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| "Positively the most horrifying film ever made." |
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The Mark of the Devil
DVD/APPROX. 96 MINS/1970/USA R18+
DVD/APPROX. 96 MINS/1970/USA R18+
MARK OF THE DEVIL is a fair dinkum, bona fide cult classic.A mixed concoction of torture flick and period drama featuring Euro stalwarts Herbert
Lom, Udo Keir and Reggie Nalder. Plagued by a shitty soundtrack and uneven direction the movie is still entertaining enough for fans of shlock
although it seems it's marketing campaign which had been most responsible for it's success.In the States, cinema goers were provided with barf
bags (possibly the first) and the film was given a self imposed rating of V for violence although hardened viewers would find it tame with todays
standards and the film was given the tired tag line of "Positively the most horrifying film ever!"
After the success of Michael Reeve's WITCHFINDER GENERAL, German film company Gloria films and former German movie matinee idol Adrian
Hoven set out to produce a much more brutal account of the witch hunting story. Hoven had already wrote a script titled THE WITCH HUNT OF DR
DRACULA which he was hoping to direct himself. The script turned out to be a muddled mess,not just involving witch hunting, but also Dracula,
Mummies and even a flying coach.
Gloria films saw it as the piece of muddled shit it was and hired English Director Michael Armstrong to direct and rewrite the script after the success
of his HAUNTED HOUSE OF HORROR in Germany. Hoven was allowed to stick around and produce, but needless to say he was fuckin pissed off.
Armstrong then researched the Inquisition and set out to rewrite the script about two historical figures, Cumberland and Albino and changed their
motives of Sadism to religous hypocrisy and sexual domination. After researching the Inquisition to it's final details he re staged Reeve's
WITCHFINDER GENERAL as a tribute to his late friend who had passed due to suicide caused by depression.
The story line basically concerns the exploits of these 2 Inquisitors in 17 century Austria who persecuted folk, practitioners of witchcraft or not for
their own financial and sexual gain in the name of god. Herbert Lom plays "Lord Cumberland" and Udo Keir "Christian" Cumberland's portage. They
come to take over from another unscrupulous witchhunter "Albino" played by Reggie Nalder. Albino is denounced and accuses a young girl played
by Olivera Vuco for demonic fellowship because she refuses his slimy sexual advances. Christian already in love with the girl has to battle with
confusion,is the girl a witch or just another poor victim of the church. Finally Christian comes to a conclusion and get's Cumberland's real motives.
MARK OF THE DEVIL is well cast with Lom, Keir and Nalder.Lom a Stalwart by this time adds depth to his character and supposedly improvised
some of his cooler lines. Keir was still a novice but guided by Lom and Vuco is extremely beautiful. However my favourite character here is Albino
played by Reggie Nalder. Nalder is a slimy reptilian looking character who makes a great villian. In real life his face was badly disfigured from an
acid attack by a disgruntled lover.
The cinematography seems fine as do the lush sets and locations. The Castle used was actually the real home of Albino and a lot of attention has
been made to detail. Plenty of scene's are filled with gore ranging from Eye gouging, beheadings and tongue amputation to name a few, but
someone tell me please? Was Chinese water torture actually used in 17th century Austria?
On the flip side of things Hoven submitted a shocker of a soundtrack and the poor dubbing detracts from the impact, as most of the cast were of
different nationalities, the film had to be re-dubbed afterwards as they submitted their dialogue in their own tongue. The direction is also quite
uneven but this can be contributed to the still pissed off Hoven who tried to double take Armstrong. Armstrong would direct to be over shouted by
Hoven to his self hired German crew,apart from the scenes with Lom as Hoven as producer couldn't afford to loose his main star through
arguments. Armstrong realising he was fighting a loosing battle stepped down from directing and it was finished by Hoven. Like FLESH FOR
FRANKENSTEIN folk still argue today as to who shot the majority of the film. Udo Keir in Interviews claims Armstrong definitely shot at least 50% if
not more of the film,while Reggie Nalder loyal to Hoven claims him to be the director of the majority. Although if you've ever had the misfortune to
see Adrian Hoven's dismal sequel MARK OF THE DEVIL 2, my money's on Armstrong. Armstrong had also shot an end sequence where the ghosts
of the tortured victims arise to drag Christian from the arms of his lover which Hoven later removed. Despite the problems during production, MARK
OF THE DEVIL is still a quite solid film and proved to be quite successful. If your a fan of Inquisition films then this will be your cup of tea although
no way as classy as WITCHFINDER GENERAL. Gorehound's will feast although now by todays standards it may seem a bit tame for jaded viewers.
Lom, Udo Keir and Reggie Nalder. Plagued by a shitty soundtrack and uneven direction the movie is still entertaining enough for fans of shlock
although it seems it's marketing campaign which had been most responsible for it's success.In the States, cinema goers were provided with barf
bags (possibly the first) and the film was given a self imposed rating of V for violence although hardened viewers would find it tame with todays
standards and the film was given the tired tag line of "Positively the most horrifying film ever!"
After the success of Michael Reeve's WITCHFINDER GENERAL, German film company Gloria films and former German movie matinee idol Adrian
Hoven set out to produce a much more brutal account of the witch hunting story. Hoven had already wrote a script titled THE WITCH HUNT OF DR
DRACULA which he was hoping to direct himself. The script turned out to be a muddled mess,not just involving witch hunting, but also Dracula,
Mummies and even a flying coach.
Gloria films saw it as the piece of muddled shit it was and hired English Director Michael Armstrong to direct and rewrite the script after the success
of his HAUNTED HOUSE OF HORROR in Germany. Hoven was allowed to stick around and produce, but needless to say he was fuckin pissed off.
Armstrong then researched the Inquisition and set out to rewrite the script about two historical figures, Cumberland and Albino and changed their
motives of Sadism to religous hypocrisy and sexual domination. After researching the Inquisition to it's final details he re staged Reeve's
WITCHFINDER GENERAL as a tribute to his late friend who had passed due to suicide caused by depression.
The story line basically concerns the exploits of these 2 Inquisitors in 17 century Austria who persecuted folk, practitioners of witchcraft or not for
their own financial and sexual gain in the name of god. Herbert Lom plays "Lord Cumberland" and Udo Keir "Christian" Cumberland's portage. They
come to take over from another unscrupulous witchhunter "Albino" played by Reggie Nalder. Albino is denounced and accuses a young girl played
by Olivera Vuco for demonic fellowship because she refuses his slimy sexual advances. Christian already in love with the girl has to battle with
confusion,is the girl a witch or just another poor victim of the church. Finally Christian comes to a conclusion and get's Cumberland's real motives.
MARK OF THE DEVIL is well cast with Lom, Keir and Nalder.Lom a Stalwart by this time adds depth to his character and supposedly improvised
some of his cooler lines. Keir was still a novice but guided by Lom and Vuco is extremely beautiful. However my favourite character here is Albino
played by Reggie Nalder. Nalder is a slimy reptilian looking character who makes a great villian. In real life his face was badly disfigured from an
acid attack by a disgruntled lover.
The cinematography seems fine as do the lush sets and locations. The Castle used was actually the real home of Albino and a lot of attention has
been made to detail. Plenty of scene's are filled with gore ranging from Eye gouging, beheadings and tongue amputation to name a few, but
someone tell me please? Was Chinese water torture actually used in 17th century Austria?
On the flip side of things Hoven submitted a shocker of a soundtrack and the poor dubbing detracts from the impact, as most of the cast were of
different nationalities, the film had to be re-dubbed afterwards as they submitted their dialogue in their own tongue. The direction is also quite
uneven but this can be contributed to the still pissed off Hoven who tried to double take Armstrong. Armstrong would direct to be over shouted by
Hoven to his self hired German crew,apart from the scenes with Lom as Hoven as producer couldn't afford to loose his main star through
arguments. Armstrong realising he was fighting a loosing battle stepped down from directing and it was finished by Hoven. Like FLESH FOR
FRANKENSTEIN folk still argue today as to who shot the majority of the film. Udo Keir in Interviews claims Armstrong definitely shot at least 50% if
not more of the film,while Reggie Nalder loyal to Hoven claims him to be the director of the majority. Although if you've ever had the misfortune to
see Adrian Hoven's dismal sequel MARK OF THE DEVIL 2, my money's on Armstrong. Armstrong had also shot an end sequence where the ghosts
of the tortured victims arise to drag Christian from the arms of his lover which Hoven later removed. Despite the problems during production, MARK
OF THE DEVIL is still a quite solid film and proved to be quite successful. If your a fan of Inquisition films then this will be your cup of tea although
no way as classy as WITCHFINDER GENERAL. Gorehound's will feast although now by todays standards it may seem a bit tame for jaded viewers.
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