The Whip And The Body 1963 Written by Ernesto Gastaldi, Ugo Guerra and Luciano Martino, directed by Mario Bava under the name John M Old. An Italian production with Christopher Lee.
Christopher Lee is Kurt Menliff, he's come to his father's castle to celebrate his brother Chistiano's marriage to Nevenka, who's played by Daliah Lavi. Kurt's real motive is to reclaim his title and fortune. He'd been ready to marry Nevenka when he had an affair with a young servant. The servant commits suicide and Kurt's father throws him out. While on the beach by the castle Kurt runs into Nevenka. He whips her and rapes her. Later that night Kurt is murdered with the same dagger that the young servant used to kill herself. Soon after Kurt's ghost returns to haunt the family.
What a shitty family, I wouldn't want to live with any of them. It's average story wise but it's pokey pace didn't do me any favors. I might watch watch it again but I'd speed up some of the slow bits. There's an audio commentary with Tim Lucas that offered up some film info, it didn't make me like the film more. Apparently Christopher Lee thought it was his best performance in a European film, he was sad he didn't dub his own voice.
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