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Rating: 
Summary: Glad I read the other reviews...
Review: I have other "drive-in" tapes from Madacy and am quite happy with them. TRACK OF THE VAMPIRE sounded intriguing, and the price was right. I was all set to lambast this film, until I read the other reviews and was informed that there was footage missing. I love 50's trash horror, bad acting, etc., but I wasn't prepared to be as bored as I was. I guess I don't equate bad acting with sleepwalking. And what was with that overlong deal with the dancer on the beach? Suddenly, it was over. On came a Betty Boop cartoon. I thought OH JOY! The cartoon wasn't even that good, though Ms. Boop showed maximum cleavage and overt sexiness, apparently before she ran into trouble with the Hayes code (1932). Surprise! The second film, NIGHTMARE CASTLE was blessedly interesting. Directed by Allan Gruenewald (real name: Mario Caiano) and starring the wonderfully confident Barbara Steele, we have here a film of great style, if not substance. Though poorly dubbed, fans of this genre don't really care. I didn't. Lotsa schlock & silly stuff entertained. Upon further investigation, I was interested to find out that TRACK was actually pasted together with footage from a Yugoslavian film and originally released by AIP as BLOOD BATH. Forget this version of TRACK, but CASTLE is definitely worth a look. Quality of print is also questionable. Madacy did a much better job with BLOOD CREATURE/WEREWOLF IN A GIRLS' DORMITORY. Check 'em out!
Rating:
Summary: Close but not quite
Review: I was really excited when I read a review stating that this is the best Track of The Vampire has ever looked on home video. This is true, but it's also missing a fairly substantial amout of footage. The second victims drowning on the beach is missing a chunk, the scene where the Sordi cathes the nightclub act of the stripper is gone, there's an obvious jump in the scene where one of Sordi's future victims is researching his history, and the murder of one of the models is also cut short. Add to this some pretty so-so audio and the annoying cartoon Drive-screen that the film starts out in, you may find this release of Track a bit disappointing. That said, that this found it's way on to DVD at all is something to be grateful for.
Rating: 
Summary: At last on DVD but what happened to the negative?
Review: This is one of those atmospheric horror films churned out from AIP during the 60's heyday which made its way to late night TV. It has had a fascinating history being culled from numerous sources and creative hands. (Video Watchdog magazine had an excellent multipart chronology on its making.)That being said, why on earth did Madacy not transfer a complete version of this film to DVD? The rights were available on VHS from Sinister Cinema distributor and that version is complete. How can the DVD be missing chunks of original footage that was available even on tv? They need to recall the current crop and rerelease it correctly. Dream on. The film itself is not great or best of vampire films, but it had a dark mood and some chilling scenes that mixed eroticism with suspense. Don't look too closely for the plot and the overall feel of the film does crawl under your skin. I recommend Dementia 13 for folks who like this flick.
Rating:
Summary: Nightmare Castle is a suprisingly creepy and effective movie
Review: This review covers Nightmare Castle only, not Track of the Vampire, which is included on the 2 movie dvd. This is a surprisingly creepy and effective movie. Barbara Steele play two characters to great effect and after watching the movie twice I am calling it one of the best European gothic horrors of the 60's... once you get past the terrible dubbing and grainy print that is. There is a little bit of haunted house, crazy doctor, depraved torture, gorgeous babe and a story that is actually interesting and compelling. Barbara Steele plays two sisters, Jenny and Muriel. Muriel is married to a scientists, Dr. Arrowsmith (Paul Mueller), and they live in a castle along with a maid, butler and handyman. Muriel is having an affair with the handyman and they are caught by the doctor. He chains them up and tortures them for awhile before Muriel tells him that she has changed her will, and the castle and all of her money have been left to her sister, Jenny, who has been living in an asylum because she is somehow feeble. The doctor then kills both Muriel and her lover and next thing we know he arrives home with Muriel's sister, Jenny, as his new bride. The maid at at the house, Solange, has a severely scarred face and the doctor is working on some sort of serum based on human blood to restore beauty to her face. They also have plans to get Jenny committed permanently to the asylum so they can take over her newly inherited fortune. They start doing little things to push her over the edge and Jenny starts having strange nightmares. Jenny's doctor from the asylum, Dr. Joyce, is sent for by her husband to witness how unstable she has become. He arrives at the castle and after a day or two starts figuring out that Dr. Arrowhead and Solange are up to no good. Around this time the dead Muriel and her lover make an appearance at the castle seeking their revenge. Without spoiling the movie too much, I will say that Solange and Dr. Arrowhead start getting what is coming to them. The movie is 80 minutes long and I read at one review website that apparently there is another version on VHS with more footage. But this dvd version along with Track of The Vampire is barely more money than a rental which makes it a worthwhile purchase, especially because there are no plans at the moment for any company to re-release an longer version of this gem of a movie.
Rating: 
Summary: I Shall Astound the World!
Review: Track of the Vampire is a silly paste job done by AIP and Roger Corman in 1964, but it works on a so-bad-it's-good level. A confusing hodgepodge of witchcraft, vampirism(attacks in broad daylight!), a house of wax, and beatniks(?!). My favorite parts involve interpretive dance (a lot of girls leaping about in a gym) and the origin of quantum painting.
Jack Hill, without really meaning to, made one hell of a hooty cult film here. Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: I Shall Astound the World!
Review: Track of the Vampire is a silly paste job done by AIP and Roger Corman in 1964, but it works on a so-bad-it's-good level. A confusing hodgepodge of witchcraft, vampirism(attacks in broad daylight!), a house of wax, and beatniks(?!). My favorite parts involve interpretive dance (a lot of girls leaping about in a gym) and the origin of quantum painting.
Jack Hill, without really meaning to, made one hell of a hooty cult film here. Recommended.
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