Original Italian Title: IL CASTELLO DELLA DONNE MALEDETTE
[The Castle of Cursed Woman]
also known as FRANKENSTEIN'S CASTLE OF FREAKS (Edited Version)
and CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN

director: Robert H. Oliver [see commentary below]
starring: Rossano Brazzi · Edmund Purdom · Michael Dunn · Simone Blondel
Krista Roker · Gordon Mitchell · Luciano Pigozzi (as Alan Collins)
Kiro Papas · Salvatore Baccaro (as Boris Lugosi)

  

Circa 19th century, Italy. A mad-scientist named Count Frankenstein is busy performing life-and-death experiments on a prehistoric "missing link" cave man discovered running amok in the local countryside. His busty daughter, Maria, is also visiting the castle with her fiancee. Plus she's brought along an even bustier friend named Krista. When Dr Frankenstein isn't conducting his experiments, he's seducing Krista. Meanwhile, his dwarf assistant Genz has betrayed Frankenstein's trust by spying on the girls while they frolic nude in a grotto pool. The misbehaving dwarf gets kicked out of the castle but he befriends another hulking Neanderthal in the woods and the two of them go on a rape and murder spree in the village.

An amazing example of Euro cinema excess, finally available in an original uncut print. The cast - consisting of an exceptional group of competent performers - is headlined by Rossano Brazzi, best known to English-speaking audiences for his role in Rogers & Hammerstein's musical South Pacific (1958) as well as other Hollywood blockbusters (Three Coins In The Fountain, Barefoot Contessa, et al). Inexplicably, Rossano moved back to Italy in 1969 to star in a collection of unusual films including SEX OF THE DEVIL, SEVEN MEN AND A BRAIN with Ann-Margaret and the psychedelic thriller PSYCHOUT FOR MURDER [Al of which he directed]. Mr Brazzi died in Rome, December 1994, after complications with a neural virus. He was 78 years old.

Mystery surrounds the true identify of the director hiding behind the Robert H. Oliver pseudonym. Seemingly, there are three popular theories. First, in an interview, Simone Blondel (real name Simonetta Vitelli) said that she only made movies for her director father Demofilo Fidani [aka Miles Deem] and this is his film (as well as her last). Secondly, notorious American TV producer Dick Randall moved his business to Europe in the mid '60s and brokered numerous films including the Jayne Mansfield mondo flick PRIMITIVE LOVE, Ajita Wilson's BLACK DEEP THROAT and a few Rosalba Neri movies [LOVERS OF THE DEVIL and FRENCH SEX MURDERS]. He takes credit as the writer and director for this film and GIRL IN ROOM 2A made the same year.
Third, cinematographer Mario Mancini directed ORGIES OF FRANKENSTEIN a year earlier with much of the same cast. He identifies Dick Randall as the producer but claims this movie [as well as GIRL IN ROOM 2A] was helmed by him. Since all of the principle players are (sadly) no longer with us, the truth will likely never be known.