La Torture

Upon its 1968 release, Michael Reeves' British Horror masterpiece "Witchfinder General" starring the great Vincent Price, caused cinematic interest in the topic of witch-hunts, which lead to a wave of films that are sometimes referred to as "Hexploitation", the most important being the shocking "Mark Of The Devil" of 1970. Gruesome and ultra-violent as it was, the controversial original "Mark Of The Devil" was actually a very good film that delivered a more than disturbing, but also adequate and uncompromising portrayal of the madness of witch-hunts. Sadly, Adrian Hoven's "Mark Of The Devil II" (of the notorious aka. title "Hexen Geschändet und zu Tode gequält"/"Witches Violated And Tortured To Death") of 1973 is an incomparably inferior and more or less pointless cash-in on the notorious Exploitation Classic that bears hardly any of its predecessors great elements. The story is not nearly as realistic as it is the case in the original, and the sequel completely lacks the creepiness and atmosphere of the first "Mark Of The Devil". While the first film was constantly terrifying, this one gets boring quite fast, The film is not quite as explicit and gruesome as its predecessor, but still quite brutal. As opposed to the original, however, the plot often seems like a lame excuse to show a bunch of ghastly torture sequences. The film has several shocking moments, but it is never really terrifying, and it lacks the menacing feeling of the first one. While the original had a great cast (Herbert Lom, Udo Kier), the performances in the sequel are quite lame. Anton Diffring, who plays the head prosecutor of witches here, is not nearly as charismatic in his portrayal of evil as the great Herbert Lom was. The only actors who have remained from the first part is the weird-looking Reggie Nalder, possibly one of the ugliest actors ever, and Johannes Buzalski. Nalder gives the film a certain creepiness, and beautiful Erica Blanc makes a good female lead, but the rest of the performances are forgettable. I don't normally nag about bad performances in low-budget exploitation cinema, but it is inevitable to compare a sequel to its predecessor, and "Mark of the Devil II" is just way inferior to the original. Over-all, "Mark Of The Devil II" is not a complete disaster, but it is definitely disappointing.

Although a blatant rip-off of "Witchfinder General", the original "Mark of the Devil" is easily one of the greatest European exploitation movies ever made. The sequel, however, is one of the worst. I can't even properly explain what went wrong, since all the ingredients for a fierce and shocking exploitation hit are there, but somehow "Mark of the Devil 2" became the lamest and dullest flick about torture & witch-hunting that exists. There are some great names in the cast, but either they stay far below their usual qualities (like Anton Diffring) or they are badly restricted by their shallow and uninteresting roles (like Erica Blanc). The original was a masterpiece of cruelty. You could almost feel the agony and experience the living hell those poor women were going through yourself. Here, there's just a lot of screaming and only a handful of nasty images. These witch-hunters, Balthazar Von Ross and his misogynist minion Natas, don't even bother to put effort into their accusations. They just point out random women and torture them to death. There isn't the slightest bit of unsettling atmosphere, building up suspense or effective use of the torture scenery. All the sequences involving the bald nuns are downright odd, and the only two noteworthy moments of torturous cruelty involve a pair of fiery shoes and a nasty crotch-impalement. In fact, the only truly great thing about this dud is its original German title "Hexen geschändet und zu Tode gequält". What genuine exploitation-lover wouldn't want to see a film with a title like that?

If you liked the original "Mark of the Devil" (I didn't personally), this is more of the same. The witch-hunters have been pared down to Reggie Nalder, the weirdest looking but least talented of the various actors in the first one. The movie does have a strong female lead this time in Erica Blanc as a noblewoman who opposes the corrupt witch-hunter Nalder and gets accused herself for her troubles, falling into the witch-hunter's lecherous clutches. Despite some tantalizing stills I've seen of this movie, Blanc does NOT get naked in the version I saw thus making the whole thing pretty worthless. If you just don't like Blanc (or women in general) and you want to see her/them gratuitously tortured or raped by Nalder's giant mongoloid assistant, then I'm sure you'll enjoy this much more than I did.

This movie is even half an ass short of the half-ass social criticism of the historical abuses of the Church which is usually found in these films. The sole point of interest, besides the wasted presence of Blanc, is that the film was directed by Adrian Hoven, the producer of the first one and a one time actor and producer for Jesus Franco. Whatever Hoven's talents were though, directing wasn't one of them--his work here ranges from unimaginative to downright laughable (such as when he shoots a rape scene from the first-person POV of the slobbering mongoloid). Even worse than the first one, and NOT recommended

I like this Movie very much.It is not so good like MARK OF THE DEVIL,but also very entertaining as well.

The cast with the German Actors Anton Diffring(Balthazar Ross),Lukas Amman(Eminence),Johannes Buzalski(Advocatus),Joachim Hackethal(corpulent torturer),Dietrich Kerky(Father Melchior)and Astrid Killian(young Nun)did very well.

There are also Austrians like Jean-Pierre Zola(Fahter of Countess Salmenau),Ellen Umlauf(Mother Superior),Harry Hardt,Adrian Hoven(Count van Salmenau),Percy Hoven(young Boy)and Reggie Nalder(Natas).

Erica Blanc as Countess van Salmenau did a very good performance. Sure,there was not really much Budget for it.But the sexualized torture scenes work very good out.

The whole Movie was shot in Austria.They used most of the same Locations like the first part.Last Fall i visited Lungau,Mauterndorf in Austria. They shot in real torture Chambers at Castle Moosham!This Castle was a real place for this,where Schörgen Toni examine "witches" in the witch tower.Now this place is hunted!

They also shot at Castle Finstergruen exteriors for the Movie.A few shots where made at Castle Mauterndorf.For example in the scene with the young maid that buys ingredients for an "love-drink" and than took a away for torture.This was shot in the inner Bailey of Castle Mauterndorf.

When you wanna made a bizarre trip to Austria,visit Lungau(Region Salzburg).

Join this Movie when you liked THE WITCHFINDER GENERAL or MARK OF THE DEVIL!

At least one correction: In the first review of this Film,the writer made a mistake about the Cast.Anton Diffring plays the Witch Hunter Balthazar Ross.Not the Priest! Father Melchior is played by German Sexfilm-Actor Dietrich Kerky.

During the 1970's, following the success of Michael Reeves "Witchfinder General", the original "Mark of the Devil" and perhaps Jess Francos sleaze-fest "The Bloody Judge", there was a hype about films involving the torture and killing of witches.

However, the hype didn't live long, producers figuring that you can only torture, rack and burn a witch so many times before the audience gets bored and interest soon faded and "Mark of the Devil 2" (the original German title translating loosely as "Witches: Defiled and tortured to death") could not cash into the success of it's predecessors.

It may not only have been the end of a hype that doomed the film but the production itself: Director Adrian Hoven and his crew were veterans of so-called Folk-movies, which meant that they knew how to shoot a handsome scenario but didn't have a clue how to film a dark, gloomy and misanthropic film like "Mark of the Devil" – let alone, how to film grizzling scenes of torture and inquisition. The torture scenes are lame, the subplot drags on and about halfway through the film, the viewer wonders why he's even bothering to follow up the story.

Second problem is the cast: it's enjoyable to see the return of Nalder (whom the US-audience probably know best as vampire Mr. Barloff in Stephen Kings "Salems Lot") and Johannes Buzalski (a veteran of Germany's sleazy-raunchy sex comedies), returning to their roles in "Mark of the Devil" in all but name. However, there is no Herbert Lom, no Udo Kier, Herbert Fux or Olivera Katarina that would supply charm and charisma. Both protagonists and antagonists come across as pale, stiff, indeed, wooden and invoke none of the sympathy or disdain that the original cast invoked.

Perhaps completists need it in their collection but if you really want to know what all the fuss about the "Witchhunter movies" was all about – and it wasn't so much, compared to modern gore-fests like "Saw" or "Hostel" – then stick to the original films mentioned and give "Mark of the Devil 2" a pass.

4 out of 10 points and that is being generous.