A band of travelling comeddia dell'arte performers stop off at Count Drago's (Christopher Lee) castle for a performance, despite having been warned by a witch (played by Donald Sutherland in a dual role that also includes the police officer). It turns out that Drago is obsessed by taxidermy and uses an instant serum to make his victims a living dead, but doesn't stop at animals and has his own chamber of human curiosities.
THE CASTLE OF THE LIVING DEAD (Il castello dei morti vivi) is an Italian-French co-production darkly shot by Aldo Tonti and atmospherically shot in both Bomarzo Park's 'Parco dei Mostri' (Park of Monsters) for the sculptures and a castle in Bracchino (also in Lazio outside of Rome). Filmed on a low budget and directed by Warren Kiefer in his first film, the crew also included a young Michael Reeves who was an assistant director on the film. During his brief career, he would later go on to make THE SORCERERS (1967) and WITCHFINDER GENERAL (1968). Lee was only available for 10 days of the 24 day shoot and this was to be the first film for the 28 year-old Sutherland. As a side note, when Sutherland's son was born in1966 he was named after the director.
THE CASTLE OF THE LIVING DEAD (Il castello dei morti vivi) is an Italian-French co-production darkly shot by Aldo Tonti and atmospherically shot in both Bomarzo Park's 'Parco dei Mostri' (Park of Monsters) for the sculptures and a castle in Bracchino (also in Lazio outside of Rome). Filmed on a low budget and directed by Warren Kiefer in his first film, the crew also included a young Michael Reeves who was an assistant director on the film. During his brief career, he would later go on to make THE SORCERERS (1967) and WITCHFINDER GENERAL (1968). Lee was only available for 10 days of the 24 day shoot and this was to be the first film for the 28 year-old Sutherland. As a side note, when Sutherland's son was born in1966 he was named after the director.