The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism (1967)

Absolutely the worst movie.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Part Hammer horror, part Grimm fairytale, part Italian Gothic, this magnificent film is an overlooked gem when it comes to the horror genre, lost amongst a slew of unnecessary re-titling and editing. This West German production has a throw-away plot involving an elixir of life; upon this flimsy plot is based a superb visual feast for the eyes with many weird and wonderful scenes and set-pieces which haven't been seen before. My advice is to just sit back and soak up all the atmosphere, while enjoying the colourful palettes and props that the producers use to make this such an eye-opening experience.Things open with an excellent, shocking sequence in which Christopher Lee - playing the evil Count Regula - is sentenced to death. Before this happens a mask (with spikes on the inside) is hammered on to his face, just like in BLACK Sunday (originality isn't one of this movie's strong points, but luckily it borrows from so many sources that it doesn't really matter). A cool red-masked executioner leads him out into the town square, where he proceeds to be drawn and quartered by four horses as the townsfolk watch. A grim and shocking scene, it is here that the art director grabs you with his colourful palette; from the authentic old German town with its old-fashioned houses to the contrasting bright red velvet mask of the executioner, there's a whole spectrum of colours to enjoy.Just as Lee's limbs begin to tear from their sockets, the film cuts forward 35 years to the present day where we are introduced to the fresh-faced and handsome Lex Barker. Barker - a former Tarzan actor well past his prime but who still looks young and great - has been invited to Regula's castle for some unknown reason. The frightened townspeople refuse to talk about WHY they're frightened, so Barker has no other option than go and find out for himself, taking a carriage through the plush green German countryside to the location. Along the way he picks up the amusing Father Fabian (Vladimir Medar pretty good in a comedic role) and two women who have been attacked and abandoned by robbers. The first is Baroness Lilian von Brabant, played by Karin Dor, the second Babette, her little-seen servant. Dor is notable for being a Bond girl and also for her stunning resemblance to Barbara Steele, her long-lost twin perhaps? Either way she makes for a fetching female in distress.As nightfall grows close, the initially lush and beautiful countryside begins to turn into a sinister, mist-enshrouded landscape haunted by the unknown. In an excellent scene, the coach driver notices that the trees surrounding the path are draped with human body parts! This makes for a very creepy image, one to stay with you, and highly imaginative. Things get worse to the point where the carriage is driving OVER bodies lying in the road, whilst corpses swing from the trees either side! Great surrealist stuff, but the driver doesn't think so as he promptly has a heart attack and dies.While the father and Barker are investigating, Anathol shows up again to kidnap the girls and take the carriage. Thus the pair must travel on foot, through a spooky old graveyard, before they find themselves in a massive dungeon full of chambers and corridors which is where the remainder of the film takes place (not sure if the castle has an upstairs because we never see it!). The dungeon is another great example of set design, with weird paintings strewn everywhere and disturbing moving statues; rarely in a horror film is such a celebration of death shown. Skulls line corridors, corpses are draped over torture devices, so it's all pretty macabre.There's a lot of incident going on in this movie and the eighty-minute running time positively flies by. My only complaint is with the twee music score which, thankfully, isn't used very much anyway. Otherwise the photography is good, the sets and locations authentic, and the film expensive-looking in scope. The special effects are also of a high standard. The cast is a great one; aside from Barker and Medar, who are both fine as the heroes, we have Christopher Lee in one of his best European horrors from the period. Sure, Lee isn't required to act or do much as the chief villain, but he's adept at playing a corpse and his makeup is fantastic. Special mention should also go to Dieter Eppler, who plays the wonderfully fiendish Anathol! My advice is to seek out a good print of THE TORTURE CHAMBER OF DR. SADISM and watch the movie for what is it: a neglected classic of the horror genre!

Old time movie serial style thrills mix with Gothic horror and a comic book sensibility for this incredibly fun German adaptation of Poes' "The Pit and the Pendulum". Former Tarzan performer Lex Barker stars as Roger Mont Elise, who journeys to the distant castle of a character named Count Regula (Sir Christopher Lee). Regula was a multiple murderer who attempted to unlock the secret to immortality 35 years ago, and was drawn and quartered for his crimes. Could Regula still be alive? On his travels, Roger meets with the aristocratic Lilian von Brabant (German beauty Karin Dor, "You Only Live Twice") and the larger than life "priest" Fabian (Vladimir Medar).You know you're in for a jolly good time when Roger, Lilian, Fabian, Lilians' servant Babette (Christiane Rucker), and their coachman (Dieter Eppler, "Slaughter of the Vampires") pass through a forest where there are all these human bodies and body parts hanging in the trees. As directed by Harald Reinl (Dors' husband at the time), this delicious movie delights in so many of the trappings for this kind of entertainment that it's certain to be catnip to rabid genre fans. (Of course, there are still likely to be those who feel that there isn't *enough* torture in this flick.) The sets are absolutely great, as are the set decoration and the props. Babette will be tied to an ingenious torture device, and the rugged, stolid Roger will find himself threatened by a pendulum. The music isn't always effective, because there are points where it's so upbeat and goofy that viewers might burst out laughing. The atmosphere is reminiscent of Hammer product during this time, and the violence really isn't that strong. It's not like we ever SEE the really nasty stuff happen.Barker and Dor are likable as our hero and heroine. Medar delivers a very hearty performance and is often seen to be laughing. Sir Christopher is simply marvelous as the villain, but Carl Lange as the henchman Anatol is a true scene stealer here. For Lange to be able to wrest scenes away from Lee is truly an accomplishment.Recommended viewing.Eight out of 10.

Deriving its inspiration very loosely from Poe (specifically his classic short story 'The Pit and the Pendulum'), "The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism" stars Christopher Lee as Count Regula, a sadistic nobleman who is drawn and quartered after killing twelve virgins in his quest for eternal life. Thirty-five years later, the count's servant brings him back from the grave so that he can avenge himself on the descendants (Lex Barker, Karin Dor) of those responsible for his execution. Lee is suitably ghoulish as the resurrected count, and the dank, gloomy torture chamber of the title--in which Barker's character faces death by pendulum--is truly impressive with its fresco of the right panel of Hieronymus Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights (which depicts Hell). It probably won't make anyone's list of top ten horror films, but "The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism" delivers the goods in terms of pure mood and atmosphere, if not subtlety. Six and a half stars.

We see Christopher Lee as Count Frederic Regula, who used the blood of 12 virgins for his experiments. He is drawn and quartered but not before swearing vengeance on the descendants of the Judge and the woman who escaped and turned him in.Now, we come some years later, Roger Mont Elise (Lex Barker) has come to claim his inheritance. He is joined on his journey by a somewhat randy priest, Father Fabian (Vladimir Medar), and a young woman, the the beautiful Baroness Lilian von Brabant (Karin Dor) and her servant Babette (Christiane Rücker). They were travelling in a separate coach that was beset upon by robbers, who took their horses.The setting near the castle is surreal, with body parts seemingly growing out of the trees.Carl Lange as the Count's servant was particularly good. Lee, himself, was particularly evil in his appearance. Karin Dor did this film the same year as she was a Bond girl in You Only Live Twice. The art direction was excellent in the castle, with many strange paintings, and the cinematography was superb. The buzzards in the castle were a nice touch, as were the scorpions and spiders and snakes. Roger's escape from the pit with the pendulum can only be described as miraculous.