We couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw the news that popped up this past week.  Severin Films, with sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, had circled Aug. 27 on the release calendar for a stunning new 4K Ultra HD presentation (from the original camera negative) of Barbara Steele’s 1964 haunted castle thriller, Castle of Blood.

But there’s more, not only can genre fans savor scream queen legend Barbara Steele in the domestic-consumption English-dubbed theatrical version, but they can also tune into the original Italian-language presentation titled Danza Macabra.

Gothic horror!!  There was none better on screen in the 1960s than Barbara Steele.   If you are a genre fan you likely have Mario Bava’s Black Sunday, the Vincent Price delight directed by none other than the late Roger Corman, The Pit and the Pendulum and Nightmare Castle (among others) in your collection.  Certainly one of the previous incarnations of Castle of Blood resides there as well … but how can you say no to a newly-minted 4K Ultra HD edition?   

Simple answer: you can’t!!

Especially when you consider the bonus features included with this 4K Ultra HD edition from Severin Films.

We begin with commentary featuring “The Bloody Pit” podcast’s Rod Barnett, who is joined by author Dr. Adrian Smith (“Norman J. Warren: Gentleman of Terror”) and vintage selected scene commentary with Barbara Steele and Steele archivist Russ Lanier.

Also included here are an extensive collection of production featurettes — “Exploring The Castle of Blood,” “The Director Who Didn’t Like Blood,” “Enigmatic Elegance: Unveiling The Haunting Legacy of Barbara Steele in the Italian Gothic,” “Return to the Castle” and “Antonio Margheriti Remembers Castle of Blood and Barbara Steele.”