The Forbidden Girl
A young man confronts a witch in a Gothic castle.
The Forbidden Girl (German title: *Das verbotene Mädchen*) is a 2013 German horror movie directed by Till Hastreiter. It came out in Germany on 14 February 2013 and was released on video in the United States on 26 August 2014. The lead is Peter Gadiot, playing a young man who gets drawn to a woman who looks exactly like his lost love, who was snatched away by a demon six years before.
The story follows Toby McClift (Gadiot), the son of a strict preacher (Roger Tebb) who warns him never to fall in love. Despite this, Toby falls for Katie (Jytte-Merle Böhrnsen) and plans to meet her one night in a cemetery. But before they can meet, a demonic beast carries Katie off, and she vanishes. Toby insists a beast took her, but no one believes him—especially not his father—and he ends up in a mental institution for six years. After his release, he takes a job as a tutor at an old castle for Laura (also played by Böhrnsen), the niece of elderly Lady Wallace (Jeanette Hain). Toby is struck by how much Laura resembles Katie and is sure they are the same person. He is saddened when Laura says she doesn't know him, but becomes intrigued by her contradictory nature—both sensual and innocent. Meanwhile, he grows uneasy with the strange goings-on in the house, including the behavior of Lady Wallace's butler Mortimer (Klaus Tange) and bizarre visions. He also notices that Lady Wallace seems to get younger the longer he stays. Eventually, Toby tries to perform an exorcism on Laura, convinced Lady Wallace is possessing her. After this fails, he attempts to leave, but Laura stops him and confesses she is a witch who needs a pure, innocent being to stay young forever—and she needs Toby for that.
The cast includes Peter Gadiot as Toby, Jytte-Merle Böhrnsen as Laura and Katie, Klaus Tange as Mortimer, Jeanette Hain as Lady Wallace, Marc Bischoff as Crazy Man, Roger Tebb as Reverend McClift, and Jörg Vincent Malotki as Orderly.
Critical reception has been mixed. Bloody Disgusting and Dread Central both panned it; Dread Central noted that the castle backdrop gave a retro-Italian horror feel, but called the CGI weak and said the only "forbidden" thing about the movie should be watching it again.
Quick Facts
- Native Name
- de · Das verbotene Mädchen
- Director
- Till Hastreiter
- Writer
- Till Hastreiter / Maximilian Vogel / Philipp Wolf
- Starring
- Peter Gadiot / Jytte-Merle Böhrnsen / Klaus Tange
- Music
- Eckes Malz
- Cinematography
- Tamás Keményffy
- Editing
- Florian Drechsler / Thomas Krause
- Production Companies
- EMP 1. Stereofilm / European Motion Pictures
- Distributor
- Shoreline Entertainment
- Released
- 7 February 2013
- Runtime
- 99 minutes
- Country
- Germany
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film follows Toby McClift (Peter Gadiot), son of a strict preacher (Roger Tebb) who warns him never to fall in love. Despite this, Toby falls in love with Katie (Jytte-Merle Böhrnsen) and plans to meet her in a cemetery, but she is swept away by a demonic beast. No one believes him, and he is placed in a mental institution for six years. After release, he takes a job as a tutor at an old castle for Laura (also Böhrnsen), the niece of Lady Wallace (Jeanette Hain). Toby is struck by Laura's resemblance to Katie, though she claims not to know him. He becomes unnerved by strange events, including the butler Mortimer (Klaus Tange) and visions, and notices Lady Wallace appearing younger. He attempts an exorcism on Laura, believing she is possessed by Lady Wallace, but fails. Laura then confesses she is a witch who needs a pure being to stay young forever, and that she needs Toby.
Reader's Guide
The Forbidden Girl received mixed critical reception. Dread Central panned the film, noting the castle backdrop gave a retro-Italian horror feel but criticizing lame CGI as substandard. Bloody Disgusting also panned it. The Austin Chronicle was more positive, acknowledging shoddy CGI but praising unexpected beautiful images from cinematographer Tamás Keményffy. HorrorNews.net gave a favorable review, calling it a love-it-or-hate-it film that would appeal to true fans of gothic horrors. The film's significance lies in its attempt to blend Gothic horror with modern CGI, though its legacy is limited by mixed reviews and a niche appeal.
Did You Know?
- The film was released in Germany on 7 February 2013 and on video in the United States on 26 August 2014.
- Jytte-Merle Böhrnsen plays both Laura and Katie.
- The film's cinematographer is Tamás Keményffy.
- Dread Central wrote that the only 'forbidden' thing about the movie should be the ability to sit through it again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who directed The Forbidden Girl?
Till Hastreiter helmed the 2013 German horror feature, which hit German cinema screens on 14 February 2013.
What is The Forbidden Girl about?
The plot centers on Toby McClift, a young man whose preacher father forbids him from ever falling in love, but who becomes consumed by a woman who is the exact double of his lost love—stolen by a demon six years earlier.
Who are the main actors in The Forbidden Girl?
Peter Gadiot leads the cast as Toby, with Jytte-Merle Böhrnsen playing Katie, the doppelgänger who lures him in; Roger Tebb appears as Toby's rigid preacher father.
What kind of horror elements does The Forbidden Girl feature?
The film blends supernatural dread with a forbidden-romance storyline, culminating in a confrontation with a witch inside a Gothic castle setting.
When and where was The Forbidden Girl released outside Germany?
After its February 2013 German theatrical run, the picture became available on US home video on 26 August 2014.
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