In an attempt to convince journalist Alan Foster [Anthony Franciosa] that his horrorstories are not pure fantasy, Edgar Allan Poe [Klaus Kinski] challenges the journalist tospend All Soul's Eve in Lord Thomas Blackwood's [Enrico Osterman] mansion, a challenge fromwhich no one has ever returned. Alan's evening in the uninhabited,spiderweb-invested castle starts out uneventfully, until Alan discoversthat he is not alone. Sharing the house with him is Elisabeth Blackwood [Michèle Mercier],sister of Lord Blackwell and the most beautiful woman he has ever seen,along with Elisabeth's lover Julia [Karin Field], a murderer named Herbert [Raf Baldassarre], one DrCarmus [Peter Carsten] who writes books about metaphysical medicine, and an entireballroom full of dancers.Within 15 minutes, Alan and Elisabeth have fallen in love, but it isDr Carmas who explains the scene that begins to unfold before them. WhileElisabeth's husband William [Silvano Tranquilli] was away on business, Elisabeth took up withHerbert. Upon William's return, Herbert stabbed him in a jealous rage.When Herbert turned on Elisabeth, Julia killed Herbert. Elisabeth thenkilled Julia in revenge. Yet, there they all are, alive and Well.It's like a snake, Carmus explains, that will continue to bite evenafter having its head separated from its body, because its sense ofdefense does not die when the body dies. The soul and the senses cancontinue to live on, even when the body has passed and begins todisintegrate. Now, each year on All Soul's Eve, the dead ones come to lifein search of human blood to tide them over another year.Suddenly all the players begin advancing on Alan. 'We need yourblood,' says Carmus. 'Your blood is our life,' says Julia. 'It's the onlyway to assure us a night of life one year from now.' Alan tries to escapebut all the doors are locked. Out of love for him, Elisabeth offers tohelp Alan escape. She leads him out to the front gate but, being dead, shecan go no further. Alan tries to pull her with him, but she disappears. AsAlan goes through the front gate, he is impaled on a wrought iron spike.Epilogue: Poe and Lord Blackwood ride by the gate in their carriage.Seeing Alan impaled on the gate, Lord Blackwood pronounces him the loserof the wager. Elisabeth's voice is heard asking Alan whether he stayed forher, and Alan replies, 'Yes, Elisabeth.' [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl.]