The Whip and the Body
by Mario Bava
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Christopher Lee, Daliah Lavi, Harriet Medin, Ida Galli, Tony KendallDirector: Mario Bava
Brand: VDI
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); Italian (Dubbed)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 87 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2000-10-24
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Vci Video
Movie Reviews of The Whip and the Body
Movie Review: "You can't stop the hand of fate."
Summary: 5 Stars
While watching this `uncut' European version of La Frusta e il corpo (1963) aka The Whip and the Body (1965), I had a hard time understanding just what the heck was so controversial about it at the time of its release that it should have been hacked to pieces the way it was by various editors (I think the U.S. version end up being the most mutililated)...I guess it is just difficult for me to fathom the seemingly excessive stringent nature of film censorship in place some thirty plus years ago, when the film was originally released...by today's standards, the `shocking' material is fairly mild...but then I find a lot of things I consider tame in the cinematic sense tend to have a stronger effect on less avid movie fans. Directed by Mario Bava (Black Sabbath, Planet of the Vampires), the film stars Christopher Lee (Circus of Fear, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave), Daliah Lavi (Lord Jim, The Silencers), and Tony Kendall (Kiss Kiss, Kill Kill). Also appearing is Gustavo De Nardo (Baron Blood), Harriet Medin (Schlock, Death Race 2000), Ida Galli (The Leopard), and Luciano Pigozzi (Yor, the Hunter from the Future)...just a note, if you've seen this film and don't recognize many of the names of the writers, crew or the supporting cast, that's because it wasn't unusual for producers to require the usage of `American' nom de plumes as it was deemed easier to schlep a film to the U.S. if it had familiar sounding names rather than `crazy' names with more vowels than consonants...and example of this is the listed director John M. Old, which is actually a pseudonym used by Mario Bava. Was this a product of American arrogance? Or a ruse used by European producers to more easily introduce their films into the lucrative American market?
The film begins with an older woman eyeing a glass case containing a dagger and roses (some people just collect Hummel figurines), and then we see a lone figure on horseback arriving at a castle perched on cliff above a beach. The rider, known as Kurt Menliff (Lee), has arrived home, but not necessarily to the warmest of welcomes. Turns out Kurt was the cause of some `unpleasantness' involving the housekeeper's daughter and her subsequent suicide by use of the dagger we saw earlier (hence why the mother keeps it under glass, I suppose)...anyway, Kurt claims his return was prompted by his desire to wish his brother Christian (Kendall) and his new wife Nevenka (Lavi) well, but the real reason is because he wants to lay claim to what he believes is rightfully his (the land, the castle, etc.) as Kurt and Christian's father, Count Menliff (De Nardo) isn't in the best of health. By the way, did I mention that Kurt and his new sister-in-law Nevenka were somewhat of an item in the past? Oh, Nevenka claims she hates Kurt now, but we all know true love never dies, especially between super freaks (of which both Kurt and Nevenka are, given their little S&M adventure on the beach). Soon after this there is a violent death (whose, you ask? I won't say) and thus begins the real creep show as them vengeful bones seek comeuppance from the living...
If you're looking for buckets of blood and gallons of grisly gore, you best turn around and keep on keeping on as, while this is an Italian horror film, its not really of the normally visceral kind churned out by the likes of Lucio Fulci (City of the Living Dead), Dario Argento (Suspiria), Ruggero Deodato (Cannibal Holocaust), or even Bava (A Bay of Blood) himself...there is some violence, and even some blood, but what I think most shocked people at the time was the scene featuring the reaction of Nevenka as she was being flogged (she appeared to be having the big O, if you get my drift)...the movie may seem slow, even boring, to some, but I thought of it more as deliberate, as Bava used the element of horror as sort of a backdrop to focus on the odd relationship between Kurt and Nevenka, one I had a hard time understanding not because it wasn't clearly developed, but only because my own, personal preferences in terms of romantic relationships don't include such overt acts of dominance. A number of aspects stand out in this superior production, the three most prominent being the performances, the direction, and the thoughtful development of the main characters. Lee does especially well (despite limited screen time) coming across more as an intelligent, seductive, malevolent force of evil rather than nasty character with a penchant for flogging. Lavi is also excellent as a woman tormented by the denial of her inner desires, exacerbated by the return of her ex-lover. The direction is such that it creates a moody, brooding, gothic atmosphere soaked with tension (some scenes were dragged out a little long for my tastes) that will keep the attention patient viewers as the mystery unfolds, and the seemingly supernatural elements kick in...Bava does especially well presenting sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle, metaphorical life/death imagery that compliments the story, adding to the overall production. Two other key elements is the contrast of vibrant (just short of gaudy) colors compared with the deep, dark, spooky shadows, along with the lush and sweeping musical score. There are a couple of weaknesses, in my opinion, one being the unnecessary dubbing of Lee's voice...why this was done I don't understand. The person they got to do the dub does sound similar to Lee, but he couldn't reproduce the commanding, authorative, and aristocratic tone normally present in Lee's voice. The other weakness was in the dialog itself...sometimes it was near perfect, and then sometimes it came off awkward, but perhaps this was due to the Italian actors having to speak their lines in English...regardless, neither of these would be cause for me not to recommend this film to someone interested in one of the better (if not best) examples of European horror I've seen yet...
VCI Home Entertainment presents a very good-looking, wide screen (1.85:1), uncut European version of this film. There are signs of wear due to age (some lines, white specks in the dark scenes), but overall the picture comes across very clear. The audio, presented in Dolby Digital mono, comes through well. Special features include musical tracks by composer Carlo Rustichelli aka Jim Murphy, an original theatrical trailer, biographies, a photo gallery, and trailers for a couple of other Bava films including Planet of the Vampires (1965) and Blood & Black Lace (1964). Also included is a commentary track by Tim Lucas, and editor for Video Watchdog. If you get a chance, I would highly recommend listening to this commentary as Lucas is like a human computer when it comes to details and information about this, and other films in the genre. And it's not that he just spews forth facts, but he really seems to have a passionate, comprehensive, knowledgeable understanding of the material that may provide a perspective on this film one may not get from viewing the movie itself...four stars for the movie, and one extra for the commentary.
Cookieman108
By the way, if I were one of the characters in this story, I probably would have chucked that dagger (you know, the one that kept turning up and killing people?) in the ocean...I would have also secured some chains around the gates of that crypt, as it seemed a popular place for many to visit...
Summary of The Whip and the Body
Synopsis:Item Type: DVD Movie
Item Rating: NR
Street Date: 11/21/00
Wide Screen: yes
Director Cut: no
Special Edition: no
LanguageENGLISH
Foreign Film: no
Subtitlesno
Dubbed: no
Full Frame: no
Re-Release: no
Packaging: Sleeve Please note: This supplier will be closed on 11/24, 11/25, 12/26, 1/2 for the holidays. The shipping cut off is 12/10 to try and have the products delivered by Christmas.
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