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The Bloody Judge main poster

The Bloody Judge

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4.9/10 • 42

1970-02-051h 24m

HorrorHistory

Horror Will Hold You Helpless!

Horror icon Christopher Lee, who worked with Jess Franco on several occasions, plays Lord George Jeffreys, the infamous and merciless judge and Lord Chancellor in England torn by strife between the reigning King James II and William of Orange. Convincend of doing what's necessary, the cruel judge mercilessly persecutes "traitors" who sympathize with the King's opponent William of Orange. As well as "witches" who are accused of being in league with the devil...

Directors
Jesús Franco
Writters
Michael Haller, Anthony Scott Veitch
Editors
Derek Parsons

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Christopher Lee

    Christopher Lee

    Lord George Jeffreys

  2. Maria Schell

    Maria Schell

    Mother Rosa

  3. Leo Genn

    Leo Genn

    Lord Wessex

  4. Hans Hass Jr.

    Hans Hass Jr.

    Harry Selton

  5. Maria Rohm

    Maria Rohm

    Mary Gray

  6. Margaret Lee

    Margaret Lee

    Alicia Gray

  7. Pietro Martellanza

    Pietro Martellanza

    Barnaby (as Peter Martell)

  8. Howard Vernon

    Howard Vernon

    Jack Ketch

  9. Milo Quesada

    Milo Quesada

    Satchel

Reviews1

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Wuchak Avatar

Wuchak

Aug 31, 2023

6/10

The horror of civil war four decades after the infamous exploits of Matthew Hopkins During the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685 in Britain, George Jeffreys (Christopher Lee), known as “the hanging judge,” carries out his job sentencing witches and insurrectionists to torture and execution. “The Bloody Judge” (1970) was inspired by the success of “Witchfinder General,” aka “Conqueror Worm,” similar to “Mark of the Devil,” just not as well-known. While it includes torture sequences, they’re not as overt or prevalent as “Mark.” The original Italian title translates as “The Throne of Fire” and the flick was released in North America in 1972 with the ill-fitting name “Night of the Blood Monster.” Thankfully, it was later changed. The production values are superior to both “Witchfinder General” and “Mark of the Devil” (which is surprising with Jesús Franco at the helm). The cinematography, colors and locations are outstanding. Unfortunately, the first half is better than the second; the latter seems to lose its way. Nevertheless, there’s a lot to appreciate. The movie uses the setting of the Monmouth Rebellion to illustrate different kinds of horror: being wrongly judged, tortured and executed; rape; political unrest; fighting in explosive combat and getting wounded; putting on an erotic act in a desperate attempt to save one’s life; having the tables suddenly turned; and getting a horrific taste of one's own medicine. Comparable movies beyond the two others noted include “The Blood on Satan’s Claw” and “Twins of Evil,” as well as “Rasputin: the Mad Monk” and “The Last Valley.” The flick runs 1 hour, 42 minutes (wrongly listed as 1 hour, 24 minutes) and was shot in Sargans and Vaduz, Liechtenstein. GRADE: B-

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  • The Bloody Judge poster
  • The Bloody Judge poster
  • The Bloody Judge poster
  • The Bloody Judge poster
  • The Bloody Judge poster
  • The Bloody Judge poster
  • The Bloody Judge poster
  • The Bloody Judge poster
  • The Bloody Judge poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
Italian
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
torturewitchcraft17th century