Highly Overrated But Still Good

A Masterpiece!

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

"The Whip and the Body" is an amazingly kinky film--and it surprised me a bit in this regard. It has scenes of sado-masochism, as a female character in the film likes to be beaten before having sex. Because of this you MIGHT wanna think twice before showing this to your kids or grandma.This is a Gothic horror film with a nice ambiance and excellent music--though the same tune is overused a bit through the course of the film. The fun begins when the long-disgraced older son (Christopher Lee) arrives after a long absence. Exactly what he'd done isn't spelled out all that clearly, but you know it resulted in the death of a servant and that he's been disinherited. Soon, Lee is off having fun, beating a member of the family and making love to her...and she likes it! Now you THINK Lee has returned to get some sort of revenge on his family, so I was surprised he took out time for this kinky tryst. And, surprise, surprise, before he can start his plans of revenge, he's stabbed to death! But, through the course of the film, it seems as if he's returned from the dead, and very bad things start to happen...along with some more kinky whippings.The payoff for this tale is pretty good and it's a good film with a nice print. But, it's also a bit uncomfortable watching the kinky stuff, so I certainly can't recommend it without some reservations.By the way, the DVD for this Italian film is dubbed, not subtitled. And, oddly, although you can tell that Lee was speaking English, it's NOT his voice--it, along with the rest, have been dubbed. As for me, I always prefer subtitled.

Having seen a few of Mario Bava's movies, "La frusta e il corpo" (alternately called "What!?" and "The Whip and the Body" in English) was a bit of a disappointment just because much of the movie was kind of slow. It certainly has an interesting plot: Christopher Lee plays a disinherited member of a noble family who returns home, where he starts engaging in some nasty tactics. And it takes more than death to get rid of this guy! Apparently, the whipping scenes were a little extreme for the censors in 1963 (I wonder if that was for the violence or the sexual implications); nowadays it shouldn't be that intense. The mortuary scenes are the really cool ones.So anyway, this is far from my favorite Bava flick - "The House of Exorcism/Lisa and the Devil" takes that spot - but still worth seeing. Euro-horror will never get old! Also starring Daliah Lavi, Tony Kendall, Ida Galli, Harriet Medin, Gustavo De Nardo and Luciano Pigozzi.

They say that the most timeless cinema is that of the heart, and here, Italian horror maestro Mario Bava; a director famed for the elements of Gothic romance seen in his work; has crafted one of the world's most strange and terrifying love stories.Yes, for that is what this film, so often called a horror film is at it's core: A love story.But that does not mean for a second that the 'love' it conveys is not a terrifying one. In fact, it may be the most disturbingly poignant of all of Bava's films, as even today it recounts a lifestyle that puts to shame anything that can be accomplished in a giallo film in sending a chill down one's spine, mostly because, it happens every day in real life in some shape or form. Only the era is different.A film that describes something like that is truly timeless. But that doesn't mean it's touching like other love stories you see in heartbreak magazines, no, it's not touching; but it definitely is heartbreaking.On an eerie twilight-lit coast somewhere in Italy, estranged aristocrat Kurt Menliff(Christopher Lee) returns to the family castle, where several years earlier, he drove the daughter of the family maid; Tania, to suicide with a dagger. The details are never explicitly explained on how Kurt's treatment drove her to suicide, but they become chillingly clear quite soon. Of course, it's not just the maid who bears a grudge against Kurt, but his entire family, his father has disowned him, his brother Christian despises him and his former betrothed can't wait to dismiss him. However, his father agrees to let him stay, grudgingly.The Waltons they are not.However, when away from prying eyes, it turns out that family member Nevenka(Dahlia Lavi, playing pretty much the same type of role you'd expect to see Barbara Steele in)is still very much in love with Kurt, so, alone on the beach, he expresses his gratitude the only way he can: He savagely attacks her and starts beating her senseless with a whip!!!!! This would be disturbing enough, except for the fact that, and this becomes clear quicker than you'd think; Nevenka LOVES it. And as Kurt says 'You've always loved violence', it becomes clear this is something Nevenka has had a fetish for for a long time and not just tolerance for an abusive man she thinks she can change; this is how she gets off, and Nevenka continues to fantasize about Kurt day and night.Even after he turns up dead with the same dagger Tania killed herself with jammed in his throat. Kurt's beatings were an addiction she can't live without, what will she do now that he's dead? This is where the film's horror element comes into play: What if Kurt isn't dead? And if he is, who stabbed him? Everyone in the household is a suspect. And things begin to get even more complicated when more and more members of the household turn up dead. Is it Kurt? Tania's ghost? As Christian investigates, the answers begin to grow more and more disturbing.'The Whip & The Body' is on the whole, a rather grim affair, with the truly sordid subject matter contrasted with the beautiful coastal setting and fairy tale castle. The fact that a truly beautiful romantic tune(later re-used in several Bava films)plays during Nevenka's fantasies makes for a morbid bit of humor. The film will also likely bore many viewers expecting a giallo-type of film(as I've seen this referred to as a giallo or proto-slasher in some circles since it involves a hidden killer using a knife) with it's long passages of silence and talkiness(not to mention that Christian is the blandest hero in a Bava film I've ever seen). Still, typical top-notch direction from Bava, the usual gorgeous cinematography and use of color, along with a moving performance by Lavi and a brief, but unforgettable turn by Lee as Kurt(dubbed in some scenes and not in others) make this more than worth your time.But what gives the film it's lasting power is the disturbing fact that there are men like Kurt, and many women in positions like Nevenka(willingly or unwillingly)in real life who suffer and inflict suffering daily, many of whom cannot even get out of the web of abuse they are in if they have the chance, and some of whom cling to it. And knowing this goes on is more horrifying than anything in any of Bava's more straightforward horror films.Truly ahead of it's time and certainly not for everyone, 'Whip' is a great exploration of many of Bava's recurring themes like the destruction of a family, deceptive appearances(Christopher Lee has never been more handsome), obsession, and ultimately, what Bava called his greatest fear: That of someone alone in a room confronting the darkest aspects of themselves. It may not scare you, it may not even grab your attention, but this film is one of the most haunting pieces of celluloid you will ever see. It's a strange mix of 'Psycho', 'Wuthering Heights' and the relationship between Kurt & Nevenka feels like a prequel to 'The Innocents'. All in all, it's worth seeing.Enjoy, if you can.~

As much as I love Italian horror, I have never been too keen on the films of Mario Bava, who is often considered the grandfather, guru, and all-superior being behind the genre/subculture. The specific Gothic stylings of "Black Sunday" (well-loved, but not by me) and the latter-day bloodletting of "Bay of Blood" (gory yet boring) were not my cup of tea; however, I have a lot of appreciation for "Kill Baby Kill" and "Shock," two wonderfully surreal rides into madness. "The Whip and the Body" is an excellent entry from Bava (I'd go so far as to say it's his best work, based on the few films I've seen by him), who merges his signature style (specific color schemes, spooky set decoration, a period setting) with a surprisingly rich story line. Anyone who thinks Euro-horror can't branch out from its primal urges (that being extreme bloodletting and excess talk), owe it to themselves to see this film. Never--not even in the early works of Argento--have I seen such a gripping story (a married woman murders her ex-lover only to be haunted by his ghost) told with such unflagging skill. The plot explores obsession, true love, S&M, and the supernatural with great passion; it is a bonus that "Whip" is also fittingly spooky and a treat for the eyes. A young, handsome Christopher Lee gives a wonderful performance as the deceased lover; ditto Daliah Lavi as the object of his obsession--when together, these two exhibit a chemistry that is absent from much of cinema (not just the Italian school).