Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

UnowPriceless hyped garbage

Hattie I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Delight Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

MartinHafer The late 60s and early 70s saw the proliferation of movies about witch trials and burnings. Off the top of my head, I can think of four in addition to "Mark of the Devil"--"Witchfinder General", "Les démons", "Crowhaven Farm" and "Daughters of Satan". Some of them were pretty good--some of them were just plain nasty. I'd put "Mark of the Devil" in the latter category. Why? Because the film is so sadistic and brutal--and it appears the films were appealing to the basest and nastiest instincts in the audiences.The film begins with a prologue in which they say millions were killed as a result of the witch trials. While many people were killed, it certainly isn't in the millions and the number simply was made up for this film.The rest of the movie involves two separate groups of witchfinders--one working with the evil Herbert Lom and the other working for some other evil guy. Regardless, they murder, rape and torture for kicks and have no interest in doing 'God's will'--unless they worship a god who is 100% evil! A young apprentice witchfinder watching all this slowly becomes convinced that the cause is unjust--but what is he and the rest of the folk to do to stop this madness? As I said above, this is a brutal and sadistic film. Too many scenes are more interested in showing blood, nudity, gore and violence to take the film very seriously. The acting isn't that bad, but the music, at times, is terrible. Imagine a modern film whose musical score often is an organ! It made me laugh because it was so cheesy.

t_atzmueller We find ourselves in a fictional European country where the people's names are a mix of German or English but which is obviously countryside of Austria. The witch-madness is at its height; people are being arrested, tortured and killed for the most flimsy reason, like having the suspicious birthmarks or being puppeteers. Young nobleman Christian von Meruh (Udo Kier), foster son and apprentice of the local witch hunter Lord Cumberland, is a dedicated follower in the fight against witchcraft but upon falling in love with a fiery inn maid, he begins to question the sincerity of his tutor. Cumberland seems reasonably and benevolent at first but soon enough reveals himself as bigot and, plagued by his impotence, a sadistic pervert.Let's face it: the film is exploitation in its purest form. We're talking hardcore torture, disembowelment, tongue-tearing, amputation of limbs from little toe to head and a lot of beating, whipping and burning. However, it's very tasteful exploitation and doesn't have to shy the comparison to Michael Reeves groundbreaking "Witchfinder General", upon which heel this was filmed. Similar to cult horror-film "Cannibal Holocaust", the soundtrack plays a key role; atmospheric but, in stark contrast to the violence, beautiful and similarly unforgettable as Riz Ortolani's haunting score. .About the cast: no broomstick-riding hags with warts on their noses, actually, all the witches are remarkably pretty. As protagonist, Udo Kier isn't yet at the prime of his skills and, for the sake of argument, seems miscast as a young witch finder-apprentice. Herbert Lom, a master of his trade, plays the villain; he manages to appear very father-like, even trustable until revealed as the symbolizing the hypocrisy and corruption of this era. Olivia Vuco (Olivera Katarina) shines in her role of love-interest and very fiery damsel in distress; unfortunately it would remain her only starring role in Western European cinema. Perfectly cast: character actors Herbert Fux as torturer (never was a role cast more aptly), German trash legend Johannes Buzalski (or "Count Porno" as he's known by his fans) as treacherous advocate and the excellent Reggie Nalder, who's unique facial features would have him cast forever as a villains villain. American's might know him best as vampire Mr. Barlow in the first TV-adoption of "Salem's Lot".Is it as good as "Witchfinder General"? No, it cannot quiet conjure up the same cold, dark atmosphere, it didn't have a brilliant director like Michael Reeves (although it can be felt that director Michael Armstrong was familiar with Reeves style and methods) and was much more geared toward fans of hard exploitation flicks. Yes, you'll have to have a certain morbid taste for medieval torture but don't expect some cheap smorgasbord of blood and gore, like you would expect from contemporary films like "Saw" or "Hostel". "Mark of the Devil" stands far above that sleaze and, within its own subgenre, is only matched by Michael Reeves masterwork.

HumanoidOfFlesh "Mark of the Devil" was made as an obvious attempt to cash in on Michael Reeves medieval torture classic "Witchfinder General" aka "Conqueror Worm".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.When the film was released to cinemas the viewers were vomit bags as a promotion.The cast is excellent and the main music theme of "Mark of the Devil" is truly haunting.Reggie Nalder is memorably hideous as a bloodthirsty witchhunter Albino and Oliviera Vuco is jaw-droppingly beautiful and sensual.A must-see for fans of historical dramas with some nasty torture thrown in.A tongue removal scene is the most shocking bit.9 out of 10.

ctomvelu1 Leave it to the Germans to make the absolutely best, most sadistic torture-and-execution movie of all time. MARK follows a Middle Ages church-authorized witch hunter (Lom) and his young aide (Kier) as Lom condemn people right and left as witches. Conflict arises between the two as time goes on, as Kier realizes not everyone Lom condemns is a witch. The torture scenes are hokey by today's standards but effective for their time. People are burned, stabbed, beheaded, whipped and so on. Imagine seeing this through a kid's eyes on its initial release, back when this kind of stuff was routinely shown as part of Saturday afternoon kiddie matinées. This is one of the few horror pictures of the era I missed as a youth, for better or worse. Lom is magnificent and keeps the picture from becoming just a bunch of torture scenes. A very young Kier is shaggy-haired and cute but blank-faced throughout, and most of the rest of the cast wildly overacts, including Reggie Nalder as one of the baddest bad guys. Nalder would go onto some modest fame as the Nosferatu-like vampire in the first TV version of SALEM'S LOT. But for all its faults, what a treat this is. It makes HOSTEL and SAW, which it obviously inspired, look like so much G-rated Disney fare. A must-see.