Review: The Black Castle

My review of the Black Castle for Netflix

Not really horror so much as a gothic adventure, this is a beautifully filmed but pedestrian tale of intrigue, with the hero going undercover to investigate a remote castle from which some people never seem to return. It's "classy," but too stiff and restrained for me, lacking the oomph that make the older Universal horror flicks so much fun. Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney, Jr. are brought in as supporting characters to give it street cred. Karloff, as he often does, plays for sympathy, though you're never really sure quite what he's up to. Chaney, in decline, plays a mute servant, but I can't get his image out of my head. The rich, black & white photography of his weathered features is the most memorable part of the movie for me.