Fangoria, Full Moon, and RLJE Films have released the official trailer to their 2020 remake of Castle Freak, starring Clair Catherine and Emily Sweet. This modern take updates the 1995 film directed by Stuart Gordon, and previously starred Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton.
“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 we love the official trailer to the Castle Freak “re-imagination”:
5) The Cast!
The new cast includes Clair Catherine, Jake Horowitz, Chris Galust, and Emily Sweet. Barbara Crampton, who was one of the original stars, is producing this movie.
4) A New Story!
It feels like screenwriter Kathy Charles isn’t rehashing the same story. The original film featured Combs and Crampton as an estranged couple on the verge of a marital breakdown. In a nice nod to the ’95 film, Rebecca (played by Jessica Dollarhide) was also blinded in a vehicular accident.
3) Still Lovecraftian!
Based on the trailer’s footage, director Tate Steinsiek definitely has a different visual style. Steinsiek has more of a slasher flair, especially with his teases of a secret cult and monster. Gordon’s direction was heavily inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s writing, particularly The Outsider and The Rats in the Walls.
2) It’s a Re-Imagining!
The original Castle Freak is a cult classic in its own right. But you can tell it’s dated. Viewers can tell it’s the ‘90s because of the clothing, the fact there are no cell phones, and social media is nonexistent. This update isn’t a shot-for-shot remake either, like Gus Van Sant’s Psycho and Jeremiah S. Chechik’s Diabolique.
1) Completely Different!
Last year, Crampton spoke about producing the new take to Movie Web. Proving my point that it’s not a rehash, the Re-Animator actress said, “We have a completely different premise for the story. The characters are all different. There are a few similarities. There is a freak. There is a castle. There is a character named Rebecca and there’s a character named John, but who they are and their relationship is completely different, and we have a whole new cast of characters.”
Castle Freak will be available through On Demand and Digital HD on December 4th, 2020.