XVI Century, France, three members (Paul Naschy, Tony Isbert, Ricardo Merino) of the Inquisition travel throughout country judging, torturing and condemning suspicious of witchery. At a village stay in the house of the Mayor(Antonio Casas) and the inquisitor judge named Bernard De Fossey (Naschy) falls in love for his daughter Catherine(Daniela Giordano). She suspects that death her lover (Juan Luis Galiardo) has been planned by Bernard for the reason of jealousy and then Catherine deals with witchery arts by means of two sorceresses (Tota Alba, Monica Randall) because she seeks revenge.
This is a good first effort Jacinto Molina as director and is lavishly produced for Naschy standards. Although Molina initially thought in Torquemada , he met the prestigious writer Julio Caro Baroja who explained him the Spanish Inquisition is less interesting and did not pursue witches as happened in France or Germany. As Jacinto wrote the screenplay and subsequently directed this co-production Spanish-Italian set in France.
Naschy gives his knowledges about Inquistion and witchery as he explains about the ¨Fornicarius¨and the ¨Garden of flowers ¨ by Torquemada that the devil and Sabbath are the same. And accusing Inquisition publishes what may be the most blood-soaked book in human history: ¨The Malleus Malleficarum¨, the witches' hammer,it is instructed the clergy on how to locate,torture and kill all freethinking women,during witch-hunt , history tells, fifty thousand are captured ,burned alive at the stake. Also Paul Naschy/Bernard De Fossey tells : 72 infernal princes command over 7.000 demons as ¨Satanas¨ the Grand General and Emperor, ¨Belcebu¨, prince of demons , ¨Asmodeo¨, superintendent of inferno, ¨Astaroth¨ Grand duke of occident, infernal treasurer, and ¨Beltegor¨ who rules over 70 legions of devils.
It's a B series entertainment with abundant sensationalistic scenes and a Naif style.The movie has a bit of ridiculous gore and is an engaging horror story full of witchery, tortures, burning poles and several other things. This time Paul Nashy/Jacinto Molina exhibits little breast but he was European weightlifting champion .Pretty slow going, but hang in there for the Inquisitors versus witches , colorful Aquelarres and astonishing devils. Good cinematography by Miguel Mila and Julio Burgos is accompanied by a correct remastering. Eerie and atmospheric musical score by Barratas .The motion picture is professionally directed and played by Jacinto Molina , a slick craftsman though regular actor.The flick will appeal to Paul Naschy fans and terror genre enthusiasts. Rating : 6, Acceptable and entertaining.
