La marca del diablo

There's no point trying to understand the draw of a film that rolls around in the mud of the darker aspects of human nature without shame--torture, mutilation, misogyny, injustice and despair as thematic content--there's nothing new or even so unusual about being attracted to these things, and no need for apology. If there's a market for something someone will try to fill the niche.

"Mark Of The Devil" belongs in a category of exploitation film that is hard to define. It's not "scary." It inspires dread, but hardly "fear." It's not the goriest film ever made--it may have been at the time but is fairly tame today. It's not the sickest by far--Asian pseudo-snuff films and the "Faces Of Death" series raised the bar to its highest level of taboo-shattering. It IS exploitation, of course--whoever sees it is unlikely to be looking for an education on how witch hunts were once carried out. No--I put "Mark Of The Devil" in the same category as "Cannibal Holocaust," "Last House On The Left," "Salo," and a greasy, dripping handful of other films that are not far from the exploitation genre of "Sickies." These are movies that dare to point out, if they work for you, that is (there's always someone eager to point out how "boring" these movies are, of course) how truly nasty and relentlessly unpleasant life can be. Their message is, simply: "As bad as you thought things were, they're far worse." Again, discussing the appeal of that message belongs in another review, I'm content knowing it exists, and that's why movies like "Mark Of The Devil" were created.

For my money, this old, old film delivers a wallop like no other. It's campy, trashy, ugly, and beautiful all at once. It's stupid, perverse, poorly executed and mean in an almost magic way. Like "Cannibal Holocaust," it opens with a lovely, lyrical theme song that, in 90% of viewers at least, would normally inspire memories of sentiment, love, emotions of serenity and beauty. You are coaxed further along into this state by the lushly photographed panorama shots of a German countryside in full bloom, and the quaint and fascinating sight of horse-drawn carriages. Then, before you know it, you're pulled out of this reverie by being forced to witness a non-graphic but genuinely obscene depiction of the raping of a caravan of nuns. It's a nasty, ugly bit of business, and a cruel juxtaposition (not unlike similar, but somehow less revolting, moments in "A Clockwork Orange" which would come a few years later), all the moreso for the misleading score, which carries on as if the molestation of nuns is just more flora and fauna. The director knows it isn't--it's as if he's laughing sadistically at his audience perhaps--at the very least, he knew what he was doing, from a psychological stand point. This, and other similar moments in this film, are not accidental.

And therein lies the genius behind these "Sickies," above and beyond the standard, forgettable exploitation fare, no matter how realistic the gore or plentiful the nudity and foul language. Exploitation films like "Mark Of The Devil" were carefully designed to make you feel something you didn't expect to feel, something beyond fear or nausea...they get under your skin and work on your psychology. By the time the final victims are dispensed with in this type of film, the average viewer has been sated (or, most likely, overdosed) with the concept of Life As Garbage, and is invited to now return to whatever real life she/he exists in and compare. The "missing ending" to "Mark Of The Devil" notwithstanding, it is near impossible not to come away from the commonly seen end of this film without feeling depressed, angry, frustrated, exhausted and unclean. And, considering the focus of the movie is atrocity committed by man against his brothers and sisters...that reaction is certainly appropriate.

Is this type of film necessary, or even entertainment? Obviously it is, or these films wouldn't have had the shelf life they've had. Exploitation movies come and go, but some of these films rise to the top of the swill. "Mark Of The Devil" has earned its blood-stained spot on the shelf of movies that go one step (or perhaps a few more) beyond where most viewers are comfortable or even interested in going, and over thirty years later this movie still has the power to offend, disgust, provoke and amaze. Considering the variety of exploitation material available today, that's quite an accomplishment, if you think about it.

I'm a bit puzzled by the amount of negative comments for 'Mark Of The Devil'. To me it was a very effective and entertaining drama (not horror) with a witchcraft theme. Similar in many ways to Jess Franco's 'The Bloody Judge', a movie which generally has a better reputation for some reason. 'Mark Of The Devil' is a much more satisfying movie. Also gorier and with a stronger cast (veteran Herbert Lom, living legend Udo Kier, and Franco semi-regular Adrian Hoven). Forget the naysayers, this is flawed, true, but highly recommended to fans of Mario Bava and Hammer horror.

Bloody hell!!! I tell you, I'm used to seeing rough and cruel horror films but I assure you this one is really hard to watch at times! You can either take that as a recommendation or as a warning! Mark of the Devil portrays the rites of witchfinding near Austria/ Germany in the 17th century. Honorable men who're satisfying their own bloody and perverted lusts by killing young women in the name of God Himself. This film shows a lot of resemblance to the British classic starring Vincent Price – The Witchfinder General – only it's a lot more explicit and raw…in other words: a lot more `exploitation'-like! Mark of the Devil contains multiple sequences in which girls are severely tortured, mutilated and eventually killed! It may be disgusting at times, but it's a very realistic portrayal of the absurdity and horror that actually took place once. The arrogance and naiveté of the Catholic Church is terrifically presented through the performances of Herbert Lom (Lord Cumberland) and Reggie Nalder (Albino) who still their appetite for terror by abusing God's name. Potential viewers who're interested in medieval torture-techniques will have the time of their lives while watching this film! The whip plays a leading role in this film, along with other bizarre methods such as burnings, the ripping of tongues and fingernails, stretching people… and a truly horrific ritual that involves freezing cold drops of water.

The scenery and used locations are magnificent and the guiding music is absolutely brilliant. Mark of the Devil really belongs to the greatest films ever made in the category of European ‘nasty' exploitation. The film can even count on a solid cast including a very young Udo Kier! Here, he is at the very beginning of a rich career that is still growing to be more impressive. It's a thrill to see a film featuring this living Cult-cinema legend at young and promising age. Udo Kier plays Herbert Lom's pupil, a very devoted witchfinder-to-be…. devoted that is, until he falls head over heals in love with a beauty who's accused of witchery! Mark of the Devil also stars a couple of ravishing girls (you'll learn that presumed witches are a damn good-looking species) that definitely live up to the Hammer beauties around that same time. Whatever you do…don't let the bad reviews scare you off! Mark of the Devil isn't nearly as bad as they say…Just because some people can't handle a share amount of graphic violence doesn't mean the film is awful.

I will remember this as being the film with so much relentless screaming. With torture scenes that remind you of the hell details by Hieronymus Bosch. Particularly unnerving is the horrible Chinese water torture treatment on one luckless accused prisoner - That itself adds so much visual horror to the whole idea if you ever tried to imagine it in effect. It's both depressing and maddening at the same time. Which makes it all so great for being believable and historically true. Perverse Christian officials all running around committing unspeakable acts of cruelty on the innocent they deem as fit for it and to satisfy their own greed and lust. The arrival of Count Cumberland at the helm making it worse. His presence is dark and brooding and we can sense how corrupt a character he is. Another great performance is by -Udo Kier as a young devoted Christian trainee who begins to doubt the ways of Cumberland. The film is well made with good soundtrack that reminded me of the music in Cannibal Holocaust.-Buckets of blood and screaming galore fest.

Gruesome and exploitative film with abundant sensationalistic scenes and flinching shots of torture. Set in 1700 Austria, a young witch-hunter: Udo Kier, is an apprentice who follows his superior, Herbert Lom, a known Inquistor travelling across the county judging, pursuing condemning the suspicious people and the heinous underlings : Reggie Nader, Herbert Fux , Johannes Buzalski. Then the young man has serious doubts about their activities and to be aware the brutality, injustice, falsehood on the inquisitive trials. Things go wrong when the doubtful youngster has an enjoyable romance with a sexy girl, Olivera Katarina, then the latter is framed to be a hag. Along the way, other women accused to be witches : Gaby Fuchs, Ingeborg Schoner and husband : Adrian Hoven who also produced, are cruelly tortured.

This is a B entertainment based on Historical fiction and it cannily captures outrageous scene tortures and a thunderous period full of superstition, great ignorance and fear when innocent people could be chased, and confess to acts of witchcraft just to get the torture to stop. Witchcraft, necromancy and love story do not mix, as a twisted romance takes place at a medieval set between a witch-hunter apprentice and a gorgeous sexy woman accused to be hag. These Witch Finders were inspired by "The Malleus Malleficarum", the witches' hammer , what may be the most blood-soaked book in human history, it is instructed the clergy on how to locate, torture and kill all the free-thinkiing women during Witch-hunt, in fact history tells fifty thousand are captured and burned alive at the stake. The Mark of the Devil has notoriously graphic torture scenes that add to the mayhem , though the strange part is that based on true stories. It is not for the squeamish, as the horrible tortures include a naked blonde girl was stretched on the rack, Chinese torture, slashing, stabbing, young women being tied to stakes screaming while fire burning them from below.

Other films in similar style are as follows : the classic Witchfinder General or The Conqueror Worm 1968 by Michael Reeves with Vincent Price, Ian Ogilvy . The Devils 1971 by Ken Russell with Oliver Reed, Vanessa Redgrave. The sequel : The Mark of the Devil by Adrian Hoven with Reggie Nader . And Inquisicion 1977 directed and starred by Paul Naschy with Daniela Giordiano, Antonio Iranzo.

The motion picture was regularly directed by Michael Armstrong, though Michael Reeves was first hired, as he was set to shoot it, but he passed away before filming was to start. Armstrong is a craftsman who worked as an assistant in Witchfinder General, he has directed a few films, such as : The haunted house of horror and Screamtime. He is usually a movie writer, such as Black panther, The sex thief, Shoestring, Adventures of a private eye. Rating : 5/10. And, at the time considered to be a video nasty, banned in many countries. Including vomit bags at the cinemas, rated V for violence and deemed to be positively the most horrifying movie ever made. Passable for some ambiguity, brief period piece and a lingering, grim nature.