Que o Céu a Condene

While Lucio Fulci considered Zombie Flesh Eaters and The Beyond the two films that forever catapulted him to cult film stardom, there were two films at the start of his career that he considered his best all-round work: Don't Torture a Duckling, and this.

And it's easy to see why - 'Beatrice Cenci' (aka The Conspiracy of Torture) is arguably his most mature effort: a fact-based historical drama laced with revenge, politics, and a touch of religion; a film which, going by release date, belies its position in the director's filmography.

Set in 1599, the story is told mainly through flashbacks of how Beatrice Cenci plotted the murder of her abusive father with the aid of her stepmother and lover.

It's rare when a Fulci film contains a story that takes priority over violence, but it's refreshing. There's no gratuitous gore on display here, just brutal, historically accurate torture methods. It's also thematically satisfying, with love servicing the narrative well, particularly when accompanied by a poignant score to bolster its impact in the latter stages.

It might take its time to grip you, but once it does, 'Beatrice Cenci' proves to be a compelling effort from the soon-to-be-labelled Godfather of Gore, with strong direction, solid performances, and great camera work making for an impactful historical drama.

8/10.

A terrificly executed period piece from the Godfather of Gore, Beatrice Cenci(1969) is a masterpiece of tragic beauty. This movie is a contradiction to the accusation of Fulci as a misogynist from his later films. Adrienne LaRussa does a nice job in conveying the almost gentle nature of the female protagonist. George Wilson as the father does a good job in portraying someone truly evil. Cries of death to the director were shouted in a theatre due to the film's anti-catholic nature.

The Catholic church is presented in the film with absolute disdain. In fact, they are seen as greedy and hypocritical. Beatrice Cenci(1969), along with The Witchfinder General(1968) are probably the best films dealing with the late middle ages. The direction is nearly perfect, and the story is well done. The film revolves around a labyrinth of flashbacks in the style of Reservoir Dogs(1992). The main source of influence seems to been The play version of The Cenci by Artoud, Antonin as well as the five act play by Percelly Shelly.

There are two films that Beatrice Cenci(1969) compares with. One film is Don't Torture A Duckling(1972) which also deals with Catholic repression. Another film is The Devil's Honey(1986) which deals deals with a woman's urge to be an independant woman. Beatrice Cenci(1969) is not only overlooked by Fulci supporters but by Fulci distractors as well. This movie shows that Fulci was capable of more ambigious and personal films then the many ones that he direct in his career(Its too bad as he had the talent that would have made him one of the best directors of his generation in Italy).

I recently watched the Italian film 🇮🇹 Conspiracy of Torture (1969) on Tubi. The story centers on a castle ruled by a tyrant who abuses his daughter, mistreats his wife, and is no better to his servants. When the daughter devises a plan to kill her cruel father and free the family from his grip, the question becomes: can she trust her co-conspirators, or will they betray her when it matters most?

Directed by Lucio Fulci (The New York Ripper), the film stars Tomas Milian (Traffic), Adrienne Larussa (Terror at Alcatraz), Georges Wilson (The Longest Day), and Ignazio Spalla (Sabata).

The film evokes the feel of a Hammer production, with its gothic castle setting, period costumes, and atmosphere of moral decay. The cast gives solid performances, and the characters are entertainingly drawn. As expected in the genre, there's no shortage of beautiful women and flashes of horror nudity. The torture scenes are creatively staged, featuring unique contraptions and memorable kills. While the practical effects are minimal and the blood looks like red paint, the film maintains a consistent level of tension and intrigue throughout.

In conclusion, Conspiracy of Torture is a well-executed period horror film, full of gothic flair, striking women, and engaging twists. I'd give it a 7/10 and recommend watching it at least once.

I do not go much for Fulci's horror movies which remain very inferior,IMHO, to those of his Italian colleagues (Dario Argento and Mario Bava).But this one ,by keeping the horror sequences to the minimum (the tortures scenes do not last long fortunately),is eminently commendable.

The cast includes two French actors :one of them ,Georges Wilson ,a very earnest stage thespian ,and the father of Lambert Wilson,is very unexpected here ,and his part of the violent perverse noble who rejoices cause two of his sons are dead so he won't have to feed them anymore and who imprisons his daughter in a dungeon is quite impressive .The other French actor is Raymond Pellegrin in a supporting role.Adrienne Larusso is incredibly beautiful as Beatrice Cenci and Thomas Milian gives a restrained effective performance.

The plot is not easy to catch up with ,because the director blends present and past without the traditional codes .No transition most of the time.Besides ,there are many characters ,and many of them are underwritten (Beatrice's brother for instance)

It's a film of blood and fury,the monsters are everywhere :Francesco Cenci is terrifying but so is the Holy Office whose goal is to appropriate the Cenci's fortune.

Like this?try these....

Flesh and blood (Paul Verhoeven,1985)

The devils (Ken Russel,1970)

La monaca di Monza (ERIPRANDO Visconti,1968)

I read the 12 reviews (at this time), and not much to add really. It really feels like the 16th century. There is something special about the detail put in to the costumes and set designs. The acting is really 1st class, and Fulci really works them to get convincing performances. The story line deserves a lot of credit, this being a 1969 flick. Its non-linear structure is maximised to full effect. Sadly its literally unheard of, despite coming out 2 years before The Devils (1971). Would have thought the controversial content, would have at least have kept it in the spot light over the years. Its a fine period piece, and I can see why Fulci was proud of it.