I had not realized that between producing RIOT (1969), an upcoming viewing, and his unprecedented return to direction with SHANKS (1974), William Castle had overseen a 23-episode supernatural TV series called GHOST STORY (later retitled CIRCLE OF FEAR). This was, in fact, the pilot episode (for the record, I managed to track down 4 of these for my current Castle centenary tribute), pleasantly evoking the style of entries in other vintage horror shows I had sampled during recent Halloween marathons (notably DEAD OF NIGHT {1972} and SUPERNATURAL {1977}, down to the latter's framework of the tales being recounted from inside a genial yet vaguely sinister mansion – in this case, presided over by Sebastian Cabot)!
Plot-wise, too, this provided pretty standard thrills: it basically follows the oft-used path of some new occupants of a mysterious house being either terrorized (by mysterious footsteps, maniacal laughter emanating from a statue and, eventually, apparitions – albeit naturally thought to be merely hysterical by others) or possessed (rather amusingly, an infant!) by an evil spirit. Still, with Castle producing (he also has a gag cameo at the very start as a bar patron!), Moxey (best-known for THE CITY OF THE DEAD {1960}) directing, eminent genre novelist/scriptwriter Richard Matheson contributing to the story, and a cast featuring Barbara (THE MEPHISTO WALTZ {1971}) Parkins, David (TRIAL BY COMBAT {1976}) Birney, Sam (THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL {1951}) Jaffe – as the obligatory elderly historian supplying the backstory to the haunting (the location had previously served as a gallows!) – and Jeanette Nolan (from Orson Welles' MACBETH {1948}), the result could hardly fail to be engaging for the duration
which, at just 42 minutes, does not outstay its welcome despite the utter lack of originality within the narrative.