Hexen bis aufs Blut gequält
Encyclopedia
Mark of the Devil, or in original German Hexen bis aufs Blut gequält is a German
horror film
released in 1970
. It is most remembered for its marketing: slogans included "Positively the most horrifying film ever made" and "Rated V for Violence", while sick bags
were given free to the audience upon admission.
, the story is about a Witchfinder (Herbert Lom
) and the young man he trains (Udo Kier
), both travel the courtyside terrorizing people suspected of devil worship. When the Witchfinder goes too far by trying to rape a local girl, his trainee rebels.
's 1969 script. The original plans were led by producer Adrian Hoven
, who intended to produce, direct and star in the film. Hoven's version was a completely different film rumoured to have been called The Witch Hunter - Dr. Dracula. The film was made to cash in on the success of the Michael Reeves's 1968 classic Witchfinder General
.
The movie was filmed during the summer of 1969 in Austria. From day one, production was a nightmare. There was at least half a dozen languages spoken on set, causing endless problems for the cast and crew. Producer Adrian Hoven and director Michael Armstrong disliked each other intensely and often argued over the slightest of things. Hoven made sure a small number of the scripts were kept on set and even cut some of Armstrong's footage, so his own ideas could be inserted in the film. Because cinematographer Ernst W. Kalinke was a friend of Hoven's, they would both film scenes without Armstrong's permission. It has been debated how much of Mark of the Devil was filmed by Armstrong and what by Hoven. To give the film some historical accuracy, it was filmed in an Austrian castle where actual witchfinding interrogations took place. This castle also served as a museum with authentic torture tools that were used in the film.
by Hallmark Releasing in 1972 and has been available since then on VHS
in a multitude of releases from different companies, all varying in terms of the violent content, as well aso released on laserdisc
by Elite Entertainment. The film was released on DVD
by Anchor Bay Entertainment
in 1998 and re-released by Blue Underground
in 2004, with this release being deemed the most complete version of the film.
(German: Hexen geschändet und zu Tode gequält) in 1973
. In addition, several VHS companies sought to exploit the title's notoriety by retitling several unrelated European horror films as sequels (including films from the popular Blind Dead series).
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
released in 1970
1970 in film
The year 1970 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 9 - Larry Fine, the second member of The Three Stooges, suffers a massive stroke, therefore ending his career....
. It is most remembered for its marketing: slogans included "Positively the most horrifying film ever made" and "Rated V for Violence", while sick bags
Airsickness bag
An airsickness bag is a small bag commonly provided to passengers on board airplanes and boats to collect and contain vomit in the event of motion sickness. Hovercraft-ferry operators and even train companies have also been known to supply bags...
were given free to the audience upon admission.
Plot
Set in early 18th century, AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, the story is about a Witchfinder (Herbert Lom
Herbert Lom
Herbert Lom is a Czech film actor, best known for his role as former Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus in the Pink Panther movie series.-Life and career:...
) and the young man he trains (Udo Kier
Udo Kier
Udo Kier is a German actor, known primarily for his work in horror and exploitation movies.-Early life:...
), both travel the courtyside terrorizing people suspected of devil worship. When the Witchfinder goes too far by trying to rape a local girl, his trainee rebels.
Production
Mark of the Devil is based upon Michael ArmstrongMichael Armstrong (cinematographer)
Michael Armstrong is a British writer and directorArmstrong trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and was writing and directing films at the age of 22 with the award-winning short, The Image starring David Bowie and Michael Byrne...
's 1969 script. The original plans were led by producer Adrian Hoven
Adrian Hoven
Adrian Hoven was an Austrian actor, producer and film director. He appeared in 100 films between 1947 and 1981.He was born in Wöllersdorf, Austria as Wilhelm Arpad Hofkirchner and died in Tegernsee, Germany....
, who intended to produce, direct and star in the film. Hoven's version was a completely different film rumoured to have been called The Witch Hunter - Dr. Dracula. The film was made to cash in on the success of the Michael Reeves's 1968 classic Witchfinder General
Witchfinder General (film)
Witchfinder General is a 1968 British horror film directed by Michael Reeves and starring Vincent Price, Ian Ogilvy, and Hilary Dwyer. The screenplay was by Reeves and Tom Baker based on Ronald Bassett's novel of the same name. Made on a low budget of under £100,000, the movie was coproduced by...
.
The movie was filmed during the summer of 1969 in Austria. From day one, production was a nightmare. There was at least half a dozen languages spoken on set, causing endless problems for the cast and crew. Producer Adrian Hoven and director Michael Armstrong disliked each other intensely and often argued over the slightest of things. Hoven made sure a small number of the scripts were kept on set and even cut some of Armstrong's footage, so his own ideas could be inserted in the film. Because cinematographer Ernst W. Kalinke was a friend of Hoven's, they would both film scenes without Armstrong's permission. It has been debated how much of Mark of the Devil was filmed by Armstrong and what by Hoven. To give the film some historical accuracy, it was filmed in an Austrian castle where actual witchfinding interrogations took place. This castle also served as a museum with authentic torture tools that were used in the film.
Reception
Mark of the Devil was more successful at the box office than Witchfinder General and this success is often attributed to the aforementioned advertising campaign. The film has been criticized by many reviewers for being too violent to contain any message and far too exploitative whilst dealing with a serious historical subject. Other reviews praise the film for its filming locations, consisting of the mountainous Austrian countryside and stately castles.Release
The film was released theatrically in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by Hallmark Releasing in 1972 and has been available since then on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
in a multitude of releases from different companies, all varying in terms of the violent content, as well aso released on laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
by Elite Entertainment. The film was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
by Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment is a U.S. based home entertainment and production company and is a division of Starz Media, which is a unit of Starz, LLC. It was previously owned by IDT Entertainment until 2006 when IDT was purchased by Starz Media. Anchor Bay markets and sells feature films, series,...
in 1998 and re-released by Blue Underground
Blue Underground
Blue Underground is an American company specializing in releasing authoritative editions of cult and exploitation movies on Blu-ray Disc and DVD....
in 2004, with this release being deemed the most complete version of the film.
Sequel
Producer Hoven delivered the official sequel, Mark of the Devil Part IIMark of the Devil Part II
Mark of the Devil Part II, or in original German Hexen geschändet und zu Tode gequält is a German horror film released in 1973. It is a sequel to Mark of the Devil.-Plot:...
(German: Hexen geschändet und zu Tode gequält) in 1973
1973 in film
The year 1973 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces his second wife, Barbara Blakely. Blakely would later marry actor/singer Frank Sinatra....
. In addition, several VHS companies sought to exploit the title's notoriety by retitling several unrelated European horror films as sequels (including films from the popular Blind Dead series).