"The Haunted Castle" *** (out of ****) F.W. Murnau was one of the great figures in silent cinema. He is responsible, for what I would claim, are two of the greatest horror films ever, "Nos-feratu" (1922), a movie which many film buffs cite as the greatest vampire movie ever made, and "Faust" (1926), which I have reviewed already, a supernatural account of the famous legend done with spectacular effects which to this day can amaze and excite viewers.
With such a reputation I have been greatly looking forward to seeing "The Haunted Caste" (1921) since Kino released their F.W. Murnau collection some months back. The collection consisted of previously released films like "Nosferatu" and "The Last Laugh" (1924) but the real treat was this film. It would be the first time "The Haunted Castle" would be on DVD.
With Halloween upcoming I thought now would be the perfect time to view the film and write about it. Sadly, the film doesn't live up to its expectations and left me feeling slightly disappointed.
When you make a movie called "The Haunted Castle" I think it is fair to assume first of all the film will be about a haunted castle. I was under the impression the movie was going to be one of those stories where a group of people get together in a creepy old house while unexplainable events occur, perhaps even the death of one of the characters. But that is not what this film is. Murnau has different ideas and goes about those ideas with a different approach.
My first reaction was to give the film a negative star rating. But, the more I thought about it, the more unfair I thought that would be. It wasn't this film's fault I walked in with preconceived notions and heightened expectations. So I decided to watch the film again, this time knowing what to expect, and evaluate it for what it actually is not what it doesn't become.
So, first thing first. "The Haunted Castle" is not a horror film. It is a slight mystery movie. The set-up could have made for a horror story but writer Carl Meyer (who wrote "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari", 1920) and Murnau didn't want to make one. The film takes place on a dark and rainy night where a group of people have come together at the home of Lord von Vogelschrey (Arnold Korff) and his wife (Lulu Kyser-Korff). They were suppose to go on a hunt, but the rain has delayed their plans for several days. Unexpectedly, a guest arrives, Count Oetsch (Lothar Mehnert), who wasn't invited in the first place. Oetsch was once put on trial for the death of his brother (Paul Hartmann). His former sister-in-law, now a Baroness (Olga Tschechowa) is expected to arrive with her new husband, Baron Safferstatt (Paul Bildt). Knowing this Oetsch refuses to leave. He wants to confront these two.
A film such as this is quite dependent upon tone. "The Haunted Castle" does a terrible job establishing a proper mood and atmosphere. We never really sense great danger at any time and Lothar Menhnert seems to be going out of his way to make the character appear sinister and mysterious. The film is also shot too brightly. The castle should be dark and gloomy. Murnau should be having fun playing around with shadows. Instead the film is shot pretty conventionally. No great effects, no memorable cinematography. Murnau isn't pushing the medium at all here. That is quite unusual I felt. He did some truly remarkable things with "Faust" and "Sunrise" (1927), his first American film. Here I get the impression Murnau was still developing his craft. Since many of his early German films are now considered lost, I don't know if he ever shot a film in this genre before, but, knowing what was to come, he made "Nosferatu" only a year later, it would suggest Murnau was still in his beginning stages.
I read that "The Haunted Castle" was considered one of the first "haunted house" stories. I don't know if that is true but what I do know is, if you are looking for a much more successful story dealing with a similar concept turn to another German filmmaker, Paul Leni, who directed "The Cat & the Canary" (1927). That is a vastly superior film compared to this which actually creates tension and suspense. It establishes a proper mood. The film is an exercise in atmosphere. Everything Murnau should have done here Leni does in his American debut film. I will have to include it in my "Masterpiece Film Series".
So why am I recommending this film if it doesn't take full advantage of the possibilities of the plot? As it is, "The Haunted Castle" is a somewhat interesting story. There is no real tension but it can hold your interest at moments even though the story is terribly predictable. I think most viewers will be able to figure out what is going on very quickly. I'm also recommending the film as a curiosity piece. If you like F.W. Murnau you'll want to see this, if only so you can see how Murnau grew as an artist in his later works.
Walking into the film I wasn't really expecting to be scared. The film was made in 1921 and I seriously doubt something this aged could have had such an effect on me. But I was hoping to be amazed by Murnau's technique. I also expected the story to be predictable, only because so many later films have drawn on it for inspiration, that we are now use to the set-up. But I thought I would have fun seeing Murnau play around with convention.
"The Haunted Castle" doesn't do these things but it shouldn't be avoided. Film buffs and Murnau devotees (does such a thing exist today?) will take a special interest in this. The casual movie fan will probably want to skip this. It wouldn't make for a fun Halloween viewing. Try watching "The Cat & the Canary" instead or one of Val Lewton's horror films for some some classic horror film fun.
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