Compared are the German Version and the Italian Version.


Writer Alan Foster does not believe in supernatural events and bets with Edgar Allan Poe and Lord Thomas Blackwood that he can spend one night in the haunted castle of Blackwood. Shortly after his arrival, he encounters mysterious Elisabeth and he gets laid. But stable boy Herbert shows up and kills Elisabeth. When Alan chases him, but Herbert and Elisabeth vanish into thin air. Dr. Carmus explains to him that he had only seen ghosts and then he tells Alan the tragic events that lead to their deaths. What Alan does not know yet is that the ghosts require his blood so that it will be a night of terror for him.

Klaus Kinski as Edgar Allan Poe plus Michèle Mercier as mysterious vamp in an Italian Gothic flick based on the tales of Poe. What could possibly go wrong? Well, the pace is rather low so one should not get their expections too high.

The US Blu-ray contains two versions of the movie: The restored main version is the cut US Version while the release also contains the uncut Italian Version as bonus. The US Blu-ray only lacks some plot, probably cut for pace reasons. Not necessarily the worse version. On the contrary, watching the US Version first is not as unrecommandable as one might think at first glance.

The German version is a little special case. The German version is also based on the Italian version, but it is a little bit more shortened than the US version. Interesting is that it contains a scene which is missing in the Italian version. When Herbert attacks Elisabeth in the barn, she can get away from him. Suddenly Julia appears, who seduces Herbert and finally persuades him to murder William. In the Italian version Elisabeth cannot escape, it seems, Herbert kills William out of jealousy, while in the German version Julia clearly stands behind the deed. Since the film is a German co-production, I suspect that the scene was reintroduced by the distributor. Since Karin Field draws blank as Julia, the scenes have additional show values.

Screenshot Comparison:

US Version:

Italian Version:

Duration:

US Version: 93:17 min
Italian Version: 110:44 min
German Version: 88:52 min

[00:00:03][00:00:00]

The drop is visible earlier.

Italian Version: 13 sec


[00:02:57][00:03:16]

Poe roams the tomb longer.

Italian Version: 8 sec


[00:07:56][00:08:37]

Poe thinks Alan should be more patriotic. He sits down and wonders what Alan would have to write about him.

Italian Version: 21 sec


[00:07:58][00:09:01]

The DF shows here a part of the scene that was seen before. Alan sits down and Poe thinks he doesn't understand his work.

Alan says that Poe is well known in London, which means that this will probably be his first and last visit to the city. Poe says that his stories are based on facts and Alan says that he probably has a different perception. Alan orders a Scotch and says that nothing will follow after death.

German Version: 7 sec
Italian Version: 1:03 min


[00:08:36][00:10:36]

The waiter brings the scotch.

Italian Version: 7 sec


[00:08:37][00:10:45]

Alan drinks his Scotch, then Poe tells him what a grave is.

Italian Version: 10 sec


[00:10:05][00:12:27]

The men are leaving because the castle is two hours away.

In the carriage Alan reads a text by Poe about his childhood.

Italian Version: 1:13 min


[00:10:40][00:14:18]

Poe thinks that melancholy in his stories is also connected to beauty. The death of beautiful women is the most poetic theme in the world.

Italian Version: 36 sec


[00:13:26][00:17:46]

Alan looks around the cemetery for a while.

Italian Version: 59 sec


[00:14:06][00:19:27]

Alan can be seen earlier than he comes along the path.

IT: 25 sec.


[00:14:46][00:20:34]

Alan walks through the shed.

IT: 9 sec.


[00:15:23][00:21:22]

Alan looks around and discovers the scarf of Elisabeth. He hears sounds and walks back to the castle.

IT: 32 sec.

[00:15:40][00:22:12]

When Alan entered the castle, he looked at one of the pictures. The DF doesn't start until he walks away from it.

IT: 26 sec.


[00:19:40][00:26:48]

Alan walks to a mirror. He covers his mirror image and remembers Poe's statements about the tomb and the dead. He smiles and moves away from the mirror.

IT: 1:06 Min.


[00:21:04][00:29:22]

A short cut on Alan is missing as he looks at Julia's painting.

IT: 1 sec.


[00:22:03][00:30:25]

Alan looks into the room. In the next setting he can be seen earlier.

IT: 7 sec.


[00:23:18][00:31:50]

Alan plays the piano.

IT: 36 sec.


[00:26:39][00:35:56]

Elisabeth says that Julia is not a Blackwood and Alan will meet her because Julia is always interested in new acquaintances. Alan says he found the scarf in the stable. Elisabeth thanks him for missing him already.

IT: 34 Sek.


[00:30:44][00:40:46]

Julia walks down the hallway longer. Julia runs along the hallway and down the stairs. Elisabeth lurks and warns her to stay out of her business. Elisabeth says she loves Alan and hopes to be happy with him. Julia says that Elisabeth can never be happy. Elisabeth asks for a chance, but Julia thinks she needs her to be happy. Elisabeth says that Julia should stay out of it and that she hates her. Elisabeth runs upstairs.

Alan's reading a book in his room. He keeps looking at the door. The DF begins as he gets up.

IT: 2:25 min.


[00:31:07][00:43:36]

Alan sneaks to the door, but doesn't dare open it. He runs back to the chair to get the gun.

IT: 35 sec.


[00:34:51][00:48:06]

The fire's been on for longer. Julia has been listening at the door and is so angry with her sister that she wants to take revenge on her. William appears and says that he still loves Elisabeth. Julia thinks he should stay out of it. She wants to inform Herbert.

IT: 50 sec.


[00:44:53][00:59:26]

Dr. Carmus is a little early.

IT: 2 sec.


[00:45:26][01:00:04]

Carmus wants Alan to follow him so he can prove him wrong. Carmus thinks that only Poe could have sent him on such a night. Alan asks him how he knows that Poe sent him.

IT: 32 Sek.


[00:46:26][01:01:38]

Blackwood mentions that Elisabeth is back with William. Edith sees Elsie and Maurice kissing. She runs to her parents, to whom Elsie also comes. They think a wedding is imminent.

Elisabeth thanks William for the necklace

IT: 55 sec.


[00:46:40][01:02:46]

William goes to the artist who made the necklace and thanks him. He has to leave for Paris and say goodbye. William runs to Elisabeth and says that they should go back to the party to not neglect the guests. Elisabeth wonders if she deserves the necklace at all.

IT: 37 sec.


[00:47:19][01:04:03]

The guests are to be seen dancing before William and Elisabeth come down.

IT: 18 sec.


[00:48:48][01:05:54]

The guests can be seen dancing before Elisabeth is cut.

IT: 6 sec.


[00:51:26][01:08:46]

William goes back to his guests. The camera pans to Julia.

IT: 15 sec.


[00:52:49][01:10:27]

Herbert attacks Elisabeth, who is less and less defending herself.

The German version offers an alternative scene here.

Elisabeth wants Herbert to stop and manages to get away from him. He stays behind with the scarf.

Julia appears and says that Herbert is a fool and understands his disappointment. She says that she also has a score to settle with Elisabeth and suggests that they don't want to get together.

Julia proposes to make a pact, then she presents her charms. Herbert can't resist and drops into the hay with Julia. She thinks that Elisabeth is sleeping with her husband, whereupon Herbert thinks that he will kill her.

DF: 2:31 min.
IT: 13 sec.


[01:03:50][01:19:32]

Alan wants to leave the room, but is startled when he suddenly sees Carmus. He goes into his room, lights the candles and sits down at his desk. Alan calls because Carmus ignores him. He gets up, looks around carefully. The DF doesn't start until he lights the candle.

IT: 1:12 Min.


[01:04:38][01:21:36]

Carmus walks through the door.

IT: 27 sec.


[01:04:42][01:22:08]

It's longer to see Carmus running down the steps.

IT: 7 sec.


[01:12:39][01:30:34]

Alan calls Maurice to tell him not to leave his wife alone.

IT: 10 sec.


[01:14:50][01:33:01]

The camera's on Dr. Carmus.

IT: 2 sec.


[01:16:04][01:34:21]

Alan flees from the spirits, but Dr. Carmus sees.

IT: 2 sec.


[01:20:51][01:39:22]

The camera pans over the dead couple who think their fate is sealed.

IT: 5 sec.


[01:20:56][01:39:32]

Pan over the spirits who say they need his blood.

IT: 2 sec.


[01:21:11][01:39:50]

The spirits are circling Alan. They think that his destiny is sealed and that they need his blood.

IT: 13 sec.


[01:21:40][01:40:33]

Alan asks why Elisabeth is helping him.

IT: 4 sec.


[01:21:55][01:40:54]

Alan kisses Elisabeth longer. She thinks they should leave before it's too late.

IT: 12 sec.


[01:23:20][01:42:35]

Alan's been running across the cemetery longer. He tears the branch from a grave. Finally he falls to the ground.

IT: 57 sec.


[01:28:52][01:49:19]

The DF cuts onto the grid and then dims.

In the Italian version, the camera continues to move up the grid to the sky. The camera rotates, "Fine" is displayed and the credits follow.

DF: 3 sec.
IT: 1:25 min.