The Haunted Castle

"Double-exposed haunts"

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About this film

George Albert Smith uses double exposure and jump cuts to show ghosts frightening a visitor in a castle in this 1897 British trick film, related to his later work Haunted Castle sequences.

More about this film

About the production

Release date1897-05-13

Themes

ghoststrick film

Themes & topics

castleghostsuperimposition

Historical background

Smith was a Brighton innovator; haunted house tricks sold well to fairground exhibitors.

Why this film matters

Early horror-trick template.

What critics said

Cited in British pre-cinema for superimposition technique.

Did you know?

  • Often dated 1897; part of Smith's Halloween-themed experiments.

Where to watch

  • Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Le%20ch%C3%A2teau%20hant%C3%A9%20(1897).webm