Nov 27, 2023
Die Schlangengrube und das Pendel (The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism, 1967)
"I'm already dead, hanged. Yes, I was hanged. Your body soon adapts a resistance to bullets."
"But, sir, I've not done anything wrong!"
"Of course not. All you did was shoot me somewhat."
#Die Schlangengrube und das Pendel#The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism#the blood demon#horror imagery#west german cinema#1967#harald reinl#manfred r. köhler#lex barker#karin dor#christopher lee#carl lange#christiane rücker#vladimir medar#dieter eppler#peter thomas#edgar allan poe#this ended up being quite a lot better than I'd anticipated; I'd figured it for a Jess Franco style bit of eurosploitation trash but#underneath its derivative plot‚ heavy cribbing‚ small cast and strained budget‚ there's an altogether more polished bit of kino going on#in particular‚ this looks fantastic: the set design‚ lighting‚ aesthetics‚ costuming‚ all are working hard to elevate this above its pulpy#genre origins. Bosch stype frescos‚ rich colourful tableaux‚ dripping gothic atmosphere.. on vibes alone this is a real winner#Lee is high in the credits of course but only really has an extended cameo (this being during his sojourn to europe to escape Hammer for a#while‚ only to end up making even cheaper Hammer alikes for the Germans and Italians). the plot is all Corman Poe cycle‚ loosely inspired#by the works of Poe‚ but with its own nearly wholesome adventuring bent. benefits from having genuinely likeable and compelling characters#upfront (Medar is a consistent scene stealer as a highway robber who gets unwillingly pulled into the gothic shenanigans and becomes a#reluctant heroic accomplice). some startling imagery and a few choice pearls of dialogue too. much better than it would look on paper#definitely one of the better examples of euro schlock from this era‚ and among the best Lee was involved in
