Schlangengrube Und Das Pendel, Die

AKA's:

Blood Demon, The / Blood Of The Virgins / Castle Of The Walking Dead / Fosse Aux Serpents, La / Omen Of The Devil / Pendulo De La Muerte, El / Pendulum / Schlangengrube Des Grafen Dracula, Die / Snake Pit And The Pendulum, The / Snake Pit, The / Sräckens Blodiga Borg / Todespendel, Das / Tormento De Las Trece Doncellas, El / Torture Chamber Of Dr. Sadism, The / Torture Room, The / Tredicesima Vergine, La / Vampire Et Le Sang Des Vierges, Le / Vampire - La Malédiction Du Château D'Andomai

Release date:

1967 West Germany

Running time:

80' (cover 85') - Source: VHS PAL

Rating:

Germ.: 12; UK: X; US: M

Main Crew:

Director: Harald Reinl (The Strangler Of Blackmoor Castle 1963; The Forger Of
London 1961)
Producer: Constantin Film
Score: Peter Thomas
Writer: Manfred R. Köhler (based on Edgar Allan Poe's novel "The Pit And The
Pendulum")
Director of photography: Ernst W. Kalinke / Dieter Liphardt

Cast:

Summary:

In 1801 Count Regula (Christopher Lee) is executed for having killed twelve virgins in a quest for eternal life. 35 years later he returns from the dead and threatens advocate Roger Mont-Elise (Lex Barker), the son of his prosecutor, and the Baroness Lilian (Karin Dor), the daughter of his intended thirteenth victim, with his pit and pendulum device to obtain their blood and ensure his immortality by claiming the life of his thirteenth virgin.

Note:

- Director Harald Reinl (who was stabbed to death by his wife in 1986) was responsible for many German blockbusters at the time (including entries in the Edgar Wallace, Dr. Mabuse, Karl May and Jerry Cotton series), often featuring his then wife Karin Dor.
- The movie, very loosely based on Edgar Allen Poe's novel "Pit And The Pendulum", seems to be heavily influenced by Roger Corman's Poe pictures, especially "Pit And The Pendulum" (1961).
- The opening scene, where a spiked golden mask is affixed to Count Regula's face is a reference to Mario Bava's La Maschera Del Demonio/Black Sunday (the film starts with Barbara Steele getting a similar mask hammered onto her face). And in both films the executed return to have their revenge with the families that did them wrong.
- The Brazilian film "Seduzidas Pelo Demonio" (aka "Women Seduced By The Devil", 1980) by Raffaele Rossi lifted some footage from the film (where a horse-drawn coach is driven through a forest decorated with severed human limbs).
- Lex Barker played Tarzan in five films, and was very popular in Germany because of his roles in movies based on books written by Karl May (interesting detail: Christopher Lee was to play Winnetou at first (instead of Pierre Brice), he had already been screen tested).
- Cameraman Ernst W. Kalinke got injured during the shooting, and had to be replaced by Dieter Liphardt.

Our Ranking

short review:

Haunting chiller after a novel by Edgar Allan Poe, executed in the tradition of British Hammer Studios, with great surroundings and landscapes (You have to see the misty wood filled with hanging corpses!!). Not a vampire movie in "traditional" sense - there's no biting and bloodsucking nor any fangs - but nevertheless the revived Count needs the blood of thirteen virgins to gain immortality and is finally beaten by a crucifix. Great and suspensefull atmosphere, though the end is delivered a bit hastily - don't miss this one!