USA, UK, 1983
96m
35mm, Panavision [anamorphic], Rankcolor, 2.35:1
Dolby Stereo, English
An American/British horror film directed by Michael Mann and based on the novel by F. Paul Wilson.
Plot Summary
A platoon of German troops in Second World War Rumania are sent to guard an ancient fortress high in a mountain pass. One of them accidentally frees an ancient evil that has been trapped in the keep for many years and it attracts the attention of the mysterious Glaeken Trismegestus who psychically senses the release of the evil, Molosar, from his home in Greece. As he races towards Roumania, the German troops are slowly decimated by Molosar…
Credits
Crew
Directed by: Michael Mann
© MCMLXXXIII [1983] by Associates Capital Corporation Ltd./Capital Equipment Leasing Ltd.
Paramount Pictures presents a Howard W. Koch Jr/Gene Kirkwood production. A Michael Mann film
Executive Producer: Colin M. Brewer
Produced by: Gene Kirkwood and Howard W. Koch Jr
Associate Producers: Theresa Curtin, Gavin MacFayden
Associate Producer (Post-production): Richard Brams
Screenplay by: Michael Mann
Based on the novel by F. Paul Wilson
Director of Photography: Alex Thompson
Edited by: Dov Hoenig
Music by: Tangerine Dream
Sound Mixer: Robin Gregory
Costume Designer: Anthony Mendleson
Makeup Artists: Graham Freeborn, Beryl Lerman, Richard Mills
Chief Hairdresser: Barbara Ritchie
Makeup Effects Supervisor: Nick Maley
Visual Effects Supervisors: Wally Veevers, Robin Browne
Production Designed by: John Box
Made at Shepperton Studio Centre, Middlesex, England and on location in North Wales
Casting (U.K.): Noel Davis
Casting (U.S.A.): Nancy Klopper, Bonnie Timmermann
Cast
Scott Glenn (Glaeken [Trismegestus])
Alberta Watson (Eva Cuza)
Jürgen Prochnow ([Captain Klaus] Woermann)
Robert Prosky (Father Fonescu)
Gabriel Byrne ([Major] Kaempffer)
Ian McKellen as Dr [Theodore] Cuza
William Morgan Sheppard (Alexandru)
Royston Tickner (Tomescu)
Michael Carter (Radu Molasar)
Philip Joseph ([Sergeant] Oster)
John Vine (Lutz)
Jona Jones (Otto)
Wolf Kahler (SS adjutant)
Rosalie Crutchley (Josefa)
Frederick Warder (border guard 1)
Bruce Payne (border guard 2)
David Cardy (Alexandru's son)
John Eastham (Alexandru's second son)
Philip Bloomfield (Josefa's son)
Yashar Adem (Carlos)
Alternative Titles
La forteresse noire – French title
Paholaisen pesä – Finnish title
Satans borg – Swedish title
Die Unheimliche Macht – German title
References
Periodicals
Cinefantastique vol.14 no.3 (May 1984) p.55
Cinefantastique vol.13 no.4 (April/May 1983) p.6
City Limits no.278 (29 January 1987) p.27
L'Écran Fantastique no.40 (December 1983) p.44
L'Écran Fantastique no.45 (May 1984) pp.14-23; 20-23
Empire no.231 (September 2008) pp.113-123 – illustrated article 10 years of DVD by Simon Crook and Nick De Semlyen)
Film Comment v19 no.6 (November/December 1983) pp.16-19
Films v4 no.3 (March 1984) pp.5-7
Films and Filming no.352 (January 1984) p.3 – note (Newsreel: Openings)
Halls of Horror no.27 p.7 – note
The Hollywood Reporter vol.279 no.45 (16 December 1983) p.3, 15
Monthly Film Bulletin vol.52 no.615 (April 1985) pp.127-128; 129-130
Motion Picture Product Digest vol.11 no.15 (1 February 1984) p.58
Necronomicon no.7 pp.35-39 – review
Screen International no.358 (28 August 1982) p.6
Screen International no.362 (25 September 1982) p.1
Screen International no.364 (9 October 1982) p.13
Screen International no.374 (18 December 1982) p.19
Screen International no.407 (13 August 1983) p.7
Starburst no.58 (June 1983) pp.24-29
Time Out no.858 (28 January 1987) p.29
Variety 21 December 1983 p.14
Books
The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror by Phil Hardy (ed.) p.394
Cinematic Vampires by John L. Flynn pp.257-258
Creature Features Movie Guide Strikes Again p.213 – credits, review (by John Stanley)
The Films of the Eighties by Robert A. Nowlan and Gwendolyn Wright Nowlan p.302
Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991-1992 p.202 – credits, review
Horror and Science Fiction Films III pp.151-152 – credits
Horror Films of the 1980s by John Kenneth Muir pp.328-330 – illustrated credits, synopsis, review
