Love takes a beating in Mario Bava’s THE WHIP AND THE BODY. Kurt, highly assertive and sadistic, has been banished from his family’s castle after whipping the servant’s daughter to near death. Upon hearing the news of his brother’s recent marriage, Kurt makes an abrupt, unannounced appearance to bestow congratulations. His presence is loathsome to all but Nevenka, his stunning ex-lover/brother’s new wife, who can’t resist Kurt’s enticing demeanor. Shortly after his arrival, Kurt is mysteriously murdered by the same dagger the servant’s daughter used to end her life once and for all. However, Kurt’s unyielding appetite for dominating is so voracious, not even death can keep him away from inflicting pain upon Nevenka. Nevenka is thrown onto a path of destruction as she fails in her attempt to fight masochistic cravings that lead her into a pit of despair and insanity. Meanwhile, Kurt’s brother and remaining family members band together to solve Kurt’s death.
THE WHIP AND THE BODY is an Italian gothic horror teeming with atmosphere and deep lust. Renowned Hammer Horror film actor Christopher Lee plays the role of the ruthlessly mesmerizing Kurt in a most haunting manner. Alongside him is the equally unforgettable Daliah Lavi as Nevenka, his confused, desperate, submissive paramour. Compared to modern-day horror, the violence between the two is mild, and their sex is more implied than displayed, but the intensity of feelings conceived by an electrifying romance between Nevenka and Kurt is plenty to maintain intrigue. Although releasing a film with such taboo subject matter in the early ‘60s created quite the uproar, it seems Bava aimed more to touch the black hearts of his audience rather than shock. Bava’s tenebrous yet dazzling cinematography combined with the hypnotizing score composed by Carlo Rustichelli produces a sensuous viewing experience unlike any I’ve undergone before. If you need a break from gore and hypersexuality, THE WHIP AND THE BODY will move you with ominous love.
Rating: 8/10
Director: Mario Bava [BLACK SUNDAY, BLACK SABBATH, A BAY OF BLOOD]
Cast: Christopher Lee, Daliah Lavi, and Tony Kendall
Country: Italy
Country: Italy
