Castle Freak, Castle Freak 2020

Fangoria, Full Moon, and RLJE Films have released their sexy and twisted remake of Castle Freak, starring Clair Catherine and Emily Sweet, onto Shudder. Director Tate Steinsiek takes the necessary bits from the original 1995 film directed by Stuart Gordon, which also starred Jeffrey Combs  and Barbara Crampton, and just has a blast mixing eroticism with the supernatural. 

“After she’s permanently blinded in a tragic car accident, Rebecca receives some bizarre news: her long-lost-mother has recently passed away, leaving her their family’s ancestral castle. Traveling to the estate with a group of friends, Rebecca hopes it will be an opportunity for her to reconnect with a past she never knew—and a mother who seemingly left her behind. When mysterious happenings begin to occur and her friends begin to die, Rebecca must unravel her family’s mysterious history before she too falls prey to the Castle Freak.”

Here are 5 reasons why you have to watch the 2020 version of Castle Freak:

5) Clair Catherine!

Because screenwriter Kathy Charles isn’t rehashing the same story, there’s a bit more freedom to play with Rebecca, Clair Catherine’s character. In a twisted coming-of-age story, Rebecca is on a path of self-discovery after being surrounded by toxic relationships, especially by a douchey boyfriend.  Because she’s such an engaging presence, Catherine portrays Rebecca’s internal denial and growth with a sympathetic touch. 

4) Emily Sweet!

The horror movie gets an extra boost of energy when Emily Sweet pops up as Shelly in the second act. Dominating the screen, Sweet looks like she’s having a lot of fun playing the femme fatale. Sweet adds a bit more personality and feistiness to the role.

3) The Nudity!

 It’s like this movie was targeted specifically for me and my target demographic. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! 

2) The Direction!

I’m not going to dive into the third act because of spoilers. But I do want to say I love how director Tate Steinsiek just went bananas with the final minutes of the horror flick. Bananas! On top of the eye-popping imagery, Steinsiek wants to add a teaser after the credits. 

1) Completely Different!

The latest re-imagination of Castle Freak has absolutely no intention of being anything like its predecessor. You’ll love how bonkers this version of Castle Freak gets toward the end. 

Castle Freak is available through Shudder, On Demand and Digital HD.

By Jorge Solis