Crypt of the Vampire (1964) User Reviews

Forgotten Gem of Italian Gothic Horror

[Alien_I_Creator · 7/10 · 29 July 2007]

If there is one thing that even the most low-budget of Spaghetti horrors excel in, it has got to be atmosphere. That is one thing that Terror in the Crypt does extremely well. It exudes a flair of picturesque horror and mystique enhanced all the more by its superb cinematography and eerie score.

Apart from it's great atmosphere, the film is very well crafted and entertaining. I would put it in the vein of other great EuroGoth gems like Terror Creatures From the Grave and The Blancheville Monster. Plus, the immortal Christopher Lee adds plenty to the picture as he always tends to do. But, like many of the other fans of this picture, I would have loved to have seen Lee chew the scenery with genre queen Barbara Steele as this is the type of film that was right up her alley.

Like so many other Gothic efforts, the story revolves around a generations-old family curse. Christopher Lee's character is a Count who fears that a witch's curse is starting to come to fruition as members of his extended family are dying one by one. A great cast of characters makes this story even more interesting. There's Laura, the Count's daughter and prime suspect in carrying out the witch's hex during her nightmare-wrought sleep. There is Laura's sultry friend Lyuba (I must note that the two starlets have great chemistry together and always look like they are on the verge of releasing years of bottled up sexual frustration on each other). A wise old crone who tries to help Laura decipher her nightmares. And there is a young historian who is brought in to try and find out as much of the family's dark history as he can in an effort to thwart the curse.

Terror in the Crypt (recently released as Crypt of the Vampire) is definitely worth the time and money for any fan of EuroGoth films or even just for those wanting to get a glimpse at Christopher Lee's Italian ventures.

Beautifully photographed Gothic yarn.

[BrentCarleton · 7/10 · 15 February 2006]

Though only superficially faithful to Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's famous novella, "Carmilla," this picture merits praise for its consistent visual distinction, and a unity of mood, (elsewhere, and accurately described as "stately") that lift it far above the overpraised (and dramatically disjointed) "Castle of the Living Dead" which Mr. Lee completed about the same time.

Allegedly set in Styria, but filmed in Italy, this film boasts deep focus black and white cinematography that clearly takes its visual cues from Bava's "Black Sunday." Indeed, this film even features a witch condemnation sequence rather similar to the one depicted in the earlier film.

The castle interiors are alive with looming shadows, the rooms dressed with the appropriate paraphernalia of the genre, (flaming braziers, suits of armor, baroque prickets and saint statues; while the exteriors contain some of the most enchanting landscapes one could wish for--not to mention unforgettable nightscapes--as of two women fleeing across a hillside in billowing peignoirs and lit by the moon, (rather like the cover of a Phyllis Whitney novel).

Also in its favor are some scenes quite faithful to Mr. Le Fanu's original, as in the barouche accident which occasions the arrival of the vampiress, (here re-named "Luba" for inexplicable reasons).

There are some demerits: a heroine that looks like a cross between Barbara Streisand and Maria Callas, and an Elke Sommerish Lady in Waiting whose adulterous relationship with Mr. Lee seems entirely gratuitous.

Nonetheless, admirers of 1960s Italian gothics need to re-examine this piece which is often unfairly dismissed, as it warrants far more attention and respect than such slush as "Terror Creatures From the Grave."

A 200 Year-Old Family Curse

[Uriah43 · 6/10 · 31 May 2016]

Concerned about a 200 year old family curse that might bear fruition "Count Ludwig Karnstein" (Christopher Lee) hires an historian by the name of "Friedrich Klauss" (Jose Campos) to peruse all of the documents in Karnstein castle in order to settle the matter once and for all. What most disturbs Count Karnstein is the fact that his daughter "Laura" (Adriana Ambesi) is having strange dreams which typically come true adds to his concern. Throw in a scheming mistress named "Annette" (Vera Valmont) along with an unexpected visitor by the name of "Ljuba" (Ursula Davis) and things soon take a turn for worse in no time. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that the director (Camillo Mastrocinque) managed to maintain the mystery and suspense in such a manner to keep my interest from start to finish. Likewise, although I was expecting a vampire movie similar in nature to those Christopher Lee has done in the past, this particular picture left me somewhat surprised. In any case, although this wasn't a great movie by any means, I still enjoyed it and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Very intriguing...

[the lioness · 14 December 2001]

I just had the opportunity owning this film on video & I'm glad I jumped at it when I did. This film is very rare & hard to find.

This is a story of a family curse that threatens to wipe out every last member of the Karnstein family. A count seeks out a historian to help him search into his family's past to disprove the curse.

As a child this film scarred me but as an adult it intrigues me. It has elements that horror films lack today: atmosphere & mood. It grosses out but not that much. I enjoyed it a great deal. Since its so rare, any Christopher Lee fan should grab it if they ever find it.

Mediocre, But Enjoyable Gothic Tale

[Witchfinder-General-666 · 6/10 · 1 April 2009]

Many of my fellow Eurohorror enthusiasts seem to have been disappointed by Camillo Mastrocinque's "La Cripta e l'incubo" aka. "Crypt of the Vampire" of 1964. For understandable reasons as the film, which stars Horror icon Christopher Lee, certainly doesn't range among the most memorable efforts in Italian Gothic Horror from the 1960s. Fact is, however, that this country, time and sub-genre stands for many of the greatest Horror films ever brought to screen, and even many of the lesser productions, such as this film, are entertaining films as such. This is one of only two Horror films by director Mastrocinque, the other being the vastly superior "Un Angelo Per Satana" of 1966 starring Genre-Goddess Barbara Steele (my favorite actress). This "Crypt of the Vampire" very obviously borrowed many story-elements from another Italian Gothic Horror film, Mario Bava's unequaled masterpiece "La Maschera Del Demonio" aka. "Black Sunday of 1960 (probably my choice for the greatest Horror film of all-time, and, of course, it also stars Barbara Steele). It can in no way compete with Bava's masterpiece, of course, nor with the many other Italian Gothic highlights from the day, be it Bava's, Antoino Margheriti's, or Riccardo Freda's films of even with Mastrocinque's own "Angelo Per Satana". Yet "Crypt of the Vampire" has many qualities. One has to give it to director Mastrocinque that he was capable of creating an uncanny atmosphere in spite of an obviously low budget. Again, he did so more impressively in "Un Angelo Per Satana", but one has to admit that this film is also highly atmospheric.

Count Karnstein (Christopher Lee) has sent for a doctor to help his daughter Laura (Adriana Ambesi). The young lady Karnstein has been tormented by terrible nightmares, and it is believed that she is possessed by the evil spirit of a dead ancestor... The film's major weakness is that it is too slow-going, especially in the first half. It is always atmospheric though, and the film really catches up in the second half, and gets quite creepy in some parts. Also, there are some nicely demented characters, such as a disfigured beggar. As it was the case with a truly brilliant Gothic film from the same year, Antonio Margheriti's "Danza Macabra" (aka. Castle of Blood"), this film has a certain lesbian subtext. The female cast in this film are beautiful, but not comparable to Barbara Steele (I can't stop praising her) and Margarete Robsahm who stunned viewers in "Danza Macabra". Also, while the (implied) lesbianism is a nicely exploitative element in this film, the explicit stuff that became common practice in Exploitation cinema only a few years later in the late 60s makes it look very harmless. Even so, it is a fun element of the film. More screen time for the great Christopher Lee would certainly have helped the film. The female cast members are entirely hot, but none of them is extremely talented. As said, the film's strong point lies in the atmosphere. Overall, "Crypt of the Vampire" is by no means a must-see or even a very good film. However, I personally enjoyed it and I think that many of my fellow fans of Italian 60s Gothic Horror might see it the same way.

It's No "Blood-Spattered Bride" But Still Darn Good Enough

[ferbs54 · 7/10 · 28 December 2011]

Everyone knows how wonderful the great Christopher Lee can be at playing the monstous heavy--not for nothing is he known to his fans as Mr. Tall, Dark and Gruesome!--but many forget that he can be equally adept at portraying "the good guy." Thus, fans are often pleasantly taken aback when they see the 1968 Hammer film "The Devil Rides Out" for the first time, in which Lee plays the Duc de Richleau, a combater of Satanists in 1920s England (though this film is weak tea compared to Dennis Wheatley's 1934 source novel). For further proof of Lee's ability to portray a defender of right and light, viewers may be interested to seek out Camillo Mastrocinque's Italian Gothic horror film "Crypt of the Vampire" (1964), which can also be seen under the title "Terror in the Crypt" (a superior appellation, I feel, as the vampiric elements in the film are very minor). In this picture, Lee plays the Count Ludwig Karnstein, who fears that his daughter, Laura (Adriana Ambesi), has become possessed by a witch who was put to death by his ancestors 200 years previously, and who had sworn to return to take vengeance on the family's descendants. Following the advice of his young blonde mistress, Annette (Vera Valmont), the count hires a young expert on antiquarian matters, Friedrich Klauss (Jose Campos), to learn more about this deceased witch and, hopefully, unearth a portrait of her. Laura has been suffering strange visions of late, and having eerie dreams, and it really does seem as if the poor gal has become possessed. Her lot brightens, however, when a carriage breaks down near the Karnstein castle, and the beautiful Ljuba (Ursula Davis) becomes a guest in the ancient pile for a few days....

If this story line sounds at all familiar, it can be revealed here that, yes, this IS yet another reworking of the oft-filmed Sheridan Le Fanu novelette of 1872, "Carmilla"; I might also add that it is not nearly as effective a filmization as Spanish director Vicente Aranda's "The Blood- Spattered Bride" (1969), a film that I just love. Still, "Crypt of the Vampire" is darn good enough, although its debt to Mario Bava's seminal "Black Sunday," made four years earlier, is fairly apparent, and never more so than in that 17th century witch-slaying sequence. "Crypt" also shares similarities with another Italian Gothic that I had recently watched, 1963's "The Blancheville Monster." Both were filmed in B&W, feature ancient family curses, showcase some impressively moldering, realistically UNDERadorned castles and decrepit tombs, highlight some surrealistic dreams suffered by the leading lady, sport a trio of young starlets, and surprise the viewer with twist endings. And both, unfortunately, suffer from a sluggish middle third and an ending that can only be described as weak; "Crypt" drags even further when Lee is not on the screen. But when he IS present, the picture is galvanized; thank goodness for his always welcome presence, and that great, mellifluous voice of his, which has survived the dubbing process here. Lee's star power gives this film, automatically, an extra, uh, star. I must also add that some scenes in the film do not make 100% sense when considered in the light of that twist ending, and that the characters of Klauss and Laura seem miscast. Jose Campos, a young Bill Bixby type, seems a bit too boyish for the role; someone on the hunky order of Giacomo Rossi Stuart would have been preferable (check him out in Bava's great film from 1966, "Kill, Baby, Kill," to see what I mean). And Adriana Ambesi-- you'll forgive me for saying so--is almost too homely to portray Laura; she looks like a cross between Barbra Streisand's plain Jane sister and the social misfit, Catherine Sloper, that Olivia de Havilland brilliantly portrayed in 1949's "The Heiress." Surely, Italian cinema has never lacked for lovely starlets; any of them might have been preferable.

Anyway, the good news is that "Crypt" does boast a number of very well-done scenes, including the discovery of a hanged hunchback with his hand cut off, and the subsequent use of that hand as a candelabra in a Satanic ceremony, as well as the final sequence, in which Count Karnstein & Co. explore the ancient witch's tomb. The film is never without interest, even during its slower stretches, and I suppose is required viewing for all fans of Christopher Lee or Italian Gothic horror. The DVD that it comes to us on, from RetroMedia, sports a decent-looking print but is completely devoid of extras; not even the customary chapter stops! Note to some aspiring outfit: Howzabout a loving restoration and presentation of THIS relatively obscure instance of 1960s Eurohorror?!?!

Not great Gothic horror

[The_Void · 4/10 · 15 February 2009]

Terror in the Crypt certainly seems like a great film on paper - it's stemmed from the classic novel "Carmilla" by Sheridan Le Fanu and the screenplay is by none other than Ernesto Gastaldi; the man responsible for a number of great Giallo films in the seventies. Adding to the writing credits is the fact that the film stars the great Christopher Lee; but unfortunately the pacing is far too slow and the film is more 'Castle of the Living Dead' than 'Black Sunday'. Anyone that has seen one of the numerous films based on the La Fanu novel will probably know what this film will be about. Count Karnstein comes to believe that his daughter Laura has become possessed by the spirit of the dead ancestor Carmilla and sends for a doctor to help her. However, this does not stop the daughter from being influenced by Carmilla. The film does well on the atmosphere front and director Camillo Mastrocinque delivers a great setting for the film to take place in with a lavish Gothic castle. However, there's just not enough going on to keep the film interesting for the duration and unfortunately despite the positives; the film is not very easy to follow for this reason. Perhaps fans of Gothic horror will find something to like here; but while I consider myself just that, unfortunately I didn't.

Parenthood, the gothic horror

[Bezenby · 6/10 · 22 December 2017]

Christopher Lee is struggling with the usual dilemmas facing a single parent. His daughter is acting up and getting all goth on him, dreaming she's a vampire that's killing distant relatives, indulging in strange ceremonies with the housekeeper, listening to Cannibal Corpse, all that sort of stuff. Lee's also having a bit of an affair with his maid, who resents Lee's daughter as she sees her as an obstacle regarding getting hitched to Lee.

It's the usual modern day problems, but set in a huge brooding castle next to a ruined village of course. Lee hires a guy to find out what his ancient ancestor looks like to prove to his daughter that she's not her reincarnation, and the guy immediately gets a thing for Lee's daughter. That's a pity, however, as she's kind of taken with a young, mysterious girl who's staying at the castle for a few days while her carriage is getting fixed at the local Kwik Fit, in yet another Italian Goth Horror where suspected vampirism increases your chances of a homosexual experience. Usually of a Sapphic nature.

I quite enjoyed this one, which is your usual Gothic horror with some really grotesque imagery thrown in for good measure, including the housekeeper using a severed hand as a candle holder, a giallo-style killing, and the reveal of why the church bell keeps ringing in the ruined village is a doozy! There's a bit of a mystery about the whole thing too as the young guy keeps digging, trying to find the image of Christopher Lee's ancestor, and who can't like a film that has a hunchbacked soothsayer in it?

The lesbian isn't played up too much of course considering the year this was made, but it ticks all the Gothic Horror boxes for me. I think I've seen them all now, but who knows what waiting out there?

Nice Gothic atmosphere but too tame and leisurely

[SuperDevilDoctor · 5/10 · 19 August 2009]

A Christopher Lee flick I'd never even heard of, much less seen. The cult film legend is not the titular bloodsucker in this Spanish-Italian co-production, however. Here the vampire's identity is supposed to be something of a mystery, although if you're at all familiar with Sheridan Le Fanu's "Carmilla", from which the script was adapted, you'll have everything figured out long before the characters do.

Director Camillo Mastrocinque piles on the classical Gothic themes and motifs like there's no tomorrow: vampirism, witchcraft, ancient family curses, heaving bosoms straining against diaphanous pregnoirs, creepy castle corridors and crypts by candlelight — that sort of thing. Facilitating this omnipresent atmosphere is some excellent black-and-white cinematography expressly modeled in the style of visual maestro Mario Bava (BLACK Sunday). Adriana Ambesi (FANGS OF THE LIVIND DEAD) and Ursula Davis (SPARTACUS AND THE TEN GLADIATORS) provide the eye candy; the story's lesbian angle is handled quite demurely but is unmistakably present, not merely hinted at yet always kept implicit. While the absence of shocks and skin, not to mention the leisurely pace, may well dissuade the casual fright film viewer the Gothic horror fan will be in his or her element. And you can never go wrong casting Lee as the aloof, aristocratic type.

Makes for an interesting double feature with Hammer's THE VAMPIRE LOVERS (1970), which is also inspired by "Carmilla".

Atmospheric and creepy Italian/Spanish co-production with thrills , chills and creepy events

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 4 June 2020]

A precious Gem of the classy Italian Gothic with the great Christopher Lee and a good cast of most Italian and some Spanish actors . It is freely based on the known novel ¨Carmilla¨ by Sheridan Le Fanu. It deals with a family curse , its is set at an eerie castle where lives Karnstein family , the father Count Karnstein (Christopher Lee) , his daughter Laura (Adriana Ambesi) and his lover (Vera Valmont). Then , there arrives a historian (José Campos) to investigate an ancient origin and disprove a weird curse on the family , while his daughter seems to be possessed by the spirit of a dead ancestor , Carmilla , who many years ago was ominously executed . Then , a carriage accident forces a beautiful girl (Ursula Davis) to stay at the castle and she befriends Laura , but things go wrong .

A scary and ghastly film with a lot of thrills , chills , and ominous bloodsuckers. Interesting screenplay full of twists and turns , freely based on Sheridan Le Fanu novel : Carmilla , adapted by varous screen writers as Spanish : José Luis Monter , Maria Carmen Martinez Roman as Italian : Tonino Valeri , Ernesto Gastaldi . This terrifying film displays a a great atmosphere and dark mood with appropriate cinematography in black and white , proving careful sets and adequate ambient thanks to inventive production design by Demofilo Fidani who subsquently under pseudonym Miles Deem made a lot of lousy Spaghetti Westerns . Well starred by Christopher Lee , at the time he played several Italian films such as Uncle was a vampire ,Jaguar lives , Ercole al centro della terra, , La vergine of Norimberga , The whip and the body , among others . Along with other actors and gorgeous actresses , many of them under American pseudonyms.

It contains a nice cinematography Julio Ortas with plenty of lights and shades shot in castello Balsonaro LÁquila, Italy . As well as a rousing and frightening musical score by Carlo Savina .This forgotten film in US version was delivered by Samuel Z Arkoff , James H Nicholson from American Internatinal Pictures and was well directed by Camillo Mastrocinque who also made another notorious terror film : Un Angelo per Satana . In addition , he directed a number of Toto vehicles as : Toto Peppino e la malafemmina , Toto al inferno , Toto Peppino e i fuorilegge, Toto lascia o radoppia? . This horrifying picture of the Italian Gothic has a rating 6.5/10 . Decent terror movie.

horror interruptus

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 20 February 2010]

Christopher Lee receives top billing in this Gothic Italian horror film. However, despite this, you really don't see that much of him and he seems much more like a supporting player. Lee fans will no doubt be disappointed in this one--even if the ending is fairly good!

The story is about his daughter, Laura, who may or may not be the reincarnation of a long-dead Satan worshiper. There's a bit more to it than that, including a strange young visitor that comes to the manor and a researcher who is trying to either prove or disprove that Laura is this reincarnation, but it all never really seemed very compelling. THE CRYPT OF HORROR ("La Cripta e L'incubo") is an incredibly frustrating movie to watch. Again and again, it appears as if something genuinely scary is about to occur as the music swells....then nothing. Interestingly for a 1960s movie, the same occurs again and again in scenes where the two female leads appear to be headed towards some scene of overt lesbianism....and then nothing. Because of this, the audience's expectations are piqued again and again...but the scenes are allowed to fall flat--not a recipe for a successful film. The movie did create wonderful moods but the payoff never seemed to materialize. So, as a result, the film not only frustrates but never provides any sort of chills--just a rather lifeless film.

By the way, the copy I watched from "Graveyard Theater" on DVD was amazingly bad--rather blurry and obviously degraded over time. I hope that better copies are available if you do decide to see it--there was a loud hum throughout the film as well.

Morbid, atmospheric Gothic chiller

[goblinhairedguy · 8/10 · 22 June 2004]

This is a superbly old-fashioned and atmospheric chiller from the Italian Gothic horror revival of the 60s. The sets and costumes are stately, the camera-work slithery and shadowy (in good old b&w), and the lush score (featuring theremin and other creepy sounds) is a knockout. Since it is based on the Karnstein legend, there are plenty of exotic, full-figured Euro-starlets on hand to heave their breasts and scream, and the lesbian angle is fairly overt. Best of all, it's played with utmost conviction, avoiding the campiness that often crept into these items (intentionally or not). Although there's not enough sex or violence to appeal to modern genre fans, there are a couple of fine shocks and an inescapable atmosphere of doom and ferocity mingled with eroticism. A must-see for the discerning fan, along with the similarly-themed Slaughter of the Vampires.

I'd like to see a restored Region 1 release of this one

[bensonmum2 · 6/10 · 27 September 2005]

Crypt of Horror appears to be one of those films from the early 60s that has been cut, re-cut, and released under almost a dozen titles. To me, it's a shame that this movie has been treated this way over the years because I found it to be a fairly effective Euro-Gothic treat. The plot deals with Count Karnstein and his fear that his daughter may be the reincarnation of a relative put to death decades earlier for being a witch. Regardless of whether the daughter is a witch or not, members of the Karnstein family are dying rather cruel deaths. The Count must discover the truth to the witch's curse and put a stop to the deaths before the Karnstein family looses another member.

If you are into Gothic horror, there's plenty here to enjoy. Crypt of Horror exudes that Gothic atmosphere and plays a bit like cross between Black Sunday and Castle of Blood. (No, I'm not saying it's as good as either of these films.) I described it to a friend as the best Barbara Steele movie that Barbara Steele never made. A wonderfully creepy castle with miles of secret passages, dreams of dead relatives that become reality, women in flowing white gowns wandering through the night, rituals designed to raise the dead, and a hint of lesbianism are the highlights of the movie. Add to that the presence of Christopher Lee (even if he has very little to do) and you've got the basics of a good movie.

But given my rating (6/10), it's obvious I had some problems with Crypt of Horror. Whether it's the result of editing, poor dubbing, or an incoherent script, there are problems with the plot. There are far too many things that happen that make little sense or seem to have no bearing on anything else going on. Take the housekeeper and her continued attempts to bring the spirit of the dead witch back to life. Sure, the witch is pivotal to the plot, but why is she trying to summon the witch? What is her motivation? At least in my copy of the movie, it's never explained. There are other examples of where the plot gets muddled, but you get the idea.

Tedium in the Crypt.

[BA_Harrison · 3/10 · 21 July 2018]

A stormy castle, dark shadowy corridors, dusty old tombs, heaving bosoms, a creepy housemaid, flickering candles: if you've seen more than a handful of Euro gothic horror films, you'll know what to expect with Terror In The Crypt, just one of several films based on Sheridan Le Fanu's classic novel Carmilla. Hell, this film even has a hunchback! And yet, despite all the right ingredients, director Camillo Mastrocinque fails to generate the ominous atmosphere necessary to make it all work, largely thanks to an dull script that goes round in circles and a pace that plods like a knackered mule. Even the presence of legendary horror thesp Christopher Lee does little to improve matters.

Lee plays Count Ludwig Karnstein , whose beautiful daughter Laura (Adriana Ambesi) suffers from a series of terrible nightmares in which members of her family are murdered, something that also occurs in reality. Concerned that his daughter is possessed by the spirit of witch Scirra, who centuries earlier cursed the Karnstein family, the Count hires historian Friedrich Klauss (José Campos) to try and find a portrait of the wicked woman and so identify the killer. Meanwhile, Laura befriends pretty houseguest Lyuba (Ursula Davis), who might just hold the key to the mystery.

A couple of cool scenes - the hunchback hanging from a bell rope and the dead housemaid sitting up in her coffin - hint at what might have been given a tighter script and a less leisurely approach, but as it stands, this is one for gothic horror completists only.

Bubbling over with gothic tropes

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 24 February 2018]

TERROR IN THE CRYPT is a fine addition to the Italian gothic cycle that suffers nothing from being cliched and overly familiar. Guest star Christopher Lee - who dubs himself in AIP's English version - plays Count Karnstein, a man who resides in a forbidding old ancestral home and lives in fear of an ancient curse coming true. He employs a historian to find out the veracity of said curse, and the pot boils from there. This is basically a collection of gothic tropes and imagery, played out one after another. There are shadows, empty rooms, spectral events, bats, mysterious characters, a hunchback, a beggar, a murder, a Hand of Glory, familial secrets, a murky crypt, a coffin, vampirism, witch burning a la BLACK SUNDAY, black magic, and more cobwebs than you can throw a candlestick at. It's a lot of fun to see Lee playing a human character for once during this part of his career and the supporting cast are well picked too. Sit back and just soak up the atmosphere.

Gothic Lesbians and finger-pointing corpses; oh my!

[Coventry · 6/10 · 31 March 2010]

One thing I could immediately appreciate about "Crypt of the Vampire" were the masterfully atmospheric opening sequences of a young girl, wandering around the woods by herself at night, and approaching an eerie and seemingly abandoned carriage. She spots something, dies instantly and we the viewers only witness the door of the coach slowly closing again. This was a wondrous mood-setter for an obscure and late 60's European horror gem with the inexhaustible Christopher Lee and directed by a random Italian dude who wanted to be as successful as Mario Bava ("Black Sunday") or Antonio Margheriti ("The Virgin of Nuremberg"). The heavenly beautiful Laura Karnstein, daughter of the honorable Count Ludwig played by Lee, witnesses the aforementioned opening sequence in a dream. Since she suffers from this kind of nightmares quite regularly, her concerned father seeks the help of the acclaimed Friedrich Klauss, who professionally restores manuscripts. Hopefully he can find a link between Laura and a notorious ancestor of the Karnsteins; a countess who reputedly kidnapped and killed young girls for the purpose of witchcraft. Is Laura really the reincarnation of her wicked ancestor, like the family curse states, or is the Count's young mistress Annette simply trying to drive the righteous heiress towards insanity? "Crypt of the Vampire" nearly isn't on par with some other contemporary European Gothic horror movies, but it's nevertheless a compelling and definitely worthwhile film. The script is full of obvious and slightly less obvious twists and occasionally even dares to touch certain taboo subjects, like subtle hints towards lesbianism. The Karnstein Castle is always shown from the same perspective, from beneath a hillside, but the interior filming locations are nice and gloomy. All the obligatory goth-horror elements are well represented, including thunderstorms, spontaneously dying candles, secret passageways, hidden vaults, etc. There are also a handful of uniquely grisly and genuinely horrific images in the film like the sight of a hunchback hanging dead from a chiming church bell, a corpse emerging from a coffin and pointing out who murdered her and voodoo practicing housemaids. Christopher Lee doesn't exactly give away his greatest performance ever, but even as a mediocre player he's still worth admiring. Luckily, in this case he also receives excellent support from the ravishing female cast members Adriana Ambesi and Véra Valmont.

Incubate this

[lee_eisenberg · 5/10 · 7 March 2007]

While I usually like Christopher Lee, he couldn't win 'em all. "La cripta e l'incubo" (AKA "Terror in the Crypt") loosely centers on a family in which the daughter may or may not be a reincarnation of an executed relative who may or may not have been a witch. As I understand it, this movie was based on a story called "Carmilla"; well, hopefully someone will one day make a clearer version (or has there already been one?).

Yes, there are some really hot women in this movie, but that's about it; in most of these kinds of movies, hot women and a cool plot complement each other. It's far from the worst movie ever, but it might have come out better with the presence of Barbara Steele and/or Ingrid Pitt.

Vampires, Witches & Evil Spirits - Oh My!

[Rainey-Dawn · 7/10 · 20 May 2016]

The film is known by a few titles 'La cripta e l'incubo' (original title)'Crypt of Horror' aka 'Terror in the Crypt' aka 'Crypt of the Vampire' - no matter the title, it's a pretty good Gothic vampire and witch film. I enjoyed the film anyway.

It's basically about a girl who is having nightmares and taken ill. Her father calls in a doctor for help and a historian to find out more about the family history - to see if he can find what the family curse is and help put an end to it.

This is a film that if you enjoy the clichés like: family curses, vampires, witches, worshiping devils, evil spirits, nightmares, castles, cellars, graveyards and crypts all rolled into a fun Gothic film experience then you might like this particular movie.

7.5/10

Pacing that sucks the life out of the audience.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 6 May 2021]

There are a lot of great things in this Italian movie that looks like something from Universal in the 30's which does give it uninteresting love especially with a 1960's sexual sensibility to it and more evil than Bela Lugosi's Dracula was allowed to show. Christopher Lee plays the patriarch of a wealthy family consumed by a vampire's curse which seems to turn their women into demonic creatures. There's a very dour housekeeper who seems to be the gatekeeper she's getting the evil release. She's basically a variation of Mrs. Danvers with Rebecca the demonic succubus, and that does add an interesting element to the film.

A damned vampiress seeks revenge on the family that destroyed her by making herself able to take over other women in the family. This leads to some very chilling moments, but there really aren't a lot of frights even though the atmosphere suggests that something evil is happening. It's like the script got vampire teeth marks in its neck which drained out the necessary plasma that would have made this better. Unfortunately, Lee is totally wasted (in his favor, he did a lot of films each year so this is more likely a quickly made appearance where he was allowed to do his few scenes in a matter of days and get out of there), but of course, any film that he's in has a bit of class added to it.

Quite a suprise

[NerdBat · 6/10 · 1 February 2018]

Apart from a rather odd or ridiculous scenario here and there, this film was quite surprising. I've seen many, MANY films of this genre, and very few get a rating any higher than a 4. This one however, stood out. The film moves at a pace in which things are easy to understand, but not too fast or too slow. The plot is quite suspenseful, and leads you to exciting twists here and there. The overall idea of the film was fairly unique as well, leading the viewer on a scavenger hunt with the characters to crack down on what's really going on. This was a film, out of many I've reviewed, that I might actually watch a second time one day.

Boring

[invisibleunicornninja · 5/10 · 26 October 2018]

This is a movie that plays in the background of a real movie. Its a movie that isn't good or bad or interesting or boring even as my header may suggest. It is nothing and everything.

Something that it truly is, however, is not worth watching.

'A finely honed Gothic baroque'

[Weirdling_Wolf · 8/10 · 23 January 2014]

'Terror In The Crypt' generously boasts two gloriously-breasted starlets, and the looming, venerable presence of horror icon Christopher Lee, whose sepulchral-toned, Count Ludwig adds much verisimilitude to the overtly familiar Karnstein family misfortunes. 'Terror In The Crypt' is a noirish Gothic melodrama, with prolific scrivener Ernesto Gastaldi doing yet another salacious riff on Sheridan le Fanu's immortal blood-spiller 'Camilla'.

While the film has an admittedly lugubrious pace, this actually sits quite happily against the musty, high contrast, cobwebbed theatrics. Whereas, Jesus Franco will have even less plot, a surfeit of orgiastic flesh and interminable half-hour zooms; DP's, Guiseppe Aquari & Julio Ortas have clearly taken much care over their breathtaking compositions; with their effective use of chiaroscuro lighting, and some impressive, yet wonderfully subtle tracking shots. The striking master shots are equally atmospheric, giving vintage fright fans a glorious gander at all the finely honed Gothic baroque Camillo Mastrocinque has so meticulously crafted. I was also beguiled by Carlo Savina's spare, piano-led score, eerily placing the viewer dead centre within all these macabre machinations! To the uninitiated this all might seem a tad ponderous, but to those of us who still appreciate a rippingly lurid, creep-creeping yarn; wherein buxom, kohl-eyed lovelies cower timorously beneath their vampiric violators, and bloody maleficence creeps beyond the boundaries of death, 'Terror In The Crypt' is a timeless Gothic classic deserving of a little more kudos than it currently generates.

Pretty good Italian gothic version of 'Carmilla'

[Red-Barracuda · 6/10 · 15 December 2021]

This Italian gothic is one of several movies based on the 1872 novel Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu. Consequently, like the later Vampire Lovers, this is another movie which taps into the lesbian vampire theme. Seeing as it was released in the early 60's, this is less explicit than some later movies and the emphasis is more on atmosphere than anything, which is helped a lot by the black and white cinematography (these types of films are almost always better when in B&W than in colour). This one stars Christopher Lee as a Count who believes his daughter is possessed by an evil long dead ancestor, who was a notorious witch - shades of Bava's classic the Mask of Satan pretty obviously from that synopsis - so, he hires a guy to investigate the mystery and a bunch of gothic-based things happen. Worth a watch.

Terror In the Crypt

[BandSAboutMovies · 5/10 · 31 October 2023]

La cripta e l'incubo was released in the U. S. on TV by American-International Pictures and retitled Terror In the Crypt. The script was called La maledizione dei Karnstein and Ernesto Gastaldi said that he wrote it in a day. It's based on Carmilla and is the third adaption of that book after Vampyr and Blood and Roses.

Antonio Margheriti was the intended director but was busy, so Camillo Mastrocinque, who usually made comedies, directed. He also directed An Angel for Satan. He was helped by co-writer and assistant director Tonino Valerii, who would direct some great Westerns like The Price of Power, Day of Anger and My Name Is Nobody as well as the giallo My Dear Killer.

Count Von Karnstein (Christopher Lee) claims that his family is cursed and the next victim is his daughter Laura (Adriana Ambesi). She keeps dreaming of horrific scenes where she finds people with all of the blood drained out of their bodies.

That's because Sira Von Karnstein, one of their ancestors, was killed for being a witch which has led to the family suffering for centuries. The maid conducts a ritual - with a hand of glory created from the body of a lynched and decapitated dwarf - that brings back Sira just in time for another girl to show up named Lyuba (Ursula Davis) and the murders - and an obsession between Laura and the young lady - to really begin.

This may start to feel like a cover version of some of your Italian gothic horror favorites - fog, skeletons, a woman being put to death and cursing everyone, white gowns barely covering gorgeous Italian women - but those are some pretty awesome things to bring back. I'm for all of it, including Christopher Lee as the hero.

Another in the Saga of the Karnsteins

[ldeangelis-75708 · 7/10 · 29 January 2023]

I wonder if this family ever sat down to a peaceful Sunday dinner? Probably not. Anyway: I liked seeing Christopher Lee in a role other than Dracula or some other villain. Here, he's a concerned father, worried about his daughter, trying to help her in the present (19th century) through knowledge of the family's past. The man he hires to do the research would like to become his son-in-law. But then, a mysterious young woman shows up and complicates things.

There are a few flaws here and there, but for the most part this is a good movie, one of the better ones in the Carmilla genre. You won't regret giving it a try.