crystallogic This is the kind of film that can change your life. I like a lot of weird stuff, and every so often I invite friends over and try and get them to watch something strange, old and messed up. The reactions often range from bemusement to disgust. I don't think that anybody's ever had a bad time with Bloody Pit of Horror, though. It's impossible not to grin like an idiot. You'll laugh at the film, but I'm not at all convinced that the humour is unintentional, as some might be inclined to believe. It's so over-the-top; so unbelievably camp, it just defies all credibility, or even attempts at serious criticism, and unlike some of these "we deliberately set out to make a bad film" movies that you see nowadays, you can still believe that there was some sincerity in the makers' hearts, in the sense that they really wanted people to have a good time.The movie starts out with almost exactly the same scene as about 100 other horror classics. A person is accused of heinous crimes against society, humanity, and good taste! he is due to be executed in a horrible way, but defiantly screams imprecations at his captors, and asserts that he, The Crimson Executioner, will take vengeance! Ooooh boy! Then we cut to teh present, and a bunch of clueless people, who arrive at an old castle to stage a photo shoot for a stupid book, like it's the most glamorous thing in the world. Watch as a terrible fate befalls most of them. The castle is occupied, and the master of the house is Mickey Harjitay! he is very concerned about his Perfect Body and it's natural purity, and he thinks he is the Crimson Executioner himself! Someone's gonna have to pay!This movie is wall-to-wall absurdity. There are plot twists that come out of nowhere and also come to basically nothing, such as the one model girl suddenly remembering that she used to date Mickey Harjitay's character. Something i haven't seen commented on before, but which my girlfriend rightly pointed out, is the influence that wrestling must have had on this film. Not the sport of wrestling so much, but popular show wrestling, complete with all the posturing, weird costumes, grandiose speeches, etc. If you like "pro wrestling", I think you'll get a kick out of this film, and even if you don't, you still will, especially after some intoxicants. Mickey is an absolute scream, strutting around with an insane glare, lathering himself with oil, and screaming and ranting about the Harmony and Purity of his Perfect Body! Also, referring to himself in the third person, as in: "The Crimson Executioner commands it!!" He also has a bunch of servants, for some reason, in ridiculous getup. The rest of the cast is pretty unmemorable, but really, who cares?When I said that this could change your life, I guess what I meant was, this is the kind of thing that makes you realise that yes, they really did used to make movies as gonzo as this back in the day. It's utterly senseless; not very artistic, but you're guaranteed a great time and you'll just never forget. An odd thing that separates this from most of the other serious "vengeance from the grave" type movies: Mickey is not actually the reincarnation of the Crimson Executioner, even though he thinks he is. This adds an extra layer of dimentedness to everything, if you ask me. The guy is just totally nuts, and there's no explanation or reason behind it. Terrific. The music is notably terrible, except for that theme tune, which is catchy and even pretty (what is that anyway, a theremin?). It's all very 60s, and 100% campy excess. If you thought Barbarella was alright, you'll probably love this.

Bezenby A bunch of Italian actors head off to a creepy looking castle and are picked off one by one by a masked killer. This is no giallo, however! Everyone knows who doing the killing - he's that big muscly bastard in the red cap and mask screaming about how he's the Crimson Executioner and he's going to kill everyone! It ups the camp factor greatly that the victims are made up off supermodel looking for a castle like location to take horror themed pictures, which leads to much groovy sixties montages. It also ups the camp factor that the guy in charge of the castle is a nutcase who thinks that he's returned from the grave to torture people to death in his dungeon. His ex-girlfriend is amongst the visiting models - that's what drives him insane. Either that or someone breaking the seal on the original Crimson killer guy's Iron Maiden...it's a bit confusing. And yes, someone gets stuffed into that Iron Maiden.I suppose it shouldn't be much of a surprise how violent this film is considering that Massimo Puppillo also made Terror Creatures From the Grave, but what threw me here was how violent this film actually was! People are graphically tortured SAW style, by having molten lead poured on them, frozen water dripped onto their backs, burned alive, and one is almost rescued by one of our heroes before receiving a metal hook under her jawline! Another guy has an arrow shot through his neck, two girls are strapped to a machine where a blade cuts them across the chest...all this set to a groovy sixties bongo/ride cymbal soundtrack and the campest killer ever.Also of note is that set design kind of only allows the colour red to stand out amongst the scenery. This is worth noting so you can bring this up when you have your 'Italian sixties movies' coffee mornings in order to raise funds to send little Jimmy to the Profondo Rosso shop in Rome before the Crimson Executioner comes to get him! I almost forgot to mention the ultra-elaborate 'Spider Web/Crossbow' torture device that appears early in the film. Surely that would have taken more effort than it's worth to set up?

Rainey Dawn I got this film in a 9-film collection called Horrorlicious. It's one of the so-bad-its-good films I found in the pack. The movie is not funny - it's actually on the creepy side in it's way but Mickey Hargitay as the crimson executioner is almost comical." A group of photographers and models go to an abandoned castle to shoot some pictures for a magazine. When they arrive they find a man who claims to be the owner of the place and his servant inside. The fake owner Travis finally says the group can stay and take some photos they find that Travis thinks he's the crimson executioner. When Travis puts on the clothing of the crimson executioner he becomes extremely violent, he tortures the group. Can any of them escape alive? I would give this film a 4 but because Mickey Hargitay gets me laughing as the crimsonexecutioner I will give the film an extra point.5/10

Woodyanders A photographer, his models, and several other guys go to an old castle for a photo shoot. The group wind up being terrorized by insane castle owner Travis Anderson (a gloriously crazed portrayal by Mickey Hargitay), a vicious psychotic madman who thinks he's the reincarnation of a legendary depraved 17th century executioner. Director Massimo Pupillo, working from a blithely twisted script by Romano Migliorini and Roberto Natale, makes excellent use of the fantastic crumbling castle location, delivers a handy helping of raw misogynistic violence, and milks the racy and blatant elements of sadism, narcissism, and especially homo-eroticism for maximum deliciously decadent seedy thrills. Moreover, this picture greatly benefits from a bevy of beautiful ladies: Luisa Baratto as the sweet Edith, Barbara Nelli as the bitchy Suzy, Rita Klein as the ditsy Nancy, Moa Tahi as the lovely Kinojo, and the ever-enticing Femi Benussi as the fetching Annie. Walter Brandi makes for a likable, if ineffectual hero as the bumbling Rick. Luciano Trasatti's vibrant color cinematography gives the movie an eye-popping garish look. Gino Peguri's groovy swinging score hits the funky bopping spot. However, it's Hargitay's sublimely ripe, unrestrained, and over-the-top histrionic acting as the raving wacko that provides the majority of the infectiously campy and warped entertainment. A total kitschy blast.