Inquisition

 Inquisition

1976

Director- Paul Naschy

Cast- Paul Naschy, Daniela Giordano, Mónica Randall, Ricardo Merino, Tony Isbert, Julia Saly, Antonio Iranzo, Juan Luis Galiardo,

From Spain

            Paul Naschy plays Bernard de Fossey, an inquisition judge traveling through a plague ravaged land to find and execute witches. Like most movies of this type, the inquisitor is far worse than whatever supernatural terrors they are trying to root out. The first half of this movie follows the same formula as most of these other films; the inquisition arrives in town, beautiful girls are erroneously accused of being witches, they are tortured and finally executed. Compared to Mark of the Devil, the torture scenes in this film are quite tame. However, what it lacks in gore it makes up for with gratuitous nudity.

            The second half of the film, though, takes a different direction and helps it to stand out against some of the earlier films that it imitates. Bernard (Naschy) becomes infatuated with Catherine (Daniela Giordano), the beautiful daughter of a dying village nobleman. He convinces the nobleman to give him guardianship of Catherine and her sister, Elvire (Julia Saly). Naschy fans will recognize Julia as the Bathoryeaque vampire from Night of the Werewolf and also costarring with Naschy in The Beast and the Magic Sword. You might also recognize her from the excellent Night of the Seagulls.

           One impediment to Bernard’s romantic progress (besides his inconvenient holy vows) is the fact that Catherine has a boyfriend. Her boyfriend gets himself murdered and Catherine is convinced that Bernard is behind it.

It is at this point that the film starts to venture into new territory. Most inquisition films have witch hunters but no actual witches. However, Catherine, who is definitely not a witch at the start of the film, seeks out a witch and the Devil as her only recourse. She visits a local witch and the portrayal of the “witchcraft” is actually probably pretty accurate. The spells consist of potions and ointments that send Catherine into a trance where she attends a Black Mass attended by Satan himself (also played by Naschy). Of course, whether any of this actually happens or is just a product of drug induced hallucinations is for the viewer to determine.

            Emboldened by her recently bestowed Satanic power, Catherine sets out to seduce and destroy Bernard and frame him in the eyes of the inquisition as a Satanist himself. This is one of Naschy’s best villains and you can’t wait to see him get his just deserts! Naschy’s portrayal of a fallen clergyman is convincing and subtle (for this type of film). He goes from imperious to love stricken to finally pathetic and broken.

            This is a fun film for fans of Paul Naschy or inquisition movies. Though formulaic at times, it veers off the path enough to keep it interesting and entertaining. The idea of the inquisition actually driving people to witchcraft is pretty clever. The film is not as sophisticated as Ken Russell’s The Devils and lacks the charm that Vincent Price brought to Witchfinder General. But it is literate enough to rise above the typical exploitation movie. One of Nachy’s better non-werewolf films.

Hellbender

 

Hellbender

2021

Director- John Adams, Zelda Adams, Toby Poser

Cast- Zelda Adams, Toby Poser, Lulu Adams, John Adams, Rinzin Thonden, Khenzom, Shawn Wilson, Judy Rosen, Rob Figueroa

            Izzy is a teenage girl, home schooled by her single mother in a remote house in the wilderness. She is forbidden from having friends or going into town because she has a rare immune deficiency (or so she has been told).

            During a chance encounter with another girl, Izzy decides to make a friend which leads to the inevitable invitation to a party. A drinking game that ends with Izzy eating a live worm results in a brief psychotic break where she realizes that her mother has been lying to her about her illness and a whole lot more.

            Izzy’s mother is the latest in a long line of women called Hellbenders, zoophagous witches that power their spells through the consumption of the life force of living creatures, obtained by eating those creatures alive (which begs the question, are they witches or vampires). Izzy wonders, if the eating of a mere worm could grant her powerful insight into her mother, what power might be gained from eating something larger?

            After an awesome opening, the film moves pretty slowly through the first half but stick with it and you’ll be rewarded. It has a very tiny cast so there is plenty of opportunity to get to know the characters. There is infrequent but well done gore. Probably the highest compliment that I can pay the film is that it did not go in the direction that I was expecting and I was pleasantly surprised.

            The movie looks good with some artistically framed shots. The film’s two principal actors turn in convincing performances. Most importantly, its occult mythos seemed intelligent and informed. It sticks its toe into a little bit of Folk Horror, if you’re a fan of that genre.

Forget the name which sounds like either a bad Image Comics character from the early 90s or a speed metal band, Hellbender is a pretty clever, independent horror film. Recommended for fans of withes and witchcraft.