Mark Of The Devil

Released by: Arrow Video
Released on: March 17th, 2015.
Director: Michael Armstrong
Cast: Herbert Lom, Udo Kier, Olivera Katarina
Year: 1970
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The Movie:

Michael Armstrong's MARK OF THE DEVIL will never win any awards for originality. Clearly designed as a WITCHFINDER GENERAL knockoff its main claim to fame is some disturbingly nasty gore effects and an infamous ad campaign by Hallmark Releasing that utilized a vomit bag for use in theaters.

In an unnamed medieval European village a hideously disfigured witchfinder plies his trade. Albino (Reggie Nalder of SALEM'S LOT) is a cruel sexual deviant who likes hurting women and grubbing cash from his murdered victims. He's strictly penny ante though. When the Church sends bigwig witch hunter Lord Cumberland (Herbert Lom) to town after reports of Albino's abuses of power things ironically take a turn for the worse. Cumberland is a sanctimonious and deeply disturbed individual who outwardly projects moral certitude and piety while really being a sociopath. His assistant - Count Christian Von Meruh (Udo Kier in an early role) is initially in awe of the man, but after realizing Cumberland's true nature he ends up opposing him.

MARK OF THE DEVIL works to an exploitation formula but it's an effective one. The "showpieces" - torture primarily and a burning - are staged with an unflinching eye that brings the horror home. On the commentary track, director Armstrong is very insistent about how he used completely authentic torture devices in the film. He sought to make something truly disturbing that showed the inhumanities of that era. As a personal friend of WITCHFINDER GENERAL director Michael Reeves, Armstrong's aim appeared to be to make a more visceral companion to the Vincent Price classic. For the most part he succeeded, though his infamous clashes with producer Adrian Hoven sabotaged the film. Hoven cast himself as a puppeteer and inserted a clearly botched plot line into the film as well as a water torture that was historically inaccurate. The acting is average to good with Nalder and Lom making the strongest impression. Kier is good looking but a bit doe eyed and bland and the various women in the film fail to make a lasting impression. His love interest Vanessa (Olivera Vuco) and catalyst for confrontation with Cumberland is especially weak.

What people remember though is the tongue pullings, scaldings and burnings, racks and thumbscrews. Still pretty nasty stuff even by today's standards you can certainly see why this film was a favorite target of the UK Video Nastie witch hunts. There's also a particularly unpleasant rape scene where Cumberland becomes violent when his impotence becomes apparent. Is there a point to all this? Not really. But it is solid exploitation fare.

Video/Audio/Extras:

This is almost certainly the same transfer as the Austrian edition from last year. The 1.66:1 framed AVC encoded image is generally very good with fine detail, decent color and black levels on display. It's important to note that the uncut version available here was a patchwork job combining various source elements. So while grain always looks organic sometimes it looks inconsistent. Nothing comes across as a drastic visual transition though, and overall the film has made a sizable jump in quality from previous SD editions. Audio is provided by twin LPCM Mono 2.0 tracks in English and German. There's nothing detrimental to report in either. Balance and clarity are good with only small amounts of hiss occasionally audible. Range is limited due to age and source limitations but that's to be expected.

The extras kick off with a new audio commentary with director Armstrong moderated by writer Calum Waddell. This is a very informative track with Armstrong in fine fettle. Unlike Waddell's previously disastrous moderating on the likes of THE CAR, here Armstrong is allowed to take the lead and spared inane questions. Good job all around with incredible amounts of info and some very entertaining digs at the infamous producer Hoven. Next up is a 45 minute documentary called "Mark Of The Times" which examines the British horror film industry from the 1970's. Director Norman J. Warren, screenwriter David McGillivray and Armstrong himself as well as analysts/authors Prof. Peter Hutchings and Kim Newman are the principals here and they give a good history of the period. Censorship, promotion, social mores of the period and other topics are addressed. This is a typical lengthy high quality Arrow featurette. Fangoria's Michael Gingold hosts the 13 minute "Hallmark Of The Devil" featurette which details the history of the infamous releasing house that also gave us the lovely LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. Gingold is always a pleasure to watch due to his infectious enthusiasm and lively disposition, and this piece is no deviation from that assessment. "Mark Of The Devil: Then And Now" is a strange trifle set to music that showcases some key locations from the film as they looked in 1970 and transposes those pictures with those same spots today. I didn't really see the pint myself. A still gallery would have taken care of this just as well.

After that it's on to the cast interviews. Actors Gaby Fuchs, Herbert Fux, Udo Kier, Herbert Lom (audio only), Ingeborg Schoener; and composer Michael Holm all get short pieces with Fux being the longest at 25 minutes and Lom the shortest at 5. These are generally interesting with Kier's being the most fun due to his slight annoyance during the interview funnily enough! Finally you get a booklet with some film related essays and yes Virginia the set has English subtitles.

The Parting Shot:

Derivative and mean-spirited with some iffy acting MARK OF THE DEVIL can't claim the artistic high ground of a CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST or the twisted artistry of a Fulci film, but it holds its own in the classic shocker pantheon just the same. There's an unpleasant realness to the various medieval tortures on display that gives the viewer a small taste of the fear villagers experienced during the "burning times". Lom makes a disturbingly motivated villain and pacing is swift. Arrow's edition is stacked with quality extras and a strong A/V showing. Recommended.

Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screen caps!