re-Animator, From Beyond, and Dolls — Gordon returned to familiar territory with Castle Freak, a lesser-known gem that reunited him with frequent collaborator and producer Charles Band.
Shot in Band’s very own castle in Italy, Castle Freak treads the line between psychological tension and grotesque horror to great effect. Initially greeted by mixed reviews upon its original release, Castle Freak was soon reappraised with the film’s raw intense violence and its gothic atmosphere eventually securing its cult status.
Title 043 on the 101 Films Black Label, our release is packed with a whole raft of additional content, including new interviews with Barbara Crampton, composer Richard Band, and filmmaker Chris Alexander, along with archival extras including as William Shatner’s interviews with Stuart Gordon, Barbara Crampton, and Jeffrey Combs.
This limited edition version comes packaged in a slipcase with horrific new artwork, and is accompanied by a booklet with new writing on the film; Freak Like Me By Mat Colegate and King of the Castle: The Charles Band Empire By Jon Towlson.
John Reilly, (Jeffrey Combs - Re-Animator), his wife Susan (Barbara Crampton - Re-Animator, The Young and the Restless) and their daughter come face to face with terror when they travel to Italy to move into a castle they have inherited. Unbeknownst to them, their new home harbours a grotesquely disfigured and tortured man who has been imprisoned for decades. When mutilated bodies start turning up, John must uncover the Reilly family’s dark secret to save his wife and child from the sadistic being.
Brand New Extras:
• “Get Your Freak On!” - Interview with composer Richard Band
• “Don’t Look in the Basement!” - Interview with actress Barbara Crampton
• “Freak on a Leash!” - Interview with filmmaker Chris Alexander
• Limited edition booklet
Archive Extras:
• Castle speak with Stuart Gordon
• William Shatner interviews Stuart Gordon, Barbara Crampton, and Jeffrey Combs
• Videozone
• Trailer
