THE DEVIL'S POSSESSED (1974, original title El mariscal del infierno) marks another collaboration between director Leon Klimovsky and star Paul Naschy, not as classic as their earlier WEREWOLF SHADOW, but still telling an intriguing and entertaining tale. This one is more of a horror/adventure film, based loosely on the life of the notorious French nobleman Gilles de Rais. Naschy plays a French baron who commits endless atrocities in his pursuit of fame and fortune and unlocking the secret of the philosopher's stone.
The film is heavy on the swashbuckling and light on the gore and nudity, which is unusual for Naschy. There's a notable stand-out scene involving a severed head and some nasty moments in a torture chamber, but this is more involved with a Robin Hood-style outlaw band hiding out in the woods. There are fine real-world locations, Naschy's on strong form as the sympathetic sadist, and we get some fun with his Lady Macbeth-esque wife, although horror lovers may be a little disappointed by the lack of explicit grue on offer.
The film is heavy on the swashbuckling and light on the gore and nudity, which is unusual for Naschy. There's a notable stand-out scene involving a severed head and some nasty moments in a torture chamber, but this is more involved with a Robin Hood-style outlaw band hiding out in the woods. There are fine real-world locations, Naschy's on strong form as the sympathetic sadist, and we get some fun with his Lady Macbeth-esque wife, although horror lovers may be a little disappointed by the lack of explicit grue on offer.