AllMovie

Some musicians would sell their soul for a shot at stardom, but one aspiring teenage rock star isn't so sure it's a good idea in this computer-animated chiller. Johnny (voice of Jasper Steverlinck) is the son of a famous rock singer (voice of Kyoko Baertsoen) who turned him over to others to raise when he was only three years old. After his mother's death, Johnny inherits her mansion, and as he explores the spooky old house in hopes of learning more about his absent mother, Johnny discovers an unexpected visitor -- a demon named Mephisto (voice of Harry Shearer). Mephisto informs Johnny that his mother was in cahoots with the Devil, and that he can make Johnny an even bigger star if he's willing to sign Satan's contract. While Johnny has formed a band of his own, he's dubious about Mephisto's promises; when he says as much, the Devil himself (also voiced by Shearer) scoffs at Johnny's disbelief, taking the young rocker on a guided tour of the Hell that awaits those who think they can escape the Devil's rule of the music business. Haunted Castle was filmed and initially exhibited in the high-definition IMAX film format; it was the first IMAX presentation that failed to earn a G rating from the MPAA (it was classified PG for "some frightening sensations and horror images").