Horror Movie Review: The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism (1967)

The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism is a 1967 West German horror film directed by Harald Reinl and starring Christopher Lee, Karin Dor, Lex Barker, Vladimir Medar, Christiane Rücker and Carl Lange. It also goes under the name of The Blood Demon, Castle of the Walking Dead and The Snake Pit and the Pendulum.

The latter because film writer Manfred R. Köhler based the story on Edgar Allan Poe’s 1842 short story The Pit and the Pendulum.

Dripping with European gothic atmosphere, it’s easy to mistake this for a Hammer House of horror movie. Especially when you see that it stars the likes of Christopher Lee.

Taking place some time in the 18th century in a remote part of Germany, Count Regula (Lee) is drawn, quartered and beheaded. Why? He murdered 12 young ladies (virgins apparently), all so he can use their blood to become immortal. Alas, he fell short by one virgin and is caught with the aforementioned punishment being dished out.

Of course, being a villain, the Count swears revenge on all those responsible before he dies.

35 years later, Roger Mont Elise (Barker) has received a mysterious invitation to the Count’s old home. Hilariously called ‘Blood Castle’, he is determined to go because his birth remains a mystery to him and the letter promises answers.

On route, he gets the cold shoulder from the local townspeople but is aided in his journey by a monk named Peter Fabian (Medar). On route to the castle, they save the Baroness Lilian von Brabant (Dor) and her servant Babette (Rücker) from a highway man. Roger is smitten with her beauty and finds out that she is also going to Blood Castle as she received a letter detailing an inheritance she would receive upon arrival.

The group travel together but are attacked later, with the two women being kidnapped. Roger and Peter make their way to the castle to discover a twisted plot. Aided by his servant Anatol (Lange), the Baroness is to be used to complete the Count’s original plan.

Will Roger be able to stop the Count’s evil plan before it is completed?

There’s a lovable ‘cheapness’ to this film, a charm that wins you over, even in the face of its general ‘crapness’. Be under no illusions, this is not a great movie. For starters, the story is uninspired and moves at a snail’s pace. When it does ramp up, it falls extremely short. The action is more laughable than terrifying.

It’s a shame as the movie has entertainment value, both visually and sonically. It moves along at decent pace and the acting is solid, if not a bit uninspired. Well, everyone but Vladimir Medar as Peter Fabian who hams it up to such a degree, you’ll fall in love with him. Think a Croatian Brian Blessed.

It plays out exactly as you might expect with all the tropes of the era present and accounted for. Is that bad thing? Yes and no. On the one hand, it makes the film feel so old but on the other, it is from 1967! It is old!