Friday, October 4, 2019

The Marshall from Hell





The Marshall from Hell (El Mariscal del infierno, The Devil’s Possessed)
1974
Director- Leon Klimovsky
From Spain
Cast- Paul Naschy, Norma Sebre, Guillermo Juan Bredeston, Vidal Molina, Graciela Nilson, Eduardo Calvo, Fernando Rubio, Luis Induni, Carmen Carro, Sandra Mozarowsky
           
     Based on the exploits of occultist and serial child murderer Gilles de Rais, this movie was a real international effort with actors from Spain, Argentia, Mexico and Italy.
            A medieval Baron (Naschy) is running out of money. After the king turns down his request for aid, he turns to the dark arts. He recruits an alchemist who promises him riches via the Philosopher’s Stone, the creation of which will require evil rituals.  The Baron engages in some virgin sacrifice, torture and necromancy but to no avail (the real life Gilles de Rais had a similar lack of success). It seems that the Barron’s hot wife and the alchemist are in league together and taking the Baron for a bit of a ride.
            Enter Gaston, one of the Baron’s old army buddies who has returned from the campaigns after being missing for years. Gaston is an Errol Flynn type swashbuckler and quickly recognizes that his old friend has slipped into depravity. Gaston joins a band of outlaws that oppose the Barron. The Barron goes progressively insane from guilt and the conflict with the outlaws escalates to an inevitable battle between the Barron and Gaston.
            The movie has a hard time deciding what it is. Sometimes it’s a cautionary horror story and sometimes Robin Hood-esque adventure. It also has some dangling threads that go nowhere. Horror fans in general can skip it, but Paul Naschy fans will want to catch it, if for no other than reason that to see Naschy as a vile antagonist rather than the sympathetic wolfman that he is known for.



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