Bloody Pit of Horror
| Bloody Pit of Horror [Original Italian Title: Il Boia Scarlatto) | |
|---|---|
 "He was a homicidal maniac who LIVED TO KILL!" | |
| Directed by | Massimo Pupillo |
| Produced by |
Francesco Merli, Ralph Zucker |
| Starring |
Mickey Hargitay, Walter Brandi, Luisa Baratto, Rita Klein, Alfredo Rizzo |
Running time | 87 min |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian English |
Bloody Pit of Horror (Original Italian title: Il Boia Scarlatto) is a 1965 Italian gothic horror film based on the writings of Marquis de Sade and directed by Massimo Pupillo. The film, set in Italy, stars Mickey Hargitay, Walter Brandi, Luisa Baratto, and Rita Klein, and tells the story of a group of women modeling for a photo shoot, when the owner of the castle becomes the Crimson Executioner, bent on their deaths.
It was refused a UK cinema certificate when submitted to the BBFC in August 1967. The film is in the public domain.[1][2]
Plot
A former actor named Travis Anderson lives in a castle with two bodyguards. A book publisher and his crew sneak in to take photos, thinking the castle is empty. They are discovered and are asked to leave immediately. But then Travis recognizes one of the girls as his former girlfriend, Edith. He relents and lets them stay the night.
The evil spirit of a former resident known as 'the Crimson Executioner' is then released by accident. The spirit possesses Travis, who begins punishing his guests for their (unspecified) physical and spiritual imperfections.
Cast
- Mickey Hargitay: Travis Anderson
- Walter Brandi: Rick (as Walter Brandt)
- Luisa Baratto: Edith (as Louise Barret)
- Rita Klein: Nancy
- Alfredo Rizzo: Daniel Parks (as Alfred Rice)
- Barbara Nelli: Suzy (as Barbara Nelly)
- Moa Tahi: Kinojo
- Femi Benussi: Annie (as Femi Martin)
- Ralph Zucker: Photographer
- Nando Angelini (as Nik Angel)
- Albert Gordon
- Gino Turini (as John Turner)
- Roberto Messina (as Robert Messenger)
Release
The film has been released numerous times on DVD. It was first released on DVD by Image Entertainment in 2000, since then it has been re-released on DVD a total of 20 times by various other studios.[3]
Reception
Critical reception for the film has been mostly negative with some critics calling it as "trashy".[4] It was featured on the MSTing show Incognito Cinema Warriors XP in 2009. The film has been ridiculed for its overly-elaborate torture devices, as well as the un-heroic nature of the protagonist, Rick, who repeatedly tries to save the other characters but fails at nearly every attempt.
Biography
- Hughes, Howard (2011). Cinema Italiano - The Complete Guide From Classics To Cult. London - New York: I.B.Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84885-608-0.
See also
- List of films in the public domain
References
- ↑ "iPod version at Internet Archive".
- ↑ "Public Domain movie list".
- ↑ "The Bloody Pit of Horror (1965) - Releases". Allmovie.com. Allmovie.com. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
- ↑ Hughes, p.92
Bloody Pit of Horror SUBTITULADA AL ESPAÑOL ONLINE on YouTube
External links
- Bloody Pit of Horror at the Internet Movie Database
- Bloody Pit of Horror on YouTube
- Bloody Pit of Horror at AllMovie
- Bloody Pit of Horror at Rotten Tomatoes
- Bloody Pit of Horror is available for free download at the Internet Archive