The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism (aka Blood Demon)

This popped up for me in Prime. After having a laugh over the title, somehow I got sucked into watching. I think it was seeing Christopher Lee's name. But the surprise was... this was a fun, atmospheric, Hammer-esque (but not actually a Hammer production) ride. I think I'm taking the time to write a review here just to say... if you like those old Hammer horror films with interesting locations, foggy atmospherics, and beautiful women getting lost in dark forests, etc... this one is worth a look. You know how the best movies for MST3K are often the ones where the movie itself is kind of watchable? Where it looks good and seems professionally put together but it's still better when you talk through it? This is one of those. You can laugh at it or just enjoy it for what it's offering.There seem to have been many titles for this movie over the years, so if you agree that this one is ridiculous, then the good news is it has little to do with anything. There is a torture chamber, but there is no character named Dr. Sadism. The story was very simple but managed a continuous build of anticipation, mystery, and dread (in a good way). The production and the performances were all very good as well. By that I mean, it's certainly much better than you would expect from that title. Lee was only in it at the beginning and the end, but his evil servant really carried the weight as kind of a fill-in villain for the middle portion. Lex Barker was fine as the square-jawed hero. He wasn't particularly competent as he walked headfirst into traps every few minutes toward the end, but he showed enough charisma to let you believe Karin Dor would prefer him to... a horrible death, I suppose. Dor was lovely and really quite good as the beauty in jeopardy. As simple as the story was (basically a carriage ride through a haunted countryside on a journey to Lee's castle (and torture chamber), it still had some fun characters (the Priest/Thief was a good sidekick), and it put in the effort for twists and turns.Also, it's nowhere near as gory as the title implies, which is a good thing. The "dread" worked better by making you think something horrible was always around the corner. Without spoilers, the only real complaint is that the story as revealed in the end (in Lee's "you must be wondering why I've brought you all here..." speech) doesn't make a lot of sense. I kind of chalk that up to the script being translated into other languages. You get the idea of it, but there's not a ton of logic to it.

Spaghetti Westerns from Italy in the late '60s to the '70s.The buxom women laying dead and ever so carefully showing all but the naughty bits earmark this movie as a classic young man's fantasy film. I think this is inspired by Dracula, The Pit, and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe published in1842.Christopher Lee is a gorgeous dead guy and Lex Barker is a face I want to see again and again. After this review, I want to see his version of Tarzan. The variety of jobs both men did over very long careers is enviable. This film style is only achieved with buxom women spread ever so carefully showing all but the naughty bits earmark this movie as a classic young man's fantasy film.I think this is inspired by Dracula, The Pit, and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe published in1842 le. And the assets of Karen Dor can not be overlooked. As a Bond Girl and a Hitchcock femme fatalel, she was well-liked and respected. The scenes of her searching for Roger in this film couldn't be better with today's filming styles. Drama and sexy women are great but add suspense and gore and I am a happy lady!For those of you who rely on CGI for entertainment, you will find only some claymation in one of its earliest forms. This is about the big sets on a huge lot. I couldn't find the location for filming because I am short on time but suffice it to say, I loved this classic cleavage, heavy makeup, and closeups to let the actor shine with their emotions laid bare.This will not be of interest to many these days but if you want to have fun after buying the movie, turn the sound down and gather friends or family to be the characters' voices. They do this on Whose Line Is It Anyway and what a riot that can be!!I was 6 when this was filmed. I don't know how I made it through my teen years as a videophile because I could watch movies 24 hours a day. My young girly girl face was easily stripped away when my love of the macabre by my movie choices made me show off my evil twin. I always was the dark horse. I teethed on a weekly dose of Barnabas Collins and Dr. Julia Hoffman until the show ended in around '71. Can you tell that my favorite holiday is Halloween?

This is not an art piece and it's not horror as most of us recognize it today. It has some mildly creepy aspects to it and fits pretty squarely in it's little niche when you consider the era it was made in. Some of the sets were absolutely inspired, some of the acting (Sir Christopher Lee and Lex Barker, anyone?) is very good. The story and script are fairly bare bones and it's pretty obvious from the onset where the story is headed, twists are not really a thing in this film. OH! and make more of the fact that most of the film is dubbed and.... Well.... Not with any extraordinary degree of success.To take all of that and boil it down, it's not the best film. It's not groundbreaking cinema. But it's fairly watchable, has a couple of people that you'll recognize, and the score is absolutely on point (not because it's a great score but because it's shockingly laughably comically bad, the kind of bad that makes something good... The countryside carriage scene has this music that plays and.... Imagine if someone wrote the score for elevator music having never heard elevator music and only had it described to them once). If you are bored, as I currently am on a Friday night, watch it. It's not going to scare you, you might get a couple of laughs and it's not the worst thing you've ever seen.

This review is based on the DVD of this film released by Desert Island. At the outset I would note that I relied upon another reviewers comments about the quality of this DVD - because I had, personally, had some less than favourable experience with offerings from the Desert Island brand. Their releases often had poor visual quality & were ‘chopped’ incomplete versions of the sought after film. I’m happy to report that in THIS instance they have provided a relatively clear sharp image with, apparently, little or no ‘cuts’ per the stated 85 min run time - colour is also vibrant.As per the quality of the filmic experience - this movie that possesses one of the most wonderfully exploitive titles of all time - states in its’ opening credits to be based on the E.A. Poe classic terror tale: “The Pit & the Pendulum”. Christopher Lee plays the evil Count Regula who is shown in a flash-back sequence at the start of the story being led to his execution (by being ‘drawn & quartered’!) for the crime of murdering a bunch of virgins. After this shocking opening sequence the plot jumps forward 35 years and focuses on a ‘gentleman’ who is trying to discover more about his past and he receives a mysterious invitation to travel to Count Regula’s castle. A goodly bunch of time is then devoted to the journey to that castle - during which 3 additional characters are added to the mix - a couple of beautiful women & another man who appears to be a priest. Things become ever more ominous as the group nears their destination, and when they finally arrive they find the castle in ruins BUT there is a subterranean complex of dungeon-like rooms that they descend into, and the rest of the tale takes place there. Some torturous scenes are played out as Count Regula & his zombie-esque henchman are resurrected. & proceed to terrorize the quartet of visitors. Snake-pits, deadly spikes, and the giant swinging pendulum blade of death are all employed before the rousing climax.Although this is a German production, it has a definite ‘Hammer Films’ feel to it - a sumptuous period piece with saturated colours. The horrors presented are all pretty tame by contemporary standards but the production values are good and the acting is adequate. Of course it’s always a treat to see Christopher Lee in action. There are some nice surreal scenes- such as a spooky forest where the ‘limbs’ of trees are human body parts! No naked flesh on display anywhere in the film.Despite its’ crazed title, TheTorture Chamber of Dr. Sadism is a fairly reserved exercise in horrific thrills - worth a watch but nuthin to get too excited about. Regardless - I enjoyed it. Widescreen and no extras.

This is a good movie starring the great Christopher Lee but this transfer is terrible. Get the newer version by Desert Island Classics which has a much better looking picture. Can't believe they are asking this much for a terrible looking version!