Okay let’s get this out of the way at the start. There is a
genre of film known as Nazisploitation. For those unaware of the genre it
involved, of course, Nazis and WWII as well as taking place in the few years
following. The movies were filled with scenes of torture, Nazis, female
concentration camp commanders, gore and sex. Everything that a good exploitation
film required. The end result was a genre that kept grindhouses and drive-ins
busy and open for some time. Now Severin is releasing one of the later entries
into the genre, a film called THE BEAST IN HEAT.
The movie was directed by Luigi Batzella and comprised of
footage shot for a previous film and new footage that was added. While that it
shows the movie still at least has a coherent plotline. Released in 1977 the
film opens with SS officer/doctor Dr. Ellen Kratsch (Macha Magall) displaying her
latest creation, a half man/half beast near dwarf like beast she keeps in a
cage. To show her colleagues what she’s created she brings in a local virgin
and has her tossed into the cage with the beast who then forcibly rapes the
young girl nearly to death. How does this help the war movement? I have no
clue.
As this is taking place in another town the resistance is
doing their best to thwart the efforts of the German army. Blowing up bridges,
hiding from the Nazis and facing off in various gun battles their efforts are
having an effect. The local commandant is told to get things under control and
to help him they are sending Dr. Kratsch.
The two stories, that of the resistance and of Kratch’s
various methods of torture, collide in a mish mash of a film that can’t quite
decide what it wants to be. That decision to combine two movies into one might
not have been a good one after all. But the things that fans of the genre seem
to enjoy are all here on display, in particular a good amount of exposed female
flesh and plenty of gore.
I’ve never been a fan of the genre and this film by itself
wouldn’t be a good way to change someone’s opinion of the films. It does
provide plenty of laughs though and the extreme over acting of many of those
involved. But to be honest I wouldn’t have recommended this disc with the
exception of something included in the package.
Included with the film is a feature length documentary on
the genre called Fascism On A Thread – The Strange Story of
Nazisploitation Cinema. The documentary takes on all aspects of the genre
taking it far back to early WWII movies that featured some of the same themes
and items that made the genre so popular. It includes interviews with various
directors and writers who worked in the genre. Most notably among those
interviewed is actress Dyanne Thorne whose portrayal of the main character in
ILSA: SHE WOLF OF THE SS led to several sequels. By far ILSA was the
quintessential film of the genre and to have her speak about it is quite
interesting.
Severing has done a fine job with this release giving fans a
clean version of the film, perhaps the best ever offered. In addition to the
extra documentary there is Nazi Nasty: Interview with Stephen
Thrower the author of MUREROUS PASSIONS and the trailer for the film.
If you’re curious at all about the genre then by all means
pick this title up, if not for the film itself then for the extra documentary.
And if you are a fan then you’ll want to add this version of the film to your
collection.
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