Can anyone tell me if "The Whip and the Body" is a good movie?

**David Clayton** · 7th January 2007, 06:22 PM

I have been wondering for some time if this film were worth purchasing even though I love almost all of Mr. Lee's work. Please, if someone were to give me a few details on what the film is about and if I should add it to my movie collection, it would be most helpful. Thank you in advance!

Warmest Regards,
David Clayton a.k.a. Kevin.

**Isabel Alves** · 7th January 2007, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Clayton

I have been wondering for some time if this film were worth purchasing even though I love almost all of Mr. Lee's work. Please, if someone were to give me a few details on what the film is about and if I should add it to my movie collection, it would be most helpful. Thank you in advance!

Warmest Regards,
David Clayton a.k.a. Kevin.

I personally believe that you should acquire this film. He is worthwhile to buy, to have in your collection and to see... and to see...
Me until I already commented on this, but I will repeat that I attended " THE Whip and the Body " in the movies to the 16 years and, ever since I was dreaming in the day in that I could see it again. In the year of 2005 finally I got to have it and it is one of my relics, mainly for being so rare here in Brazil.
DVD that I have is spoken in Italian and with subtitles in English (even so it was worth to have acquired). I read somewhere that this film was censured and that it had many cuts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnikP...related&search=

I adore Kurt.

**David Clayton** · 7th January 2007, 06:52 PM

Thank you so much Isabel Alves! Andrés Verdú was right! There are so many people here that are willing to help! I love CLW! Finally, I found a website dedicated to my favorite actor and where all of Mr. Lee's fans can unite. Again, thank you so much and take care!

Warmest regards,
David Clayton a.k.a. Kevin.

P.S. Did you ever see the film "The Creeping Flesh"?

**Joakim Lundberg** · 7th January 2007, 07:46 PM

Creeping Flesh is great. It's what I like about these films. The atmosphere.

**David Clayton** · 7th January 2007, 08:06 PM

Thank you so much for your help Mr. Lundberg! Thank you so very much! Take care everyone!

Warmest regards,
David Clayton a.k.a. Kevin.

**Conny Nierobisch** · 7th January 2007, 09:41 PM

I have just watched the videoclip on youtube about "The whip and the body", it is exciting. I haven`t seen this film yet, but put it on my must-have-list.

Isabel, Kurt seems to be a little bit cruel, doesn`t he?! But he looks great.

In Creeping flesh is also starring Mr. Cushing, or am not right?

Cheers
Conny

**David Clayton** · 7th January 2007, 10:03 PM

Yes, "The Creeping Flesh" also stars Peter Cushing and I ordered my copy on DVD from amazon. I am still awaiting its arrival. It's region 1 however as a friend of mine owns the Region 2 DVD. It's the "Masters of Horror" edition with commentary by Christopher Lee and more.

**Helen Dyer** · 7th January 2007, 10:12 PM

The Whip and the Body is definitely worth having as part of your 'Mr. Lee' collection. The film itself is visually stunning and atmospheric, and Mr. Lee is brilliant in his character portrayal.

The Creeping Flesh is also another excellent film to have....

Cheers,;)
Helen

**David Clayton** · 7th January 2007, 10:25 PM

Thanks Helen! I can't wait to order my copy of "The Whip and the Body" soon. Does anyone know what copy I should get? I have a certain program for my DVD Player which can play any region so I was wondering which one has the best picture/sound as well as extras. Thanks in advance!

Cheers,
David Clayton.

**Isabel Alves** · 7th January 2007, 11:37 PM

Well, Cony... if Kurt is cruel... Do let us say that Kurt is cruel then, but is Kurt real?

Actually I don't admire ANYTHING, ANYTHING those ATTITUDES of Kurt... a sadist, but I adore Kurt (My God! ) and the character (Novenka) she is a beautiful woman also.

I only have a complaint of this film: it has little clarity in the atmospheres, but as I read thereabout, this is a characteristic of Mario Bava.

**Andrés Verdú** · 8th January 2007, 12:33 AM

Hello everyone,

Great to see you are finally with us, David! Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! Onwards to The Whip and the Body now. This is a very curious film by Mario Bava. Jonathan Rigby describes it as a "fabulously over-ripe Gothic melodrama, the film cast Lee as sadistic aristocrat Kurt Menliff, whose own father tells him that 'You're not my son; you're a serpent.'" (Rigby, Jonathan, Christopher Lee: The Authorised Screen History, (Surrey, England: Reynolds and Hearn Ltd., 2001), p. 95). It is a visual masterpiece, with beautiful use of colour and photography, and with exterior shots clearly inspired by the Roger Corman series of AIP films based on Poe's work. Mr Lee plays Kurt Menliff, a Byronic figure who returns to his ancestral home and starts up a rather weird sadomasochistic relationship with his sister-in-law, referred to in the title. I'm not saying anything else, because I'll give too much away. The one copy I have of this film is in Italian though, and has no subtitles, and my knowledge of Italian is pretty dismal, so I couldn't understand everything that was being said, although I worked out most of what was happening. It is more of a visual film, and so it articulates itself well-enough in this respect. I think this film is definitely worth acquiring, especially as it has one of Mr Lee's most interesting characters. I certainly recommend it!

Finally, just so you can see what Kurt looks like in the film, here are a few screen captures (and if you hunt around the previous threads, I know that there are more screen caps of this film - a good chance for you to try out the "search forums" feature):

Warmest regards,

Andrés

**Joakim Lundberg** · 8th January 2007, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Clayton

Thank you so much for your help Mr. Lundberg! Thank you so very much! Take care everyone!

Warmest regards,
David Clayton a.k.a. Kevin.

No problem Mr Clayton.

**Isabel Alves** · 8th January 2007, 01:58 AM

We always induced somebody to buy this film hihihi... but understands each other that is for the good.

Seeking more on The Whip and The Body, I saw that this already left 6 pages. See comments of Vicky. We almost went mad her, but later she saw that we were right.

To proceed for the end of the page.
http://christopherleeweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32685&page=5

**David Clayton** · 8th January 2007, 02:15 AM

Thanks again to everyone who provided their opinions and information on "The Whip and the Body"! And a special thank you to Andrés Verdú, Isabel Alves, Joakim Lundberg, and Helen Dyer for replying to my post! Take care everyone!

Warmest regards,
David Clayton a.k.a. Kevin.

**Andrés Verdú** · 8th January 2007, 04:09 AM

You're most welcome, David! It's good to have someone around asking questions and keeping all of us "on our toes", so to speak. Not wishing to digress too much from the subject in hand, but this reminds me of the trivia thread we used to run a while ago where people would ask questions on just about anything to do with Mr Lee and we'd all try to come up with the answer. The person who got in with the right answer first would then set the next question (unless they passed their turn onto someone else) and so on and so forth. I really enjoyed that trivia challenge, not least because I discovered a lot of new things about Mr Lee which I didn't previously know. It was a fun way to learn! I wonder whether or not it would be a good idea to try to revive that thread... food for thought!

Anyway, as I said, I don't want to move away too much from this topic, so I'll end by wishing you the best of luck in getting hold of the film. It shouldn't prove too difficult to find, as I seem to recall reading on another thread that it had been released onto DVD recently. Well, take care everyone:

Warmest regards,

Andrés