Castle of Evil
Release
Release
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*Castle of Evil*'s first theatrical showing was in Texas in November 1966\. This was followed by openings in Los Angeles in mid\-March 1967 and New York City in early October 1967\. However, the film was licensed by World Entertainment Corp. to 13 television stations in "several western states" months before it opened in theaters across the US.

The film was the first feature on a double bill with *Blood Beast from Outer Space*. American critic and [psychometrist](/wiki/Psychometrics "Psychometrics") Bryan Senn writes the reason that "the awful (but color) *Castle of Evil*" ran first is because *Blood Beast from Outer Space* was "shot in moody black and white when, at the time, even low\-budget efforts were almost invariable in color."

*Castle of Evil* was given an X\-certification by the [BBFC](/wiki/BBFC "BBFC") on 1 July 1970\. It was the same day that the BBFC raised the minimum age to 18 for exhibiting X\-cert films to audience members; prior to then, the minimum age had been 16\. No footage is known to have been cut from the film in order to obtain the certification necessary for it to be shown in the UK.

The exhibitor's manual for *Castle of Evil* and *Blood Beast from Outer Space* describes the double bill as the "Twin Shock Show With That Big Box\-Office Punch!"


Why did the minimum age for showing X-certs change from 16 to 18?