Rating: B
Dir: Jeffrey Schwarz
Star: Terry Castle, John Waters, William Castle, Leonard Maltin
Castle was probably one of a kind, and certainly the last of them. While there are still showmen in the business today – Lloyd Kaufman would be a good example – they don’t operate on the scale of Castle. He would barnstorm his films, and their associated gimmicks, across the country, operating as his own carnival barker. Emergo. Percepto. Illusion-O. The Fright Break. A Punishment Poll. His films may have varied in quality, but courtesy of the promotional techniques which accompanied them, going to see them became an event. I still fondly remember an August 1989 double-bill of House on Haunted Hill and The Tingler at London’s Scala, complete with a skeleton flying over the heads of the audience, and buzzing seats.
The man behind the gimmicks was less well-known, and that’s where the documentary comes in. Through a nicely crafted mix of archive footage and interviews with family, associates and those who experienced his movies, it fills in the blanks, and gives some insight into the producer, director and maverick publicity genius. What particularly comes over is the genuine affection in which everyone seems to hold Castle. He seems capable of charming the birds from the trees, such as getting Vincent Price to take a percentage in lieu of his usual fee for Haunted Hill. Though there was apparently good reason he was known, according to the film, as “The Earl of Deferral,” a background in B-movies leaving him with a keen eye for economy.
I think it’s when exploring his life outside of the well-known period, where the film is strongest. It’s clear Castle was a showman before he got into movies. Before the war, he was promoting a play starring German actress Ellen Schwanneke. After she turned down an invitation to return for an event there, he promoted her as “The girl who said No to Hitler.” He even went full Jussie Smollett, vandalizing the venue himself, and painting swastikas on it for publicity. Similarly, while I was aware he produced Rosemary’s Baby, I didn’t know he wanted to direct it too, having the film handed to Roman Polanski from under him by the studio. He also lost the project that became Orson Welles’s The Lady from Shanghai.
The fact Castle never got to achieve his goal of directing a “proper” A-movie lends a certain poignancy to proceedings, and the documentary takes a darker tone towards the end. Castle caught a lot of flak for his involvement in the “Satanic” Rosemary’s Baby, fell ill shortly after its release, and his subsequent films, including Project X and Shanks, were forgettable failures compared to peak Castle. But the parade of film-makers who sing his praises here, prove how well he is remembered. As well as Waters, Joe Dante, John Landis, Roger Corman and John Badham all speak warmly of Castle. testifying to his unique place in the business. This film is a fitting tribute to a man whose type we will probably never see again.
The film Story will be available to view on AVOD from 1st January 2024.