WEB OF THE SPIDER On Blu-ray From Film Masters

 

My last blog post was on a Blu-ray of Antonio Margheriti's CASTLE OF BLOOD, so I might as well follow that up with a look at a special edition release of the remake of that film: WEB OF THE SPIDER. This 1971 feature was also helmed by Margheriti, and it is included on a two-disc Blu-ray set from Film Masters along with the 1967 German Krimi CREATURE WITH THE BLUE HAND. Each film gets its own disc. (I'll be covering CREATURE WITH THE BLUE HAND on a future post.) 

One wonders why Margheriti and the producers of CASTLE OF BLOOD decided to remake that film at all. WEB OF THE SPIDER was made only seven years after its predecessor, and while it is in color (the original was in black & white), the storyline is almost exactly the same, and many of the shot compositions and lines of dialogue are the same as well. The major difference (other than the casting) is that the opening sequence with Edgar Allan Poe has been expanded. WEB OF THE SPIDER shows a disheveled, dazed Poe (now played by the infamous Klaus Kinski) stumbling about an underground crypt, and then madly unearthing a grave. The movie then shifts to Poe telling the story of this incident in an English pub, and the rest of the film follows the basic structure of CASTLE OF BLOOD. This opening gets the viewer's attention, but unfortunately nothing else in WEB OF THE SPIDER lives up to it. 

WEB OF THE SPIDER does offer up a few subtle differences, such as a too-obvious hint about the climatic twist, but anyone familiar with CASTLE OF BLOOD will feel that they are watching a lesser version of the same film. CASTLE OF BLOOD, as I see it, is far more atmospheric and visually arresting, and the black & white image works much better for this type of story. There's nothing wrong with the color in WEB OF THE SPIDER, but it feels as if it lacks vitality. (One can only imagine what Jack Asher or Mario Bava could have brought to this production.) The production design and costumes of WEB are stylish enough, but overall I feel that the movie just doesn't have that certain something that would put it in the top tier of Euro Gothics. 

Anthony Franciosa plays the role of Alan Foster in WEB, and while there's nothing terrible about his performance, the actor comes off as too modern to be a man of the 19th Century. Michele Mercier (BLACK SABBATH) gets the thankless task of playing the role of Elisabeth, which was filled so memorably by Barbara Steele in CASTLE OF BLOOD. Mercier is capable enough, but she doesn't have Steele's unsettling, iconic quality....but then again, how many other actresses would have that? Ironically, Silvano Tranquili, who played Poe in CASTLE OF BLOOD, gets the role of one of the specters from the past in WEB. Klaus Kinski once again makes the biggest impression in a very small role. 

There's nothing wrong with Film Masters' presentation of WEB OF THE SPIDER on Blu-ray. The American version of the film is presented here, in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, and the print is very nice. This version has an English voice track and main titles, which means the director is credited as Anthony M. Dawson. An Independent-International logo appears before the start of the film. 

Film Masters has provided a new audio commentary for WEB, featuring genre experts Kim Newman and Stephen Jones. The duo give one of their usual enthusiastic talks, as they discuss the careers of the actors involved, make comparisons between the original and the remake, and point out how the original Italian version of WEB differs from the English one (both men believe the latter is the cut of the movie that works best). It's a fast-moving discussion (the duo go from one subject to another very quickly). An American trailer for CASTLE OF BLOOD is included, along with a new trailer for WEB OF THE SPIDER prepared by Film Masters. This is a Region A release. 

There's also a 22-page booklet inside the disc case, with two essays and a few stills from each film. The essay dealing with WEB OF THE SPIDER is called "Cobwebs and Castles", and it is written by Christopher Stewardson. The author compares the two features, and discusses how WEB fits into the shifting state of early 70s Italian horror cinema. He also points out that one reason WEB doesn't seem to be as atmospheric as CASTLE OF BLOOD is due to the fact that the interior lighting is too bright, a view I agree with. 

WEB OF THE SPIDER isn't on the same level as CASTLE OF BLOOD, and even Antonio Margheriti would say later in life that a color remake was not a good idea. Nevertheless, if one had not been aware of CASTLE OF BLOOD, that person might be more apt to appreciate WEB OF THE SPIDER. It's not a terrible remake, and Film Masters has presented it very well on this Blu-ray. Besides, how many times is one able to watch a remake that is helmed by the same director, using the same script?