Mark of the Devil [2 Discs] [Blu-ray/DVD]

Overview

Released as Mark of the Devil to U.S. theaters (accompanied by complimentary barf-bags for squeamish patrons with urpy tendencies), this gory torture-fest was produced in Germany under the title of Hexen bis aufs Blut Gequ?lt (Witches Tortured Till They Bleed). The story is comprised of equal parts Ken Russell's The Devils and Michael Reeves' sardonic Witchfinder General (aka The Conqueror Worm). It involves the demented Count Cumberland (Herbert Lom), an Austrian nobleman who implements the witch-hunting policies of the Inquisition as a means of obtaining land, riches, and nubile young wenches -- particularly the lovely Vanessa (Olivera Vuco), who has been accused of heresy and witchcraft. Cumberland's accomplice in the torture and terror, Baron Christian Von Mem (Udo Kier), realizes too late that his mentor is the true evil stalking the land, not the terrified innocents whose "trials" are a mockery of justice. Christian is sacrificed to the enraged villagers during the inevitable revolt at the film's climax, while the Count makes a hasty escape -- thus enabling the birth of a sequel, Mark of the Devil Part 2. Both films were repackaged in the mid-70's and released in time to join the ranks of the European demon-possession subgenre (American release ads proudly proclaimed "Damn The Exorcist!"). The barf-bags were not entirely unjustified for this graphically sadistic exercise which assaulted audiences with explicit scenes of torture, including the removal of one poor victim's tongue.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/17/2015
UPC:	0760137711995
Original Release:	1969
Rating:	NR
Source:	Arrow Video
Region Code:	1
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono, Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	1:38:00

Special Features

Audio commentary by Michael Armstrong, moderated by Calum Waddell; Mark of the Times - exclusive feature-length documentary from High Rising Productions on the emergence of the 'new wave' of British horror directors that surfaced during the sixties and seventies, featuring contributions form Michael Armstrong, Norman J. Warren (Terror), David McGillivray (Frightmare), Professor Peter Hutchings (author of Hammer and Beyond) and famed film critic Kim Newman; Hallmark of the Devil - author and critic Michael Gingold looks back at Hallmark Releasing, the controversial and confrontational distributor that introduced Mark of the Devil to American theaters; Interviews with composer Michael Holm and actors Udo Kier, Herbert Fux, Gaby Fuchs, Ingeborg Schoner and Herbert Lom; Mark of the Devil: Now and Then - a look at the film's locations and how they appear today; Outtakes; Gallery

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Herbert Lom	Lord Cumberland
Udo Kier	Count Christian von Meruh
Olivera Vuco	Vanessa Benedikt
Reggie Nalder	Albino
Herbert Fux	Chief Executioner
Gaby Fuchs	Deidre von Bergenstein
Michael Maien	Baron Daumer
Ingeborg Schoener	Nobleman's Wife,Actor
Doris von Danwitz	Elisabeth
Dorothea Carrera	Actor
Marlies Peterson	Actor
Günter Clemens	Actor
Johannes Buzalski	Advocato
Adrian Hoven	Nobleman
Curt Jürgens	Actor
Michael Holm	Composer

Technical Credits

Michael Armstrong	Director
Adrian Hoven	Producer