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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
I am a horror fanatic, and I read so much about this film - how it broke new ground, went places that 1960's cinema did not dare to go...etc.- that I felt it should become part of my precious and precocious collection. Reviewers would name-drop 'Mark Of The Devil' as a paeon of gore film-making, as something to be compared by. Sadly, this is not the case. Its rubbish - the work of an amateur film-maker (who has gone on to make little more than American TVMs), and it does not deserve the 'cult' plaudits which have been rudely stolen away from the infinitely superior 'Witchfinder General' (which it follows in plot, but not quality). Herbert Lom escapes with his reputation, but the remaining cast are clearly aesthetic additions designed to distract from the cinematic catastrophe occuring in front of the viewer. Yes, the scenery is tremendous, but I suggest you watch the phenomenal Werner Herzog if thats your thing. Yes, the gore factor is high (in places), but you're constantly reminded that you're in movie-land by the awful performances of the victims. This film has all the production qualities of a soft-porn film, with the subtlety and intelligence of a lead-lined breeze-block. I give it two stars because I've yet to have a 1 star review published on Amazon.
Note 1: when this film first went out in cinemas in the US, sick bags were provided for the audience. I'm not sure why they did this, but perhaps it was because of the appallingly contrived romance scenes between the two leads.
Note 2: Star Udo Kier latterly appeared in The Story Of O - a French pseudo-bondage film, in which he turned in a similarly Mahogany perfomance. How do these films ever get made...?
5 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Chaz
Format:DVD
This is one of those low budget, unintentionally funny horror films that could have been entertaining if it didn't take itself so seriously. It has an interesting plot, a village plagued by an unjust witch hunter, but the acting is absoloutely atrocious. It reminded me of all the absoloute poorest actors from other low budget films such as Bronx Warriors, Tower Of Evil, and Cannibal Terror, all brought together and given lessons on how to act terribly. A one star review is avoided only by the torture scenes, which, for a 60's film, are quite impressive, although they do look a bit dated today. One thing I found very bizarre was that when I bought this on video, the entire plot is given away on the back of the box. I presumed the film would carry on from the where the back of the box blurb left off, but it actually gives away the whole story, from start to finish. This is something I just can't understand. Buy this film if it going cheap to watch the torture sequences, but they're not really good enough to justify watching the film a second time.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3.3 out of 5 stars
54 reviews
46 of 47 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Atmospheric Euro-exploitation flick
16 Jan 2005
By Lunar Strain
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:DVD
Back in the day (1970), this film was probably the most controversal movie ever made as it depicted the witch trials going on Europe during the darkest page of human existance. I remember reading all the controversy and I couldn't help but watch the film that caused such a ruckous. I was expecting some really cheap, gory, pointless Eurotrash exploitation flick. What I got was much, much more. First of all, THERE'S A STORY! Yes this film actually has a good plot and story and is actually fairly accurate to some of the real happenings in history. Second, THE ACTING IS REALLY GOOD. The entire cast gives it their all and makes this film believable. The only hinderence is the dubbing, but for foreign horror film fans like me, dubbing just adds to the charm. I was pleasently surprised and got a much better film than I was expecting. I would actually recomend this film to fans of Hammer flicks that came out at about the same time. I however do not recommend this film for fans of pointless gore/trash cinema as they will not get what they expect. The tagline on the box is also misleading as it tags the movie as "the most horrifying movie ever made" which isn't exactly true. Yes it had some shocking moments, but in no way is it really horrifying. By today's standards, the shocks are pretty tame. So if your a fan of atmospheric Euro horror, don't believe all the bad hype as this film is a true gem of the genre.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
But does she have the Mark? Watch this one!
3 Feb 2005
By Robert E. Murena Jr.
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:DVD
Mark of the Devil left its mark on me. In college it was one of the few films I owned and too poor to own cable it was viewed quite often. However these were pre-DVD days and now that this DVD has arrived I have resumed my love for this film. With a truly remarkable amount of extras for such an old film including an interview with Gabby Fuchs, who became somewhat of a cult icon among my friends, this film is worthwhile to buy.
I need to inform you that this not the "most horrifying film ever made". It is mildly sadistic and a little gory by today's standards but this film runs its entire course without any intentional humor or stupidity that is so common in today's horror movies. As Albino says "I may not be educated but I am not stupid": I want movies that at least try to take themselves seriously. This movie does that.
For a 35 year old horror film from Europe this film has had some staying power. I recommend this one to fans of horror of all ages. It is certainly something different from the hackneyed plots that the genre is so susceptible to. If you've seen the movie before get this DVD too you will be pleased with the digital quality and the copious extras... Enjoy the torture...
--Ted Murena
I need to inform you that this not the "most horrifying film ever made". It is mildly sadistic and a little gory by today's standards but this film runs its entire course without any intentional humor or stupidity that is so common in today's horror movies. As Albino says "I may not be educated but I am not stupid": I want movies that at least try to take themselves seriously. This movie does that.
For a 35 year old horror film from Europe this film has had some staying power. I recommend this one to fans of horror of all ages. It is certainly something different from the hackneyed plots that the genre is so susceptible to. If you've seen the movie before get this DVD too you will be pleased with the digital quality and the copious extras... Enjoy the torture...
--Ted Murena
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
HIDEOUS
20 Aug 2005
By A Hermit
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:DVD
"Mark Of The Devil" came out in 1969, and was billed as "Positively The Most Horrifying Movie Ever Made," and looking at the time of its release, I could agree. "Night Of The Living Dead" generally freaked people out in 1968, but the recently deceased getting back up, and cannibalizing the living really does stretch credibility, where this film focuses on the cavalier attitude of Witchfinders in 1700 Austria.
People were superstitious at the time, and doing these awful things to people, and calling it "The Lord's Work," really did happen. The mere accusation of Sorcery was enough to get an indictment, and corruption of the Church has always been there; if you're accused, you have lost the battle.
Revulsion is the real star of this film, and watching these people doing these ghastly things to people, all in a days work, with God on their side, makes it excruciating to watch. One case in particular, has this LOVELY young woman on trial for consorting with the Devil; the truth? She was living with some nuns, and the Bishop raped her. The baby was seen as Satan's spawn, and the politics of the church wouldn't allow the truth to come out. She goes so far as to give a false confession, one she thought they wanted, and from there, it only got worse for her. Watching her ordeal made me physically uncomfortable; I had to keep reminding myself that she was just an actress, and this was a only film stage. But they really did this to people; that's what is so horrifying. THEY ACTUALLY DID THIS TO PEOPLE! WITH CHURCH APPROVAL! ("...doing the Lord's work is never easy...")
This is an exploitation film, but one with a story-line, albeit a tragic one, and thank God the witch trials don't happen now.
People were superstitious at the time, and doing these awful things to people, and calling it "The Lord's Work," really did happen. The mere accusation of Sorcery was enough to get an indictment, and corruption of the Church has always been there; if you're accused, you have lost the battle.
Revulsion is the real star of this film, and watching these people doing these ghastly things to people, all in a days work, with God on their side, makes it excruciating to watch. One case in particular, has this LOVELY young woman on trial for consorting with the Devil; the truth? She was living with some nuns, and the Bishop raped her. The baby was seen as Satan's spawn, and the politics of the church wouldn't allow the truth to come out. She goes so far as to give a false confession, one she thought they wanted, and from there, it only got worse for her. Watching her ordeal made me physically uncomfortable; I had to keep reminding myself that she was just an actress, and this was a only film stage. But they really did this to people; that's what is so horrifying. THEY ACTUALLY DID THIS TO PEOPLE! WITH CHURCH APPROVAL! ("...doing the Lord's work is never easy...")
This is an exploitation film, but one with a story-line, albeit a tragic one, and thank God the witch trials don't happen now.
›
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3.3 out of 5 stars
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