"Baron von Klaus"(1962), by contrast, is a traditional gothic horror movie. The genuinely eerie mood of the film results from a relatively tight screenplay, decent acting, good cinematography and inspired direction.

"Baron von Klaus" bears considerable resemblance to the equally engaging "Doctor Orlof" (1964). Both are filmed in highly effective black-and-white, both tell stories of reclusive madmen, and both feature the creepy, bug-eyed Howard Vernon.

The DVD release is as excellent as the film itself. IMAGE adds another solid entry in its EUROSHOCK series. The film reproduction is first class, with sharp detail and minimal print damage in evidence throughout.


Put off watching a Franco film- don't delay!   November 2, 2001
 4 out of 5 found this review helpful

For those of you who have put off watching a Franco film- don't delay watch this film! This is one of his most atmospheric, scary, and obsessed films. There are echoes of H.P. Lovecraft here: the young heir falling under the influence of his evil ancestor "Charles Dexter Ward". "The Music of Erich Zann" comes to mind when Hugo Blanco states "My grandfather was a great musician and a murderer". Older reviews state this was a mediocrity, I disagree. There are many tense moments to be found in this mystery. This print features the uncensored torture scene, but does not have the pre-credit murder sequence that I have read exists. The image is beautiful and crisp. The soundtrack is noisy with an ever present hiss, but this is not terribly intrusive. The alternate footage is hardly worth having; it being a shortened version of the explicit torture sequence. The music is virtually non stop, changing mood according to what the scene requires. A "Take Five" variant is just one of the highlights.