317. The Devil's Possessed

317. The Devil’s Possessed aka El mariscal del infierno (1974)
Director: León Klimovsky
Writer: Paul Naschy
From: Pure Terror (only 5 remain!)

A baron hungry for power turns to black magic to expand his power. He kidnaps and tortures his subjects for the rituals inspiring a revolt.

A Paul Naschy film I didn’t know I had waiting for me. This is an unexpected pleasure.

Naschy plays an evil baron who returns from a visit to the king without the glory he expected. He’s the King’s greatest soldier, but left humiliated. He decides to follow through with his alternative plan: hire an alchemist to create the Philosopher’s Stone and become ruler of the world. To accomplish this, he’ll have to perform all kinds of black magic rituals.

Sic Semper Libertarian

Time passes, the people in his barony come to fear him as the Marshal of Hell because he’s resorted to kidnapping and torture to get his way. Meanwhile his alchemist and consort are conspiring to make him commit every greater atrocities.

Arrive: Gaston, a soldier held prisoner in England these past four years and friend of the Baron. He initially disbelieves the stories about the Baron, but is convinced when the Baron invites him to the castle, invites him to join in the black magic, and tries to assassinate him. Gaston leaves to lead the resistance and the Baron dedicates himself to defeating him.

Things go… not quite as expected, thankfully, which is just further evidence of it being a Paul Naschy film. All the films of his that I’ve watched deal in tropes, but twist them just a little bit. The Baron is slightly sympathetic, roped into this corruption by the people around him who he later turns on for failing him. He feels guilt and tries to seek penance, but his ego prompts him to immediately return to his murderous ways.

As we approach the inevitable final battle, there are a few twists and wrinkles that elevate this above similar schlock. I won’t give away the ending except to say it surprised me in a very satisfying way. It’s an ending that seems to reject both heroes and the aristocracy in favor of the common man and collective action. It could have used more black magic, but that’s a minor quibble. Good sets, visually interesting, and pretty good acting (despite the dubbing). I don’t know that I have to say it’s a recommend because it’s a Paul Naschy film: doesn’t that mean “recommended” all on its own?