Customer Reviews

The Whip And The Body

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Another Mario Bava masterpiece - THE WHIP AND THE BODY - has royally entered the DVD market thanks to an admirable treatment from VCI. If you are not aware that, under the pseudonym of John M. Old, is hiding Mario Bava and that 90% of the initial credits are also english pseudonyms of well (or less -) known italian actors or technicians, you could mistake THE WHIP AND THE BODY for a Hammer production. At least during the first 10 minutes.

Then, you would have certainly recognized the maestro touch ; who else could have filmed in 1963 a sadistic Christopher - Kurt - Lee whipping the delicate Daliah - Nevenka - Lavi who asks for more after each strike. I doubt Terence Fisher would have dared to shoot such scenes. Think also of the delirious travelling of Tony Kendall whose face has a different colour each time he appears in the light of the corridor. Thank you once more VCI to let us appreciate all the subtleties of Mario Bava's work on light.

Once again, the surprisingly rational Bava leaves room for a psychologic explanation at the end of THE WHIP AND THE BODY. Until his last movie - SHOCK - , the italian director will remind us that Cinema is a tremendous liar and that reality is so simple to explain. This theme will be treated masterfully by Bavain in his last genial movie RABID DOGS.

In short, a DVD for your library.

There are darn few films that really scare me. In fact, I can only think of three, and all of them come from the early 60's. The Haunting (the original, not the remake), the Innocents, and, of course, Whip and the Body, the subject of this review.

These three films mix ghostly goings on with psychopathology and erotic obsession in a way that is not only dramatically valid but PLAUSABLE - hence their continued ability to unnerve and disturb, even after multiple viewings. All three films succeed in creating and, what is more difficult, sustaining a mood that is dark and eerie, a mood which lingers long after the last fade-out.

The Haunting and The Innocents are both filmed in marrow-chilling black and white, but Whip and the Body is lush and succulent as an overripe and poisonous fruit in TECHNICOLOR. Bava's films are incredibly lovely to look at, but nowhere moreso than here. For Whip and the Body,he chose a pallete of sombre hues which wouldn't be out of place in a nightmare. At the same time we are responding viscerally to the horror, we are paradoxically aware of the great beauty which underlies it and supports it. Formal beauty in a horror film is a rare commodity. One finds it in some of the Universal horror classics of the 30's, in some of Hitchcock's works, and in the films of Mario Bava.

Christopher Lee has said that this is one of his favorite films -- it's easy to see why. It contains what may be his best performance, understated and chillingly effective. He becomes a romantic, doomed figure - not unlike Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights. He manages to mix menace with romance in exactly the right proportions.

His costar, Miss Lavi, is not only a beauty in the classic mold (she reminds me a lot of Barbara Steele)but a very effective actress as well, adroitly portraying some very difficult passages with ease and grace. She is unforgettable.

Watch With: Theatre of Death; Blood and Black Lace; Blood and Roses; Black Sabbath (1960- Bava), Flesh for Frankenstein, The Haunting (original vers.), The Innocents.

While watching this `uncut' European version of La Frusta e il corpo (1963) aka The Whip and the Body (1965), I had a hard time understanding just what the heck was so controversial about it at the time of its release that it should have been hacked to pieces the way it was by various editors (I think the U.S. version end up being the most mutililated)...I guess it is just difficult for me to fathom the seemingly excessive stringent nature of film censorship in place some thirty plus years ago, when the film was originally released...by today's standards, the `shocking' material is fairly mild...but then I find a lot of things I consider tame in the cinematic sense tend to have a stronger effect on less avid movie fans. Directed by Mario Bava (Black Sabbath, Planet of the Vampires), the film stars Christopher Lee (Circus of Fear, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave), Daliah Lavi (Lord Jim, The Silencers), and Tony Kendall (Kiss Kiss, Kill Kill). Also appearing is Gustavo De Nardo (Baron Blood), Harriet Medin (Schlock, Death Race 2000), Ida Galli (The Leopard), and Luciano Pigozzi (Yor, the Hunter from the Future)...just a note, if you've seen this film and don't recognize many of the names of the writers, crew or the supporting cast, that's because it wasn't unusual for producers to require the usage of `American' nom de plumes as it was deemed easier to schlep a film to the U.S. if it had familiar sounding names rather than `crazy' names with more vowels than consonants...and example of this is the listed director John M. Old, which is actually a pseudonym used by Mario Bava. Was this a product of American arrogance? Or a ruse used by European producers to more easily introduce their films into the lucrative American market?

The film begins with an older woman eyeing a glass case containing a dagger and roses (some people just collect Hummel figurines), and then we see a lone figure on horseback arriving at a castle perched on cliff above a beach. The rider, known as Kurt Menliff (Lee), has arrived home, but not necessarily to the warmest of welcomes. Turns out Kurt was the cause of some `unpleasantness' involving the housekeeper's daughter and her subsequent suicide by use of the dagger we saw earlier (hence why the mother keeps it under glass, I suppose)...anyway, Kurt claims his return was prompted by his desire to wish his brother Christian (Kendall) and his new wife Nevenka (Lavi) well, but the real reason is because he wants to lay claim to what he believes is rightfully his (the land, the castle, etc.) as Kurt and Christian's father, Count Menliff (De Nardo) isn't in the best of health. By the way, did I mention that Kurt and his new sister-in-law Nevenka were somewhat of an item in the past? Oh, Nevenka claims she hates Kurt now, but we all know true love never dies, especially between super freaks (of which both Kurt and Nevenka are, given their little S&M adventure on the beach). Soon after this there is a violent death (whose, you ask? I won't say) and thus begins the real creep show as them vengeful bones seek comeuppance from the living...

If you're looking for buckets of blood and gallons of grisly gore, you best turn around and keep on keeping on as, while this is an Italian horror film, its not really of the normally visceral kind churned out by the likes of Lucio Fulci (City of the Living Dead), Dario Argento (Suspiria), Ruggero Deodato (Cannibal Holocaust), or even Bava (A Bay of Blood) himself...there is some violence, and even some blood, but what I think most shocked people at the time was the scene featuring the reaction of Nevenka as she was being flogged (she appeared to be having the big O, if you get my drift)...the movie may seem slow, even boring, to some, but I thought of it more as deliberate, as Bava used the element of horror as sort of a backdrop to focus on the odd relationship between Kurt and Nevenka, one I had a hard time understanding not because it wasn't clearly developed, but only because my own, personal preferences in terms of romantic relationships don't include such overt acts of dominance. A number of aspects stand out in this superior production, the three most prominent being the performances, the direction, and the thoughtful development of the main characters. Lee does especially well (despite limited screen time) coming across more as an intelligent, seductive, malevolent force of evil rather than nasty character with a penchant for flogging. Lavi is also excellent as a woman tormented by the denial of her inner desires, exacerbated by the return of her ex-lover. The direction is such that it creates a moody, brooding, gothic atmosphere soaked with tension (some scenes were dragged out a little long for my tastes) that will keep the attention patient viewers as the mystery unfolds, and the seemingly supernatural elements kick in...Bava does especially well presenting sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle, metaphorical life/death imagery that compliments the story, adding to the overall production. Two other key elements is the contrast of vibrant (just short of gaudy) colors compared with the deep, dark, spooky shadows, along with the lush and sweeping musical score. There are a couple of weaknesses, in my opinion, one being the unnecessary dubbing of Lee's voice...why this was done I don't understand. The person they got to do the dub does sound similar to Lee, but he couldn't reproduce the commanding, authorative, and aristocratic tone normally present in Lee's voice. The other weakness was in the dialog itself...sometimes it was near perfect, and then sometimes it came off awkward, but perhaps this was due to the Italian actors having to speak their lines in English...regardless, neither of these would be cause for me not to recommend this film to someone interested in one of the better (if not best) examples of European horror I've seen yet...

VCI Home Entertainment presents a very good-looking, wide screen (1.85:1), uncut European version of this film. There are signs of wear due to age (some lines, white specks in the dark scenes), but overall the picture comes across very clear. The audio, presented in Dolby Digital mono, comes through well. Special features include musical tracks by composer Carlo Rustichelli aka Jim Murphy, an original theatrical trailer, biographies, a photo gallery, and trailers for a couple of other Bava films including Planet of the Vampires (1965) and Blood & Black Lace (1964). Also included is a commentary track by Tim Lucas, and editor for Video Watchdog. If you get a chance, I would highly recommend listening to this commentary as Lucas is like a human computer when it comes to details and information about this, and other films in the genre. And it's not that he just spews forth facts, but he really seems to have a passionate, comprehensive, knowledgeable understanding of the material that may provide a perspective on this film one may not get from viewing the movie itself...four stars for the movie, and one extra for the commentary.

Cookieman108

By the way, if I were one of the characters in this story, I probably would have chucked that dagger (you know, the one that kept turning up and killing people?) in the ocean...I would have also secured some chains around the gates of that crypt, as it seemed a popular place for many to visit...

Kurt Menliff (Christopher Lee) returns to his ancestral castle after being banished by his father some years before. He finds that his lover Nevenka (Daliah Lavi) has married his brother. However, it is not long before they resume their previous S&M relationship and Kurt is mysteriously murdered. Is Nevenka being haunted by his ghost or is it al in her mind? You'll have to watch it to find out.

"The whip and the body" is unlike many of the horror films made in the 1960s. However it is typical of Bava's horror movies in that the lines between good and evil are somewhat blurred. There are no "good" characters in this movie. They are either weak, cruel, hypocritical. The heroine is not the typical virginal innocent of most horror movies, in fact the virtuous romantic "leads" of this film are only background characters. The main focus is on the relationship between Kurt and Nevenka. We are encouraged to sympathise with them. This is what makes the film so daring. The whipping scenes are pretty explicit (especially for 1963) but it is the fact that Bava treats this relationship like a "normal" love story (therefore not condemning the participants) that makes the film so unique among horror films of the period. Regardless of this, the film is worth watching for the startling use of colour and cinematography alone. Some scenes almost resemble a 19th century Romantic painting. If you are a horror fan or even a film buff (and definately if you are a fan of Lee or Lavi) see this film!

A beautiful woman's dead lover who enjoyed whipping her with a riding crop comes back to haunt her in a lonely castle by the sea. To reveal more would be to say too much. A stylish, elegant horror film and a must for Bava afficianados, this movie is fairly drenched in vivid color and haunting atmosphere. Of course, the lovely Dahlia Lavi (whatever happened to her?) graces the proceedings with a performance worthy of Barbara Steele and Christopher Lee is her match as the sadistic lover. To compare Lavi to Steele really isn't fair but these are the only two actresses who could have put this role over. Lavi is excellent in delivering the agony and delirium that Steele was so good at. This is most unusual fare for horror fans and not the least bit sensationalistic as it sounds. It's a mood piece in the Grand Guignol tradition that is a worthy addition to anyone's serious collection of "horror as art".

They certainly don't make pictures like this anymore. This is an unique combination of ghost story and SM-romance, capturing the sensibility of the gothic novel, unmatched by any other cinematic attempt that I'm aware of. Christopher Lee is the mystical brother who returns to the family mansion, where everybody despices him, making him responsible for the suicide of a servant girl - the knife is kept in a showcase as a holy relic. Only Nevenka (Daliah Lavi), once his fiancé, now his sister-in-law seems confused about her feelings towards him. He is soon found murdered and the movie becomes a kind of whodunit, since everybody would have perfectly adequate reasons to get rid of him (the lumbering servant even looks like Peter Lorre). Soon he comes back from the grave to haunt Nevenkas bedchamber. Daliah Lavi has the same kind of fragile, pale beauty as Barbara Steele (who was initially offered the part), which makes her well suited for this kind of aesthetic. This is how one could imagine what Poe's Ligeia would look like.
This is really not to be missed by any lover of the gothic genre and the restored DVD looks quite good.

Bava's 1963 masterpiece of mood and romantic horror is presented beautifully on VCI's new DVD. I saw the film in a Mario Bava festival screening a few years back hosted by Tim Lucas in L.A., but the film looks even better on the DVD -- the technicolor shines and emanates like never before. A few very slight flaws in the print, but overall this DVD looks great! And man, those 2 s&m whipping scenes are quite ahead of their time, I must say. The DVD has some cool extras, probably the most interesting being the original American opening "WHAT" title sequence --- as the word "WHAT" comes out of the fireplace, a deep voice rasps --"whaa-aat". Pretty funny stuff! If you're a Bava fan or a connoisseur of euro-horror or just a practitioner of S&M, you need to pick this DVD up pronto. They don't get any better.

A true gem that gets better and better with every viewing, Whip And The Body is an extremely sophisticated piece of work. Visually mesmerizing, totaly ahead of it's time as far as the plot goes, this is Bava at it's very best. Whip And The Body is recommended to all serious movie lovers so don't get frightened by the italian gothic horror label the movie carries, this is grand cinema, the work of a genius that needs way more recognition.

Great film by the master of Italian horror Mario Bava, The Whip and the Body has irresistible and genuine Gothic scares, combined with atmospheric camera-work and breath-taking scenery. The Whip and the Body is a unique film in many ways, but particularly because of the controversial substance it dared to bring forward. Don't forget that the year of release was 1963 and Mario Bava unscrupulously introduces characters with taboo-fetishes like S & M. The story is terrifically set in the 19th century, where Kurt Menliff returns to his eminent family after being banished for several years. The family's hate towards Kurt's vile behavior is only surpassed by their fear and only the gorgeous Nevenka has a secret desire towards his wicked sexual preferences. In a particularly astonishing sequence, he whips her repeatedly (and roughly...) before continuing with making love. Terror overcomes the Menliff family when Kurt is found murdered in his room and when the tormented Nevenka begins to see his appearance in nearly every chamber of the castle. One of things that Mario Bava is often highly praised for is his use of lighting, and this film features what is probably the best use of lighting ever seen in a Bava film. The lights give flair to the scenery, and help to give the film that picturesque cinematography that the former cinematographer creates so well. Yes the story was quite bizarre but it was different from the usually 60's Gothic horror films mainly because of it's twisted finale. Christopher Lee as usual was superb as the sadistic and recently deceased Kurt who may or may not be haunting his relatives. Actress Daliah Lavi was also fabulous and complex as the anti-heroine. Music, sets and costumes, all contribute to make the movie a very satisfying (and bizarre) viewing experience. Plus, who could dislike a movie with such an enticing title?

This isn't a review of the film so much as it is a review of the product. The VCI disc is an unfortunate by-product of dvd's early life cycle, so it is Non-Anamorphic (this isn't indicated in the product specs). Although it appears to have undergone a restoration, the image quality is dark, fairly murky and some of the finer image details are lost to murkiness, but it is not unwatchable. The English audio is clearer than the Italian one. I haven't seen the other versions of this film released by other companies so I can't make a comparison from one's image quality to the other.

I felt the need to post a review of the the disc itself as I didn't see many listed while skimming through the other reviews. The film itself easily fits into the rest of Bava's work. It is not a perfect film, but it certainly has a lot of interesting ideas within it.