Holger Haase returns to discuss a German horror film that owes a bit to American, British and Italian films of the Gothic persuasion. THE TORTURE CHAMBER OF DOCTOR SADISM (1967) is an excellent combination of the films it is borrowing from but still manages to put its own unique spin on the genre. It balances Bava-like lighting and atmosphere, Edgar Allan Poe tropes and Hammer-style costuming and sets with a forward momentum evocative of the Krimi films its director was known for. It’s a shame it wasn’t more successful so that it might have spawned a few copycats of its own. I guess we’ll just have to be happy with the colorful gem we have!
Holger and I discuss the film from stem to stern including its Christopher Lee sandwich structure and his almost vampire character. The rest of the cast is of interest with the more obscure German character actors getting their moments in the multicolored spotlight. We never puzzle out why Carl Lange plays three separate roles, but we try. Both of us are impressed with the location shooting and the evil castle/laboratory sets with its many traps and pits. Holger reads Christopher Lee’s rather odd recollections about shooting this film which has both of us wondering if he had a different, more salacious production in mind. And, of course, we lament that director Harald Reinl never made another horror film considering his obvious facility for the form. And as a side note I took great pleasure in Holger’s reaction to a certain portion of the film’s score. The pain in his voice is what I imagine he would sound like trapped in a snake pit with a bladed pendulum descending toward his throat.
If you have any comments or suggestions thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send them. Happy October!
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