The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism (1967)
PC3's Horror and Exploitation Movie Scale of Awesomeness!
I was hoping to get more torture and sadism from a movie with a title like The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism.
Made during the height of Hammer Horror films and staring one of Hammer’s greatest actors in Christopher Lee, The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism, made by Constantin Film, plays very much like a Hammer film. Constantin Film is a German company and they were clearly trying to capitalize on the popularity of Lee and Hammer at the time.
The original German title of the movie is The Blood Demon. Neither that title nor the one given for its English release really fit the film. Though blood plays a prominent role in the plot, there is no demon. As for the title The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism, there is a torture chamber, which isn’t sufficiently utilized in my opinion, but there is not a Dr. Sadism; there isn’t a fucking doctor at all.
The basic plot is that a man and a woman separately get letters from a Count Regula (not Dr. Sadism!), inviting them to come to his castle out in the middle of nowhere to learn about their mysterious family history. Their travels to the castle are fraught with danger and warnings of evil things to come. When they arrive at the castle, they find it crumbling into nothingness. However, there is a basement which turns out to be a torture chamber, and that’s where the previously deceased Count Regula (Lee) is waiting for his victims.
The best part of this film is actually the trek to the castle. The group of travelers are going by horse drawn carriage, and all the way we’re greeted with foreboding imagery. There are body parts laying about all over the place and there are numerous hanging victims, hanging lifeless from the trees of the forest in which they travel. It’s pretty spooky.
When they reach the torture chamber, silliness takes over. There is a ghost/zombie guy who has followed them through their travels, some how keeping up despite not having a horse. There are gates and secret passages that open and close all on there own, but only when it’s convenient for the plot. Count Regula supposedly needs the blood of a thirteenth virgin in order to secure eternal life for himself. But how does he know the leading lady is a virgin? If she’s not, are all his plans foiled from the start?
Yeah, it’s silly but still a serviceable plot for a horror flick. What would have made it a thousand times better would be some graphic scenes of torture and a boat load of nudity. There are twelve dead naked virgins in the torture chamber, yet we don’t get to see a single tit. Why not? I know, I know, it was the 60s, not the 80s. Gore and nudity weren’t yet staples of the genre. But with a title like The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism, I sure was hoping for blood, guts, and boobies.
PC3’s Horror and Exploitation Movie Scale of Awesomeness!
Gore - 1
Special Effects - 3
Nudity/Sexuality - 3
Wow Factor - 3
Acting - 5
Fear Factor - 5
Story/Plot/Originality - 4
Cinematography/Atmosphere - 6
Sound/Music - 4
Fun Factor - 2
The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism received an overall PHEMSA of 36. It’s not horrible, but it’s lacking in the areas suggested by the title and poster—there just isn’t enough gore and nudity. If you want to see some serious sadism, check out Warden Thorne in my novel Vampire Nuns Behind Bars.