The demon and the virgin
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The demon and the virgin |
| Original title | La frusta e il corpo |
| Country of production | Italy |
| original language | Italian |
| Publishing year | 1963 |
| length | 86 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director |
Mario Bava (as John M. Old ) |
| script |
Ernesto Gastaldi Luciano Martino Ugo Guerra |
| production |
Elio Scardamaglia Federico Magnaghi |
| music | Carlo Rustichelli |
| camera | Ubaldo Terzano |
| cut | Renato Cinquini |
| occupation | |
| |
The Demon and the Virgin is an Italian-French horror film from 1963. Directed by Mario Bava, it stars Christopher Lee , Daliah Lavi and Tony Kendall .
action
Long ago in a mansion, somewhere on an Eastern European coast. The lovers Nevenka and Christiano are planning to get married soon. One day when Christiano's older brother Kurt Menliff returns to their parents' house, a splendid country estate, allegedly only to be present at the little brother's marriage, it causes a lot of unrest. The old, ailing Count Menliff is anything but enthusiastic about Kurt's return home, because Kurt's departure was not entirely voluntary at the time. He had started a love affair with Carla, the daughter of housekeeper Giorgia. Something went wrong in both respects, at least Carla killed herself a little later when the affair became public. Presumably she couldn't cope with the idea that Kurt, despite his love affair with her, intended to marry Nevenka. In any case, as a result the old count excluded his eldest from the inheritance. The great beneficiary of these changes became Christiano. Count Menliff appointed him not only as the main heir of the house and court, no, Christiano also immediately took over Kurt's bride Nevenka, who broke away from him because of his affair with Carla. In order to save the family honor, Christiano was "condemned" to become engaged to the pretty Nevenka. As expected, this was poison not only for Christiano's relationship with Kurt but also with his then girlfriend Katia, his cousin.
Nevenka and Christiano are not exactly happy with each other, and the return of Kurt, who in truth only wants to renew his inheritance claim with his presence and incidentally also want to recapture Nevenka, opens old wounds again in the young wife. Both relationships were thoroughly sadomasochistic. While the masochistic Nevenka was submissive, Kurt, a sadist by nature, liked to swing the whip on Nevenka's back. When they meet on the beach, the prevented couple gets back into old waters and re-establishes their old relationship. Nevenka realizes what she sorely misses in her relationship with her husband. When she doesn't return to the castle, one worries. The servant Losat finds her unconscious. When Kurt is found dead the next day, all kinds of questions arise. He was stabbed with the very same dagger with which Carla had once killed herself. Almost everyone has a motive for Kurt's forced demise: the ex-bride as well as her husband, Kurt's brother, the old father as well as the mother of the dead Carla. But things change dramatically, because obviously Kurt's diabolical spirit seems to wander around the castle-like property and want to take bloody revenge on everyone. Nevenka especially hears and sees strange things ...
Production notes
The Demon and the Virgin was produced in six weeks of shooting in Anzio and Castel Sant'Angelo and premiered in Italy on August 29, 1963. The original opening credits consistently have English-sounding fantasy names. In Germany, the strip started on June 9, 1967. The German television first broadcast took place on November 30, 1987 on RTL plus.
Reviews
Filmtipps.at found: “Anyone who only follows the superficial horror story of someone supposedly risen from the dead and complains about a lack of tension, overlooks the complexity of the network of relationships in the castle, which goes far beyond the usual Gothic horror. In Bava's masterpiece, Daliah Lavi and Christopher Lee show true, consuming passion that remains unfulfilled. Everything else is just the framework. "
"Primitive horror film with an unhealthy climate and some sadistic scenes."
“Even if the plot doesn't win any originality awards: The demon and the virgin play skillfully with emotions and film techniques. Director Mario Bava uses original perspectives, blurring, shadows and colors in such a way that they impressively communicate the gloomy mood of the plot to the viewer. "
Individual evidence
- ↑ Information about the age rating of The Demon and the Maiden on Schnittberichte.com
- ↑ In the original Tania
- ^ Criticism on filmtipps.at
Web links
- The Devil and the Virgin in the Internet Movie Database (English)