The print above is 83 minutes. The Kino blu ray that I own is 87 minutes, so if you watch above, the film is probably slightly edited. If possible, I would suggest either seeking out the blu ray or if you subscribe to Shudder, watch it there.
For some personal history, for years I was familiar with the Mario Bava films BLACK SUNDAY and BLACK SABBATH. I really enjoy both but never explored further until about a year ago. I then decided to dig deeper and I chose THE WHIP AND THE BODY because I heard it was a gothic horror and it has Christopher Lee in it. After watching this, I became a Bava fan for life and have since picked up copies of every horror film Bava has directed. A very entertaining filmography for anybody who is into atmospheric horror films.
“Atmosphere” is a key word when describing THE WHIP AND THE BODY, the films of Mario Bava and good Italian horror in general. If there ever was a genre that screams style over substance, it’s Italian horror. Describing the plot of this film would force me to give an early in the film spoiler, so I’ll be very basic. Kurt Menliff (Christopher Lee) comes back home as an unwanted prodigal son. The rift with the family comes because he had an affair with the maid’s daughter and left her, causing the daughter to commit suicide. Between his brother, brother’s wife and cousin nobody is with the lover they ideally wish to be with and Menliff has a history of an S & M relationship with his brother’s wife, played by the extremely beautiful Israeli born actress Daliah Lavi. The story revolves around this relationship, mixed in with murder mystery and ghost story. It makes sense more than a lot of other Italian horror films, but straight plot is not the selling point of this movie.
I mentioned atmosphere being the key and I am going to get to that, but another key aspect to this film and Italian horror in general is the envelope pushing in subject matter that would take place. THE WHIP AND THE BODY is 1963 and early in the Italian horror cycle, but make no mistake, the S & M element was very risqué for the time. Most of Bava’s previous films AIP would release in edited and re shot form in the U.S. to appeal to kids but the subject of this movie made it so they wouldn’t distribute it. In Italy, the film was scandalous to the point where the law got involved. Lee plays the dominant character, whipping Lavi to the point where you see the welts on her back. She’s fighting fear at first and but eventually gives in and her face becomes orgasmic at points - definitely not for the kiddies. While this behavior personally is not my scene, shall we say, I also recognize it as envelope pushing and interesting subject matter. Lee and Lavi both give excellent performances in this film.
But yeah, that atmosphere thing, this is why I watch Bava films. Mario Bava was a cameraman for years who specialized in special effects and certainly had a painter’s touch with scenery and composition. He could make an Ed Wood production look like GONE WITH THE WIND and he certainly does so with the low budget THE WHIP AND THE BODY. Pause any frame of this film and it is easily beautiful enough to hang over the fireplace. There’s a gothic mansion, a crypt and beautiful beach area that takes up the majority of the scenery and Bava lights and colors it all to perfection.
Some favorite bits? Check out the opening beach shots, the purples, blues and blacks making a beautiful night scene along with those natural waves. Several scenes where characters walk in close up, the shadows and coloring in their face changing with each step. Shots of Daliah Lavi in bed completely shadowed except for her eyes. My favorite would have to be a close up of Christopher Lee in what appears to be a kiss. His face half shadowed, the other half in red. As he opens his mouth and gets closer to the camera, the changing of colors with each movement as the camera goes inside his mouth is a psychedelic wonder. As if the visuals aren’t beautiful enough, the score by Carlo Rustichelli is a romantic masterpiece, such stunning music. That’s really the heart of what I love about THE WHIP AND THE BODY. Lurid subject matter juxtaposed with beautiful imagery and music.
This film may not be to everyone’s taste but hopefully this review will lead at least one person to explore the works of Mario Bava. This has been a highly rewarding experience for me. Hey, if you like Christopher Lee, also worth watching - his personal favorite of all his European horror films.
